Matt Blume and his Halibut

If you’ve got a hankering for a delicious halibut dinner, you’re in luck! The Pacific halibut season opens May 1 on the Oregon Coast.

Matt Blume caught a halibut last year (picture above) and stated, “It felt like I hooked the bumper of a Buick on its way to the bottom of the ocean.” It turns out that his halibut weighed a whopping 106 pounds. “It was the hardest-fighting heavy fish I’ve ever caught. It took two of us five tries to get it into the boat,” he added.

2007 was an excellent year for halibut anglers, with a record of over 16,500 fish caught. This year isn’t looking too shabby either, as the International Pacific Halibut Commission has set a quota of over 250,000 pounds of halibut for Oregon.

So get out there and start fishing! And if you’re able to catch a halibut, try our exquisite Hazelnut Crusted Halibut recipe with Marionberry Margarita Sauce. For more details on halibut fishing in Oregon, please visit the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife.

For a list of charter boats and other recreation guides on the Oregon Coast, be sure to check out our directory of Guides & Packers.

~ Happy Fishin’!

Photo Credit: Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife