New England fishermen are increasingly catching Atlantic halibut; while most are on the smaller side, some weigh in at up to 100 pounds. Capt. Bruce Sweet reports on this trend.
The cold waters of the Gulf of Maine offer a rich variety of bottom fishing options, including cod, haddock, and pollock that often fill anglers’ catches. Additionally, the legendary Atlantic halibut is starting to appear in larger quantities once more.
As the biggest fish in the flatfish family, Atlantic halibut have a widespread habitat that spans the frigid waters of Labrador and Greenland to Iceland and the Canadian Maritimes. In U.S. waters, Gulf of Maine anglers are most likely to encounter these fish. They dwell on the seafloor at depths ranging from a few hundred to over 6,000 feet.
The largest recorded Atlantic halibut was snagged by a commercial angler off Cape Ann, Massachusetts, in the early 1900s. This enormous fish weighed over 600 pounds, even after its head was removed.
### The Decline of the Atlantic Halibut
Once teetering on the edge of extinction, Atlantic halibut are now showing promising signs of recovery in the Gulf of Maine, according to Capt. Bruce Sweet.
During the late 1800s, the rising population in the Northeast created a demand for fresh fish, which led commercial fleets to target Atlantic halibut for their impressive size, sweet taste, and unique flaky texture. It’s recorded that the annual harvest of Atlantic halibut in the Gulf of Maine reached at least 12 million pounds during that era.
Atlantic halibut grow extremely slowly, taking nearly a decade to reach sexual maturity and living well beyond 50 years. Over time, devastating fishing pressures nearly collapsed the U.S. halibut population by the 1940s.
Minimal restoration efforts were made until the early 2000s when the New England Fishery Management Council initiated a rebuilding strategy that included seasonal and year-round area closures, caps on commercial and recreational harvests, and annual catch limits aiming for a target population level by 2055—another 30 years away.
### The Rebound of the Atlantic Halibut
To understand the current status of halibut fishing in the Gulf of Maine, I spoke with Capt. Bruce Sweet of Sweet Dream Fishing Charters in Gloucester, Massachusetts. Sweet and his team primarily focus on catching Atlantic halibut around Fippennies Ledge, an underwater ridge situated about 65 miles northeast of Gloucester.
While he emphasizes that fishing can be inconsistent, Sweet shares, “Over the past 15 years, the trend has been upward; they aren’t plentiful, but reports of catches are becoming more frequent.” Presently, strict regulations help maintain the growing halibut population, allowing only one fish per boat per trip that measures at least 41 inches.
Sweet also notes that the uptick in halibut activity has attracted more anglers, especially as bag limits for other New England groundfish species have been reduced in recent years.
### Strategies for Fishing Halibut
Capt. Bruce Sweet highlights that the peak season for halibut fishing occurs from late May through early July. This timing is crucial because once the Gulf of Maine water reaches 60 degrees, an influx of dogfish and blue sharks complicates the process of landing any fish.
Ideal fishing spots offshore typically range in depth from 200 to 300 feet on gravel bottoms or scattered boulders. While many halibut are caught unintentionally during trips targeting pollock and haddock, anglers should seek areas rich in bait and other prey. Apart from Fippennies Ledge, fishing near Jeffreys Ledge off New Hampshire’s coast could also be fruitful, as it is where commercial tuna fishers and recreational ground fishermen occasionally hook halibut that are lured to suspended live baits.
The large specimens of old are becoming a memory, as Sweet reports that most of the halibut his clients catch weigh between 50 and 60 pounds, with the largest reaching over 90 pounds. Therefore, having the right gear to reel in big fish from deep waters is crucial. Anglers usually target Atlantic halibut with traditional three-sided Norwegian jigs, often complemented by a series of teasers that weigh between 12 and over 20 ounces to adapt to current conditions, necessitating heavy conventional tackle to achieve effective action and maintain contact with the bottom.
Despite uncertainty regarding the full recovery of the Atlantic halibut population, rigorous regulations and thoughtful management are fostering a resurgence of this species, allowing anglers to once again pursue these remarkable fish. With ongoing commitment, U.S. anglers might one day find that they no longer need to travel to Alaska to battle with the king of flatfish.