Halibut
Where to find them?
Halibut is a species of fish that populates the Pacific waters surrounding the continental shelf with the most sizable and trophy-worthy of these enormous fish residing in Alaskan waters. While Halibut can be caught any time, day or night, the professionals give the Alaskan tides some careful consideration before planning a fishing excursion. In the cold months, Halibut typically travel to the Alaskan Gulf in search of their primary food sources, while in the warm summer months they tend to stick to the shallow bays for their primary prey which includes plankton in their youth, squid, clams, crabs and an abundance of small fish.
Physical Features
Halibut can be recognized by their extreme size, as a large sum of their population exceeds 400 pounds. They have been found tipping the scales at an extraordinary 8 feet long and 690 pounds. Through maturation, Halibut develop a long and flat body-type with eyes residing on the top of their head categorizing it as a flatfish. Key identifiers include a white underbelly and dark-colored top looking a bit like seaweed, dark ocean water, and sand homogeneously mixed. This combination of features protects the fish from detection by predators while also rewarding the Halibut a very long lifespan of up to 42 years.
Best-bet Bait
Halibut, like most other species of fish, prefer freshly-caught bait as opposed to non-fresh alternatives. Being a predator from birth, Halibut have the option of being selective about meals and will be interested in a living, swimming creature before a frozen dinner any day of the week. A generous piece of freshly-cut, non-living fish is also a bait option as the oils and other excretes ring a dinner bell for nearby Halibut searching for a meal.
Fishing Techniques
Halibut are strong and capable of snapping an ill-equipped pole in half, so the proper fishing tools are necessary to reel in the big one. A 6 or 7-foot rod is the usual preference for Halibut fishermen and the pole should be equipped with 250-300 yards of 80-100 pound line.
The butterfly technique is a very popular option for Halibut fishing. This process involves moving and jerking the lure from side to side as quickly as possible while still being aware of the line receiving a bite. It is important during this technique to reel in and also release the line at variable times to change the depth of the lure.