Fish

Greenland halibut (Greenland turbot)

Fletán negro (halibut de Groenlandia)

Reinhardtius hippoglossoides

Saltwater

At a glance

Typical size

5–15 lb.

Depth

600–4,000 ft.

Best time

Daylight.

Found in

7 areas

Spot it, size it up and learn its habits.

Identification: A long, thick flatfish that is dark brown to gray on BOTH sides (the blind side is only a little paler), with a big mouth full of teeth and the left eye sitting on the top edge of the head.
Typical size: 5–15 lb.
Maximum size: About 4 ft and over 40 lb.
Diet: Fish, squid and shrimp.
Behavior: A deep-water predator that often swims off the bottom. In Greenland it is caught on long lines through the sea ice and from small boats in the ice fjords.

Where, when and how deep to look.

Where to find it: Found from Arctic & North Atlantic Islands, Scandinavia & Iceland (Norway, Sweden, Denmark), Hudson Bay & Labrador, Newfoundland & Gaspé, Quebec, Yukon, NWT & Nunavut and Alaska. Deep, cold waters of the Arctic and North Atlantic, especially Greenland's ice fjords (Disko Bay, Ilulissat), Iceland, northern Norway, Labrador and the Gulf of St. Lawrence, and the North Pacific and Bering Sea.
Habitat: Deep, cold waters of the Arctic and North Atlantic, especially Greenland's ice fjords (Disko Bay, Ilulissat), Iceland, northern Norway, Labrador and the Gulf of St. Lawrence, and the North Pacific and Bering Sea.
Depth: 600–4,000 ft.
Fishing depth: Very deep, near the bottom.
Best season: All year in Greenland; winter through the ice.
Best time: Daylight.
Best tides: Light current in the fjords.
Best weather / conditions: Calm days only — Arctic seas are dangerous.

What to tie on and what to throw.

The rod, reel, line and lures BigJoe would use.

Also at Bass Pro Shops: Reel Rod Line Rig Weight Light Hooks

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Step by step, from first cast to landing.

Go where it lives: Deep, cold waters of the Arctic and North Atlantic, especially Greenland's ice fjords (Disko Bay, Ilulissat), Iceland, northern Norway, Labrador and the Gulf of St. Lawrence, and the North Pacific and Bering Sea.
Rig up: Heavy deep-drop rod with an electric or strong manual reel. 80–100 lb mono.
Pick your bait: Fish strips and squid. Lures: Heavy pirks with baited hooks.
Fish it: Go with a local guide in the Greenland fjords and fish baited hooks or a pirk deep near the bottom.
Time it: Daylight. Light current in the fjords.

Fishing techniques: Go with a local guide in the Greenland fjords and fish baited hooks or a pirk deep near the bottom.
BigJoe's tip: This is a deep, slow fishery; a good guide and the right gear matter more than anything.
Catch and release: Catch and release: wet your hands, keep the fish in the water when you can, and release it quickly. Use circle hooks and a dehooker.

Is it good to eat, and how to prepare it.

Edibility: Good eating when fresh.
Cleaning: Bleed and ice it right away. Fillet, then remove the skin and any dark bloodline.
Cooking suggestions: Rich, oily white meat; excellent smoked (a Greenland specialty), baked or fried.

Safety, rules and taking care of the fishery.

Safety warnings: Icy water kills fast: wear a flotation suit near icebergs and sea ice, and never fish alone.
Regulations: Managed under commercial quotas in Greenland, Canada and Norway; recreational anglers need the local license. Sea fishing is free for visitors in Norway (with a limit on how much fish you can take home) and mostly free in Sweden and Denmark's sea waters with a Danish fishing license; Iceland, Greenland and the Faroes have their own rules, and every lake and river needs a local permit.
Conservation: Fish from this deep do not survive release; keep what you catch and stop when you have enough.

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Sources & photo credits