pacific halibut
Hippoglossus stenolepis · Pleuronectidae · predator
Giant flounder of the North Pacific, reaching 258 cm and weighing up to 363 kg. It has high commercial value and is sought by sport fishing.
Also called: halibute, fletán, Pacific halibut
- maximum
- 258 cm
- record/max.
- 363.0 kg
- depth
- 0–1,200 m
the right time
to be on the water
Choose the place and the species. The index, from 0 to 100, combines weather, sun, moon and tide with each fish's habits. Up to 28 days, with each day's confidence.
Reading the weather across 3 global models and 31 simulations…
—
hour by hour
slide your finger or mouse over the chart to see each hoursee hour-by-hour table
why this index at —?
choose the day
Each card shows the day's index (0 to 100) and, below it, a strip with the index for each hour, from 0h to 23h. from poor to excellent.
the fishing month at a glance
what's the best window for the crew?
Choose how many fishing days. We compare each stretch by its average index, discount days with a warning or closed season, and show the 3 best.
trend for the coming weeks
Line: the middle value of 31 simulations of the American GEFS model. Band: where 8 out of 10 fall. Narrow, firm trend; wide, high uncertainty.
everything about the pacific halibut
who is the pacific halibut
The Pacific halibut is a flatfish of the family Pleuronectidae that reaches 258 cm in length and 363 kg. It occurs in the North Pacific, from Japan and the Sea of Okhotsk to Baja California, Mexico. Juveniles live near the coast. Adults spend winter at the edge of the shelf and move into shallower water, from 27 to 274 m, in summer. It feeds on fish, crabs, mollusks, squid and other invertebrates. It has high commercial value and is sought by sport anglers.
Essential profile. Identification, where it occurs and rules, with data from FishBase and the cited regulations. Season, time of day, technique and bait are added once we have a good source for the pacific halibut; in the meantime, see the similar species.
fun facts
- It can live 55 years.
identification
Flattened, proportionally elongated body, more spindle-shaped than other Pacific flatfish, with a dark eyed side and a pale blind side. The dorsal fin begins above the front of the upper eye's pupil. The pectoral fins are small, and the tail has a slight crescent shape. It can be confused with the petrale sole (Eopsetta jordani), but halibut is much larger and has a slightly crescent-shaped tail, not a wide V.
where found
In Latin America, it reaches as far as Baja California, Mexico. Elsewhere, it occurs from Hokkaido, Japan, and from the Sea of Okhotsk to the southern Chukchi Sea.
Habitat: Varied bottoms, from shallow coast down to 1,200 m.
rules for the pacific halibut
Summary of the regulations we found, with the source for each. Rules change; before keeping or transporting fish, check with the state environmental agency.
We found no species-specific rule beyond the region's general rules.
catch and release
catch and release Releasing the fish alive, quickly and with a wet hand. During a closed season it isn't always allowed: what the regulation says applies.
Not dangerous. Large specimens are very heavy, so use reinforced gear and release them carefully.
in the kitchen
It is sold fresh, dried, salted, smoked or frozen, and can be steamed, fried or baked.
how much it weighs without taking it out of the water
Length-weight relationship W = a·Lb (a = 0.00631, b = 3.14; FishBase (relação peso-comprimento bayesiana, estimativa da própria espécie)). It's an average: a fat or lean fish can vary by 10% to 20%.
estimated weight
—
sources and references
Essential profile: size, length-weight, depth, countries and conservation come from FishBase and the cited regulations, and the texts were written from those sources. Season, time of day, sensitivities, technique and baits and lures are not included yet, because we did not find a good source for this species.
- scientific FishBase: Hippoglossus stenolepis (ficha da espécie)Size, length-weight, depth, habitat, distribution, biology, and IUCN status. Page checked on Oct 13, 2026.
- scientific FishBase: nomes populares de Hippoglossus stenolepisNames by country and language.
similar species
where each number comes from
The weather comes from three independent global models, cross-checked hour by hour: when they agree, confidence goes up; when they diverge, the band between them shows on the chart. Beyond 16 days, we use the GEFS ensemble of 31 simulations: if 20 of the 31 predict rain, the chance of rain is 65%. Sun and moon are calculated astronomically, with no uncertainty.
The index adds up, weighted for each species: time of day (species curve anchored to real sunrise and sunset), moon (transits, rise and set, phase), pressure (3 h trend and 24 h swing), water temperature (in rivers, estimated from air temperature; at sea, estimated by an ocean model), wind, rain, clouds, tide and the month in the species' cycle.
sources for this lookup
how accurate the forecast is
Accuracy measured in the reference project (4 regions, 93 days, forecast vs. observed): maximum temperature is off by 0.6 °C on average the next day and 1.7 °C at 7 days; rain of 5 mm or more is detected 76% of the time the next day and 57% at 7 days. Detection isn't everything: the false alarm rate isn't published here yet, and 93 days in 4 regions is still a small sample. We now also measure every day, at the app's destinations: