Puget Sound recreational halibut - preliminary estimates
| Fishing Dates | Anglers (number) |
Halibut (number) |
Pounds | Cumulative Pounds |
Quota Pounds |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| April 6-9; 10, 13-16 |
2,373 |
301 |
5,394.5 |
5,394.5 |
73,636.5 | |
| April 17, 20-23 | 734 | 84 | 1,624.2 | 7,018.7 | 72,012.3 | |
| April 24, 27-30 | 1,641 | 269 | 3,926.6 | 10,945.3 | 68,085.7 | |
| May 1, 4-7 | 1,098 | 255 | 3,385.2 | 14,330.5 | 64,700.5 | |
| May 8, 11-14 | 1,505 | 222 | 3,359.3 | 17,689.8 | 61,341.2 | |
| May 15, 18-21 | 822 | 128 | 1,692.1 | 19,381.9 | 59,649.1 | |
| May 22, 25-28 | 1,656 | 370 | 4,339.9 | 23,721.3 | 55,309.7 | |
| June 1-4 | 538 | 126 | 1,290.4 | 25,012.2 | 54,018.8 | |
| June 5-11 | 1,398 | 457 | 5,521.4 | 30,533.6 | 48,497.4 | |
| June 12-18 | 1,410 | 391 | 4,043.1 | 34,576.7 | 44,454.3 | |
| June 19-25 | 1,783 | 493 | 5,7034.2 | 40,310.9 | 38,720.1 | |
| June 26-30 | 945 | 189 | 1,990.5 | 42,301.4 | 36,729.6 | |
| August 17-20 | 2,653 | 343 | 3,884.6 | 46,186.0 | 32,845.0 | |
| August 21-27 | 3,530 | 162 | 1,855.7 | 48,041.7 | 30,989.3 | |
| August 28-Sept 4 | 5,622 | 71 | 557.8 | 48,599.5 | 30,431.5 | |
| Sept 5 - 10 | 3,686 | 7 | 69.1 | 48,668.6 | 30,362.4 | |
| Sept 11 - 17 | 4,276 | 27 | 366.3 | 49,034.9 | 29,996.1 | |
| Sept 18 - 24 | 2,791 | 12 | 148.4 | 49,183.3 | 29,847.7 | |
| Sept 25 - 30 | Pending |
2023 halibut seasons
The following dates for 2023 have been approved by the Pacific Fishery Management Council and implemented into federal regulation. Pacific halibut are quota managed, days open are dependent on available quota and Marine Areas will close when the quota is projected to be obtained. The following is intended to show the proposed season structure, but season dates are not guaranteed to be open.
Marine Area 5
It is permissible for halibut anglers to retain lingcod and Pacific cod caught while fishing for halibut in waters deeper than 120 feet on days that halibut fishing is open and is only allowed when the lingcod season is open.
- April 6 through May 22, five days per week, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday
- Friday, Saturday, Sunday, May 26, 27, and 28 (Memorial Day weekend)
- June 1 through June 30, seven days per week
Marine Areas 6 - 10
- April 6 through May 22, five days per week, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday
- Memorial Day weekend, open Friday, Saturday, Sunday, May 26, 27, and 28
- June 1 through June 30, seven days per week
To protect yelloweye rockfish, the retention of lingcod and Pacific cod is not permitted while fishing for halibut deeper than 120 feet in Marine Areas 6 - 10
Announced July 24, the Marine Areas 5 - 10 will open August 17 through September 30, 2023, seven days per week, subject to available quota.
Puget Sound Region (Marine Areas 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10)
In all marine areas open to halibut fishing, there is a one-fish daily catch limit and no minimum size restriction. There is a four fish annual bag limit. Except, the bag limit is temporarily increased to six fish for August 17 - September 30, 2023 (dates subject to available quota). Anglers may obtain a free two-line catch record card for this period. Anglers must record their catch on a WDFW catch record card.
Reminder that Barbless Hooks are required for all species in Marine Areas 5 through 13—including for halibut and bottomfish—except when using forage fish jig gear to target forage fish (herring, sandlance, anchovy, sardine and smelt). See Marine Area Rules & Definitions in the Washington Sport Fishing Rules.