PB halibut for Vets Day - Kayak Fishing Adventures on Big Water’s Edge

YakDout · 11-11-2015, 02:36 PM

It was up in the air last night whether Mike and I were going to get out today or not due to wind/weather. Made the call late last night, let's go. Met at dana landing around 6AM. Perfect weather on arrival. Head over to the barge and they only have chovies. Damn! Oh well took them anyways. Went out through the channel and down southwest a ways to the kelp area. Lots of lobster pots around. I have a Carolina rigged up with 4oz on 25lb. Found an area around 9am that was holding some nice calicos. After fishing for a while I looked up and noticed I'm in over 100' of water and drifting south fast. That wasn't good because I knew the wind would come up between 11-noon. Came back in to 55 feet of water slightly southwest of OB pier. Pin on a fresh anchovie send it to the bottom and a couple minutes go by and I get bit. This area had lots of bass around so as I'm reeling it up that was my first thought. That's until it starts making a couple drag pulls against my lexa 400. I though I better check the drag so I pull out a little line and drag is pretty damn tight. Ok this must be a better fish than I thought. Get it to color and see it's a halibut. Grab the gaff and get it right below the gills.
This is the biggest halibut at gaff that I've ever had and I know they can go crazy once stuck, and this was no exception. I must have hit this thing with the back of my gaff close to 100 times. I'd get ready to pull it up on deck and it would go crazy every time. Then I start cutting the gills with my knife thinking ok this thing has to be ready but it would go off again. I then start braining it with needle nose pliers and my knife. It took some serious time to kill this thing and I have a new respect for people who land big halibut on the kayak. To be honest this thing almost flipped me a couple times on my outback and it's not even close to as big as some of the fish I've seen guys land on kayak. It's about 11am and the wind starts blowing about 20 so we head in and fight the wind and the channel all the way back. Pretty sore, but worth it. I need to stop being so selfish and start targeting halibut more since it's my fiancé's favorite fish to eat.

38" and 23lbs.

fishja · 11-11-2015, 02:41 PM

Nice fish! Thanks for the report!

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Geno Machino · 11-11-2015, 02:41 PM

Sweet Meat!!!

Excellent eats and thanks for the report!!

Nice Work!

Geno

Mike scales · 11-11-2015, 02:53 PM

My legs are feeling a little soar, glad I brought my sail, it definitely helped. You know it's rough when you see Vessel Assist exiting the jetty repeatedly and dragging private boaters back. Haha!
This pic doesn't do your fish justice, it's was a beast! I'll be back on a less windy day to get mine! Haha
Good times bro!

Dirty Curti · 11-11-2015, 03:04 PM

Nice fish, nice report. I love halibut. It is one of my favorites as well. Might be time to change focus to the flatties.

ful-rac · 11-11-2015, 03:15 PM

Oh you mean like these guys?

Dannowar · 11-11-2015, 03:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ful-rac

Oh you mean like these guys?

What an epic bite that was

got2fishsd · 11-11-2015, 04:55 PM

Try to gaff them in the stomach. They go kind of limo then you can get your game clip in through the gills

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Deamon · 11-11-2015, 05:05 PM

What a beautifully colored fish and nice pic. Big congrats!

Jim

YakDout · 11-11-2015, 05:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Deamon

What a beautifully colored fish and nice pic. Big congrats!

Jim

Thanks man, I know you slay the halibut. I typically don't target them especially when the yellows are around. Need to start targeting them more.

summers in kuwait · 11-11-2015, 05:45 PM

Beautiful fish and great write up.
Congrats!

taggermike · 11-11-2015, 06:21 PM

Great catch. Halis are freakishly strong and explosive. And bleeding, braining, and clubbing them doesn't slow them down some times. Like got2fishsd said, gaff halis right in the gut. Keep up the good work. Mike

Harry Hill · 11-11-2015, 07:02 PM

that must have been something to see from the pier, a guy in a kayak beating the snot out of a fish with a pair of pliers. That may end up on TV somewhere.

JeffB · 11-11-2015, 07:19 PM

Nice Hali!

Phishphood · 11-11-2015, 08:00 PM

Nice report and nice fish.

Mike- you headed in through the channel around noon in a green hobie?

