I'm with you on that. As I was watching him pinpoint his strike I was like, I could of had that thing gaffed and in the boat already. I think I'll stay with the old Gaff style.

On fish like Wahoo I could see using the spear as it helps keep the head and teeth of the fish away from you however on something like a YT you dont need to worry about that. Just sink the gaff into the top of the head and call it a day.

I would agree that on a boat, where you have to get the fish completely out of the water and over the rail, a belly gaff on a big Halibut may not be the right choice. For yak fishing though, since all we need to do is control the fish, I recommend a belly gaff at any size California Halibut. They pretty much go limp except for their bite reflex (which I found out the hard way), and stay that way until you remove the gaff and lower them into the water. Not sure if this holds true for smaller fish or if you are trying to beat them senseless while on the gaff. I use a Boga type gripper on anything under 8# and only pop a gill for better bleeding on fish I intend to keep (but be prepared for some thrashing if you do this).

On that Hawaiian thing, does it matter if you use metric or standard rod? And what if the rod is standard and the fish is metric?:biggrinjester:

One of the WSB I caught last year was all wrapped in kelp and came up vertical and stopped a few feet short of the surface.I spazzed,reached real far and gaffed the loin,above the lateral line.I ruined a few good steaks...

LMFAO - X-2!

Dont gaff Threshers either.

Question...I haven't kept any yet, however, I know I will one of these days, do you carry a seperate rope, or something to drag them in, or do you Mgeyver it in...?:reel::bigear:

yeah not on a kayak, it takes 2 gaffs to control even little ones. And dont get tail smacked either, Been tehre done that a few times while decking.

http://www.bigwatersedge.com/bwevb/s...ead.php?t=9306

Andy's video...classic and funny as hell!

X2 on that one.

Are kages, or landing spears legal to use in CA? Guys in HI use them on everything. After seeing a kage build along on the aquahunters site, I've been wanting to make one, but wasn't sure if I was allowed to use it in these waters.

That Kage gaff looks interesting but The fact that you are hitting the fish fairly hard away from you might be a disadvantage. I can't say as I have never used one though. Just a thought. I noticed the original question was about deck hands. Those guys are usually very good with a gaff. That said those 15' gaffs a not super easy to use. Lots of anglers lift the fishes head out of the water making the gaff shot extreamly difficult. Also gaffing a fish while 5 other people are calling for the gaff sort of makes placement a secondary issue. It's not a great attitude but the deck hands are out every day gaffing fish. It might be your first or biggest fish but to them it's just one of hundred of fish they will gaff. The first party boat trip I ever worked was a day and a half tuna trip. We put 140 albis on the boat before noon. There were only 10 anglers on the trip and most of the time they were all hooked at once. My morning was help a guy, tie a knot, hook and hand, tie another knot, throw some chum, get 4 guys untangled in the corner, throw chum, sprint for the gaff, nail 3 albis in about 20 seconds, bleed fish, put fish in ice hold, repeat. I tried my best for head shots but after 50 or so fish I just didn't give an F. Sorry to ramble. If you're on a party but just ask the deck hand to aim for the head, they will usually comply. Mike

How many people tipped you at the end of the day? I feel that tipping the deckhands is a must. Back when I worked at Fisherman's Supply Center in Chula Vista a guy told me that if you tip a guy at the beginning of a trip that guy will usually take care of you the entire trip, and that did pay off. I'm not saying that this should be everyone's practice, but it paid off for me.

I'm sure that the hands are doing the best they can with the boat moving, people not cooperating, and all that fun stuff. Good reply man.

Dang all good advice here, I'll only add that I think the most important thing is to get it right the first time, so take your time and setup for the good shot without rushing it... and if you do fail, be ready for the fish to run... so keep the drag loose and the gaff out of the way of the line at all costs. The ones I've lost (its been a while now) seem to all have been from the hook or shaft touching the line and unhooking the fish.

How to turn a Gaff into a Kage
 

Hey follow Anglers, This is the easiest and safest way to make an Hawaiian Kage. Buy a gaff with a 316 grade stainless steel hook. Make sure that the hook has a 5/16 diameter or greater. Borrow a mallet, (steel/copper) pipe, and a piece of 2 by 4 from a buddy. Well, you know the rest. Good Luck FYI, You must only use 316 grade stainless steel (For health reasons)