Here is an old post of mine when I was schooled in landing large Halibut.
Buttchaser showed up a few minutes after me so I decided to stay inside the Harbor at Cabrillo and try for some sabiki bait and some Butts. After about 2 hours of searching, I only had 1 Dine and a hand full of ok to large Smelt. I think all that John had was 1 small mac and the same Smelt. BTW, if it were not for John showing up, I would not have had any bait. The new sabiki that I pulled out last night was still in my kitchen waiting for a new ziplock to be put around it. So after 2 hours of catching Drag Burning Bait (DBB) I was fed up and decided to try my 1 Sardine. Headed out about 100 feet to the spot I had success the last time I was out with John. Had my bait down all of 2 minutes when I felt some tugging on the other end. John was still making bait at the time, but dropped what he was doing to come over and get some pics while I was working the fish up. Little did he realize that he was going to be giving a free lesson on the proper way to land a big Butt. I have landed a couple of nice ones, but never so smoothly and effortlessly. And for his effort, he got a nice shower from the fish splashing after I had popped the gill on it.
Nope,he says, bring him up on your right side for the gaff if you are right handed. Ok.
Get your game clip ready. Open the end and place it in your lap, and make sure it is tied off. Check. Now go for the belly with the gaff. Got it.
On a belly gaff shot the fish will almost always go limp until you set it back into the water. So once you gaff it, keep the head out of water till you have it clipped and dehooked.
Is it tied off securely. It will be soon as I attach the secondary cord.
Ok, now remove the gaff and pop a gill. Put your hand under the gill plate, grab a gill and yank. Ok here goes.
Now beat the living daylights out of the thing before you drop it back into the water or it will (oops too late, and you are welcome for the shower) go balistic.
Now pose like you knew what you were doing the whole time.
New PB 40.5 inches and 24.13 pounds. Actually the fish fought less that my previous best until he gave us both the shower. I think I owe you about a case of beer by now John?
The only things I would add now are carry 2 game clips for anything over 20 lbs, and remember that seals like Halibut too. Once you have it calmed down a bled some, get it out of the water. I tried to put my 38# Butt into my front hatch a little prematurely and the lid looked like I was cooking popcorn up there for 15 minutes.