Everything About Halibut Fishing in Oregon

Halibut may look like a flat, boring fish, but it’s quite famous among fishing enthusiasts. Halibut offers delicious meat packed with plenty of protein, omega-3, and certain vitamins and minerals.

Catching Halibut in Oregon

Curiously enough, halibut possesses a single eye on one of its sides. You’ll know where its eye is by checking its color on either the left or right side: the eyed side boasts a dark shade, while the blind side is often simply white.

In Oregon, halibut averages at 20 to 150 pounds, but you can find a halibut as big as 720 pounds. That would be at a staggering height of 7 feet. You’ll also notice that two halibut types reside in Oregon: the California halibut and the Pacific halibut.

You’ll see more Pacific halibut than California halibut on the coast. Pacific halibut feature a diamond shape and a right-sided eye, while California halibut possesses an oval shape, a left eye, and a mouth that reaches past its eye. 

Best Halibut Fishing Spots in Oregon

There’s no set best halibut fishing spot in Oregon – you’ll find them in any port. Stay away from sandy bottoms and opt for hard floors with contours. However, if you’re looking for specific places, check out this awesome map on ESPN.

Best Baits for Halibut in Oregon

Halibuts love herring the most. However, salmon bellies, salmon and mackerel heads, octopus, squids, jigs, artificial lures, and any kind of live bait works in attracting halibut, too.

Common Techniques for Halibut Fishing

You can capture halibut by deep sea fishing, bottom fishing, drift fishing, heavy tackling, light tackling, and spearfishing. 

Halibut Season in Oregon

Halibut fishing season in Oregon peaks from May to September, and closes from January to April and October to December.

Halibut Fishing Regulations in Oregon

You’re limited to bagging 1 Pacific halibut a day and 6 of them in a year on Oregon. Meanwhile, you can count California halibut as part of your daily 25 flatfish bag limit.

Cooking Oregon Halibut

Halibut is quire versatile with its firm white meat and mild, sweet-ish flavor. Some people compare its taste to tilapia. 

You can prepare an Oregon halibut by boiling, frying, baking, or steaming it. You can add it to chowders or soaps as well, and add it to sandwiches or salads. Likewise, you can simply allow it to stand on its own.

Some dishes you can make with halibut are coconut lime halibut cheeks, lemon pepper halibut, pan-seared marinated halibut, lemon butter-fried halibut, pumpkin halibut chowder, grilled halibut with salsa, and baked halibut with vegetables.

Hiring a Fishing Charter for Halibut Fishing

It’s always wise to charter a fishing guide. They ensure every part of your trip goes as well as possible, and provide you with everything you’ll need as you fish.

This includes a competent captain and an experienced local guide, excellent fishing gear, accommodations, and their fishing license. So, all you need to do is to prepare yourself for a great and memorable adventure.

If you’re thinking of hiring a fishing charter, check out Newport Oregon Fishing Charters. Alternatively, you can browse our blog for more guides about everything related to fishing, or contact us for any questions and inquiries.

Other Fish to Catch in Oregon

 Besides halibut, Oregon houses sea creatures like Dungeness crab, cabezon, lingcod, salmon, and sea bass.