NorCal Kayak Anglers

General => Fish Talk => Topic started by: blondstallion on May 16, 2006, 06:01:06 PM

Title: California Halibut
Post by: blondstallion on May 16, 2006, 06:01:06 PM
So, it appears that we and everybody else fish for halibut in the summer when they come into the warm, shallow bays to spawn.  But I wonder where are they live the rest of the year?  Is it possible to catch a California halibut at other times of the year in other environments?  I wonder where the flatties live the remainder of the year???  Anybody know?

Peace, Sean
Title: Re: California Halibut
Post by: bsteves on May 16, 2006, 10:57:51 PM
Sean,

Down in southern california halibut can be caught year round, the water is warmer and the fish stay active.

Up here in NorCal, I believe the halibut move out deep during the winter and generally aren't as aggresive in the cooler water anyway.  I imagine if you fished long and hard enough in the winter in about 100 m of water and managed to place a nice bait right in front of a halibut you might be able to catch one.   Because of this, the warmer shallow water during the summer is the time and place to go for halibut around here.
Title: Re: California Halibut
Post by: jmairey on May 18, 2006, 08:42:05 PM

good question I was wondering about this myself.

the commercial guys do seem to catch them during the winter, just not as much, I always assumed they
just fished deeper and that we could catch them if really industrious about it.

even in so cal they fish deeper in the winter, at least according to c-level todd groessi(sp?)'s article on halibut,
but I don't really know how deep they are fishing.

J