Do you have what it takes to catch a halibut? Are you planning to go after a nice catch of halibut fish? While we certainly appreciate your dedication, have you looked at your current fishing gear lately? Before heading out, you should at least have a well-equipped halibut fishing rod and reel setup. Because fishing without appropriate gear is your eventual loss. And you know exactly what’s the difference between coming home with fish and coming home with fish stories.
With that in mind, it’s better to come home with fish, particularly halibut fish. And to make that happen, better read our article further as we have created this for anglers who are interested in halibut fishing rod and reel setup. Although a choice of gear is a matter of personal preference, and this article will guide you a lot.
That said, we are going to cover not just halibut fishing rod and reel setup but also some hooks, plastics, lines, scents, and more. So scroll down and learn from this article.
Halibut Fishing Season
Halibut fishing season is normally between the mid of May and mid of September. If your fishing spot is in California, chances are, you can find some Halibut along the coast of the Baja California and to Quillayute River, all the way to British Columbia. Normally they are found on the shallow areas and sandy bottoms, sometimes they are often mistaken as Pacific Sanddab.
In addition, if for instance, your fishing spot is within Alaska, you can go to the Bering Sea and the Gulf of Alaska to spot some Halibut fish there. There’s also a sport fishing in southeast Alaska in the Kodiak area. Sometimes near the mouth of Deep Creek situated in the Lower Cook Inlet. If you know, Pacific Halibut within the mentioned areas weigh between 15 and 20 pounds. There was even a time where it recorded a 459 pound Pacific Halibut in Unalaska Bay back in 1996 and until now it still the Alaska record.
Halibut Fishing Rods
If you are going to search for the best halibut fishing rod and reel setup, we might as well start with the fishing rods. As you might know, the rod you are going to use to catch Halibut varies on the fish’s size. If you aim at Halibut’s weight with 20 to 40 pounds, it’s recommended that you should have 40 to 80-pound class which is the ideal rod for that kind of fish. Also, A 100 to 150 pound halibut is great for that certain kind of rod.
Generally, we prefer the fishing rod’s length for halibut at least 6 or 7 feet long. That rod length is enough to sustain the overall performance of the fishing rod. Also, these type of poles falls into the category of fast/moderate action and heavy/medium power, and they are much preferable.
When it comes to fishing rod guides, they should at least have quality materials. Because inserts usually fall out or steel frame breaks when the fishing rod is of poor quality. That said, it’s best if you have a fishing rod guides that feature ceramic rings instead of having aluminum-oxide inserts.
This is because ceramic rings are able to hold up for the long term and they are also lightweight. Among the best ceramic ring guides are CRB Elite guides, American Tackle Nanolite, Fuji Alconite guides, to name a few. These mentioned guides are tried and tested by our team and also by the experienced anglers we know.
Featured Product
SHIMANO Trevala Casting Rod
This Shimano Trevala Casting Rod is a highly innovative rod that has amazing features. Considering this is a great advantage especially if you are aiming at Halibut. Given the fact that the brand Shimano is a popular gear brand.
This fishing rod is your ultimate companion when it comes to fishing in the saltwater. Be amazed by the materials and overall performance. That’s why we have included this in our halibut fishing rod and reel setup.
As you can see, the materials are not poorly made. In fact, it’s the complete opposite, knowing how reputable brand Shimano is. This particular model, the Trevala Jigging rod series has certain skills that you need.
When it comes to construction, this is carefully engineered with a premium quality carbon butt section and combined with a TC4 tip. The new blank design of this model provides less with but with increased sensitivity.
This also has reinforced with sturdy materials and features Fuji Aluminum Oxide Guides. It’s also diamond polish for a smooth and sleek finish, making the guides more sturdy and has long-lasting longevity. It’s not just the outer structure that makes this impressive but also the hardware and components behind it.
All in all, we have deemed this as essential gear for any anglers who are going to fish some Halibut. The Shimano Trevala Casting Rod is so exceptionally good and it possesses some of the key factors for halibut fishing rod setup.
Halibut Fishing Reels
When it comes to Halibut fishing reels, we have also prepared a noteworthy gear that will definitely make sure you have the capacity to catch a nice sizeable halibut during its peak season. In order for the fishing reels to become suitable for halibut, they should at least two key factors which are gear ratio and line capacity. These two key factors are the reason for success in catching halibut fish.
Given that halibut are usually found in deep waters that measure 600 feet or more, this means you need to make sure that your ideal reel will hold the line just to get to that particular depth and also factors the line drift. On that note, we have used the braided dacron fishing line which has 900 feet as a minimum capacity.
If you want to ensure that there’s enough line when there are a few breaks in the line, we definitely recommend having an extra 300 to 500 feet.
As we have previously mentioned, a high gear ratio is always the key. If you are reeling for about 400 to 600 feet further down, you want to be sure that you will able to pull up the halibut with only a few revolutions as possible.
In that case, a two-speed reel is suitable which is able to bring up easily a deep fish. So, we recommend the Penn International VIS when it comes to halibut fishing reels.
Featured Product
Shimano TLD 2-Speed Conventional Fishing Reel
Another Shimano brand is our top selection when it comes to fishing reels. The fact that this product is tried and tested by our team and fellow seasoned anglers is a must-have for those anglers who are attempting to catch a halibut when the season of halibut is officially open.
We feature this TLD 2-Speed Conventional. It has great power and great for heavy-duty use. A perfect choice when you fish the deep waters.
This particular model is so powerful and pairs well with our recommended SHIMANO Trevala Casting Rod. Also, it’s light in weight and durable enough to sustain rugged fishing activities. This product features 2- speed shifting mechanism which is very distinct in this unit.
Besides that, it also features A-RB anti-rust bearings. Moreover, the A-RB bearings keep the reel from corrosion knowing how saltwater is highly corrosive. The handles provide a comfortable feel and comfort which gives you an edge in fish-fighting occurrence.
All in all, we really love this fishing real and you also got to love this amazing and superb product. This pairs well with the Shimano fishing rod and makes sure you have the leverage to fight the halibut fish and eventually catch them with a high success rate.
Best Bait for Halibut
If we are talking about the suitable bait for halibut, it’s advisable to have a fresh bait to frozen bait. Because fresh baits often stay on the hooks better compared to frozen baits. If you ask any anglers, they will probably prefer to have fresh baits than the latter. So, what are the best bait you can have when fishing for halibut? We have listed some of them.
These are:
- Pacific Tomcod
- Geoduck Clams
- Salmon
- Herring
Final Thoughts
So when it comes to halibut fishing rod and reel setup, we tend to have the simple setup as possible and there’s nothing fancy about it. Although simple, we made sure that we have the quality fishing gear and equipment making sure that our chances of catching the halibut during the open season are significant.
The above-mentioned products are what we usually used when we are on the search for this particular fish. Also, based on our research and conducted interviews, many anglers have agreed that the Shimano TLD 2-Speed Conventional (fishing reel) and the SHIMANO Trevala Casting Rod are among the best gear you can have.
