Halibut
EpicSaltwater
A flatfish that lies camouflaged on the ocean floor and ambushes prey from below, so bait needs to reach bottom and stay there. Boated fish still have serious power — control it carefully at the surface before bringing it aboard.
Profile
- Fight: 7/10
- Trophy: 8/10
- Wariness: 3/10
- Abundance: 3/10
- Aggression: 3/10
- Table: 10/10
- Typical weight
- 11.0–44.1 lbs (5.0–20.0 kg)
- Record
- 440.9 lbs (200.0 kg)
Season
- Jan: 15%
- Feb: 15%
- Mar: 25%
- Apr: 45%
- May: 65%
- Jun: 75%
- Jul: 75%
- Aug: 65%
- Sep: 50%
- Oct: 30%
- Nov: 18%
- Dec: 15%
Seasonality shown is typical for temperate North America — your local waters may vary.
Time of day
- 12 AM: 8%
- 1 AM: 6%
- 2 AM: 5%
- 3 AM: 5%
- 4 AM: 6%
- 5 AM: 15%
- 6 AM: 35%
- 7 AM: 55%
- 8 AM: 70%
- 9 AM: 80%
- 10 AM: 85%
- 11 AM: 85%
- 12 PM: 80%
- 1 PM: 78%
- 2 PM: 80%
- 3 PM: 82%
- 4 PM: 78%
- 5 PM: 65%
- 6 PM: 45%
- 7 PM: 25%
- 8 PM: 15%
- 9 PM: 12%
- 10 PM: 10%
- 11 PM: 9%
Conditions
Temp43–54°F (6–12°C)
Depth33–197 ft (10–60 m)
PressureAny
LightAny
Lures
Tips
- Bounce a heavy jig or bait along the bottom where halibut lie in wait.
- Use a jig heavy enough to reach bottom quickly in deep water and current.
- Slack tide, when current eases, is often the most productive window.
Live bite index for your spot
Vobbl scores today’s weather against this species’ profile, hour by hour, wherever you fish.