Northern Halibut, Alabato and Right Halibut are all common names for the Pacific Halibut which is scientifically known as the Hippoglossus Steolepis. This is the largest flatfish found anywhere in the Pacific Ocean. Their coloration is helpful with their hunting habits, ranging from a gray-brown tone to dark brown and they frequently have lightly colored spots on them. This fish is a bit unusual as they have two eyes on one side of their face which face upwards at all time, resulting in the downward site sporting no eye and being slightly lighter in color.
The male pacific halibut is far smaller than his female counterpart. While the male may typically grow to about 55 inches and weigh in at forty pounds, the female can grow to weigh as much as 470 pounds. The female typically lives for about 45 years while the male lives only 25 which could account for the fact that there is a larger female population. Additionally, the female grows much faster than her male counterpart during normal growing phases.
Young Pacific halibut use their strong teeth to feed on small crustaceans. Full grown Pacific Halibut are not only powerful swimmers but they have a diverse diet that includes larger crustaceans, squid, crabs, shrimp, Pollock and turbot. These fish often surprise their prey by hiding out in a sandy spot along the bottom of the body of water. Because of their color, this allows them to blend in and remain largely unseen. As prey go by, the Pacific halibut erupts from the bottom, grams their meal and leaves nothing but a cloud of sand in its wake.
Pacific halibut may occasionally be found in small bays where the waters are very cool, especially in northern areas. Since they do prefer colder water, they can be found in areas stretching from the Bering Sea south to California. For hunting and spawning, the Pacific Halibut can travel upwards of 2000 miles to find their favorite areas. They will always be found in rather cool bodies of water regardless of where they travel.
British Columbia has recently had to cut down on production facilities that use halibut due to the potential of over-fishing. Additionally, areas of the pacific coast that depend on both salmon and halibut for their subsistence have been forced to place strict annual harvesting restrictions. Overfishing is dangerous to long term survival of the Pacific Halibut forcing these extreme measures. For fishermen who are lucky enough to find that they are in an area that has not reached its annual cap on Pacific Halibut they will likely find that they will need strong tackle and a stout rod to land these fish. While they are not an aggressive fighter, they remain strongly determined to remain as close to the bottom as possible. The best way to fish for halibut is to use the drifting method and float squid, mackerel or herring slightly above them giving the impression that the bait is actually travelling across the water.
When you are getting prepared for a saltwater fishing adventure, having the proper equipment is essential. Some of the most popular products on the market include okuma reels, van staal reels, and shimano saltwater spinning reels.