Gaffing fish

[Jimmyz123]

O.K. I know the key to the gaffing of a fish is to get the fish gaffed so it won't break off. Does anyone besides me aim for the head to avoid belly gaffing a fish?

I see deckhands on the charter boats belly gaffing YFT, Albies, DODOs, and whatever else they are catching. It always makes me wonder if anyone is trying to teach those guys the right way to gaff a fish. Am I just being picky or do you guys also focus on where you gaff.

[dorado50]

Place your gaff wherever you want to get your fish aboard. I do not gaff fish wherever there is any edible meat. Any place two inches behind the gills is out for me.Not a good idea to aim for gill plate cause the gaff will probably bounce off.Go for the soft meat around the gills. I used to aim for the eye (on advise from a mentor)and had pretty good results then. After awhile you will be able to familiarize yourself with where the soft places to gaff a fish are. A good gaff shot is the same as making a birdy putt to finish off the round. You go away happy....

[old_rookie]

http://www.bigwatersedge.com/bwevb/s...highlight=gaff

Be sure to watch the video. Not sure if that video has only one technique shown, but he has a video with three techniques.

[Jimmyz123]

I have to sharpen my gaff a little before I go out, I'll do that this weekend, but I'm doing that with the feeling that I'll be gaffing something big here soon.

[mtnbykr2]

gaffing the feesh is a very important part, in the grand scheme of things,
the pressure is on at that point, a swing and a miss could result in your
din din swimming away, I feel it is 2x the pressure when gaffing someone elses fish...like a PB halibut, on a yak...hopefully those gaffs are sharp and ready to dig when the time comes.
I hope everyone here has to use it this weekend...or the next time out on the water...

[deepdvr]

One suggestion Jimmy, when you get your chance, hold the gaff between you and the fish with the hook pointed away from you. I see guys all the time try to gaff the fish from the far side with the hook pointed back at the yak and its pretty comical....until the fish breaks off.

[jdemoss]

Depending on what I'm fishing for I use one of two different gaffs. I have a traditional hook gaff. But I find that more and more I am growing fond of using my spear gaff when I'm fishing for pelagic fish. Its a take off on the Hawaiian "Kage" spear gaff that the island kayak fishermen use. It allows me to pinpoint the head for spike placement and does two things..it stuns the fish and allows me more leverage as I throw them into the boat. I made mine from a cut down hickory hoe or shovel handle and a 7/8" SS threaded rod. I drilled a hole into the handle and epoxied the rod into the hole about 8-10". I then cut off the spike to about 8-10" and ground it sharp on my grinder. Attach a lanyard/leash or a float and you're set. The threads hold the fish after you spear it and like I said above, it allows you to strike the head, stunning the fish. I find they fight less and I have an easier time hauling them into the boat.

[lbsurf2ca]

I don't even know why I own a gaff anymore. I suck

[bus kid]

Originally Posted by jdemoss

Depending on what I'm fishing for I use one of two different gaffs. I have a traditional hook gaff. But I find that more and more I am growing fond of using my spear gaff when I'm fishing for pelagic fish. Its a take off on the Hawaiian "Kage" spear gaff that the island kayak fishermen use. It allows me to pinpoint the head for spike placement and does two things..it stuns the fish and allows me more leverage as I throw them into the boat. I made mine from a cut down hickory hoe or shovel handle and a 7/8" SS threaded rod. I drilled a hole into the handle and epoxied the rod into the hole about 8-10". I then cut off the spike to about 8-10" and ground it sharp on my grinder. Attach a lanyard/leash or a float and you're set. The threads hold the fish after you spear it and like I said above, it allows you to strike the head, stunning the fish. I find they fight less and I have an easier time hauling them into the boat.

First welcome, second there is a thread called "share your innovations"
take the time to photograph your spear gaff and do a short write up, (or copy and paste this post) and post it there, as I'm sure a few others would like to see it. I have a short gaff and have been considering making a spear gaff like you have described.

[Jimmyz123]

Originally Posted by deepdvr

One suggestion Jimmy, when you get your chance, hold the gaff between you and the fish with the hook pointed away from you. I see guys all the time try to gaff the fish from the far side with the hook pointed back at the yak and its pretty comical....until the fish breaks off.

