Come Monday, April 9, you will be able to pursue one of my favorite eating fish, halibut. There are a ton of places to choose from around this part of the state — the trick is to just choose one and then go fish it.

Some of the banks in the Straits are fairly close to each other, so you’ll get a chance to fish a couple in a day.

If you remember last year there were a couple of big halibut caught just off Whidbey Island around Partridge Bank. I am talking about fish over 100 pounds!

You don’t have to go far around this part of the state to have a chance to catch one, but you’ll need a boat or have a friend with a boat.

My favorite method is to use live bait.

I like using a big herring and either squid or octopus combo. What I like to do is rig it with the herring on the bottom and the squid/octopus on top like it had just nabbed the herring.

This creates a big Thanksgiving Day meal for the halibut. Rig your setup on a spreader bar so the line does not twist around your main line and then add anywhere from 10 to 32 or more ounces of lead and you’re in there.

Some anglers like to use artificial lures like plastic squid, pipe jigs and lead-head scampi jigs. These are really easy to use. Just drop them to the bottom and jig. Now where do you jig?

Location is everything when it comes to fishing for these big fish.

I wish I had the magic formula to be able to figure out where they are every time I go out on the water but unfortunately I don’t.

Fishing the many banks is usually the most productive. Look for small tidal changes, the smaller the change the less the current will be and the lighter the rig you have to use.

The leeward side of the bank is the best.

Halibut will swim up from the deep water and sit there waiting for food to drift by. A nice slow drift is preferred.

In Canada it is common practice for halibut fisherman to anchor their boats and wait, but I don’t know about hauling a heavy anchor up from 100 feet or more.

Salmon season in the San Juan Islands ended with some really good action.

Reports from all over the area were coming in with most fish ranging from 7 to 15 pounds. Not big by any means but nice eating size.

Now salmon anglers will have to concentrate in areas east of Whidbey until the end of the month.

Areas along the west coast of Camano Island have been good but when the muddy water from the Skagit River pours into the sound, move closer to Whidbey.

Spoons, hoochies and cut plug herring are all producing fish.

Hunting

Spring turkey season opens April 15 and the weather will play a big role in when is the right time to go.

Look for good, clear weather that will get the birds out of the trees and walking along the ground.

Look for my next article when I will discuss this year’s lower lake opener scheduled for April 28.

Until then I look forward to hearing from you. E-mail me at whidbey_fff@yahoo.com.