Island Halibut Fisherman: Halibut Tips and Hot Spots for the West Coast of BC.

A.J. Pell is editor of the Canadian Evangelical Review and an instructor
of Liturgy, Anglican Studies Program, Regent College, Vancouver.

Island Halibut Fisherman follows on the success of the 2006 release, Island Fly Fisherman. In that book Robert Jones, editor of Island Fisherman Magazine, and Larry Stefanyk, the magazine’s founding publisher, edited chapters by various Vancouver Island fly-fishing experts, but Island Halibut Fisherman has been written completely by them. The result is another comprehensive introduction to a form of fishing practised on the Island.

Jones and Stefanyk teach the reader how to fish for halibut step by step. Part One provides all the basic knowledge a fisher needs to get ready to fish: halibut biology, tackle and related accessories, bait and lures, do-it-yourself lures and accessories, commercial gear modification, and proper apparel for ocean fishing in all sorts of conditions. Part Two provides information on where and how to fish for halibut, and how to clean, fillet, and freeze one’s catch. Part Three is a brief circle tour of Island halibut fishing locations, with a brief guide to hot spots in each area, indication of weather and water conditions encountered throughout the year, local sources of information, lists of appropriate marine charts, and even marine chart coordinates.

This book is for someone who wants to learn to fish for these giant fish. The volume’s size means it will fit easily into a pocket or tackle box, and the water-resistant paper allows the reader to consult it even out a sea. At those times when the reader might begin to feel overwhelmed by details, Jones’s dry wit rescues one’s sanity while reinforcing an important point. The many photographs and illustrations are great aids to understanding; for example, the 15 photographs showing every step in filleting a halibut will make anyone an instant expert.