So if I read your post correctly are you saying that you kind swing up and away from yourself?

[Lets_Fish]

Here is a link on what the Hawaiian "Kage" spear gaff looks like (at least from this link I found).

http://www.kayakfishingmagazine.net/...it=15&start=15

[deepdvr]

Originally Posted by Jimmyz123

So if I read your post correctly are you saying that you kind swing up and away from yourself?

Pretty much....but its more or less just straight up.

[dsafety]

The Spear Gaff sounds interesting. I would like to see some our more seasoned guys give it a try before considering to jump on board, however. Who is going to be the beta tester?

If this device works, someone could turn making these into a nice little cottage business. Material cost $8 plus a little labor, retail, $24.99.

Bob

[wade]

your adreneline WILL be pumping, take a second to compose yourself and not swing wildly..
you could unbutton a hook quite easily..
(I have had a few fly lined surface yellows hooks fall out of the hard roof of a yellows mouths once finially decked..)


not perfect... but...




or make em do a lap around the yak, and grab em by their motor
(gaff-less).

Good Luck Jimmy!

[taggermike]

Different fish require different gaffing shots I have found. Since I haven't yet caught a damn wsb I'll leave them out. YT come to the boat tired and are fairly easy to gaff. I like the under the the fish shot because if you do miss you're less likely to snag your line. For the YT I like to aim around or in front of the pelvic fins. That area between the pelvic fins and gills holds well and when you pull in to the YT is spins them over on thier backs. I have no proof but that seams to disorient them a bit. Halibut are the worst fish to gaff I have ever encountered. They're not tired and always seam to be waiting for a chance to freak the hell out. I got some hali gaffing advice from Capt. Ron Baker, who I think has gaffed more flatties over the years than all of us put together. He said he hits the small to medium sizes right in the gutts. He believes it sort of paralyzes them and ruins no meat. When he gaffs a bigger model he aims for the shoulder. It tears some meat but is the best holding area if they do start to freak. So far these techniques have worked for me on halis from 5 to 37Lbs. I do have to say there are better shot than others but the ones that get the fish in the boat are best. Mike

[sterling]

Mike is right on with the Hali shot to the guts. I gaffed a 7# model from my kayak. I was really nervous about it anticipating the freak out. I hit him in the guts, (completly by accident). The bugger didn't make another move. I bled the gills and clipped him up. While paddling back in he did kick a few times and that was it.

[Siebler]

The best way to gaff fish is actually going to be with the hook point down, reach the gaff over the fish and just pull it in. It doesnt take a huge wound up jerk to get the fish on the gaff and there really is NO reason to miss a fish on the kayak, you are 2 feet away from it. If you work the gaff as I just said you wont miss.

Also dont reach for the fish, just get it to circle back to you until you can reach easily. When you reach you miss or you hurt yourself (my shoulder is proof of this from decking on tuna boats),

For YT and WSB (along with tuna and such) a head shot is great. For halis a gut shot will help calm them, Dorado a collar shot is best as the head is too hard and the other areas the flesh tears easily.

Just as Mike said about the Capt Rons techniques, This guy has dealt with more fish than most of us will ever dream of. I was lucky to learn most of what I know working for him.

[Jimmyz123]

Originally Posted by Lets_Fish

Here is a link on what the Hawaiian "Kage" spear gaff looks like (at least from this link I found).

http://www.kayakfishingmagazine.net/...it=15&start=15

http://www.kayakfishingmagazine.net/...efaultmenu=402

Here's a link to someone actually using this thing. Looks pretty nice, but I can see some issues with it just like a regular gaff.

[Riskey Water]

Instead of a Hawaiian Kage has anyone thought of using a pole spear with a single flopper on it .I have used this freediving for halis but never thought of it for yak fishing ,might be the next evolution of landing yak fish ,will give it a go and post later .till next time ,Fish Hard

[Siebler]

If you guys are missing fish with a regular gaff I cant wait to see videos trying to hit them with a spear