Flatties... your 2 cents - Kayak Fishing Adventures on Big Water’s Edge

Ojos_raros · 08-29-2014, 12:13 PM

I was fishing a large Mac on the bottom in 80 ft with a small trap hook. Didn't feel any bite but next thing I'm on with something over 40. Had him on for about a minute, felt some head shakes and he shook the small trap hook. The large Mac came up bitten cleanly in half.

Can big flatties bite through a large mac or was it a big Thresher?

ful-rac · 08-29-2014, 12:33 PM

I say either a shark or a seal. Halibut will tend to rake a bait, not completely bite it in half...at least that's my opinion.

jruiz · 08-29-2014, 12:42 PM

Shark

Chuck D · 08-29-2014, 12:51 PM

x2

Quote:

Originally Posted by ful-rac

I say either a shark or a seal. Halibut will tend to rake a bait, not completely bite it in half...at least that's my opinion.

YakDout · 08-29-2014, 12:55 PM

Hard to say. But in my opinion, halibut have some of the strongest jaws out there. Wouldn't wanna get my hand in a 30 lb halibuts mouth when it snapped shut. I think a halibut that big would have no problem snapping a bait in half. But like it was said before, could have also been a shark or seal.

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Ojos_raros · 08-29-2014, 01:14 PM

exactly what i was thinking... no way a flattie or sea bass can bit a big mac in half like that. Phew!

jorluivil · 08-29-2014, 01:26 PM

It was a chupacabra fish

Hunters Pa · 08-29-2014, 01:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jorluivil

It was a chupacabra fish

It was Candy

rossman · 08-29-2014, 01:46 PM

I actually had my baits bit clean in two twice in the last month. The difference was that I landed both fish. One was a 30 inch ling and the other was a 22 inch sand bass. Both in 70 to 80 ft of water. Both times the bottom 2/3 of the Mac was gone.

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StinkyMatt · 08-29-2014, 02:46 PM

Kelp.

99% sure.

1% it was a sea lion.

jorluivil · 08-29-2014, 02:56 PM

Here's what I've seen and what I believe could be the culprit

bait is not raked but skinned = bass
bait is raked, rakes have gaps = halibut, ling or any fish with large teeth except a GWS
bait comes up with head still attached to the hook, everything behind the gills is missing = seal

GregAndrew · 08-29-2014, 03:30 PM

Mack cut in half is almost positively not a Halibut. They do have a good bite, but their teeth are for gripping not cutting. A Sardine or Anchovy, on the other hand, might cut themselves almost in half struggling to get free. And a shake of the head of the Butt could finish the job. But the skin on a mack is going to hold it together against a Halibut bite. Lots of sharks around that could do that though. Thresher as you suggested, as well as Leopard, Soupfin and Seven Gill just to name the most likely. By your description, I would think leopard. They will sometimes do something similar to a Halibut "Soft bite". And it can be hard to tell the difference from a Butt fight some times.

Ross, if I were a betting man, I would bet the bait got bit in half before the Sandbass picked it up. Easy for a big Ling to do it though.

rossman · 08-29-2014, 03:41 PM

Could very well be Greg. I was definitely on an area that has been yielding a few lings for me

jorluivil · 08-29-2014, 06:03 PM

You could have had one of my 60lb halibut experiences.

Hooked up
Fish runs and settles
Big head shakes
Heavy fish
More big head shakes
Heavy fish coming up slowly
Big big headshakes
Struggling to bring up 60lb halibut
WE'VE GOT COLOR AND IT'S WHITE AND BROWN!!!!!
my 60lb halibut turned into a batray that was hooked on one of It's wings.

Ojos_raros · 08-29-2014, 08:09 PM

I've caught my share of big flatties and this thing behaved exactly like one - sat on the bottom with big weight for about 40 seconds, then a short run on the bottom, then big time head shakes.

just really hard imagining a big flattie chomping through a big mac like that...

YakDout · 08-29-2014, 08:20 PM

If you had it hooked up for a while, Its even more likely that it was halibut and rather than a guillotine slice, think of it more as a clean laceration

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ful-rac · 08-29-2014, 09:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ojos_raros

I've caught my share of big flatties and this thing behaved exactly like one - sat on the bottom with big weight for about 40 seconds, then a short run on the bottom, then big time head shakes.

just really hard imagining a big flattie chomping through a big mac like that...

Ive caught many a big halibut as well...and every once and awhile ill be 100% positive i got a big hali and they end up turning into a shark or a ray...

you never know until you actually see it.

Leopard sharks like to sit on the bottom as well...they will definitely fool you.

