

This refers to the direction in which the fish’s head is pointed in relation to an “eyes-over-mouth” position. First, California halibut can actually be “right-eyed” or “left-eyed” while the Pacific halibut is always right-eyed. California Halibut vs Pacific HalibutĬommonly confused with the Pacific halibut, the California halibut can be distinguished by a few characteristics. Refer to the Department of Fish and Wildlife for official numbers and regulations.

Legal Limit (#) (3) fish north of Point Sur, Monterey County, and (5) fish south of Point Sur, Monterey County Legal Size (in) 22-inches Record Size (ft/lb) 5-feet/72-pounds Fighting Strength (-/10) 8/10 Range Magdalena Bay, Baja California, to the Quillayute River, British Columbia Habitat Shallow/Sandy (nearby structure helps) All information within this chart and this page is unofficial. After about 1-month, the eye on the white side will have moved completely over to the top/dark side. Halibut begin their lives as free-floating eggs and before surpassing their larvae stage, they have one eye on either side of their body. It has a brown coloration intermixed with white and black spots on it’s top-side, while the underside is usually white. Quite possibly the easiest fish to identify in the surf, the California halibut may be the most coveted catch by surf anglers across the state.

Halibut fishing from the beach California Halibut Identification and Informationīefore we get into halibut fishing and what it takes to successfully catch halibut in the surf, here’ some general information on the California halibut.
