California VS Pacific Halibut

Hello Everyone!

I was going over the Open and Closed Fishing Seasons when I noticed Pacific Halibut was closed while California Halibut was open. This got me thinking... How can you target one species over the other if they're nearly identical? Also, how can you even tell them apart?

Bonus Question: What do I have to do to catch a Sheephead? Is there a specific bait they like?

Cheers!
CyberSeaSpie

The fins on the Pacific halibut are more of a straight line coming to a point where the fins on the California halibut are more rounded. Also, the Pacific halibut tend to be much larger reaching weights of 400 plus pounds. The one I caught at Shelter Cove was a little guy at 44”, and 36 lbs. it was still an unexpected challenge in the kayak.

As shown in the illustrations you posted by Amadeo Bachar (NCKA member, sponsor and friend!) the Pac Hali is more diamond shaped. The reg book used to have a pretty good list of characteristics to differentiate the two. I haven’t looked in the book recently

As mentioned, Pacific halibut are diamond shaped, while Cali's are more rounded.  The Pacific's are generally more robust - not just bigger, but slightly bigger features, like the jaw and other head parts.

Pacific's range is all the way down to the Bay Area and a little south, but it's pretty rare for one to be caught south of Mendocino area - like you'll hear of one around Albion, Fort Ross, Sonoma coast and even San Mateo once in a while, but, like I said - rarely.

Pacific's are almost always deeper than where you'd typically find Cali's.  To catch a Pacific in less than 100' of water doesn't happen often, but some locations, like Shelter Cove, do see them caught into about 50' - still not commonly.  Off of Eureka/Humboldt Bay, the Pacific's are typically caught in 200 to 300 FOW - same thing off of Trinidad.  Sometimes they're caught in a bit closer at Crescent City, but it's still more likely to find them in more than 150' of water.

Interestingly, California halibut and Pacific halibut rarely share the same habitat areas.  At Shelter Cove, it's possible to catch either species in about 50' of water, but most of the Cali's are in more like 10 to 20 feet, and most of the Pacifics are in more like 150 to 250 feet.

I caught mine in 118' in 2011.  41"/~30 pounder took a herring I mooched off the bottom while I rested - unable to catch a salmon after trolling all day in the fog.  I was happy, but I would've much rather caught a salmon!

I've never had a client at Shelter Cove hook a Pacific, but we've caught lots of Cali's.

Quite a few Pacific's have been caught during the Gimme Shelter tournament weekends over the years (May), and at least twice the tournament has been won by someone who caught a Pacific on tourney day.  The largest caught during the GS weekend was a 51.5"/60 pounder caught by Randall/Bigfoot, back in like 2011 or so.

Get on up to Shelter Cove for Gimme Shelter, where hopefully we'll see a Pacific or multiples, as well as hopefully some Cali's, which it'll be a bit early for, typically.

This chart might be useful.

This chart might be useful.

Not exactly relevant... but anybody ever caught an arrowtooth flounder?

According to Wikipedia: "If not properly handled, the flesh of an arrowtooth flounder can soften, due to a proteolytic enzyme which is emitted from a myxosporean parasite that softens the flesh when heated, lowering value and marketability. To make it more marketable, arrowtooth is usually sold on the West Coast as turbot, although it is not related to the true turbot. Additives have been created to combat the softening of flesh, creating economic feasibility for the catching of the flounder."

As mentioned, Pacific halibut are diamond shaped, while Cali's are more rounded.  The Pacific's are generally more robust - not just bigger, but slightly bigger features, like the jaw and other head parts.

Pacific's range is all the way down to the Bay Area and a little south, but it's pretty rare for one to be caught south of Mendocino area - like you'll hear of one around Albion, Fort Ross, Sonoma coast and even San Mateo once in a while, but, like I said - rarely.

Pacific's are almost always deeper than where you'd typically find Cali's.  To catch a Pacific in less than 100' of water doesn't happen often, but some locations, like Shelter Cove, do see them caught into about 50' - still not commonly.  Off of Eureka/Humboldt Bay, the Pacific's are typically caught in 200 to 300 FOW - same thing off of Trinidad.  Sometimes they're caught in a bit closer at Crescent City, but it's still more likely to find them in more than 150' of water.

Interestingly, California halibut and Pacific halibut rarely share the same habitat areas.  At Shelter Cove, it's possible to catch either species in about 50' of water, but most of the Cali's are in more like 10 to 20 feet, and most of the Pacifics are in more like 150 to 250 feet.

I caught mine in 118' in 2011.  41"/~30 pounder took a herring I mooched off the bottom while I rested - unable to catch a salmon after trolling all day in the fog.  I was happy, but I would've much rather caught a salmon!

I've never had a client at Shelter Cove hook a Pacific, but we've caught lots of Cali's.

Quite a few Pacific's have been caught during the Gimme Shelter tournament weekends over the years (May), and at least twice the tournament has been won by someone who caught a Pacific on tourney day.  The largest caught during the GS weekend was a 51.5"/60 pounder caught by Randall/Bigfoot, back in like 2011 or so.

Get on up to Shelter Cove for Gimme Shelter, where hopefully we'll see a Pacific or multiples, as well as hopefully some Cali's, which it'll be a bit early for, typically.

This is very informative and clears a lot up, thanks!