Halibut in 2023

[Gentrys]

I know it's not cheap to take the boat out for Halibut fishing.  If anyone has an open seat this coming season, keep me in mind.  Happy to help pay for costs.  I usually try to do a day with a charter company out of Westport. 

[C-Money]

I would really like to go out after halibut as well. I book a seat on a charter boat. Never been out private/friends. Deep Sea added a few more boats this season. Hoping Ocean Sportfishing office can stay a float.

[Gentrys]

Yep, just charter boats for me also.  Went with Mark Coleman last year and various boats with Westport Charters and Deep Sea Charters in years past.  Weather doesn't always cooperate but we still manage to get on fish and have a good time.
Just wanted to see if there's anyone out there that might have an available seat this year on their boat.
Going rate on charter boats is now $400 - $500 for halibut.

[Crunchy]

Halibut fishing is addicting.  Caught my first, second and third this last year out at Westport.  Just picked up a second gaff, harpoon and buoy and ready to rock come May.  Why did I wait so long to give it a try.

[hiway_99]

I will have some open seats this year.  Especially if you can fish on a Thursday.  I fish out of la push and run a charter.  I have a north river 3100sxl and all electric reels.  Would be more then happy to offer a hunt wa discount. 

Sent from my SM-G998U using Tapatalk

[Gentrys]

Thanks Hiway99 for the offer.  Never fished out of La Push before.  Definitely something to consider!

[Ghost Hunter]

Tagging

[pnwbestlife]

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.

[C-Money]

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...

[Fidelk]

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 fished halibut/lingcod (on small charter boat) out of La Push. Always limit out. Out about 30 miles. Takes about 90 minutes to get there. There are usually lots of boats arriving in the same patch of ocean. I've seen Westport party boats out there which was about a 4 hour run each way (and less time on the fishing grounds). And you are fishing in 600-700 feet of water......modern braided line is amazing and allows you to feel the bottom in those depths.

[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...

Personally, I prefer lingcod eating over halibut. A bit more versatile to cook.  I think your chance to catch a large ling improves the further out you go. Consider a charter trip for halibut and lings.......there are large lings out where they fish for halibut. There are also a lot of them.......so release the ones that are smaller than your desired size.

[Stein]

I agree, I would take a ling over halibut any day of the week  But, it's sure fun to fish for both provided you aren't using 10# of lead in 600 feet of water.

[Fidelk]

I agree, I would take a ling over halibut any day of the week  But, it's sure fun to fish for both provided you aren't using 10# of lead in 600 feet of water.

The setups provided by the charter captain were 2 lbs. of lead. I tend to use my own jig (less than 2 lbs. with a 10/0 treble hook and "juiced" with Smelly Jelly).....but close enough to the weight being used by others to avoid tangling. It's been a real killer on both halibut and lings. Having fished the rocky bottom off the Northern California coast, I'm amazed that I still haven't lost that jig.......which probably indicates that the bottom out there 30 miles and 600 feet deep is more of a sand and/or gravel bottom. I'm surprised that kind of bottom holds both halibut and lingcod.

[Stein]

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.

[Duckslayer89]

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.

Commercial fishing we always laid sets down on rock piles. A lot of the halibut we caught had bright red belly’s and some were really scratched up from swimming along the coral and rocks.

[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.