The Halibut fishing San Francisco Bay is famous for is the love child of the area’s mild weather and year-round Halibut bite! Whenever you decide to go fishing in this area, chances are that you’ll find a Halibut at the end of your line. While fishing for California Halibut is open year-round, the fishing season for its Pacific relative is open from May until the end of October.
These bottom dwellers are not only incredibly tasty table fare, but they can be surprisingly ferocious fighters. Drift fishing and trolling are the name of the game here. Your best bet of catching a fair few of these peculiar-looking fish is a couple of hours before high tide. If you’re going for quantity, trolling is the recipe for success; if you’re looking for your next high-octane fishing experience, drift fishing is a better choice.
Because Halibut is such a popular catch, there are many places where you can test your luck searching for them. But when you have a skilled guide by your side, there’s no need for guessing. There are more than a few captains that excel in putting anglers on Halibut, and have decades of experience under their belt.
If you want to book a trip with a local fisherman, you can do so for as little as $170 per person on a shared half day trip. Longer trips usually cost around $200–$250 per person, and for group outings you can pay up to $1,200 for six anglers.
All you’ll need for your angling trip is a California fishing license for everyone age 16 and older, warm clothes, and a supply of snacks and drinks. And after you’ve chosen your captain, Halibut fishing in the San Francisco Bay is yours to explore!
