August 30th, 2010 12:01 am
Hoppoglossus Steolepsis is the tongue twisting scientific name for the Pacific Halibut. Their size and stature fits their scientific name well, as these are the largest flatfish to populate the Pacific Ocean. They are also known as Northern Halibut, Alabato and Right Halibut. These fish sport a brown coloration which can range from a gray-brown to a dark brown and they also have lightly colored spots. Since the pacific halibut swims on one side down all the time, that side not only does not have an eye, but it is also lighter in color. This flatfish has two eyes that are always turned upwards.
The male Pacific Halibut grows to about 55 inches long and typically weighs in around 40 pounds and is dwarfed by his female counterpart who can be as large as 470 pounds. While the male lives about 20 years, the female lives upwards of 45 years resulting in a larger population of the female Pacific Halibut. It comes as no surprise that given the larger size of the female that they go through far more changes in growth during their life stages.
Shrimp, crabs, squids and Turbot are favorites of the pacific halibut to meet their dietary needs. In addition, both the smaller pacific halibut and adults love to feast on crustaceans, meaning that they have very strong teeth. Pacific halibut hunting habits are a bit unique, they burrow into the sand at the bottom of the water, sit patiently waiting for their prey and when they spot them they literally explode out of the sand and grab them. There is little evidence of the prey afterwards; in fact, all you are likely to find is a cloud of sand in the aftermath.
Pacific halibut prefer colder water and because of this they tend to be located in the waters of the North Pacific in the area between California and north to the Bering Sea. It is not uncommon to find a Pacific Halibut as far away as Northern Japan however, and let’s not overlook this powerful fishes migrating habits. It is not at all unusual for them to travel upwards of 2,000 miles for hunting and spawning purposes – and it’s also not unheard of to find them in shallow bays that have cold water in the far northern areas.
Along the areas along the Pacific coast, halibut and salmon are a means of subsistence. Because of this, halibut is closely monitored to avoid over-harvesting. In British Columbia, fisheries have cut back on production in a critical commercial fishing area. When you are able to angle for halibut, the best baits are generally mackerel, squid, herring, as well as other small fish. These fish fight like mad, and because of that, a good strong tackle will be required for the angler who is after halibut. Once the halibut is hooked, it will generally put up a struggle to stay on the bottom, but they are not very aggressive once hooked. Keeping bait floating above them will convince them that the prey is coming across them making landing them easier.
When you are getting prepared for a saltwater fishing adventure, having the proper equipment is essential. Some of the most popular products on the market include okuma reels, van staal fishing reels, and shimano spinning reels.
Tags: fish, okuma reels, shimano spinning reels, van staal reels