Species guide · California
Pacific halibut fishing in California
Hippoglossus stenolepis, a bottom species also called halibut, butt and chicken halibut. Listed for the Northern California region. Shoulder season, about 1 more week.
Right now it scores best in San Pablo Bay, Suisun Bay, the West Delta and the San Francisco Bay north of the Bay Bridge at 53, one of 7 California bay systems where the Waterlands engine is scoring it.
Season now
Shoulder seasonSeason by month
From the Waterlands saltwater species research: when the fish are present and biting, not whether retention is open.
Northern California
Shoulder season, about 1 more week- Jan: Not present
- Feb: Not present
- Mar: Off season
- Apr: Shoulder season
- May: Peak season
- Jun: Peak season
- Jul: Peak season
- Aug: Shoulder season
- Sep: Shoulder season
- Oct: Off season
- Nov: Not present
- Dec: Not present
Peak: May to Jul. In season (shoulder or peak): Apr to Sep.
Research notes, Northern California region
Fishery is concentrated off Humboldt and Del Norte counties (Eureka, Trinidad, Crescent City). 2026 season Apr 1 to Nov 15 north of Point Arena or until the roughly 40,000 lb quota is reached. Not the same fish as California halibut, which is a separate southern species.
Seasons and limits in these notes are background. The regulations below and the regulator’s own page govern.
Where it's scoring now · 7
California bay systems ranked by the Waterlands engine's pacific halibut score this hour.
Best window today 6-10 AM (66) · Best day Fri, Sep 18 at 7 AM (66) · 159 named spots
Best window today 6-8 AM (66) · Best day Fri, Sep 18 at 7 AM (66) · 50 named spots
Best window today 5-8 PM (65) · Best day Fri, Sep 18 at 7 AM (65) · 30 named spots
Best window today 6 AM-12 PM (65) · Best day Fri, Sep 18 at 7 AM (65) · 27 named spots
Best window today 4-8 PM (63) · Best day Sat, Sep 19 at 8 AM (64) · 28 named spots
Best window today 3-8 PM (63) · Best day Sat, Sep 19 at 7 AM (64) · 28 named spots
How and where it feeds
- Water temperature
- Feeds from 36°F to 54°F, best between 39°F and 47°F.
- Water depth
- 50 to 600 ft of water.
- Structure
- Bank, ledge, bar, pinnacle, channel, shoal and canyon, in that order of preference.
- Tide and current
- Prefers high tide and low tide, with slack current.ADF&G says the best halibut fishing is just before, during and after slack tide, when bait stays on the bottom and fish move out from cover to feed. Smaller tide series are easier to fish. When anchored on moving water, bait spreads a scent trail down-current that draws fish in.
- Light
- Little tied to dawn and dusk.
- Pressure
- Little response to pressure changes.
- Wind and sea limits
- 20 kt of wind and 7 ft of sea. The Waterlands engine scores hours down as conditions pass them.
Tackle and technique
Halibut sit on sand and gravel bottoms near drop-offs, bars and pinnacles, most often in 90 to 500 feet in Alaska and on the shelf off Washington, Oregon and far northern California. Anchor up-current of a likely edge and fish herring, squid, octopus or a salmon head on a circle hook with 24 to 32 ounces of weight, or bounce a large jig on the bottom. The best bite usually comes in the hour around slack tide.
- Methods
- bottom fishing at anchor, drift fishing, jigging
- Lures
- large lead-head jigs with shad or curly-tail bodies, plastic squid or hoochie skirts over bait, flashy metal spoon jigs, glow jig bodies
- Bait
- herring, salmon heads and bellies, octopus, squid, salmon viscera
Regulations
California Department of Fish and Wildlife. Synced with CDFW Sep 18, 2026. Rules shown verified Sep 13, 2026.
1 per day · 1 in possession
Season: Apr 1 to Nov 15, 2026
Changes to closed on Nov 16, 2026
Closes early if the California quota is reached. Check the CDFW Pacific halibut page before fishing. When angling, no more than one line with two hooks.
CDFW Current Ocean Recreational Fishing Regulations, Northern Region (updated August 31, 2026) · verified Sep 13, 2026
1 per day · 1 in possession
Season: Apr 1 to Dec 31, 2026
Closes early if the quota for south of Point Arena is reached. Check the CDFW Pacific halibut page before fishing. When angling, no more than one line with two hooks. The 2026 booklet (Section 28.20) still says the season ends November 15 statewide. CDFW web pages and the 2026 federal rule (91 FR 23369) keep south of Point Arena open through December 31.
CDFW Current Ocean Recreational Fishing Regulations, San Francisco Region (updated September 1, 2026) · verified Sep 13, 2026