Filleting an Alaska Halibut

Cleaning an Alaska halibut can be a bit confusing, they are a bit different to fillet than most other fish you'll catch. There aren't too many fish out there that have both eyes on the same side of their head. Follow a few simple steps and you'll come out with good, tasty fillets every time.

First and foremost you need to make sure you have bleed your halibut fully. You also need to make sure that you have keep your fish relatively cool and out of the direct sunlight. Find a good place to start the process, most marinas have great places to clean fish. The one and only tool you need is a very sharp, thin bladed fillet knife.

Start with the dark side of the halibut facing up. From the top of the head to the end of the stomach cut a diagonal line all the way down to the bone, follow the bone structure along the gill plate. If you run your hand across the surface of this area
it should be obvious of where to cut. Draw a line in your head of the bone structure and make a cut all the way across the halibut. Following the spine of the halibut, from the tail work your way forward to the first cut toward the head. We are well on our way to some deep fried halibut and chips. But not quite yet. Now take your fillet knife and start cutting at an angle and continue the passes until the fillet is removed. Finish the cut from head to tail to provide a smooth, even cut. Fold the fillet back with your free hand to expose where you last cut, applying pressure to separate the fillet from the bone. Always practise proper safety by cutting away from yourself and by making sure your knife is very sharp. Now slice the other half of the halibut the same way. Use the same filleting methods on the white side of the halibut as you did on the brown side of the halibut.

Remember to keep that knife sharp and be safe and you'll be able to enjoy tasty halibut fillets for years to come.

How to Dress for a Halibut Fishing Charter

This is the first article I wrote and submitted on the subject of halibut fishing, a bit rough. I will continue to write on the subject of halibut fishing and hopefully improve my articles accordingly.



Coming to Alaska on a halibut fishing trip can be exciting and a bit overwhelming.
Dressing properly for your halibut fishing trip can make the difference between a good time
and an uncomfortable time. The weather in Alaska no matter what time of year can be
unpredictable. There are two certain precautions that one can take to make sure he or she isn't caught off guard.
First, always dress in layers. Even in the peak of summer the mornings can be darn right cool, sometimes even cold. Your base layer should always be a quick wicking synthetic. I always advise against cotton fabrics. Cotton isn't near as breathable nor has the wicking power of the synthetic garments. Cotton, when wet takes forever to dry and can leave the fisherman uncomfortable for the extent of the halibut fishing trip.
So stick with synthetic base layers. After the base layer you may add as many long sleeve shirts as the weather report calls for. The beautiful thing about dressing in layers is that you can shed off layers anytime you wish and put layers back on when you are feeling chilly. There are many great types of light-weight fleeces being made today. The best type of fleece you can have on is one that's light-weight and that can stop the wind. When you are heading out to the halibut fishing spots you might be on the back deck of the boat, usuallly in the morning. The back deck can be quite cool and the wind can chill the bone. A good fleece will stop the wind and make you feel nice and cozy. In addition to the layers, a medium to light-weight coat should be brought along. You'll sure wish you brought one on a cold Alaskan morning.
Wearing the proper pair of pants can also be critical for comfortable. I highly advise against the wearing of jeans. Cotton jeans when wet are miserable and won't dry for the entire time of your halibut charter. Again, try and wear a synthetic blend pair of pants. As for footwear, I recommend a light-weight wool sock and a waterproof boot of some kind.
Finally, one of the most important precautions to take on any Alaska fishing trip is to bring along the best rain gear that you can afford. Both the pants and the jacket are a must due to the unpredictable weather in Alaska. It can look beautiful out in the morning and by mid-day it's pouring rain and the temperature could drop ten degress or more. Always bring rain gear, if you don't bring anything else, always bring rain gear.
Always dress in layers and always bring rain gear.
Those two precautions will ensure you being comfortable on your halibut fishing charter, leaving you to fully concentrate on catching those huge halibuts.

A few pics from the season

Just thought I'd start posting a few pictures of the 2006 season.
Here's a great picture of fly fishing for silvers on the Chuit.
The Chuit on the west side of Cook Inlet is a little known river to most folks.
It's about an 18 minute flight in an Otter onto Alaska native owned land. It's a goreous, clear, narrow waterway that is just perfect for fly fishing. The Chuitna river has a great run of king salmon and of silver salmon each year.

Homer Alaska Halibut Fishing

Alaska Halibut Fishing

Homer, Alaska the halibut fishing capital of the world! The waters surrounding Homer are amongst the most productive halibut fisheries in the world not to mention offering incredible wildlife viewing. Sea otters, puffins, eagles, seals, porpoises and whales all make Kachemack Bay their home. Fishing isn't just a sport in Homer, but a great way to spend the day taking in breathtaking scenery, enjoying family and friends, and ooh yes catching big barn door Alaskan halibut.



This is the first excerpt from my new website for my halibut fishing charter service.
My guiding/charter company is Alaska Classic Adventures. We go out of our way to bring good people an authentic Alaskan experience. Alaska Classic Adventures has fly out fishing trips all across Alaska, river king salmon fishing trips on the Kenai and Kasilof, and also alaska bear viewing trips.

Don't hesitate to visit our site or blog and ask any questions about coming up to Alaska.