UTERPacific halibut fishing in Southcentral Alaska
In Southcentral Alaska, Pacific halibut peak June–August and are around May–September, according to Fish Scouter's month-by-month season calendar. June: Peak: Cook Inlet off Anchor Point, Deep Creek and Homer; fish the slack — a 30-ft tide makes the current the clock.
Not in Southcentral Alaska this month.
Pacific halibut in Southcentral Alaska, month by month
- JanuaryNot here
- FebruaryNot here
- MarchNot here
- AprilNot here
- MayArrivingHomer and Seward boats go out as the fish move shallow.
- JunePeakPeak: Cook Inlet off Anchor Point, Deep Creek and Homer; fish the slack — a 30-ft tide makes the current the clock.
- JulyPeakKodiak, Seward and Whittier banks.
- AugustPeakStill on; deeper as the season goes.
- SeptemberLeavingLast of it before the fall storms.
- OctoberNot here
- NovemberNot here
- DecemberNot here
Where to fish Pacific halibut near Homer, Seward, Kenai
Kachemak Bay and lower Cook Inlet off the Kenai Peninsula, Resurrection Bay at Seward, Prince William Sound's fjords and glaciers, and the Kodiak archipelago — plus the Kenai, Kasilof and Russian rivers' famous runs.
Fish Scouter charts 180 wreck spots in the Southcentral Alaska 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 Southcentral Alaska?
Peak season is June–August. Pacific halibut are in Southcentral Alaska May–September. June: Peak: Cook Inlet off Anchor Point, Deep Creek and Homer; fish the slack — a 30-ft tide makes the current the clock.
Where do Pacific halibut hold in Southcentral Alaska?
Look on ledge / hard bottom, channel edge, artificial reef — around Homer, Seward, Kenai, Soldotna, Valdez, Whittier.
What is the best bait for Pacific halibut in Southcentral Alaska?
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 Southcentral Alaska?
Size and bag limits and closed seasons are set by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G) and change — read the current rule at https://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=fishregulations.main before you keep a fish. A licence is sold at https://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=license.main.
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 · Southcentral Alaska, the whole year