Washington’s 2026 Halibut Seasons start April 2
Washington Halibut options span the Ocean, Strait and Puget Sound
Washington's first big saltwater fishing opener of the year starts with Halibut Season. The 2026 season was just announced, with generous open ocean opportunities on the Washington Coast and an early season kickoff in Puget Sound, Strait of Juan de Fuca, San Juan Islands and Sekiu. We’ve broken down the seasons by area, and hope it helps you break down the dates to plan your Halibut fishing trips. We’ve been busy helping to outfit people already. Check out our page dedicated to all of our best Halibut fishing tackle and gear.
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Washington Coast & Pacific Ocean Halibut Season for 2026
Halibut seasons are managed by a quota system, and each region has a certain amount of quota poundage that can be harvested, so although seasons have been set and dates announced, it’s a good idea to check out the quota updates for your area before you head out. These can be easily found, along with each marine area’s emergency rules, linked below.
Marine Area 1 – Ilwaco
Fishing for Halibut in Washington’s southernmost portion of the Pacific Ocean can be great, and there are both an all-depth opener and a nearshore fishery that provides extra opportunities.
Marine Area 1 all depth areas are open April 30 to May 31 and also June 4 to June 28 on Thursdays, Fridays and Sundays. If quota remains, June 8, 9, 15, 16, 22, 23 may be added to the season. Dates may be cut from the schedule if quota is used up.There's also a potential for fishing in August and September if quota remains. WDFW Columbia River Halibut - Marine Area 1 Regulations - Marine Area 1 Emergency Rules
There is usually a nearshore fishery in this area, but not this year, only the all-depth dates listed above.
Daily limit is 1 any size, annual limit is 6 and anglers must purchase a Halibut catch card and record their catch.
Marine Area 2 – Westport
Westport, Washington has the coast’s largest charter boat fleet and a large contingent of private boats that enjoy the Halibut season here. Most of the action occurs far offshore around the edges of Grays Canyon, with depths to 600’ or more! There is a nearshore opportunity as well, and if you luck into a Halibut fishing for Lingcod or Rockfish you can keep them on certain dates.
Marine Area 2 will be open April 30 to May 31 on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Sundays. Then again June 2 to June 30 on Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays. Dates may be cut from the schedule if quota is used up. There is a potential for halibut fishing in August and September if quota remains after the June openers. WDFW South Coast Halibut - Marine Area 2 Regulations - Marine Area 2 Emergency Rules
Northern Nearshore Halibut Fishery: This area includes the waters from 47°31.70’ N. latitude south to 46°58.00’N. latitude and east of a line approximating 30 fathoms. Check WDFW for exact coordinates.
Daily limit is 1 any size, annual limit is 6 and anglers must purchase a Halibut catch card and record their catch.
Marine Area 3 – La Push
La Push is on our remote North Coast and a beautiful part of our state. Halibut fishing here can be phenomenal and varies between far offshore to inside the 100’ line near rocky structure.
Marine Area 3 will be open April 30 to May 16 on Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. Then May 22-24, May 28-30. In June it will be open June 4 to June 28 on Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. Dates may be cut from the schedule if quota is used up. If quota remains after June 30, all marine areas may be open up to seven days per week in August and September. WDFW North Coast Halibut - Marine Area 3 Regulations - Marine Area 3 Emergency Rules
Daily limit is 1 any size, annual limit is 6 and anglers must purchase a Halibut catch card and record their catch.
Marine Area 4 – Neah Bay
Neah Bay offers a great chance to get offshore, where Halibut fishing can be great in far off places like around the C-Closure, Blue Dot, 72 Square among others, but also along the Pacific Coast and inside the entrance to the Straits. It’s a varied marine area with a lot of character and good fishing.
Marine Area 4 will be open April 30 to May 16 on Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. Then May 22-24, May 28-30. In June it will be open June 4 to June 28 on Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. Dates may be cut from the schedule if quota is used up. If quota remains after June 30, all marine areas may be open up to seven days per week in August and September. WDFW North Coast Halibut - Marine Area 4 Regulations - Marine Area 4 Emergency Rules
Daily limit is 1 any size, annual limit is 6 and anglers must purchase a Halibut catch card and record their catch.
Sekiu, Strait of Juan de Fuca, San Juan Islands and Puget Sound Halibut Season for 2026
Marine Area 5 – Sekiu
Sekiu is way out west near the entrance to the Strait and gets a good haul of Halibut hit its docks each spring. Fishing just north of Clallam Bay, off Pillar Point and the mouth of the Sekiu River are prime spots for Halibut.
Marine Area 5 opens April 2 to June 30, 7 days a week. If quota remains, there may be some more openings in August and September. WDFW Puget Sound Halibut - Marine Area 5 Regulations - Marine Area 5 Emergency Rules
Daily limit is 1 any size, annual limit is 6 and anglers must purchase a Halibut catch card and record their catch.
Marine Area 6 – Eastern Strait of Juan de Fuca
Eastern Strait of Juan de Fuca holds several highly productive banks where Halibut anglers will both drift and sit on anchor, including Hein, Dallas, Partridge, Eastern, Coyote Banks, the Rockpile, Protection Island and others.
Marine Area 6 opens April 2 to June 30, 7 days a week. If quota remains, there may be some more openings in August and September. WDFW Puget Sound Halibut - Marine Area 6 Regulations - Marine Area 6 Emergency Rules
Daily limit is 1 any size, annual limit is 6 and anglers must purchase a Halibut catch card and record their catch.
