Halibut Fishing in Washington
Our Complete Guide to Fishing for Halibut in Washington State
Halibut fishing is one of the most popular saltwater fisheries in Washington State, and for good reason. These large coldwater predators are held in high regard with local fishermen, both due to their size and the high quality fillets they yield. In my opinion, Halibut are some of the best tasting fish that we catch in Washington. The state has a popular fishery that usually begins early in the spring in much of its saltwater areas. So whether your experience and boat are capable of running out 40 miles into the Pacific Ocean, or you feel most comfortable in the protected waters of Puget Sound, there is a good chance that you’ll pick up a Halibut this season. With a little knowledge and the right gear of course! Check out our selection of great Halibut fishing gear here.
A great Halibut catch from Westport, Washington!
Washington Halibut Fishing Areas
Washington's Marine Areas Map
Washington’s Halibut Fishing Seasons
Halibut are managed by an international body called the IPHMC, which takes a look at the health of the Pacific Halibut stocks across the North Pacific and allocates a certain amount of them between the United States and Canada. Alaska, British Columbia, Washington, Oregon and California each get a cut of the harvestable amount, and they then each set a fishing season based on that allocated quota. Each of the marine areas in Washington State that has a fishable number of Halibut will get a quota, and then fishing seasons are set for the year.
Because the season can vary from year to year, we publish an annual post about the Halibut Season (see the post for 2025 here). Currently, the limit is 1 Halibut per day any size, and a total of 6 per person, per year. When you get your Washington State fishing license, you will also need to purchase a Halibut Catch Record Card.
Depending on how popular fishing is in a given area, the initial published season may close early if the quota is caught up. If fishing pressure happens to be light, the season may get extended to allow the sportfishing fleet a chance at catching as much of the quota as possible. Every year is different.
One of our favorite setups: the B2 Squid Rig and Halibut Weight Slider!
Fishing for Halibut
Washington’s Halibut fishing spots
Washington’s Halibut areas can be divided into a few different regions, Pacific Ocean, Strait of Juan De Fuca, Puget Sound & San Juan Islands. Each marine region has its own unique traits, and with all the variety, it makes sense why Halibut fishing in our state is such a draw to so many people.
Offshore Fishing for Halibut in the Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is where the big hauls of Halibut take place. The majority of our quota is allocated to ocean areas, where the largest biomass of Halibut is found. Washington has four major fishing ports on the Pacific: Ilwaco, Westport, La Push and Neah Bay.
Ilwaco - Marine Area 1
Ilwaco is located inside the Columbia River mouth, with access to the southernmost ocean areas of Washington State. The infamous bar crossing is serious business, but many experienced boaters make the trip often throughout the season. Halibut fishing can be good, but the run out to the Astoria Canyon is long-distance, with few options closer to port. This area is considered Marine Area 1. WDFW Columbia River Halibut - Marine Area 1 Regulations - Marine Area 1 Emergency Rules
Port of Ilwaco, Washington: jumping off point for Marine Area 1 Halibut fishing.
Westport - Marine Area 2
Westport is the largest fishing port on the Washington Coast. Managed as Washington's Marine Area 2. Located inside the mouth of Grays Harbor, it hosts a large charter and recreational fleet. Most of the Halibut fishing occurs 35-40 miles to the west, at the edge of the continental shelf around Grays Canyon. There are some Halibut caught closer in, but most of the fleet makes the long run to the canyon. WDFW South Coast Halibut - Marine Area 2 Regulations - Marine Area 2 Emergency Rules
Boat Basin at Westport, Washington: home to the largest charter fleet in Washington.
La Push - Marine Area 3
La Push is the most remote port, located inside the Quillayute River mouth on Washington’s North Coast. The area is managed under Marine Area 3 regulations. It’s also the most beautiful part of the Washington Coast. There are numerous Halibut spots to fish, including many small rocky structures within several miles of the harbor, the La Push Rockpile which is about 8-10 miles west of the harbor, and long-distance locations like the southwest corner of the C-Closure. WDFW North Coast Halibut - Marine Area 3 Regulations - Marine Area 3 Emergency Rules
James Island and the entrance to La Push, Washington.
Neah Bay - Marine Area 4
Neah Bay is located on the very northwest corner of the Olympic Peninsula, where the Strait of Juan de Fuca meets the Pacific Ocean. This port’s popularity is second only to Westport, and is the hub of fishing in Washington's Marine Area 4. Long distance Halibut spots like Blue Dot, 72-Square, C-Closure can yield hauls of big Halibut and Lingcod, Swiftsure has historically been more of a small-Halibut spot known as a sure thing. If you don’t want to go out far, Table Rock and many spots between Cape Flattery and Umatilla Reef will produce decent fishing. For those that don’t want to venture into the ocean, the Garbage Dump is inside the Strait near Neah Bay and produces a lot of fish. WDFW North Coast Halibut - Marine Area 4 Regulations - Marine Area 4 Emergency Rules
The rocky shoreline at Cape Flattery, where the Pacific Ocean meets the Strait of Juan de Fuca just west of Neah Bay, Washington.
Fishing the big waters of the Strait of Juan de Fuca
The Strait of Juan de Fuca is a huge body of water that both separates Washington’s Olympic Peninsula from Canana’s Vancouver Island, and connects the Puget Sound with the Pacific Ocean.
