FISHING
HURRAY FOR HALIBUT
SOCAL SPRING ANGLERS CAN FIND PLENTY OF FLATFISH IN SHALLOW WATERS
By Capt. Bill Schaefer
T
he Pacific waters off Southern California are still a tad cold, but as they warm up local halibut will make their way into the shallows. The anglers who target them know it’s time to get ready to chase their favorite fish to catch and eat. Expect halibut to move into both the bays and shallow water along the beaches off the coast. Usually, the target depth is about 10 to 20 feet in bays and 20 to 80 feet in the ocean, but they can be found shallower and deeper.
WELCOMING ANGLERS OF ALL MEANS The great thing about halibut this time of year is the fact that they can be chased by so many different anglers: surf fishermen, float tubers and kayak anglers; plus all boaters, from private to sport boats. Most of us don’t realize that halibut are a schooling fish that gather together in large numbers during the spawn. That is why when fishing them during this time of the season, you’ll often catch many in one small area. If you catch one or two, don’t give up on that area; give the others a chance to bite. You may get a big one to hit your lure or bait, and it’s not unusual to bring one up with another following it, like other fish will do.
CHANGING IT UP Since there are so many ways to fish for halibut – and that’s a good thing – it should help any angler who hasn’t really targeted them before adapt.
Ken Yasuda shows off one of the prizes SoCal anglers live for: a barn door-sized flatfish. The arrival of spring and warmer water means many of these California halibut will head into shallow waters off the coast. (BILL SCHAEFER) calsportsmanmag.com | APRIL 2021 California Sportsman
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