Halibut Fishing

Go fishing for halibut in Icy Strait, where these giant flatfish are voraciously feeding throughout the summer. Meeting at the dock, you will embark your comfortable cabin cruiser and receive a safety orientation before taking the 20–30-minute ride out to the premier fishing area in Icy Strait. These waters are teeming with halibut as they serve as the main migration corridor for halibut traveling from the Pacific to their summer feeding grounds and spawning streams in southeast Alaska. The largest Pacific flatfish, Alaskan halibut are renowned for their mammoth size. The former state record halibut-a 440-pound whopper-was landed near Hoonah, so catching a 100-pounder in Icy Strait isn't unusual. Imagine the thrill of hooking one of these monster fish and reeling it in from the depths. It's an amazing experience because halibut are longer than most flatfishes with a width one third of their length, so that husky girth produces a lot of resistance. You will spend approximately 2.5 hours on the water, fishing with bait that may include herring, salmon and octopus, which is one of the halibut's favorite meals. If you catch one, you'll notice that halibut has smooth scales, a light-colored bottom side and a darker top. The colors are a natural camouflage that mimics the hues of the ocean floor and water. Not only are these waters home to halibut, but they are also filled with whales, sea lion, and seals so come prepared with your camera and binoculars. At the conclusion of your fishing time, you will head back to the pier where your tour concludes.