When do halibut bite

Halibut are one of the most popular inshore and nearshore sportfish in American waters. Determining the best time of day to target these bottom feeders can be quite puzzling for many anglers. The truth is, the tide is what dictates the quality of the halibut bite more than any other factor. The best time of day for halibut fishing is during slack tides which are the 2 hours before and 2 hours after both high and low tide.

These slack tide hours consistently produce the best halibut bite. The key factors that make one time of day better than another include the tide and moon phase, the time of day, and the season. These vary depending on the specific location and depth that you are fishing and whether you are targeting, Pacific halibut or California halibut.

Knowing the best times to catch a halibut really boils down to understanding the combination of these contributing factors that position fish and turn them on to feed. It is possible to catch halibut on any tide swing incoming, outgoing or slack, but it is highly unlikely a halibut will be present and actively feeding at every spot on every tide or susceptible to every technique. A common tidal phase that gets halibut fisherman excited is the time of day surrounding slack tides.

If you only can choose one window to fish for the day, this is it. Generally, the two hours before and the two hours after a high or low tide is the best time of day to be fishing for halibut. Many anglers plan their day to specifically fish this time of window at their favorite spots due to it being the most productive. While the inexperienced angler may think that this is the only time window that halibut are aggressively feeding due to it being the easiest phase in the tides to effectively fish.

This simply is not the case, with hard work, good planning, and a competent captain at the helm other times of day can also produce fish. The slack tide is an especially productive time to fish for halibut, simply because it is easier to keep your baits in the strike zone that halibut are feeding in. Whether you are free-drifting across a spot, anchoring up, or even just casting from shore, slower tidal currents allow anglers to use less weight to maintain bottom contact.

When fishing at great depths up to feet or more a slow drift becomes important as the resistance from the line will cause the weight and bait to be pulled up off the bottom even when using several pounds of lead. If flounder is more your thing, check out this link to read the complete breakdown of best time and tides to catch flounder I wrote. During the times of day that the tide is running strong either incoming or outgoing, you must use techniques designed to make those fishing hours productive.

The captain of the boat can control the speed of the drift and you can use a much heavier weight than during the slack to maintain bottom contact. However, sometimes even great boat control and several pounds of lead is not enough. When the tide is ripping hard some anglers will choose to let an anchor out. This allows you to fish a spot at a time when the drift would be so fast, it is otherwise next to impossible to effectively present a bait in the zone where a halibut will bite it.

Halibut will position themselves along the tidal flow where the current will deliver food to them but require the least amount of effort to feed. These areas make resting and feeding energy efficient for the fish. Halibut are no different than trout, except that they are living on the bottom of the ocean or large bays and estuaries.

They are laying on the bottom for much of the day waiting for prey to swim past overhead and not swimming through the water column chasing schools of baitfish like salmon or tuna once they reach a mature size. Halibut are aggressive feeders but prefer to ambush their prey or sneak up on prey that has been positioned against the contour of the bottom due to the tidal currents. Some of the best fishing holes for halibut may be best fished on a strong tide during the peak flow of water and not on the slack due to this ability of the current to pin bait into specific spots that can turn on a feeding frenzy.

Through this understanding, we can look at topographical maps, our depth finders, and the tide tables to determine the best times of day to catch halibut for the areas you are fishing. A location that is a natural sandy bottom that turns rocky and ends with a large rock formation at one end can be an extremely hot spot when the tidal currents are pushing water into the rock formation. The currents cause bait to pile up and reduces the energy output to feed for halibut.

On the contrary when the current is running the other way the fish may move to another location altogether or shut down from feeding because all the bait is flushed out higher above their feeding grounds into the endless sandy bottom.

Now if that sandy bottom drops off quickly, there may be a depression that these fish move to a few hundred yards away from the rock formation and sit there waiting for the next tidal switch to move back up and feed. While the current is moving in the other direction you can present a bait in these depressions and the fish will still readily bite. Make your plans of when the best time to fish a specific spot based on the direction the current moves and your knowledge of the underwater topography for the local area.

Halibut Maps B. Before planning your halibut fishing trip, halibut. The phase of the moon will effect your halibut fishing as well as any other bottomfishing you might try.

A full moon will cause higher, swifter tides that make it difficult to keep your halibut baits or halibut lures on or very near the bottom. This doesn't mean you won't catch halibut, it simply means you will have to use different halibut fishing techniques. For instance, anchoring for halibut can be very effective, even during the strongest tides of the month. The largest halibut I've taken to date, a whopping pound trophy halibut, was taken during the strongest tide of the month.

