Are you are looking for a great fishing vacation in Alaska? Do you want to catch a few halibut for the freezer and have a legitimate chance to catch a giant also known as a barn door halibut check out Seward halibut fishing. Of course there is some great halibut fishing in Southeast Alaska but if you destination is the interior then Homer and Seaward is the best option for halibut.
Getting To Seward To Halibut Fish
Seward is 127 miles from Anchorage. The drive to Seward from Anchorage is a scenic drive on a great two-lane highway AK-1 to State Hwy-9. The route from Anchorage to Seward has plenty of turnouts along the way to enjoy the amazing scenery that Alaska is famous for. There are other options to get to Seward from Anchorage to do a little halibut fishing in Resurrection Bay. One great way to get to Seward Alaska from Anchorage is by train. The Historic Alaska Railroad The train ride takes you into the mountains and provides many views not available by road. The mountains themselves along with the glaciers among them makes the train ride a great option. There is also a bus route to Seward.
Halibut Fishing In Seward Alaska
Resurrection Bay is a gorgeous part of Alaska that is a must see when visiting Alaska. The waters of Resurrection Bay is teeming with marine life. The surrounding terrain towers above you offering both protection from wind as well as spectacular scenery as you make your way out to the halibut grounds.
The Seward halibut grounds are not that far from port making the trip shorter allowing for more time to fish. Another great thing about the waters of Resurrection Bay is that they can be much calmer than many other fishing grounds because of these mountains and the protection it provides. Make no mistake though it is still the ocean, and the calm waters can turn quickly to rough and dangerous. Keep this especially in mind if you decide to rent a skiff to fish for halibut out of Seward.
Halibut Fishing Techniques Seward Alaska
I have an article here on this site for several halibut rigs for Alaska halibut. Check it out here Halibut Rigs for Alaska. When halibut fishing out of Seward you can use lighter weights and tackle to catch them. Resurrection Bay waters have less tide fluctuation than many other Alaska waters. This lack of tide fluctuations means less tide rip or current. This lets a halibut angler use lighter sinkers and therefore lighter rods. Instead of having to use 4- or 5-pounds sinkers 2 or 3 pounds will get your bait to the bottom. This lets you fight the fish and not the heavy gear too.
Bait For Halibut
The favorite bait for halibut is herring and salmon. You can catch your own herring and preserve them for bait or purchase packaged herring to fish for halibut. Another great bait for halibut is salmon. You can pilfer some salmon heads from the cleaning stations or catch your own. The biggest halibut I ever caught was on a Silver Salmon head I had saved after a successful fly fishing trip on my favorite creek in Juneau Alaska. It was 185 pounds.
Jigging For Seward Halibut
The lack of super strong currents in Resurrection Bay allows the halibut angler to use giant jigs to catch them. Using jigs to catch halibut in Alaska can be a daunting endeavor but with slack tides where tides are strong or in some areas, especially around Seward Alaska, jigs can be used to catch big halibut. Jigging works great but it can wear out your arms and back providing great exercise routine.
Adding Bait To Halibut Jig
Some halibut anglers add a little bait to their jigs. A chunk of squid or a double-hooked herring works great. Make sure you add bait to your halibut jig to keep it streamlined. This keeps the bait from creating drag that can rip the bait off the hook as you jig and make it harder to jig. A jig, even a big one, should be easily pulled through the water and drop sharply with each pump of the rod tip. This quick action gets those big halibut’s attention as well as other bottom dwellers that are good table fare.
Adding Scent To Your Halibut Rig
Pro-Cure’s “Brine-n-Bite” is a popular brine for herring used to catch halibut. The Pro-Cure Brine-n-Bite also has what they call bite stimulants that infuse the herring as it cures. Curing your herring will firm them up and they will handle the tough waters where halibut live and stay on your hook longer.
There are also gels and sprays that can add yummy scents to your halibut baits and jigs. I never used scent when I lived in Alaska and fished for halibut. I did see a guy spray WD-40 on his herring and swore by it as a scent. He caught his limit too, so I know for a fact it didn’t hurt anything.
Chumming for halibut is also a great way to attract halibut to your position. Use a mesh bag and add scraps from the fish cleaning table like salmon heads. Tie the chum bag to the anchor and let it down. The chum bag creates a great scent trail to attract halibut. Halibut have a great nose and can smell scent from a great distance and will come investigate.
Link To Descriptions For These Well Known Fishing Spots Resurrection Bay
- Tonsina Creek: Species found around Tonsina Creek: Halibut, chum salmon, silver salmon, king salmon, and pink salmon Tonsina Creek offers Seward offshore trolling for silvers during top season. Before beginning their spawning run up the creek, chum and pink salmon gather at the mouth of the river. Because of the alluvial fan at the mouth, the water is shallow; therefore, for the best results, troll offshore. In saltwater, snagging is allowed, so that’s another option. Distance from the harbor of Seward: 4.8 miles. All these salmon returning to spawn provide halibut plenty to eat. Outgoing tides can pull many dead and dying salmon into the deeper water and halibut know it. They will sit out there and wait for the smorgasbord to open.
- Lowell Point
- Derby Cove
- Caine’s Head
- Thumb Cove
- Calisto Head
- Humpy Cove
- El Dorado Narrows
- Hive Island
- Fox Island
- Rugged Island
- Cape Resurrection
- Emerald Cove
- Agnes Cove
- Aialik Cape
- Day Harbor
- Cheval Narrows
- Pony Cove
- Pilot Rock
- Aialik Bay
- Chat Cove
- Cliff Bay
- Three Hole Bay
- Bear Cove
- Paradise Cove
Halibut Fishing Seward by Kayak
The lack of strong currents, as mentioned above, isn’t only best for using lighter tackle, it’s also great for the intrepid angler that fish for halibut from a kayak. Kayak fishing is growing like crazy. Its popularity has hit every part of the country to include Alaska. People use specially rigged kayaks to get to deeper water where the halibut live. Seward and Resurrection Bay is a great location for the kayak angler. Here is a video of a great halibut caught just outside of Seward by kayak.
Seward Halibut Fishing Charters
If you do head to Seward for your halibut fishing trip of a lifetime here are a few charters known for their awesome halibut fishing trips in Seward.
Aurora Charters -We offer many options for fishing fun and are happy to accommodate your schedule and desires. All trips include all fishing gear, bait and fish filleting. We will be right beside you to help you to understand how to land these fish when the exciting moment arises! With 4 charter vessels of our own and 8 other independently owned and operated vessels available for fishing charters, we are more than able to satisfy your sport-fishing needs.
Seward Charters– Seward Charters offers unmatched level of quality for the entire family. Join us on our fast, comfortable boats for world class fishing and exploring the sights. Instead of limiting your day to only fishing or whale watching on crowded boats have an incredible day on the water! Call us now to book!
Alaska Northern Outfitters offers daily fishing charters for halibut, salmon and rockfish aboard the M/V Sea Quest. Owner-operated since 2002, we have been fishing in Seward since the 1970s. We are now taking bookings for summer 2021!
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