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The Hunt is On: Your Guide to Winning the Dana Wharf Halibut Derby

Two men on a boat holding a large fish with a blue sky and ocean in the background.

With the rockfish grounds closed for the season, the spotlight at Dana Wharf turns to the undisputed king of the sandy bottom: The California Halibut.

Right now, anglers are stepping aboard our boats with one goal in mind: catching a “Barn Door” (a large trophy halibut) and potentially landing on the leaderboard for our annual Halibut Derby.

Unlike the aggressive strike of a bass or the frenzy of a tuna boil, halibut fishing is a game of finesse, patience, and nerves of steel. If you want to increase your odds of taking home a prize fish this month, here is what you need to know.

Person holding a large fish on a boat with two other people and the ocean in the background.

1. We “Drift” to Find Them Halibut are ambush predators. They bury themselves in the sand, waiting for a meal to swim by. Because they don’t school up tightly like bass, we don’t anchor the boat. Instead, we drift. The captain shuts off the engines and lets the wind and current push the boat across the sandy flats. This allows your bait to cover more ground. The key is to keep your line straight up and down; if you drift too much line out, you’ll miss the bite.

2. The “3-Second Rule” (Don’t Set the Hook!) This is the hardest lesson for new halibut anglers. When a bass bites, you feel a sharp thump-thump. When a halibut bites, it often feels like you’ve snagged a wet towel or a heavy clump of seaweed.

  • The Mistake: Jerking the rod upward immediately. This pulls the bait right out of the halibut’s mouth.

  • The Fix: When you feel that heaviness, freeze. Lower your rod tip slightly to “feed” the fish the bait. Count to three. Then, wind reeling until the line is tight and lift the rod firmly.

A man holds a flatfish on a boat deck with a woman standing next to him, clear sky in the background.

3. The “Head Shake” Once you hook a halibut, they often come up dead weight until they see the boat. Then, they go crazy. Keep steady tension on the line. If you pump the rod up and down, the hook can easily tear out of their soft mouth.

4. The Reward Why do we go through all this trouble? Because California Halibut is arguably the best-eating fish in our local waters. The meat is mild, snowy white, and incredibly versatile. Plus, in the middle of the Halibut Derby, that single fish could be worth a lot more than just a good dinner—it could be a tournament winner.

Ready to try your luck at the drift? The net is waiting!

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