Additional Information
What Is an Atlantic Halibut?
Starting life as a round fish, these Jurassic looking creatures of the deep soon evolve into the Atlantic Halibut that everybody knows. The eyes migrate around their head at around 6 months old where they then start living life as a flatfish. Being a mottled brown on top with a white underbelly these fish are perfectly adapted to living life on the seabed as this camouflage aids them in their life as an ambush predator. They can be caught in both Norway and Iceland but North Norway tends to produce more numbers and bigger Atlantic Halibut.
How big do Atlantic Halibut Get?
Atlantic Halibut fishing in both Norway and Iceland come in a verity of sizes, the smaller specimens are only a couple of pounds whereas the larger Atlantic Halibut reach over 500lbs. The average size of the fish you are likely to catch is around 50lbs, but no matter what their size they all put up a good fight and all Atlantic Halibut is a prize catch. We have some great blogs with Tips to Catch Halibut
Where is the best place to catch Halibut?
The Atlantic Halibut is a flatfish that lives in the cold waters of the North Sea, inhabiting the waters around Greenland, Iceland and Norway. The odd specimen has also been found in the waters around the UK by commercial and recreational anglers. These fish love a flat bottom to lay in wait for their prey to pass over their heads where they will then rise up and engulf the food in one mouthful. Destinations like Å on the Lofoten Islands, Nappstraumen, Mefjord, Havoysund, Saltstraumen and the Lofoten Islands are all very good places to target Atlantic Halibut. Some destinations for Halibut fishing in Norway offer better chances of big fish whereas other places you will catch numbers of Halibut. Speak to one of our Sea fishing team for further information.
How to Catch a Halibut from a boat?
When fishing for Atlantic Halibut from the boat there are 2 main methods used to Catch Halibut in Norway or Iceland. I would suggest when on the boat, once you have set your drift up, that you fish a couple of rods from the back of the boat using dead-baits and a Halibut anti-twist lead. This can be fished either straight down or off a Halibut anti-twist float. We have created a video on how to Float fish for Halibut. The advantage of using a float is that you can fish well away from the back of the boat at the desired depth making for a much more precise bait presentation. We have written some great blogs on float fishing for Halibut, What are the best Shads for Halibut and our Ultimate Sea Fishing Blog is a great read before you head out to Atlantic Halibut fishing holiday.
How to catch Halibut from the Shore?
Fishing for big fish such as Atlantic Halibut from the shore is becoming much more of a popular style to fish abroad. The first thing you need to do is to look for an area with a sandy bottom, areas where the sea bed drops away or the tide runs hard through a narrowing in the land. These are all prime Halibut areas to fish and you will find these fish are always willing to hit a bait. The tackle needed for these fish has to be up to the job with large capacity reels loaded with a strong line or braid a big necessity. Heavy ground rods are must-have, light continental style rods will not cut the mustard, you need a rod that will be able to withstand the crashing runs these Halibut make. On our Shore Fishing Lofoten Islands holiday, we give you a fully guided week shore fishing. He will also give you tips on the best bait to use for Halibut and also tell you what Clothes to wear in Norway.
What is the best bait to catch Halibut?
For baits, I would suggest using an oily fish bait such as Herring, Bluey or Mackerel tip to catch Atlantic Halibut in Norway as these will release the scent into the water creating a slick that will entice fish in from further away. What rigs to use to catch Halibut, I would suggest Using Pulley Pennell with a strong rig body of 150lb plus. The snood needs to be of the same strength to avoid the Halibut biting through the line. A strong hook in sizes of either 6/0-8/0 is needed to ensure the fish stays hooked and doesn’t bend the hook out.
Contact us
If you want to learn more about the best places to catch Atlantic Halibut and the methods to use, contact our expert team. They will be happy to answer any questions you have. The phone number is 01603 407596
We also host an exclusive Halibut Fishing Competition in Norway every year. Spaces are limited and go fast, so make sure to reserve your team’s place early and be in with a chance of winning £4000.
If you are looking for more information and advice on Sea Fishing in Norway, head over to our complete Norway Fishing Guide here.
