Best pacific halibut lakes in Alaska
9 Alaska waters hold pacific halibut, 9 mapped with real state-agency depth surveys. Ranked below by size and depth-data quality — open any water to see exactly where to fish it: depth contours, scored spots with plain-English reasons, seasonal windows and bait picks. A bottom-oriented flatfish that moves into Southeast Alaska bays as waters warm, favoring sand, gravel and channel edges beside stronger relief.
- Silver Bay — 400 ft max · survey depth data · Chinook Salmon, Coho Salmon, Pink Salmon, Chum SalmonWhy #1: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
- Ketchikan Harbor Anchorage Area — 162 ft max · survey depth data · Coho Salmon, Pink Salmon, Chum Salmon, Pacific HalibutWhy #2: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
- Hoonah Harbor — 275 ft max · survey depth data · Chinook Salmon, Coho Salmon, Pink Salmon, Chum SalmonWhy #3: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
- Ryus Bay — 92 ft max · survey depth data · Chinook Salmon, Coho Salmon, Pink Salmon, Chum SalmonWhy #4: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
- Halibut Cove Lagoon — 223 ft max · survey depth data · Chinook Salmon, Coho Salmon, Pink Salmon, Chum SalmonWhy #5: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
- Wrangell Harbor — 43 ft max · survey depth data · Chinook Salmon, Coho Salmon, Pink Salmon, Chum SalmonWhy #6: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
- Crescent Bay — 63 ft max · survey depth data · Chinook Salmon, Coho Salmon, Pink Salmon, Dolly VardenWhy #7: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
- Bald Headed Cove — 44 ft max · survey depth data · Coho Salmon, Pink Salmon, Chum Salmon, Pacific HalibutWhy #8: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
- Clam Cove — 38 ft max · survey depth data · Chinook Salmon, Coho Salmon, Pink Salmon, Chum SalmonWhy #9: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
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How to use this ranking
The order is a map-planning ranking, not a claim about today's fish population. It favors larger mapped waters and gives survey-backed contours a three-times data-quality boost. Agency population surveys, current regulations, access and recent conditions should make the final decision.
Compare maximum depth across 37,233 lake records · See Alaska waters with public access data
When to fish pacific halibut in Alaska
- Spring 35–160 ft — Begin on deeper flats and channel shoulders; current control matters more than clock time.
- Summer 20–180 ft — Cover sand or gravel beside rock and channel relief; ADF&G reports the Sitka fishery staying productive through summer.
- Fall 35–220 ft — Follow fish toward deeper channel and basin margins as nearshore conditions cool.
- Winter 70–280 ft — Mostly a deep, weather-limited fishery; use official marine forecasts and current federal rules.
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