UTERPacific halibut fishing in Northern California Coast
In Northern California Coast, Pacific halibut peak May–July and are around April–September, according to Fish Scouter's month-by-month season calendar. May: Drift herring or a big jig on the 150–300 ft flats off Trinidad and Eureka.
Not in Northern California Coast this month.
Pacific halibut in Northern California Coast, month by month
- JanuaryNot here
- FebruaryNot here
- MarchNot here
- AprilArrivingCalifornia's Pacific halibut season opens April 1 (in recent years) — north of Point Arena is where they are; Eureka and Crescent City.
- MayPeakDrift herring or a big jig on the 150–300 ft flats off Trinidad and Eureka.
- JunePeakPeak — the quota can close the season early, check CDFW.
- JulyPeakStill fishing if the quota holds.
- AugustLeavingThinning.
- SeptemberAround
- OctoberNot here
- NovemberNot here
- DecemberNot here
Where to fish Pacific halibut near Bodega Bay, Fort Bragg, Shelter Cove
An exposed, wild coast of rocky headlands, pinnacles and a few harbors — Bodega, Noyo, Shelter Cove, Humboldt Bay, Crescent City — with the Eel, Klamath and Smith rivers coming out through sand bars.
Fish Scouter charts 36 wreck spots in the The North Coast map area — the kinds Pacific halibut hold on.
What to use for Pacific halibut
- SquidStrips on a bottom rig for snapper, grunts and porgies; whole on a deep-drop rig.
- HerringCut-plug for salmon: head off at an angle, guts out, two hooks in tandem so it spins slow behind a flasher or a banana weight. Whole and live on a circle hook for stripers where the herring run.
- Leader80–150 lb mono
- Hook8/0–14/0
- Braid65–100 lb
Feeds in 38–55°F water, best at 42–50°F.
Questions anglers ask
When is the best time to catch Pacific halibut in Northern California Coast?
Peak season is May–July. Pacific halibut are in Northern California Coast April–September. May: Drift herring or a big jig on the 150–300 ft flats off Trinidad and Eureka.
Where do Pacific halibut hold in Northern California Coast?
Look on ledge / hard bottom, channel edge, artificial reef — around Bodega Bay, Fort Bragg, Shelter Cove, Eureka, Trinidad, Crescent City.
What is the best bait for Pacific halibut in Northern California Coast?
Live bait: squid, herring. Squid: Strips on a bottom rig for snapper, grunts and porgies; whole on a deep-drop rig. Tackle: leader 80–150 lb mono, hook 8/0–14/0, braid 65–100 lb.
What are the rules for Pacific halibut in Northern California Coast?
Size and bag limits and closed seasons are set by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) and change — read the current rule at https://wildlife.ca.gov/Fishing/Ocean/Regulations before you keep a fish. A licence is sold at https://wildlife.ca.gov/Licensing/Fishing.
Fish it with the tide in your pocket
Fish Scouter scores Pacific halibut for this hour on this water, draws every reef, wreck and access point near you, and keeps your spots. $9.99 a month, 14 days free.
Start 14 free daysMore
All about Pacific halibut · The North Coast, the whole year