Its western extent can be fished from Neah Bay and Sekiu (Marine Area 5), and those areas see a lot of Halibut caught inside the Strait. Several really prominent Halibut spots are found within a mile or so of the shoreline, like Neah Bay’s Garbage Dump, the mouth of the Sekiu River and Pillar Point.
The central and eastern portions of the Strait (Marine Area 6) have major banks that lift off the seafloor and create a place where currents bring in good concentrations of sealife, including Halibut and the baitfish they forage off of. Places like Hein Bank, Dallas Bank, Eastern Bank, Coyote Bank and others are hotspots for Halibut fishing. WDFW Puget Sound Halibut - Marine Area 5 Regulations - Marine Area 5 Emergency Rules - Marine Area 6 Regulations - Marine Area 6 Emergency Rules
The protected waters of Puget Sound’s Admiralty Inlet
Puget Sound’s northern and central areas are usually open for Halibut fishing during the season, but Admiralty Inlet offers the best shot at actually catching one. The southern extent of Marine Area 9 and all of Marine Area 10 have never been much of a draw for Halibut fishing, as they usually aren’t concentrated anywhere there, but people do catch them at some of our more popular spots like Jeff Head, Possession, Skunk Bay. Once you get into Admiralty Inlet, Halibut are found in greater numbers in places like Mutiny Bay and Admiralty Bay. WDFW Puget Sound Halibut - Marine Area 9 Regulations - Marine Area 9 Emergency Rules
San Juan Islands and Northernmost Salish Sea
Halibut fishing is very popular among the Bellingham, Anacortes and island communities. Locals have great access to Halibut fishing spots. For the most part, when the weather is good, most people head out to the banks of the Eastern Strait of Juan de Fuca, but there are Halibut that are caught inside the San Juan Islands, the southern edge of the archipelago at places like Salmon Bank and Iceberg Point, and to the north at Alden Bank. WDFW Puget Sound Halibut - Marine Area 7 Regulations - Marine Area 7 Emergency Rules
Pacific Halibut caught on a salmon trolling spoon.
How to catch Halibut in Washington
The two Halibut techniques that are used most in Washington State are drifting and anchoring.
Drifting doesn’t require any special gear beyond your rod setup and tackle, this technique can be used at any Halibut spot. Essentially, once you determine the direction of your boat’s drift, you can place yourself on one end of your intended fishing area and drift over it. Halibut are almost always concentrated near the bottom, using enough weight to bounce bottom and work the area is key. The benefit is covering a wide area.
Anchoring is a popular method in certain areas of the Eastern Strait and Admiralty Inlet. It requires an anchor system and enough anchor line to give you the required 4:1 scope (some areas with current require even more). The advantage of anchoring is you can pick that exact location you think the Halibut will be, attach a chum bag off of your anchor, and draw them in with the scent trail. Anchoring is not recommended or even possible in the Pacific Ocean and many parts of the Western Strait due to the current. It’s also not commonly done inside the San Juan Islands due to the rocky nature of the archipelago.
B2 Squid Rigs & Halibut Sliders, one of our favorite setups.
Seattle Fishing Co. has you covered for Halibut fishing gear
We have curated a really thorough selection of 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.
For a tried and true setup, nothing beats bait paired with a B2 Squid Halibut Rig or Halibut Hoochie Rig. Either of these premade setups can be clipped to a spreader bar or halibut weight slider. For a sinker, we usually use a cannonball weight or square cod weight. Weights depend on the depth and current in the area you are fishing, but can range from as little as 12 ounces inside Puget Sound to as much as 3 pounds in deepwater fisheries in the Pacific offshore.
Our recommendations for Halibut gear
Premade rigs: Halibut Hoochie Rig, B2 Squid Rig
Spreaders & Sliders: Standard Spreader Bar, Glow Spreader Bar, Halibut Weight Slider.
Sinkers: Square Cod Weight, Cannonball Weight.
Hooks: Gamakatsu Octopus 8/0 to 10/0, Gamakatsu Big River Bait Hook 8/0 to 12/0, Mustad Demon Perfect Circle 2x Strong Hooks
Metal jigs: Copper Pipe Jig, P-Line Hali Drop Jigs, P-Line Diamond Jigs, Pitbull Tackle Bora Jigs, Gibbs Cod Jigs
Soft Plastic jigs: Fisherman’s Gold Electric Eels, Lead Jighead with Delta Hali Hawg Grub, Kalin's Big N Grub, P-Line Twin Tail Squid or Powerbait Grub.
Safety first on your fishing trip!
While there are some good halibut fishing options in the more protected areas around Admiralty Inlet and inside the San Juan Islands, most of our well known Halibut fishing spots are in the expanses of the Strait of Juna de Fuca and the Pacific Ocean. These areas can see days with flat-calm water but can be quite dangerous when storm fronts move in. Open ocean conditions can change quickly. It's important to know your boat's capabilities, be real with yourself about your own experience with fishing ocean waters, be aware of current and upcoming conditions, have all the necessary safety equipment, and above all else, ensure that you're halibut fishing trip is set up for safety as well as success. We highly suggest for long range trips coordinating to fish with a "buddy boat" for safety sake. We hope you all have a great experience Halibut fishing in Washington!