UTERPacific halibut fishing in Southeast Alaska
In Southeast Alaska, Pacific halibut peak May–August and are around April–October, according to Fish Scouter's month-by-month season calendar. May: Herring and octopus on a circle hook on the gravel bars off Sitka, Craig and Gustavus.
No note for October — see the months around it.
Pacific halibut in Southeast Alaska, month by month
- JanuaryNot here
- FebruaryNot here
- MarchNot here
- AprilArrivingHalibut move up onto the banks; charter anglers have their own size and day rules — check ADF&G.
- MayPeakHerring and octopus on a circle hook on the gravel bars off Sitka, Craig and Gustavus.
- JunePeakPeak — fish the slack tide; the current in Icy Strait is too strong in between.
- JulyPeakStill peak; barn doors on the deep edges.
- AugustPeakGood on the big-tide breaks.
- SeptemberLeavingFish moving deeper for winter.
- OctoberAround
- NovemberNot here
- DecemberNot here
Where to fish Pacific halibut near Ketchikan, Craig, Wrangell
The Inside Passage: a thousand islands of rainforest, deep fjords, kelp-lined points and the exposed outer coast off Sitka and Craig, with hundreds of salmon streams and hatchery release sites.
Fish Scouter charts 112 wreck spots in the Southeast 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 Southeast Alaska?
Peak season is May–August. Pacific halibut are in Southeast Alaska April–October. May: Herring and octopus on a circle hook on the gravel bars off Sitka, Craig and Gustavus.
Where do Pacific halibut hold in Southeast Alaska?
Look on ledge / hard bottom, channel edge, artificial reef — around Ketchikan, Craig, Wrangell, Petersburg, Sitka, Juneau.
What is the best bait for Pacific halibut in Southeast 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 Southeast 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 · Southeast Alaska, the whole year