When halibut show up off Pacific City
Halibut timing follows the bottom-fishing calendar. No one here targets halibut, so the useful window is whenever boats are working bottom and lingcod water. The same fishery along the rest of the coast is in the Pacific Northwest offshore fishing guide.
Tied to bottom-fishing months
Haystack Fishing trips run March through September. Those are the months you have a shot at one, since those are the months boats are on the bottom.
Lingcod trips
Pacific City Fishing says halibut come up incidentally on lingcod trips. On lingcod water in those months, an occasional halibut is possible, but it shouldn’t be the reason you book the day.
| Trip type | Where halibut fit |
|---|---|
| Bottom fishing | Occasional bonus |
| Lingcod | Incidental catch |
| Halibut-only | Not offered locally |
Where boats run off Cape Kiwanda
Catches here are described as incidental to bottom and lingcod fishing off Cape Kiwanda. The cape is the reference point for every run, and each mark below sits at a known position from it, so you can work outward in order.
- Haystack Rock: just offshore of the cape
- Chief Kiwanda Rock: about 1/2 mile southwest
- Reefs off the cape: 40 ft, about a mile offshore
- Remote reef: fished mainly by the dory fleet
Haystack Rock
Haystack Rock sits just offshore of Cape Kiwanda.
Chief Kiwanda Rock
Chief Kiwanda Rock is a sea stack about 1/2 mile southwest of the cape.
Reefs off the cape
Unnamed reefs off Cape Kiwanda sit in about 40 ft of water, roughly a mile offshore. This is bottom-fishing structure, and it’s where lingcod trips put lines down.
The dory fleet’s remote reef
A remote, unnamed reef is fished mainly by the Pacific City dory fleet.
How halibut are fished here
Halibut come up on bottom fishing trips, not on a halibut-specific program. For rigs and technique, use the bottom fishing guides.
Bottom and lingcod trips
Haystack’s bottom fishing trips may include "an occasional halibut." Rockfish and lingcod are the fish those trips are built around.
No halibut-only trips
Pacific City Fishing does not run halibut-only trips, and its owners say halibut can come up while bottom fishing. See Pacific City Fishing’s trip info. Pacific City is not a dedicated halibut port, so plan a bottom trip and treat a halibut as a bonus.
Who fishes for them out of Pacific City
These local charters list Pacific halibut among their species:
- Haystack Fishing: Owned and operated by Joe Hay and Wendy Hay. Joe Hay is the captain.
- Pacific City Fishing: Capt. Mark Lytle, fishing a dory.
- Kiwanda Fishing: A local charter that lists Pacific halibut. See Kiwanda Fishing’s charter site.
- Sea Bliss Dory Charter: Capt. Marty Wisehart, running the dory Miss Bliss.
- Pacific Dory Fishing Charters: The business is Goins Outdoor Adventures. See the Pacific Dory Fishing Charters site.
FAQ: Pacific halibut fishing out of Pacific City
Is Pacific City a halibut port?
No. Halibut come up incidentally on bottom and lingcod trips off Cape Kiwanda, and no operator here runs halibut-only trips. For more on the species, see the Pacific halibut species guide.
When can you catch halibut off Pacific City?
During bottom-trip months. Haystack trips run March through September, and halibut arrive incidentally on lingcod trips, so the opportunity follows the bottom-fishing calendar rather than a halibut opener.
Where do boats fish for bottomfish off Cape Kiwanda?
Working outward from the cape:
- Haystack Rock, just offshore
- Chief Kiwanda Rock, about 1/2 mile southwest
- Reefs in 40 ft, about a mile offshore
- A remote reef fished mainly by the dory fleet
Are there halibut charters in Pacific City?
Several local charters list halibut: Haystack Fishing, Pacific City Fishing, Kiwanda Fishing, Sea Bliss Dory Charter and Pacific Dory Fishing Charters. Halibut come on their bottom trips, not on dedicated halibut trips.
Where are the halibut rules for Pacific City?
Check Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife rules before fishing. Both the halibut and groundfish rule sets apply, because halibut come up on bottom trips.
