Halibut in 2023

[Jake Dogfish]

I haven't fished halibut out of westport yet, but I'm planning to do it this year. I have a 23 ft north river that's properly equipped. I usually have a crew, but if I have an open seat, I love to take new (to me) folks out. I usually fish on week days though and avoid weekends. If you have knowledge of halibut out of westport, that's a big plus, especially nearshore opportunity. I don't plan on fishing the super deep stuff.

I have never been on the Ocean or fished Halibut. 
Really like the YouTube channel. 

[fishngamereaper]

I'll have open seats once in a while.
We run from CQ since I have property there but we can fish inside and or outside
 We'll run as far as needed playing the weather. 40-50 past tatoosh is not uncommon.

[MADMAX]

I'll have open seats once in a while.
We run from CQ since I have property there but we can fish inside and or outside
 We'll run as far as needed playing the weather. 40-50 past tatoosh is not uncommon.

Id be down for that
No longer have my saltwater boat
But have my halibut gear still
Thanks bud

[fishngamereaper]

I'll have open seats once in a while.
We run from CQ since I have property there but we can fish inside and or outside
 We'll run as far as needed playing the weather. 40-50 past tatoosh is not uncommon.

Id be down for that
No longer have my saltwater boat
But have my halibut gear still
Thanks bud

 
And if clallam co. Dcd ease's up off my back I may have my cabin mostly done by then..

[Gentrys]

IPHC has a cool video which show tons of Lings and some halibut on the ocean floor in the rockpiles.
Just skip ahead in the video to about the 5-6 minute mark:

[Fidelk]

Thanks for posting this video......I found it on YouTube so I could go full screen on laptop. I was on a charter out of Bodega Bay, CA (Cordell Bank) and the captain had found a hole that must have had lingcod as concentrated as this video. The boat was 65 feet and the trip was limited to 20 fishermen. Probably fishing in less than 200 feet of water. Jigs only. I had a rubber shrimp tied 2 feet above the jig. Drop and feel bottom.....come up a few feet and FISH ON......two 25 lb. lings........drop again and repeat........limit was 3 or 4. Boat limited out in less than an hour. I have always wondered what the bottom structure of that hole looked like......I'm thinking very similar to what is shown on the video. Usually in those waters you would catch a mixed bag of lings and rockfish.....not that day. Don't think anyone caught a rockfish. I think rockfish wouldn't get very close to that high a concentration of lingcod.

[C-Money]

Very cool video! The lings were really stacked in on those rocks!! Any idea the state/province this was filmed at?

[Fidelk]

Very cool video! The lings were really stacked in on those rocks!! Any idea the state/province this was filmed at?

California is a possibility. At the 5:00 mark a fish is shown that looks like a white sea bass or a California corbina(?). White sea bass can range from Baja to Juneau, so could be elsewhere. I was wondering the same thing.

[trophyhunt]

I torture myself out there, big time puker, but love catching lings and sea bass.  I’m done with halibut, most boring fish to catch and prefer ling and bass meat way over halibut.  Those guys that get sick, try zofran, it’s a wonder drug for me! Stops my sickness 75% of the time.

[dilleytech]

I haven't fished halibut out of westport yet, but I'm planning to do it this year. I have a 23 ft north river that's properly equipped. I usually have a crew, but if I have an open seat, I love to take new (to me) folks out. I usually fish on week days though and avoid weekends. If you have knowledge of halibut out of westport, that's a big plus, especially nearshore opportunity. I don't plan on fishing the super deep stuff.

The good halibut fishing isn’t super deep it’s about 450’. But it’s 27 miles. Electric reels are worth the investment.

[dilleytech]

I booked a bottom trip on opening day. No halibut opportunity, but I'm ready to fish now. Always wanted to fish Westport in March. Would love a giant ling...

If you want to get big lings book an all depths bottom fish trip or halibut trip. That’s when they load the boat with the big females. Most lingcod caught on nearshore trips are tiny.

[dilleytech]

The last halibut I caught was on rocky bottom which really surprised me.  That was inside Puget Sound though.  I always thought they laid on sand like their smaller relatives, shows what I know.

I suppose they go where the food is #1 and then the bottom they prefer #2.

They prefer sand or cobble rocky bottom.

[Fidelk]

I booked a bottom trip on opening day. No halibut opportunity, but I'm ready to fish now. Always wanted to fish Westport in March. Would love a giant ling...

If you want to get big lings book an all depths bottom fish trip or halibut trip. That’s when they load the boat with the big females. Most lingcod caught on nearshore trips are tiny.

I was on a halibut/lingcod trip and the halibut bite had slowed way down. Another boat shared that they were catching them on lingcod bellies.......cut some bellies from lingcod in the box, dropped them down and the boat quickly limited out.

[C-Money]

I got this one on a Lingcod belly.

[Gentrys]

Salmon bellies work well also.  That's all we ever used when we lived in Alaska 20 years ago.