Barn Doors and Chickens -also known as Halibut

Feb 29, 2016


Although not the prettiest fish in the sea, halibut tend to rank towards the top of many fishermen's bucket lists. They're massive, tasty and extremely exhilarating to reel up from the ocean floor. You'll never look at the tip of the rod and think "was that a bite?". You'll know. To the constantly moving fly-fisherman, halibut may not be a preference due to the waiting game. However, we think you'll most likely learn to appreciate the down time after you reel up that first "barn door!"

Here are some quick facts about Pacific Halibut:

  • The oldest documented age of a halibut is 55 years old.
  • Halibut have both eyes on the same (right) side.
  • Large halibut are called "barn doors" and small halibut are called "chickens."
  • The largest recorded halibut had a length of over 8 feet and a weight of over 500 pounds.