Best Halibut Lures of 2021: Top 8 Tested & Reviewed

Lure Features

The Squid Teaser mimics squid swimming through the water. Squid are a prey species for quite a few fish species, so while it isn’t specific to halibut, halibut and other bottom fish will strike it.

It has built-in LED lights and a glow-in-the-dark body. It’s made to attract fish in deep and murky water with low visibility. The combination of glowing features makes sure the lure stands out while trolling.

While the lure comes with more than one color LED, it can also come with different hooks. Both J-hooks and circle hooks are available options. Circle hooks require the angler to be more patient and allow the fish to eat the bait, resulting in a lip hookup instead of gut-hooking the fish. J-hooks snag more immediately than circle hooks and require less patience. However, they are harder to remove from the fish.

The wire interior will keep the fish from tearing through the line as well. So even if a toothy fish does tear through the vinyl squid body, the wire leader will keep it on the line.

When to use it

This squid lure is a good choice for anglers who want to see what’s biting or to test a hole without spending the time to anchor up. Instead, you’ll want to troll the squid slowly through deep water while going back and forth over the area you think the fish are in.

Lure Features

One of the most significant advantages of bucktail jigs is the hair coming off of them. They spread out in the water and wave around when the jig is moved, mimicking the tail movement of a fish. They come ready to tie on the right out of the box, making them easy to use.

Aside from the eyes and dots in the body, there usually aren’t many reflective or flashy parts to these jigs. Murky or very deep water isn’t a great place to use them.

Bucktail jigs are also one solid piece with the hook running through them. This makes them a durable choice for anglers on a budget. 

When to use it

The bucktail jigs are an easy budget option for jigging in up to 150 feet of water. The larger sizes help you target certain species or sizes of fish, and swapping colors will help mimic natural prey fish.

Unlike some other jigs with attractors like lights or reflectors, bucktail jigs will need fresh bait or scented plastic to help attract fish. While it is possible to get a bite without it, your odds go up significantly just by putting something smelly on the hook.

Lure Features

The dual treble hooks on the lure work well for snagging fish on strike. Instead of having to wait for the halibut to get the bait in its mouth, these hooks will immediately snag it. Make sure to get a robust set, but beware that foul-hooking the fish can make it a much more brutal fight.

Working the lure through the water mimics an injured prey fish, and the internal rattle helps attract fish with its vibration. Then, the lure darts through the water back and forth to force the bite.

When to use it

This lure will work best in shallow water, whether casting from a boat or off of a rock jetty. You’ll be casting out and retrieving this one, so throw out some bottom baits and keep your eyes peeled while using it. 

In addition to halibut fishing, it will entice strikes from other fish hanging around the rocks like trout. Even with the larger lure sizes, you won’t be hauling in any giants, but it could be an excellent choice for long-casting for a dinner-sized halibut.

Lure Features

Between the kevlar assist lines, the metal body, high-carbon hooks, and heavy-pressed rings, this jig is built to last. The jig itself is simple, but the solid materials and parts are made to keep it from coming apart when you have a huge halibut on the end of it.

The dual-hook setup helps avoid issues with a single hook where a fish could strike from the wrong side and miss it. It increases the likelihood of the hook going into the fish’s mouth and getting stuck in its lip.

The jig comes in a few different sizes and colors, meaning you can change it based on the depth you want to fish or if the fish aren’t biting a particular color. Its shape and finish help its reflectiveness at depth, and the reflective eye helps attract fish and mimic prey.

When to use it

This lure takes the spot of best overall simply because there isn’t a wrong time to use it. Halibut fishing deep or shallow water, anchored or trolling, makes little difference. 

The one downside to using this lure is that it isn’t species-specific. Anything in the water could take it for an injured fish and strike, so expect to catch rockfish, lingcod, and trout with it as well as halibut.

Lure Features

The halibut bait is made to mimic a real sanddab. It sits on the bottom and moves like the real thing, and the soft plastic is made to feel like real fish skin, so the fish keeps it in their mouth longer. 

Real Fish sanddab lures clock in at 10 inches, meaning only larger fish will try to prey on it. Its tail provides realistic action while it skates across the seabed. 

You’ll, of course, need to add a jighead to make the lure functional, but any kind will do. Even with the realistic sanddab mimicry, the jig head and hooks are left up to the angler.

When to use it

The best place to use this lure is over sandy or muddy bottoms where the sanddabs usually live. You can use it for halibut fishing at any depth, even up to 300 feet where the big halibuts hunt. This lure is one of the best choices for anglers looking for a giant halibut.

Lure Features

The lure body itself looks like a real octopus. Match up the colors to make it camouflage with the rocks for the most realistic look or stand out for attraction. Both the eyes and material contain reflective pieces which will flash and attract fish.

The octopus’s head has a lead block inside it to give it weight and allow it to sink. Even in deep water, it’s a good choice since the largest is nearly ten ounces and won’t take forever to sink to the bottom.

The octopus has removable hooks and an additional attachment slot on the bottom for a stinger hook. Adding the bottom treble can help snag fish if they miss the larger one or get a more secure hookset on larger fish.

When to use it

The best place to use this lure is on the seamounts and around rocky bottoms where octopuses would typically hide. Expect any fish that prey on octopus to be interested, and you should get bites from lingcod as well, making this lure an excellent all-arounder for rocky areas.

Since the lure comes in three sizes, ~4.5 inches/1 oz, ~7.8 inches/ 6 oz, and ~9.5 inches/ 10 oz, you can use the lure in shallow or deep water. The different sizes are also a good choice when one size isn’t working or you want to avoid smaller fish.

Lure Features

The single treble will snag fish when they strike the lure. Bottom fish usually strike hard to surprise their prey, and the treble works well for quick hookups.

The glow finish increases visibility in dark and murky water. At depth, the glow will help attract halibut since, from their perspective, they see a glowing object floating up and down. That kind of sight looks like prey, squid, and fish.

The 8 oz. lure will sink very quickly thanks to its weight and sleek shape. Essentially, this one will take less time to get to the depth you want to fish.

When to use it

This diamond jig is a solid choice for deep halibut holes between 200 and 300 feet. Reflective patterns will still work, but at this depth, they flash less often. Using a glowing bait helps attract fish without a flashing surface.

Use this jig alongside the typical cut baits in deep holes. This size diamond jig can snag fish small and large, so be prepared for a tough fight on the larger halibut.

Lure Features

These halibut lures come plain, so it will be up to the angler to decide on hooks, jighead, and leader. That can be a good thing, as it allows them to try different options, but it also requires more prep time. 

It gets the best action at super-slow speeds. That means it’ll generally take less work by you to get the most out of it, which is excellent since it’s best fished in deep water.

The total length of the lure is ten inches, which is fairly large. Therefore, only large fish will be able to take it, which is great for when you’re targeting large halibut. However, it will stop smaller ones in the hole from being hooked. 

When to use it

This grub is best used to target large halibut and rockfish in holes at around 300 feet deep. Play with it around the seamount’s big halibut hang out. 

Don’t use this lure if you aren’t looking for a large fish. While it works great for halibut fishing, a smaller one might not hit it because of its size.