Strong Halibut Catch for Northern California Anglers

Halibut on the beach sand
Photo by Vinayak Varma on Unsplash

Don Lindsey is a longtime real estate executive who led Gallagher and Lindsey Realtors in Alameda from 1965 to 2005. Passionate about sailing and fishing, Don Lindsey has caught a wide variety of fish over the years.

One positive development for local fishermen in 2019 was a record halibut catch, with live bait, such as anchovies, used by sports anglers to quickly reach limits in the Oyster Point area of the South Bay and in the Berkeley Flats.

The California halibut fishery, which stretches year-round, also reported strong catches, with North Coast anglers in the Crescent City and Fort Bragg region catching 2,500 pounds during the first five days of the fishery in May. This level of catch is usually only achieved during the peak summer months.

The health of the halibut population is attributed to excellent forage conditions, combined with sustained conservation efforts over the past quarter century. In 1993, the United Anglers of California's efforts led to inshore trawling being banned beyond the Golden Gate. At the same time, the recreational halibut limit was reduced from five to three fish.