halibut

[makobob]

Halibut, California and Cortez in Baja
by Makobob
Our California halibut are actually a flounder. So are the Cortez halibut, both grow to over 50 lbs. These flatfish are ambush predators. They bury themselves in the sand, everything but the eyes. Watching and waiting for prey to pass over them. Then they EXPLODE out of the sand and attack.

They have many types of prey. Anchovies and sardines, tom cod and small croakers, surf perch, lizard fish and bone fish too. They eat squid, mackerel and anything else they can fit their mouths around. They are oppertunistic feeders. Manta shrimp and crabs have been found in their stomachs.

Found from the surf line to hundreds of feet deep. In the shallows and holes of our bays and in the kelp. Usually over sand around structure, wrecks and outside reefs and rubble. Look for structure near a sandy area.

If you are catching smaller 24-30 inch halibut, keep working the area. There are bound to be a bigger female in the area. Do NOT leave fish to find fish. Change up your bait, try a different drift. Work the area well before moving on.

The spring and fall are prime time for these tasty fish. In the fall sometimes a lobster trap will point to a good butt. Or maybe just a home guard yellowtail. In Baja work the outside of the cliffs where the sand starts. In San Quintin the deeper parts of the bay hold nice fish in June and July, work the edges of the eel grass and the deeper holes. There are always a few fish around the oyster farm.

In San Quintin you could be surprised by a tanker white sea bass or a grouper so make sure your tackle is in good condition. All these fish can get to over 50 pounds. There is no bad way to prepare halibut. Fried, baked, broiled on the bbq, in a soup or tacos. Raw with a little wasabi, they all make a meal fit for a king. But first YOU have to catch one. Tight Lines amigos.