Facts About Pacific Halibut
Hippollossus Stenolepis – does this sound like a prehistoric large animal to you? In reality, this is the Pacific Halibut which resembles the Atlantic Halibut. In fact, this fish is very large and it known for habituating the Pacific Ocean. Other common names for this large, flat fish are the northern halibut, alabato and right halibut. In general, this fish is colored in tones ranging from gray brown to dark brown and may sport the occasional smattering of light colored spots. Since it is a flat fish, the Pacific Halibuts eyes are on the upward facing side of his body. The bottom of this fish tends to be lighter colored and has no eye.
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 prefer the colder waters of the North Pacific and they are often found from the Bering Sea and south to California. They may occasionally drift as far north as northern Japan. Migration is a journey for the Pacific halibut, they often travel more than 2,000 miles if they are looking for a place to spawn or a place to hunt. It is not unusual to find them swimming in shallow waters in colder bays in more northern areas.
British Columbia is one of the largest commercial fishing areas that depend on halibut. Because of the potential for over-fishing, they have had to cut back on their operations. Pacific coast areas often depend on both halibut and salmon for subsistence. However, there is closely controlled number of halibut that may be harvested on an annual basis. Anglers will have to be aware of these restrictions if they are interested in fishing for halibut. If you are fortunate enough to find a time when you can fish for halibut you will need sturdy gear, a strong line and make sure your knots are well formed. Your bait options include squid, herring and mackerel and the recommended method is drift fishing. If you are able to keep your bait floating slightly above, the halibut will think that the prey is travelling – this will allow you to get him on the hook. One thing to keep in mind, while halibut are not particularly aggressive fighters, they will struggle to stay on the bottom.
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 and van staal reels.
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