How Many Halibut Can You Keep in Alaska Per Day?

In Alaska, how many halibut you can keep per day depends on whether you’re fishing on your own or with a charter. Unguided anglers can keep two Pacific halibut of any size per day, with a possession limit of four fish. Charter (guided) anglers face tighter rules that change by area: one fish per day in Southeast Alaska with a size slot, and two fish per day in Southcentral Alaska with a size cap on the second. The figures below are the 2026 season rules.¹

Unguided Anglers: Two Fish, Any Size

Fishing from your own boat or from shore without a charter operator, the rule is the same across every IPHC regulatory area off Alaska. Two halibut of any size per day. Possession limit of two daily bags, or four fish total. No size restriction, no closed days.¹

That covers the popular Southeast waters (Area 2C) and the Southcentral waters around Kenai, Homer, Seward, and Valdez (Area 3A), as well as everything farther west.

Charter Anglers in Southeast Alaska (Area 2C)

Southeast Alaska has the most restrictive charter rules in the state. In 2026, each person on a charter vessel in Area 2C can keep one halibut per day. That fish has to fall outside a reverse slot: you can only retain a halibut that measures 34 inches or shorter, or 80 inches or longer. Anything between 34 and 80 inches goes back.¹

Most charter-caught halibut in Area 2C end up being small “chickens” under 34 inches. Trophy fish above 80 inches are rare. The mid-range slot exists to protect prime spawning-age females.

Area 2C charter anglers also cannot retain halibut on Thursdays from June 18 through September 10, 2026.¹ Most operators schedule around these closures, but confirm before booking a Thursday during peak season.

Charter Anglers in Southcentral Alaska (Area 3A)

Charter anglers in Area 3A can keep two halibut per day, but size rules apply to the second fish. If you keep two, at least one has to be 27 inches or shorter. If you only keep one, it can be any size.¹

Closed days in 3A are more extensive than in 2C. In 2026, charter anglers cannot retain halibut on any Wednesday all season, and Tuesdays are also closed from June 2 through August 25.¹ During peak summer, that’s two no-retention days a week on guided trips. Many operators run salmon or lingcod trips those days instead.

Charter Anglers in Other Alaska Areas

Alaska halibut waters extend past 2C and 3A into Area 3B (Kodiak and the western Gulf) and Areas 4A through 4E (Aleutians, Bering Sea, and western Alaska). In these areas, the baseline rule applies to charter anglers too: two halibut of any size per day, no charter-specific size or closed-day restrictions beyond the standard bag and possession limits.¹ Possession limit everywhere is four fish.

How to Measure a Halibut

Because the charter limits in 2C and 3A depend on inches, getting the measurement right matters. Halibut are measured in a straight line from the tip of the lower jaw (mouth closed), passing over the pectoral fin, to the extreme end of the middle of the tail. That’s overall length, head on.² Keep a long measuring device on board and measure alongside the boat when you can. When you’re close to a cutoff, release the fish.

Season and License

The 2026 recreational halibut season runs coastwide from April 1 through December 31 for both guided and unguided anglers, though charter closed days effectively shorten the summer for guided trips.

Every angler needs a valid Alaska sport fishing license. Residents 18 and older and nonresidents 16 and older have to carry one.³ No separate halibut stamp is required for the angler. Nonresident options include a 7-day license at $45 and an annual license at $100, valid for the calendar year.⁴ A King Salmon Stamp is only for king salmon fishing and has nothing to do with halibut.

Recreational halibut gear is limited to a single line with no more than two hooks, or a spear. Setlines, trawls, and other commercial-style gear are not allowed.²

Proxy Fishing Does Not Apply to Halibut

Alaska allows proxy fishing for some species, where an eligible resident harvests fish on behalf of a senior or disabled person. Halibut is excluded. Because halibut is federally managed and the daily limit is capped at two fish per person by federal law, no one can take an extra bag on someone else’s behalf.⁵ Each person who wants to keep halibut has to be on the boat, fishing.

Check the Rules Before Your Trip

Charter management measures are set annually, so the specific bag limits, slot sizes, and closed days above apply to the 2026 season. Before you head out, verify the current numbers on the NOAA Fisheries Alaska sport halibut page or in the current IPHC Fishery Regulations.⁶

1
Federal Register. Pacific Halibut Fisheries; Catch Sharing Plan; 2026 Annual Management Measures
2
International Pacific Halibut Commission. IPHC Fishery Regulations 2025
3
Alaska Department of Fish and Game. Sport Fishing Licenses, King Salmon Stamps, and Harvest Record Cards
4
Alaska Department of Fish and Game. Prices: Sport Fishing Licenses and King Salmon Stamps
5
Alaska Department of Fish and Game. Proxy Fishing: Personal Use
6
NOAA Fisheries. Sport Halibut Fishing in Alaska