The Pacific Halibut, (Hippoglossus stenolepis) is a mostly flat fish, the top is mottled brown and the underside is bright white. Both eyes are on top of the Halibut’s head. Being heavily camouflaged it lies safely on the bottom away from predators. Butt’s (nickname) spawn during the winter months in deep water.

Pacific Halibut can live over 50 years and can grow to giant proportions. Anglers don’t even start to brag about them until they reach 100 lbs.  IGFA world record is 496 lbs! There have been documented catches on commercial boats in Alaska of halibut over 600 Pounds!

Halibut range from Santa Barbara, CA to Nome, AK and from the Gulf of Anadyr, Russia to Hokkaido, Japan.

Halibut like to frequent areas around reefs and rocky bottom eating a large variety of fish and invertebrates. They can be caught in 25 to 2500 feet of water.

Interestingly  halibut have no swim bladder so they survive catch and release well.

Andy Mezirow owner of Crackerjack Sportfishing in Seward, Alaska says deep jigging is a favorite technique for halibut. Large jigs that resemble squid and fish are lowered to the bottom and then slowly lifted and dropped.  This technique can be extremely productive and when the halibut hits the lure, hang on tight.

Contact Crackerjack Sportfishing to learn more, or make a reservation and enjoy a day of halibut fishing in Alaska.

Scamp Grouper, Broomtail

Warsaw Grouper, Wart hog

Amberjack, Reef Donkey

Cubera Snapper, Super Cube

Gag Grouper, Grey, Black Belly, Copper Belly

Red Snapper, over 20 pounds is commonly called a sow.

Cobia, Brown one

Mangrove Snapper, Mango, beenie, groover

Sea Bass, Biscuit

Yellowtail Snapper, Big ones are commonly called Flags

The study published in Zootaxa provides a revised key for identifying all Lutjanus species in the western Atlantic, along with evidence that the new species completes its life cycle in different but interdependent marine habitats such as reefs and mangroves.

Twelve species of the family Lutjanidae, including the new discovery, are now identified in the western Atlantic Ocean. They include Lutjanus griseus and Lutjanus apodus, two species restricted to the Caribbean and eastern coast of the United States but previously believed to occur in Brazilian waters until the discovery of Lutjanus alexandrei.

‘This discovery that a large, popular fish is a species new to science shows how little we know about the oceans that surround us,’ Moura said. ‘It looks like other snapper species found in the Caribbean and eastern United States, as well as the dog snapper caught by fishermen here in Brazil, but it is a distinct species with different markings and colour.’

The new species also has been mistaken for Lutjanus jocu, known as the dog tooth snapper, a popular commercial fish in Brazil. According to Moura and Lindeman, the discovery shows the need for more comprehensive studies of Brazil’s reef fish populations, particularly in the northeastern region that includes the Abrolhos area which contains the nation’s largest concentration of coral reefs. The new species is named for 18th century naturalist Alexandre Rodrigues Ferreira, whose extensive work in the Brazilian interior remains largely unknown. Moura and Lindeman spent five years observing Lutjanus alexandrei to analyse its characteristics and determine the distinct features. It occurs from the state of Maranhao to the southern coast of the state of Bahia, and its habitats include coral reefs, rocky shores, coastal lagoons with brackish water, mangroves and other shallow habitats. Juveniles requiring more food and protection live in mangroves, then migrate to reef habitat and deeper areas as adults.

Many species spend a part of their lives in these different yet connected habitats,’ Lindeman said. ‘That’s why it’s so important to develop integrated conservation strategies that include mangrove forests, reefs and other  ecosystems.

Some of the research was conducted under the Marine Management Areas Science program, a Conservation International initiative intended to improve marine biodiversity conservation and the welfare of local communities.