Best Way To Land a Halibut?

[Mr. NiceGuy]

On Monday I caught the biggest halibut I've ever caught near the jetty of Zuniga Point.

His bite was a tickle. He came up gentle and calm.

He tried to run a few times when he was at the side of my kayak, but it was not more than a few kicks and jumps.

He was firmly hooked on a 4/0 wire size circle hook.

When I tried to gaff him, he went nuts, smashed into the side of my kayak, jumped off the gaff hook, and snapped my 25# Blackwater leader.


I thought I had him sufficiently tired, but I guess not.

What should I do better next time to get a big halibut onto the game clip?

Losing him at this final moment distresses me more than I can express in words.

May I please have some experienced advice here?

[steveooo]

Lots of good advice from some fishy dudes in this one...

http://www.bigwatersedge.com/bwevb/s...ead.php?t=6760

[Chuck D]

Best advise I can give you is to, loosen drag, gaff him calmly in the belly and KEEP HIM IN THE WATER. Then proceed to calmly set the game clip still in the water. If he lets you bleed him still in the water. Then after a few bring him in and he will prob still blow up. But at least he is hooked in and you are ready for it. Good luck, hope u get the next one!

[ful-rac]

You can't catch'm all....

[jorluivil]

Always
Always
Always
Always
Always
Always
Always
Always
Always
Always
Always
Always, gaff your halibut in the belly

[2-Stix]

watched a friend on this board do the same thing with his first legal halibut and it was a really good one.

[Mr. NiceGuy]

Originally Posted by jorluivil

Always
Always
Always
Always
Always
Always
Always
Always
Always
Always
Always
Always, gaff your halibut in the belly

I went for the shoulders.

Live and learn.

[JohnMckroidJr]

Halibut are notorious for coming up without a fight and then exploding on the gaff. IMO, it is best to gaff the fish just behind the gill plate(near the head),and immediately pin the head against the side of the kayak. Then club them into submission before trying to bring them onboard or anything else.

[Mr. NiceGuy]

Does anyone use a halibut harpoon or spearfishing spear with breakaway tip?

http://www.amazon.com/KUFA-Floatable...bxgy_200_img_y

http://www.spearfishingworld.com/man...kaway-tip.html

[ctfphoto]

Originally Posted by jorluivil

Always
Always
Always
Always
Always
Always
Always
Always
Always
Always
Always
Always, gaff your halibut in the belly

I went accidentally hit a 40 pounder in the head with my gaff. I know you are not suppose to do this. But ......


...... It killed him instantly with a brain shot

[taggermike]

The end game of a hali fight can be an anxiety fest. Lots of great info already but I'll add a bit. First off, have all your shit together n ready. Gaff, game clip, and billy (if you use one) should be right at hand and instantly available. One of the charter boat skippers that I most respect, Capt. Ron Baker, told me to gaff halibut deep n right in the gut. I figure he'd know, he used to fish em commercially and has gaffed 1000's. Gut shots don't ruin meat, often sorta paralyze em, and often cause them to gape their mouths for me easier game clipping. Lastly, Stay cool. Lol. Mike

[sculpins4bait]

keep their head in the water till you got em secured then billy club the snot out of em. then paddle for a bit and get ready for round 2 cuz its still alive and pissed.

[Sheephead]

I can tell you from what I learned landing a 22lb hali in SD bay is that you DON'T want to put the hali on the game clip before he's dead. My 22lb almost flipped my 12' pro angler several times while trying to kill it. While your bringing the hali to the surface make sure everything you'll need is ready and the game clip is on the correct side of your yak. When you get the hali 1/2' - 1' below the surface gaff them just below their pectoral fin and immediately hold them out of the water as far as your can paralyzing the fish. I'll then turn the tip of the gaff towards me to prevent the halibut popping off as I begin to club it. Once clubbed I'll game clip and bleed the fish. Keep your gameclip on a short leash. I kept mine on a 3' section of rope and it created way to much drag. As far as Im aware you can use a hawaiian spear, preferably a paralyzing tip, to help land the halibut but the game warden I asked didn't sound like he was that knowledgable. Good luck! !! Never bring a live Halibut onto your yak!! It's not fun.

[Mr. NiceGuy]

Originally Posted by Sheephead

I can tell you from what I learned landing a 22lb hali in SD bay is that you DON'T want to put the hali on the game clip before he's dead. My 22lb almost flipped my 12' pro angler several times while trying to kill it. While your bringing the hali to the surface make sure everything you'll need is ready and the game clip is on the correct side of your yak. When you get the hali 1/2' - 1' below the surface gaff them just below their pectoral fin and immediately hold them out of the water as far as your can paralyzing the fish. I'll then turn the tip of the gaff towards me to prevent the halibut popping off as I begin to club it. Once clubbed I'll game clip and bleed the fish. Keep your gameclip on a short leash. I kept mine on a 3' section of rope and it created way to much drag. As far as Im aware you can use a hawaiian spear, preferably a paralyzing tip, to help land the halibut but the game warden I asked didn't sound like he was that knowledgable. Good luck! !! Never bring a live Halibut onto your yak!! It's not fun.

That's an interesting addition to this discussion. Halibut can have remarkable strength.

It's the first time I've heard NOT to use the game clip before the halibut is dead. I thought the game clip was part of how we secured the halibut alive from the hook, then gaff so we could prepare to bleed it or otherwise dispatch him to the afterworld.

The short leash for the game clip is interesting to me too. Mine is on a comfortable long arms reach, so it doesn't bind or get tangled. I will reconsider.

I am not familiar with a paralyzer tip, but I see it on this chart:



What I used for the halibut gaff I just made is called a "slip tip" here. It's also called a "breakaway tip"

It's a 5" bullet tip held on the gaff shaft by a rubber O-ring. When it punches through the fish the tip slides off and turns sideways, tethering the fish to our kayak by the cable clipped to a line on the other side of the fish.