NOAA Fisheries Adds August and September Pacific Halibut Dates in Washington for 2026 Reading Time: 2 minutes

NOAA Fisheries published an inseason notice on August 5, 2026, adding extra recreational Pacific Halibut fishing dates to several regions in Washington. The reopened seasons gives anglers more time on the water before its closure in fall again. Here’s what to have in mind when fishing for Pacific Halibut during the extended season.

Two anglers in waterproof overalls stand on a dock in Washington holding decent Pacific Halibut, with boats and fishing gear in the background.
Photo courtesy of KYS Outdoor Adventures

New Recreational Pacific Halibut Dates by Subarea

Puget Sound

Anglers can target Pacific Halibut in Puget Sound seven days a week from August 16 to September 30, 2026.

North Coast

The North Coast subarea is open on the same schedule: seven days a week from August 16 to September 30, 2026.

South Coast

The South Coast subarea opens seven days a week from August 8 to September 30, 2026 – more than a week earlier than Puget Sound and the North Coast.

Columbia River

The Columbia River subarea follows the South Coast’s schedule, open seven days a week from August 8 to September 30, 2026.

Why NOAA Added These Dates

The additional dates carry out the 2026 Pacific Halibut Catch Sharing Plan. This Final Rule NOAA Fisheries came to life on April 30, 2026. That plan allows NOAA Fisheries to reopen a subarea’s recreational season for August and September if enough quota remains after the earlier part of the season closes.

What Anglers Should Know

NOAA Fisheries can close any of the four subareas before September 30 if it projects that subarea’s quota will run out early. So, don’t count on the reopened season to run through the full date range. Anglers planning a trip to Washington should check NOAA’s Pacific Halibut Fishing on the West Coast page for updates before heading out.

A group of anglers is fishing on a dark-colored boat with several rods, floating on calm water near a tree-lined shore.
Photo courtesy of Seattle Sportfishing Charter

Under the 2026 Catch Sharing Plan, the daily bag limit for Pacific Halibut stays at one fish of any size per angler across all four subareas. Anglers can call NOAA Fisheries’ Halibut hotline at (206) 526-6667 for the latest inseason updates.

NOAA Fisheries also plans to publish a correction notice on August 7, 2026, correcting the August and September season dates above. Anglers should confirm the current dates with NOAA Fisheries before locking in a trip.

Have you booked a trip for the reopened Pacific Halibut season in Washington? What subarea is the most productive? Hit the comment section below and share your thoughts and questions with us.


The concept and outline of this article were created by people engaged by FishingBooker. Artificial intelligence tools were used to flesh out and reformat information into a blog article. Before being published, this article was edited and fact-checked by FishingBooker staff.

The post NOAA Fisheries Adds August and September Pacific Halibut Dates in Washington for 2026 appeared first on FishingBooker Blog.

https://ift.tt/t2QShE5