We anchored our 25 foot boat in a known halibut bed and then lowered our whole salmon heads to the bottom, with the aid of four pound leads. Our anchorage was feet deep. It would not have been possible to stay on the bottom without the use of 80 pound test superbraid line, thin diameter, strong breaking strength or without the heavier lead.

For years everyone has said you will catch more halibut during slack tides. This is true only because that's typically when the majority of halibut anglers pursue halibut. However, the expert halibut guides know they can fish for halibut and catch halibut during any tidal phase, if they go to the right spot. Look at the chart of the area, then note when your buddy experienced great halibut fishing action. If he was there during an outgoing tide chances are the location won't produce unless you fish the outgoing tide.

Upon close inspection of the chart you might figure out where in the area to try next. For instance, if the known halibut hotspot only produces on an outgoing tide, you should look for an area that's deeper, in the opposite direction of the tidal flow.

The lateral line is most distinctive and is highly arched above the pectoral fin. The mouth is large with conical teeth. The Pacific and California halibut can be found ranging from the cold waters of Alaska to the warm waters of Baja California.

The California halibut inhabit the central down to baja california. The box like perimeter that connects the South Hampton Shoals to the Racoon Straits, to Treasure Island, and back to the Berkeley Flats is regarded by many as the perfect terrain for halibut. It is not recommended for Kayak Fishing. See Map Below. Oyster point and the Alameda Rock wall are good locations to start because the south bay waters tend to warm up first. June through August are considered the height of the run, although halibut can be found all the way into November.

The halibut is a predatory ambush fish. Their diet consist of small bait fish such as: anchovies sad emoji , smelt, shiner perch, sardines, and squid.

Since they feed mainly on sight and by ambush, water clarity plays a big role in the success of targeting halibut. The ideal halibut location will provide these three elements. Reefs and rock provide cover for bait fish from predatory fish.

Sand and mud provide halibut with the opportune environment which they use to blend in and ambush their prey. Unlike RF, Salmon, Sharks and Rays, halibut who swim up and down the water column, halibut mainly inhabit the floor of the ocean.

Ledges and Eddies Ledges and eddies are good locations to find halibut because bait fish prefer to congregate around these areas. Here are some productive ledges in the bay and ocean: Alameda Rock wall Flag Pole , Paradise Cove, right in front of the pier, and Moss Landing, right outside the harbor, are all productive halibut areas.

Fly lining a live bait in the surf line is a good bet for a halibut or striper. Tides and Surf Anticipating good tides is key to successful halibut fishing. This told me two things. What are the best tides? For the bay, steady slow tides are best. Typically, two hours before the incoming and outgoing are the best time to target butts. Halibut will bite as the tide starts to go and when it starts to slow down. They typically stop on slack tide.

When do the halibut show up in the bay? In SF bay halibut migrate in the early spring to breed. Halibut follow large school of herring that come into spawn and then lay down for the spring. Herring is a great bait to use in the early spring after the initial herring runs are gone. Drifting live bait such as shiners, smelt and anchovies is the preferred method when live bait becomes available.

Tide Chart Understanding Tides is crucial to successfully fishing halibut. Below is a reference for looking up tides. SaltWater Tide Charts. Surf and Swells Big surf and swells will play a big part in halibut fishing mainly in the ocean.

Flat calm seas, clear waters, steady tides and bait are ideal halibut fishing conditions. Large swells, particularly a south swell will shut down most bottom fish action, such as Rockfish, Lingcod and Halibut. Look at the conditions to pick and choose which days to fish. Frozen bait as herring, anchovies, sardines, and squid are all great baits. I prefer catching my own bait when possible. The annual herring spawn in the San Francisco Bay is a great time to make bait for the year.

In the ocean I run a sliding sinkers behind a octopus and treble stinger hook. Ocean regulations allow multiple poles when targeting halibut so anglers may use as many as they can handle.

A bouncing ball rig like the following is very effective when trolling for halibut in the bay or ocean, Although I change out the hoochie for a sex herring or anchovy; however, hoochies can be extremely effective trolling for halibut around the Santa Cruz area.

Note — For Diagram Purposes only. I would run ft before the flasher than ft to the hoochie or bait. Total Length is no more then ft. Live bait rigs are the way to go in the bay when live bait becomes available. Most anglers will troll in the early season with herring,anchovies or hoochies. However, when the bait arrive in the bay, local caught shiners or smelt is the ticket for large bay halibut!