Halibut Fishing in Seward, Alaska

Halibut fishing out of Seward can provide the angler with enough fish to last quite some time. The Alaska Department of Fish and Game says the limit for halibut is two fish per person per day. With fish commonly weighing 40 to 60 pounds, and fish weighing over 100 pounds not uncommon, that adds up to a lot of halibut.

  1. Alaska Fishing License

    • Halibut fishing in Seward requires having an Alaska fishing license with two exceptions. Children under the age of 16 and Alaska residents over the age of 60 do not need a fishing license. The licenses can be purchased online or purchased in Seward at many of the fishing charter companies, at the Fish House (see below) or at any Carrs/Safeway grocery store throughout the state.

    Alaskan Halibut

    • Alaskan halibut grow to world-record sizes. Crackerjack Fishing Charters indicates that about 10 percent of the fish caught on its boats in the waters off Seward weigh in at over 100 lbs. Most of the fish come in between 20 to 40 lbs. Locals prefer to eat the smaller fish as they have fewer worms and have a more delicate flavor than the larger fish. Additionally, since the largest fish are breeding females, many charter companies discourage keeping the monster fish longer than necessary to take a picture.

    Halibut Fishing Tackle

    • Anglers who choose to take a charter out of Seward do not need to bring their own tackle. The charter companies provide everything needed, and most will even bait the hooks. Most charters prefer circle hooks on heavy 80-lb. test line. Halibut pools are short, about 5 feet long, and very sturdy. Charters typically use herring or salmon bellies as bait. The lines are weighted so they drop to the bottom and the fisherman lets the movement of the boat bounce the line just enough to attract the halibut.

    Find the Fish

    • Seward sits at the head of Resurrection Bay. Most halibut fishing charters leaving from Seward follow the east or west shorelines where the water ranges in depth to between 30 and 100 feet. Halibut prefer very cold water, so on warmer days, they generally stay in the deeper areas. For the most part halibut rest on the bottom, so fishing closer to the surface rarely produces positive results.

    Seward Alaska Charter Companies

    • Miller's Landing is a one-stop shop for halibut charter fishing out of Seward. Miller's landing has lodging, sells fishing licenses, has a small store and provides other entertainment in addition to the halibut charters.

      Miller's Landing
      P.O. Box 81
      Seward, Alaska 99664
      907-224-5739
      Fax: 907-224-9197
      Toll-Free: 866-541-5739
      millerslandingak.com

      The Fish House is also a full-service charter company located in Seward. Charters with the Fish House typically pass through Kenai Fjords National Park on the way to the company's preferred fishing grounds.

      The Fish House
      1303 4th Avenue
      P.O. Box 1209
      Seward, AK 99664
      907-224- 3674
      thefishhouse.net