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Features: California halibut are usually solid brown to black or mottled with light and dark patches on the eyed side and white underneath. They have the ability to change skin color patterns to blend in with the ocean floor. The eyes on a California halibut are most commonly on the left side but may be on the right side as they are on a Pacific halibut. The upper jaw in a California halibut extends to the rear of the lower eye, while on a Pacific halibut the upper jaw only extends to the front of the lower eye. In both

Features: Starry flounder are a flatfish with both eyes on the "top" side of their heads. They are dark on the eyed side with very rough scales, and alternating yellow/orange and black bands in the dorsal, anal, and tail fins. Habitat: Flounder tend to stay near the bottom, looking for food above. Technique: Drift a small jig or bait (such as shrimp, marine worm or mussel) on a #2 hook with 2-ounce sinker rigged on a 10- to 15-pound line over a sandy or muddy bottom. Header photo by Sam Grover, Flickr

Features: Their eyed-side is greenish-brown to dark brown or black with lighter blotches. Their blind side is white to milky-white. They have a large, stout but flat body, shaped like an elongated diamond . Pacific halibut have been known to reach 500 pounds, but on average are 40 pounds. Habitat: Halibut are a large flatfish and so they spend much time near the bottom of the ocean looking above for food. They prefer chilly water and are primarily found in the Gulf of Alaska. Technique: Boat anglers use heavy rods to fish on or near gravel bottoms in water 150-500

Features: The Pacific sanddab is left-eyed, meaning both eyes are on the left side of the body. The eyed-side is dull light brown, mottled with brown or black, and sometimes yellow or orange. The blind-side is off-white to tan. They have an oval shaped body with large scales. They can grow to be 16-inches long and up to 2 pounds, though most weigh less than 1/3 pound. Habitat: As you probably guessed, sanddabs like to hang out on sandy bottoms. They are most abundant at depths of 20-50 fathoms, and are common in shallow coastal waters from British Columbia to

Features: Soles have flattened, oval bodies with both eyes on one side of their head. They are dark on top and light underneath. Habitat: They are commonly found on mud or sand bottoms from 5- to 750-fathoms deep. Techniques: Soles and other flatfish are best targeted by fishing with smaller hooks (less than 2/0) tipped with bait such as clam necks, sand shrimp, or chunks of herring or anchovy on a sandy or gravel bottom.

Features: The females are freckled all over with small reddish-brown to golden spots on gray to brownish background. Their fins are mostly yellowish-orange. The males are gray to brownish-olive, with irregular blue spots on the front of their bodies; each spot is surrounded by a ring of small reddish-brown spots. The inside of this species' mouths are yellowish. Habitat: Kelp greelings can be found to depths of 150 feet. They prefer rocky inshore areas and are common in kelp beds and on sand bottoms. Technique: It is best to target kelp greenlings by placing a line near the base of

Features: Usually greenish to brown with darker mottling, but most fish have bright red blotches on their sides. They tend to have dark bars or blotches on their fins, and the inside of their mouths are bluish. Habitat: Their habitat is subtidal algal beds and rocky reefs from the Bering Sea to southern California. Technique: Try fishing for rock greenlings from the shore as they are often captured in shallow, rocky areas. These fish have small mouths, so try a #4 or #6 hook to catch these daytime feeders.

Features: Lingcod have an elongated body with a large mouth and sharp, canine-like teeth. They are generally mottled gray or brown but sometimes green or blue. A green-colored “ling” should not be confused with a greenling. Lingcod can get 5-feet long, but those caught in Oregon average between 2- and 3-feet. Habitat: Adults like to be near rocks, inshore and to 230-fathoms deep. Young lingcod prefer the sand or mud bottoms of bays and inshore areas. Technique: Bounce some bait along the bottom with 5/0 or 6/0 hooks, a 4- to 6-ounce sinker, and 20-pound line on a stout rod