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Photo of California Halibut (Paralichthys californicus)

Photo: Public domain, Wikimedia Commons

Saltwater

California Halibut

Paralichthys californicus

A flatfish ambush predator that lies buried in sand waiting for baitfish to pass overhead. Legal minimum size in CA is 22 inches.

Size

22" min · avg 5–15 lb

Season

Spring–Fall

Difficulty

Habitat

Sandy bottoms adjacent to structure — bays, harbor mouths, and the surf zone in 10–100 ft of water.

Best lures & bait

5–7" paddle-tail swimbait on a 3/4–1.5 oz jig head
Live anchovy or sardine on a sliding sinker (fish-finder) rig
Bucktail jigs tipped with squid strip

How to catch them

Drift fish along sand-to-kelp transitions, bouncing the bait just off bottom
Slow, steady swimbait retrieve with pauses — halibut often hit on the fall
Fish incoming tide near harbor mouths and channel edges

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