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.

[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.

[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

[ful-rac]

NO!


Your overthinking it! Gaff, gameclip, bleed, educate

[summers in kuwait]

I use a slip tip... when spearfishing in the water only!

Originally Posted by ful-rac

NO!


Your overthinking it! Gaff, gameclip, bleed, educate

X2.

[makobob]

Originally Posted by ful-rac

NO!


Your overthinking it! Gaff, gameclip, bleed, educate

NO, do not think it is legal in California.

[Mr. NiceGuy]

Originally Posted by ful-rac

NO!

Originally Posted by makobob

NO, do not think it is legal in California.

RE: "harpoons"

From the DFW website:

Methods of Take: When angling, no more than one line with two hooks attached may be used. A harpoon, gaff, or net may be used to assist in taking a Pacific halibut that has been legally caught by angling. See California Code of Regulations Title 14, Section 28.95, for additional restrictions on the use of harpoons. Take by spearfishing is allowed pursuant to California Code of Regulations Title 14, Section 28.90.


Trying to sort these things out can be confusing. They talk a lot about Pacific halibut, not so much about California halibut. I find less, not more restrictions on California halibut. I can not find any further restrictions in the actual regulations. I DO find lots of 3rd party interpretations, and embellished interpretations of these unofficial interpretations that are all over the place to varying degrees.

I think what I'm thinking about would be a "3 1/2 ft. hand-held straight halibut gaff with a detachable flying head" -- it isn't thrown like a harpoon, it's tethered to the kayak like my hook gaff, it's a thrust rather than a pull, and it doesn't employ the use of buoy's the way harpoon fishing does. This straight gaff is used to assist with the safe final landing of a large halibut caught by angling with a hook and line.

Or maybe if we detach the lanyard from the kayak and jump in the water first, it becomes a spear with a breakaway tip under Sec 28.90

Oy.

[maquinapescado]

Stab em in the head and let him go for one last run.

[Dave Legacy]

Originally Posted by Mr. NiceGuy

RE: "harpoons"

From the DFW website:

Methods of Take: When angling, no more than one line with two hooks attached may be used. A harpoon, gaff, or net may be used to assist in taking a Pacific halibut that has been legally caught by angling. See California Code of Regulations Title 14, Section 28.95, for additional restrictions on the use of harpoons. Take by spearfishing is allowed pursuant to California Code of Regulations Title 14, Section 28.90.


Trying to sort these things out can be confusing. They talk a lot about Pacific halibut, not so much about California halibut. I find less, not more restrictions on California halibut. I can not find any further restrictions in the actual regulations. I DO find lots of 3rd party interpretations and half-assed speculations that are all over the place.

Unless it says in the literature that you may use a harpoon to land California Halibut, or a harpoon may be used on legal sized finfish in general, I wouldn't make the assumption that it is legal to do so.

FWIW, I have found a lip gripper to be sufficient in landing Hali. Control the head and you control the fish... For the most part. I haven't had any experience landing big fish from a kayak yet though, so it must be quite different.

[alanw]

Originally Posted by Dave Legacy

Unless it says in the literature that you may use a harpoon to land California Halibut, or a harpoon may be used on legal sized finfish in general, I wouldn't make the assumption that it is legal to do so.

Dave is right on. I'm not an expert but the regs seem very clear to me on harpoons.
28.65. GENERAL. Except as provided in this article, fin fish may be taken only on hook and line or by hand.

So unless you find an exception like the one for sharks skates and rays, or the new for 2015 exception for Pacific Halibut, I wouldn't use anything resembling a spear or harpoon to take your catch.

It looks like you can use a bow and arrow (or crossbow) fishing setup though

[DanaPT]

Halibut have anger management problems. Angry SOBs.