If you’re hungry for great sportfishing, wait until you get a taste of the Halibut fishing BC has to offer. One of the tastiest fish in the Pacific Ocean, you might recognize Halibut in some of its crispier forms (fish and chips, anyone?).
It may be hard to believe judging by the size of that fried fillet, but this fish can also grow into one of the largest species in British Columbia. Halibut are known to exceed 400 lbs, swimming in water more than 3,000 feet deep. Though you can hardly expect to catch one of these “barn door” beasts for yourself, reeling in some of the 100-200 lb specimens close to shore should be enough to satisfy your appetite for action.
When to Fish for Halibut
The best time to fish for Halibut in British Columbia is usually from March through August. In some areas, however, the season may not open until April. Early in the season, you can find large Halibut just 2-4 miles from the coast. These behemoths are females who come to feed in shallow water after laying their eggs offshore. Some of these mama Halis reach over 200 lbs (putting them well above and beyond the local size limits).
Later in the season, you can target Halibut 6-10 miles offshore, ranging anywhere from 20-100 lbs in size. Fish in the 10-20 lb range (“chickens”) tend to be the most delicious.
Halibut fishing regulations in BC are subject to change every year. The season usually closes for a month or two in winter to allow for spawning. You can expect to keep one or two Halibut during open season, depending on the size. Fish longer than 133 cm (52.4 inches, or about 70 lbs) must be released.
Halibut Fishing Charters in BC
The most productive Halibut fishing grounds in BC can be found on the north coast and to the west of Vancouver Island. For accessible Halibut fishing near Vancouver, look for charters along the west and south coasts of Vancouver Island in Tofino, Ucluelet, Sooke, Port Renfrew, and Victoria.
Fishing out of Vancouver Island presents the perfect opportunity to try your hand at the Halibut fishing BC is famous for. Half day trips (5-6 hours) cost about 600 CAD and full day trips are usually around 800 CAD.
To make the most of your time while fishing in British Columbia, consider a combo trip that will let you target Halibut and Salmon at the same time. Trips of this sort typically last eight hours and range from 720-900 CAD.
How to Fish for Halibut
Halibut are bottom feeders, which calls for a whole lot of bottom fishing with some jigging thrown in. For best results, head to an area with plenty of bottom structure.
When fishing in deep water, you can expect to give your arms a good workout as you reel in a biggun! Though on a typical fishing charter, you are likely to fish for Halibut in 200 feet of water or less.
Halibut fishing involves strong rods with spools of 70-90 lb test line. Bait might be anything from plain jigs or herring to octopus (the ultimate fail-safe bait for this fish).
On occasion, you may hook into a Hali while trolling for Salmon. Some fishermen in BC deliberately troll for Halibut using Salmon fishing gear.