08-29-2014, 12:13 PM	#1
Ojos_raros Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Santa Barbara Posts: 124	Flatties... your 2 cents I was fishing a large Mac on the bottom in 80 ft with a small trap hook. Didn't feel any bite but next thing I'm on with something over 40. Had him on for about a minute, felt some head shakes and he shook the small trap hook. The large Mac came up bitten cleanly in half. Can big flatties bite through a large mac or was it a big Thresher? __________________ Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment -Buddha

08-29-2014, 12:33 PM	#2
ful-rac Emperor Join Date: May 2009 Location: Buena Park Posts: 3,649	I say either a shark or a seal. Halibut will tend to rake a bait, not completely bite it in half...at least that's my opinion. __________________ There's nothing colder than yesterday's hotdog.

08-29-2014, 01:14 PM	#6
Ojos_raros Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Santa Barbara Posts: 124	exactly what i was thinking... no way a flattie or sea bass can bit a big mac in half like that. Phew! __________________ Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment -Buddha

08-29-2014, 01:26 PM	#7
jorluivil Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Posts: 6,856	It was a chupacabra fish __________________ www.facebook.com/Teamsewer

08-29-2014, 01:46 PM	#9
rossman Marginally Irrelevant Join Date: May 2007 Location: Bahia Asuncion Posts: 936	I actually had my baits bit clean in two twice in the last month. The difference was that I landed both fish. One was a 30 inch ling and the other was a 22 inch sand bass. Both in 70 to 80 ft of water. Both times the bottom 2/3 of the Mac was gone. Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk __________________ "When beholding the tranquil beauty and brilliancy of the ocean’s skin, one forgets the tiger heart that pants beneath it; and would not willingly remember that this velvet paw but conceals a remorseless fang. " — Herman Melville Y'all come see me now, hear!

08-29-2014, 12:42 PM	#3
jruiz Large Member Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: La Verne, CA Posts: 1,008	Shark

08-29-2014, 12:55 PM	#5
YakDout Brandon Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: San Diego Posts: 2,345	Hard to say. But in my opinion, halibut have some of the strongest jaws out there. Wouldn't wanna get my hand in a 30 lb halibuts mouth when it snapped shut. I think a halibut that big would have no problem snapping a bait in half. But like it was said before, could have also been a shark or seal. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

08-29-2014, 02:46 PM	#10
StinkyMatt Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Under a bridge Posts: 2,169	Kelp. 99% sure. 1% it was a sea lion.

08-29-2014, 02:56 PM	#11
jorluivil Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Posts: 6,856	Here's what I've seen and what I believe could be the culprit bait is not raked but skinned = bass bait is raked, rakes have gaps = halibut, ling or any fish with large teeth except a GWS bait comes up with head still attached to the hook, everything behind the gills is missing = seal __________________ www.facebook.com/Teamsewer

08-29-2014, 03:30 PM	#12
GregAndrew Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 2,384	Mack cut in half is almost positively not a Halibut. They do have a good bite, but their teeth are for gripping not cutting. A Sardine or Anchovy, on the other hand, might cut themselves almost in half struggling to get free. And a shake of the head of the Butt could finish the job. But the skin on a mack is going to hold it together against a Halibut bite. Lots of sharks around that could do that though. Thresher as you suggested, as well as Leopard, Soupfin and Seven Gill just to name the most likely. By your description, I would think leopard. They will sometimes do something similar to a Halibut "Soft bite". And it can be hard to tell the difference from a Butt fight some times. Ross, if I were a betting man, I would bet the bait got bit in half before the Sandbass picked it up. Easy for a big Ling to do it though.

08-29-2014, 03:41 PM	#13
rossman Marginally Irrelevant Join Date: May 2007 Location: Bahia Asuncion Posts: 936	Could very well be Greg. I was definitely on an area that has been yielding a few lings for me __________________ "When beholding the tranquil beauty and brilliancy of the ocean’s skin, one forgets the tiger heart that pants beneath it; and would not willingly remember that this velvet paw but conceals a remorseless fang. " — Herman Melville Y'all come see me now, hear!

08-29-2014, 06:03 PM	#14
jorluivil Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Posts: 6,856	You could have had one of my 60lb halibut experiences. Hooked up Fish runs and settles Big head shakes Heavy fish More big head shakes Heavy fish coming up slowly Big big headshakes Struggling to bring up 60lb halibut WE'VE GOT COLOR AND IT'S WHITE AND BROWN!!!!! my 60lb halibut turned into a batray that was hooked on one of It's wings. __________________ www.facebook.com/Teamsewer

08-29-2014, 08:09 PM	#15
Ojos_raros Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Santa Barbara Posts: 124	I've caught my share of big flatties and this thing behaved exactly like one - sat on the bottom with big weight for about 40 seconds, then a short run on the bottom, then big time head shakes. just really hard imagining a big flattie chomping through a big mac like that... __________________ Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment -Buddha

08-29-2014, 08:20 PM	#16
YakDout Brandon Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: San Diego Posts: 2,345	If you had it hooked up for a while, Its even more likely that it was halibut and rather than a guillotine slice, think of it more as a clean laceration Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk