California Halibut Derby - Humboldt Bay

05/22/2026

🎣 CALI HALI DERBY RETURNS TO HUMBOLDT BAY! 🎣

Mark your calendars for Saturday, July 25, 2026, and get ready to chase California halibut in the waters of Humboldt Bay! Whether you’re a seasoned angler or bringing the kids out for a fun day on the water, this is an event you won’t want to miss.

🏆 Cash payouts for adults & youth divisions
🐟 Big Fish Prize
🎟️ Raffle prizes
🎣 All youth entries receive a rod & reel combo!

📍 Fishing boundaries: All waters within Humboldt Bay (Woodley Island, Eureka)
💲 Entry Fees: $60 Adult | $40 Youth (13 & under)
✅ Entry includes a 2026 NCGASA membership + raffle tickets

Sign-up now at https://ncgasa.org/product/california-halibut-derby/

Bring the family, hook into some halibut, and compete for bragging rights and cash prizes in one of Northern California’s favorite summer fishing events! Who’s in? 👇

05/03/2026

04/28/2026

California Halibut Derby on Humboldt Bay coming July 25!
The Nor-Cal Guides and Sportsmen’s Association will be holding the second annual California Halibut Derby on Saturday, July 25. The fishing event will be held within the waters of Humboldt Bay. Check-ins, Weigh-ins, and Awards Ceremony will be held at Woodley Island, 601 Startare Drive at the East-I Lot Grass Area.

This is a slot size derby, a measurement will be drawn in the morning before the derby and posted to the event’s Facebook and Instagram pages. Adult payouts will be $500 for 1st place, $300 for 2nd place, and $150 for 3rd place. Youth Payouts – $100 for 1st place, $75 for 2nd place, $50 for 3rd place. Youth payouts will be in the form of gift cards. All Youths registered in the Derby will receive a rod and reel combo! Raffle prizes will include fishing trips, rods and reels, fishing tackle and gear, merchandise and more.

Big Fish Prize: entries will be California Halibut 30” and above. ONLY ONE Big Fish can be entered per entrant. In case of a tie, winner will be determined by weight. For the big fish, adult and youth divisions will be combined. Winner to be announced at event.

Entry Fees for adults are $60 (comes with a $30 NCGASA Membership). Youth entry fees are $40, 13 years and under (comes with a $10 NCGASA Membership)
You can register online at https://ncgasa.org/product/california-halibut-derby/.

*If you are a current NCGASA member, you will receive $20 in raffle tickets at check-in.

04/28/2026

FISHING REPORT:

Fortuna resident John Sapper, right, along with Tim Klassen of Reel Steel Sport Fishing, with a nice early season Pacific halibut landed out of Eureka. The halibut fishing has been slow to date but…

04/10/2026

FISHING REPORT: The much-anticipated rockfish and Pacific halibut seasons kicked off last Wednesday, but rough ocean conditions kept most boats at the dock. Fortunately, the weather window didn’t last long, and by Friday — and through the weekend — anglers were back on the water. Since then, conditions have lined up nicely, giving boats across all ports a solid stretch of fishable days.

Eureka resident Keith Daniels with a nice Pacific halibut landed Tuesday while fishing out of Eureka. Photo courtesy of Gary Blasi/Full Throttle Sport Fishing The much-anticipated rockfish and Paci…

04/08/2026

How to catch California Halibut, how they do it in the Bay Area:

California halibut season is here — and in this video, we break down the most effective ways to target them! Whether you're just getting started or looking t...

04/08/2026

How to catch a halibut from a kayak in a Bay: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VqBoGhwW_Iw
Follow Die Hard Fishing for more videos on halibut fishing.

You can fish in the Cali Hali Derby on July 25 from a boat, from the shore, from a kayak or from any other fishing vessel.

The Halibut are back in the Bay!Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/diehardfishingDie Hard Merch: https://diehardfish.com/Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/.ha...

03/12/2026

Save the Date: Saturday, July 25

01/10/2026

The final delayed stretch of the recreational Dungeness crab fishery in Humboldt County is now open after state testing confirmed crab meat is safe to harvest.

Read more 👇

01/09/2026

Lock it in. 🎣🔥
The 2nd Annual California Halibut Derby goes down July 25.

Big fish. Bragging rights. No excuses.
Get your gear right and be ready to compete.

👉 Mark your calendar — details coming soon.