Marine Area 7 – San Juan Islands
The San Juan Islands offer an easy shot out to some places in the Eastern Strait that are in Marine Area 7, like Salmon Bank and Hein Bank, and further north of the islands at Alden Bank, while most of the fishing inside the islands is focused on Lingcod starting May 1, there are the occasional Halibut caught off the rocky points and reefs inside the island chain as well.
Marine Area 7 opens April 2 to June 30, 7 days a week. If quota remains, there may be some more openings in August and September. WDFW Puget Sound Halibut - Marine Area 7 Regulations - Marine Area 7 Emergency Rules
Daily limit is 1 any size, annual limit is 6 and anglers must purchase a Halibut catch card and record their catch.
Marine Areas 8-10 – Admiralty Inlet, Saratoga Passage, Seattle & Bainbridge Island
Protected areas of North and Central Puget Sound give people close reach to Halibut fishing action near Seattle, Everett, Edmonds, Kingston, Whidbey Island and Port Townsend. On many days, even smaller boats can safely get out for a chance at Halibut.
While the best action is in Admiralty Inlet in places like Admiralty Bay, Mutiny Bay and Foulweather Bluff, there are Halibut occasionally caught at points further south like Possession, Skunk Bay and even Jeff Head, but not with much regularity.
Marine Areas 8-1, 8-2, 9, 10 all open April 2 to June 30, 7 days a week. If quota remains, there may be some more openings in August and September. WDFW Puget Sound Halibut - Marine Area 9 Regulations - Marine Area 9 Emergency Rules
Daily limit is 1 any size, annual limit is 6 and anglers must purchase a Halibut catch card and record their catch.
Fishing for Halibut in Washington State
Washington has some really exciting options for Halibut fishing, with areas of Halibut abundance offshore, and plenty of really solid opportunities for nearshore and inshore Halibut hauls. From the serious offshore angler, to the small-boat-Halibut-hopefuls, there are tons of Halibut caught across our state’s marine waters.
Halibut fishing in the Pacific offshore
The greatest concentrations of Halibut in Washington waters occur far offshore near the edge of the continental shelf. Depending on the region, it could be anywhere from a 25 mile to 50 mile run to get where you want to be. The southern half of Washington’s Pacific Coast is a gradual gradient from the beach out for many miles until the shelf, Ilwaco boats run out and fish the edges of the Astoria Canyon, Westport boats fish the edges of the Grays Harbor Canyon. Nearshore fisheries near these two ports give up some incidental Halibut, but the small nearshore quota is more of a gesture to the guys specifically targeting Lingcod and Rockfish, giving them a big bonus if they catch a Halibut.
Further north near La Push and Neah Bay, the ocean floor gains more character, with larger swaths of contour and terrain, giving anglers more spots to go explore. For those that have smaller ocean-worthy boats that may not feel comfortable running out 30 miles, there are plenty of Halibut caught within ten miles or less from the harbor entrances of these two great fishing ports.
Fishing inside Washington’s Strait
Halibut fishing from the west entrance at Neah Bay to the Eastern Strait can be really good. Most of the action occurs on larger lifted banks where strong currents create a concentration point for sealife, including Halibut’s most common forage, Candlefish and Herring. There are more than two dozen extremely well known Halibut spots here, some mentioned above, where a couple dozen boats can be found working the area at any good tide. There is a good mix of boats that anchor up with a chum bag and wait for the fish to come to them, and those that drift with the currents and cover ground. Both tactics can yield success.
Halibut fishing in the protected waters of Puget Sound & San Juan Islands
Halibut can be found with decent regularity in Admiralty Inlet and gradually get more scarce the further south you go. The rare catch at Possession, Skunk Bay really create a buzz, and on even rarer occasion, a Halibut will get caught at Jeff Head or somewhere else in Marine Area 10. Generally speaking, there isn’t much angling effort for Halibut in Marine Areas 8-1, 8-2 or 10. But you do have a decent chance of catching Halibut in the northern portion of Marine Area 9!
Seattle Fishing Co. Halibut Gear
Check out our page dedicated to all of our best Halibut fishing tackle and gear. If you are looking for a great rod and reel setup, we have a great selection of Okuma and Daiwa to choose from, including an option to have us spool up your reel with quality braided line.
- Halibut Hoochie Rig
- B2 Squid Rig
- Standard Spreader Bar
- Glow Spreader Bar
- Halibut Weight Slider
- Square Cod Weight
- Cannonball Weight
- Gamakatsu Octopus 8/0 to 10/0
- Gamakatsu Big River Bait Hook 8/0 to 12/0
- Copper Pipe Jig, P-Line Hali Drop Jigs
- P-Line Diamond Jigs
- Gibbs Cod Jigs
- Fisherman’s Gold Electric Eels
- Lead Jighead
- Delta Hali Hawg Grub
- Kalin's Big N Grub
- P-Line Twin Tail Squid
- Powerbait Grub.
Halibut fishing through Spring and Summer
This is one of our favorite fishing options in the spring, and when you battle and land your first Halibut, it’s an experience that you absolutely will want to repeat! Safety is always a major consideration when deciding where to go and when, and knowing your experience level and boat’s capabilities will definitely help keep you safe and create some really great memories. If you need any help gear up please let us know, we are happy to help!
