How do you do it? - Kayak Fishing Adventures on Big Water’s Edge

Iceman · 02-11-2011, 01:56 PM

mark 22" on the side of your yak or sharpie or put tape around your gaff at 22" for reference.

GregAndrew · 02-11-2011, 02:12 PM

I have a stick on tape measure attached to my paddle shaft that I got at Bass Pro, but many places carry them. Some of them are even marked for salt water fish types. I use a Boga type gripper to grab Halibut up to about 30" but would not recommend them for anything bigger unless it being kept for sure. You can also assist the Boga by wrapping your thumb and forefinger around the base of the tail for measuring. It can be a little tricky timing the insert of the Boga, and the fish will not help you at all, so make sure you steer clear of the leader. It usually takes me 3 or 4 tries to get it inserted properly.

T Bone · 02-11-2011, 02:23 PM

I have 13,22 and 28" marked on both sides of the yak.

Jimmyz123 · 02-11-2011, 02:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by T Bone

I have 13,22 and 28" marked on both sides of the yak.

I like this idea. Seeing how most of the fish I pull up on the boat are on the port side I should have marks there also. Oh, those stick on rulers don't stick too well to the kayaks, at least the one I got from BPS did not or the Rapalas either.

BT · 02-12-2011, 08:52 AM

Thanks for the info.

I like the gaff idea. Then I wont have to grab the gaff after I measure it.

Now to find a fish big enough to measure.......

Deamon · 02-12-2011, 11:42 AM

If all of us were only so lucky to catch so many that you can throw back anything under 28". I've always tired the fish out, brought him to the side and grabbed them by the back of the head(opposite of the mouth!)nice and firm. It's the spot that will hold them for sure and it's a great leverage point for you. Bigger fish...no. Hot fish...heck no.

flydigital · 02-12-2011, 12:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Deamon

If all of us were only so lucky to catch so many that you can throw back anything under 28". I've always tired the fish out, brought him to the side and grabbed them by the back of the head(opposite of the mouth!)nice and firm. It's the spot that will hold them for sure and it's a great leverage point for you. Bigger fish...no. Hot fish...heck no.

Yep, this is what I do on anything 30" and under, definitely not recommended above that size. When first getting serious about halibut fishing I would net anything close (with a nice promar net, not the tail-splitting kind) and measure... then after a while it was easy to tell what was legal or not. Now I will not gaff anything that I can release safely, about 30" or less. Trying to figure out a way to release bigger ones, perhaps with some mule tape around the tail and a boga grip? I almost lost a few fingers and my dignity a few months ago when about a 31" hali I was trying to release with the "shoulder hold" method went ape-chit, I almost went over the side with him.

Anyway, if you want to keep a legal you need a good halibut-safe net (search up on this) and just start netting and measuring them (take your time!) It's easy to mis-measure a halibut even with a nice loose measuring tape when he's flat on your deck, let alone when he's at the side of your yak.

jorluivil · 02-12-2011, 04:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by T Bone

I have 13,22 and 28" marked on both sides of the yak.

Ditto...mine are marked as pictured but they're actually 1" longer

12" is actually 13", 22" is actually 23" and so on and so forth.

MVC · 02-13-2011, 09:55 AM

My gaff is about 25 inches long. If a halibut is obviously longer than my gaff, I keep it.

Jimmyz123 · 02-11-2011, 02:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Iceman

mark 22" on the side of your yak or sharpie or put tape around your gaff at 22" for reference.

I agree with Iceman, I have a couple of marks on my yak for Bass, Halibut, Cudas, and WSB. If you bring the fish to the side where your marks are and eyeball it that will help. The other option is to get the Boga grips or some other other non-killing grabber. At least that way you have a handle on the fish, that's for if you need to measure that closesly. In my experiences though, unless the Halibut is 23 inches I'll let it go. I've known people who have measured legal halibut only to get back to the dock and have the fish measure slightly under and get ticketed for that. After you catch a couple of leagal halis you'll become more aware of the legal ones when you see them.

02-11-2011, 01:56 PM	#1
Iceman Administrator Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: 1-2 miles off the point Posts: 6,948	mark 22" on the side of your yak or sharpie or put tape around your gaff at 22" for reference. __________________

02-11-2011, 02:23 PM	#3
T Bone Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Redlands CA Posts: 871	I have 13,22 and 28" marked on both sides of the yak. __________________ Barachit Baralah,Elohim-In the beginning,God-Genesis 1:1 "Who among you,if your son asked for a fish would give them a serpent " Jesus Matt. 7:10

02-12-2011, 08:52 AM	#5
BT Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: San Carlos Posts: 202	Thanks for the info. I like the gaff idea. Then I wont have to grab the gaff after I measure it. Now to find a fish big enough to measure....... __________________ if your brain had fists, you could only hurt yourself!

02-11-2011, 02:12 PM	#2
GregAndrew Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 2,384	I have a stick on tape measure attached to my paddle shaft that I got at Bass Pro, but many places carry them. Some of them are even marked for salt water fish types. I use a Boga type gripper to grab Halibut up to about 30" but would not recommend them for anything bigger unless it being kept for sure. You can also assist the Boga by wrapping your thumb and forefinger around the base of the tail for measuring. It can be a little tricky timing the insert of the Boga, and the fish will not help you at all, so make sure you steer clear of the leader. It usually takes me 3 or 4 tries to get it inserted properly.

02-12-2011, 11:42 AM	#6
Deamon Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Posts: 1,972	If all of us were only so lucky to catch so many that you can throw back anything under 28". I've always tired the fish out, brought him to the side and grabbed them by the back of the head(opposite of the mouth!)nice and firm. It's the spot that will hold them for sure and it's a great leverage point for you. Bigger fish...no. Hot fish...heck no.

02-13-2011, 09:55 AM	#9
MVC Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Costa Mesa Posts: 278	My gaff is about 25 inches long. If a halibut is obviously longer than my gaff, I keep it.