There is something almost mystical about how the time of year, water temperature changes, forage fish movement, and a long list of other factors all come together and tickle the subconscious mind until the conscious brain kicks in and figures out that it's time to go fish for halibut. 

California halibut are a favorite of anglers from San Diego in the south all the way up to Humboldt Bay. Remember, the bag and possession limit for California halibut is five fish to the south of Point Sur (Monterey County), and three to the north. Keepers must be 22 inches in total length. Also, anglers will need to take a look at the regulation booklet for information on fillet requirements before going after the flatties. 

Upward changes in water temperatures really put California halibut in the mood to eat. Any jump of three degrees or better will do the job nicely. As cold as the water has been for much of the winter and early spring, there is plenty of room for a series of positive temperature adjustments. That's good news because it suggests a series of good halibut bites ahead over the next couple of months. The presence of great concentrations of their favorite forage foods is another strong enticement for halibut. Like most species of gamefish, come up with comfortable conditions and an appetizing smorgasbord, and they're likely to tie on the feed bag in a serious way! 

Grunion are milling about the inshore areas off of California's sandy beaches, while anchovies and sardines move furtively about. Halibut are moving inshore in big numbers to take advantage of all that natural feed. Spawning will begin soon, which also causes the tasty flat ones to move into the shallows. Plan to spend some quality time fishing the shallow sandy areas for these great tasting fish over the next few months. Halibut do tend to make anglers smile! 

There are a number of effective ways to fish for California halibut, and we'll take a look at a few important techniques. One way is to walk the beaches and cast four-inch plastic tails on small leadheads over the waves and reel them in with a slow/medium retrieve. Another way is to drift near shore in a boat and soak lively baits along the bottom. When serious about increasing the chances of taking home a couple of halibut, try working a shiny spoon or plastic swimbait while waiting for a fish to pick up a live bait. Allow a spoon to flutter to the bottom, and then crank it in very slowly so that it remains near the bottom. The flash and natural action of a spoon are powerful attractants which halibut have trouble resisting. Leadheads with plastic tails can also be effectively worked right along the bottom, by imparting a slow pumping motion and keeping the lure near the sand or mud bottom. 

Figuring out exactly when to set the hook is particularly tricky. When using artificials such as spoons and plastics, set the hook the instant a strike is detected. There are two good reasons for such swift reaction. One is that the hooks are toward the back end where they stand the best chance of finding a purchase. The second reason is that the fish may not hold any of these offerings in its mouth for long, because they don't feel entirely natural. When drift fishing with live bait however, it is best to fish with the reel out of gear and a thumb on the spool. When a pickup is felt, ease off the thumb and let several feet of line out. If the bite is tentative, let even more line out. Give that fish plenty of time to enjoy the feel of that natural bait and take it deep into its mouth. Then slowly lift up on the rod, and if the weight of the fish is still felt, start winding it in without any dramatic hook setting motion. 

At this time of year many California anglers are spending considerable time trolling for salmon. When working waters less than 120 feet deep, try to make sure the deepest salmon rig is trolled just a few feet off the bottom. It is common to catch salmon right near the bottom, but there is nothing wrong with also hoping for a big halibut to strike the trolled rig and give an angler a pleasant surprise. 

California halibut have soft spots in their mouths and they are powerful critters. These two factors often combine to create opportunities to lose a fish. There are a few fighting tips which will help boat more halibut. Hooksets should be gentle. The fish should be reeled up slowly and calmly – without pumping the rod. Try to wind up the fish and glide it right into a net before it sees the boat and goes ballistic. A flailing halibut at boatside has a very good chance at busting off. A net should always be used to boat a small or just legal size halibut. Remember, regulations require that you have a landing net on board for just such an occasion when fishing from a boat or other floating device. Small mesh, wide mouth rubberized nets with a fairly shallow bag are the kindest to fish you intend to release. When the fish at boatside is clearly a very large halibut, a gaff will be a more appropriate tool to secure the fish. Once safely in the boat, it's time to start dreaming of those tasty fillets.
 
 

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