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- Halibut fishing in the United States/
- California/
- Halibut fishing in California
Types of Halibut in California
Halibut fishing spots in California
Best baits and lures for Halibut in California
According to catch data from over 20 million anglers on Fishbrain, these are the best baits used to catch Halibut.
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Biggest Halibut catches
Latest Halibut fishing reports in California
California halibut
Shelter Island Yacht Basin
length · weight
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Regulations for Halibut in California
Disclaimer: Always check local fishing regulations, water access rights and land ownership before fishing, regardless of any catches logged in that area by the Fishbrain community. Fishbrain has mapped millions of acres of government-owned land across the USA to help you identify potential fishing access, but you are responsible for ensuring compliance with all legal requirements.
Fishing regulations in California can change throughout the year. Make sure to check this page before fishing for the most up to date rules and regulations for the current season. Local regulations govern when you can fish, the max size of the fish you can keep, how many fish you can keep, and more.
Below you will see fishing regulations for catching California halibut as of May 17th, 2026. To view regulations for a different fish species, please click on your preferred species in the drop-down.
Seasons
Bag limit
Min size
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Aggregate
Bag limit increased to 5 California halibut in California waters south of a line extending due west magnetic from Point Sur, Monterey County.
Fillets must be a minimum of 16 and three-quarter inches in length and shall bear the entire skin intact. A fillet from a California halibut (flesh from one entire side of the fish with the entire skin intact) may not be cut in half fillets. However, a fillet may be cut lengthwise in a straight line along the midline of the fillet where the fillet was attached to the vertebra (backbone) of the fish only if the two pieces of a fillet remain joined along their midline for a length of at least two inches at one end of the fillet.
Paralichthys californicus
Regulations for
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FAQ
These species can be found in many coastal waters, lakes throughout the area. If you are targeting a specific species, you can use the to filter catches by species and see where anglers are catching them and which baits they are using.
The allows anglers to see exact catch locations shared by other members, helping you discover productive fishing spots where Halibut have recently been caught.