2-Stix · 11-11-2015, 08:41 PM

killing it! no pun intended.

Mike scales · 11-11-2015, 10:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Phishphood

Nice report and nice fish.

Mike- you headed in through the channel around noon in a green hobie?

If you saw my sail up, that was me indeed.

YakDout · 11-12-2015, 04:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Harry Hill

that must have been something to see from the pier, a guy in a kayak beating the snot out of a fish with a pair of pliers. That may end up on TV somewhere.

The beating came from the gaff, the pliers went through the dome.

Harry Hill · 11-12-2015, 07:45 AM

Dumb question here, what does PB mean?

iethinker · 11-12-2015, 07:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Harry Hill

Dumb question here, what does PB mean?

Personal Best

11-11-2015, 02:36 PM	#1
YakDout Brandon Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: San Diego Posts: 2,345	PB halibut for Vets Day It was up in the air last night whether Mike and I were going to get out today or not due to wind/weather. Made the call late last night, let's go. Met at dana landing around 6AM. Perfect weather on arrival. Head over to the barge and they only have chovies. Damn! Oh well took them anyways. Went out through the channel and down southwest a ways to the kelp area. Lots of lobster pots around. I have a Carolina rigged up with 4oz on 25lb. Found an area around 9am that was holding some nice calicos. After fishing for a while I looked up and noticed I'm in over 100' of water and drifting south fast. That wasn't good because I knew the wind would come up between 11-noon. Came back in to 55 feet of water slightly southwest of OB pier. Pin on a fresh anchovie send it to the bottom and a couple minutes go by and I get bit. This area had lots of bass around so as I'm reeling it up that was my first thought. That's until it starts making a couple drag pulls against my lexa 400. I though I better check the drag so I pull out a little line and drag is pretty damn tight. Ok this must be a better fish than I thought. Get it to color and see it's a halibut. Grab the gaff and get it right below the gills. This is the biggest halibut at gaff that I've ever had and I know they can go crazy once stuck, and this was no exception. I must have hit this thing with the back of my gaff close to 100 times. I'd get ready to pull it up on deck and it would go crazy every time. Then I start cutting the gills with my knife thinking ok this thing has to be ready but it would go off again. I then start braining it with needle nose pliers and my knife. It took some serious time to kill this thing and I have a new respect for people who land big halibut on the kayak. To be honest this thing almost flipped me a couple times on my outback and it's not even close to as big as some of the fish I've seen guys land on kayak. It's about 11am and the wind starts blowing about 20 so we head in and fight the wind and the channel all the way back. Pretty sore, but worth it. I need to stop being so selfish and start targeting halibut more since it's my fiancé's favorite fish to eat. 38" and 23lbs. Attached Images

11-11-2015, 02:41 PM	#3
Geno Machino "Relax" Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: O'side Posts: 553	Sweet Meat!!! Excellent eats and thanks for the report!! Nice Work! Geno __________________

11-11-2015, 02:53 PM	#4
Mike scales Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: Carlsbad Posts: 327	My legs are feeling a little soar, glad I brought my sail, it definitely helped. You know it's rough when you see Vessel Assist exiting the jetty repeatedly and dragging private boaters back. Haha! This pic doesn't do your fish justice, it's was a beast! I'll be back on a less windy day to get mine! Haha Good times bro! __________________ Last edited by Mike scales; 11-11-2015 at 03:09 PM.

11-11-2015, 03:04 PM	#5
Dirty Curti Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Oceanside, CA Posts: 419	Nice fish, nice report. I love halibut. It is one of my favorites as well. Might be time to change focus to the flatties. __________________

11-11-2015, 03:15 PM	#6
ful-rac Emperor Join Date: May 2009 Location: Buena Park Posts: 3,649	New Respect? Oh you mean like these guys? __________________ There's nothing colder than yesterday's hotdog.

11-11-2015, 02:41 PM	#2
fishja Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2014 Posts: 155	Nice fish! Thanks for the report! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

11-11-2015, 04:55 PM	#8
got2fishsd got2fishsd Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Oceanside Posts: 13	Try to gaff them in the stomach. They go kind of limo then you can get your game clip in through the gills Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

11-11-2015, 05:05 PM	#9
Deamon Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Posts: 1,972	What a beautifully colored fish and nice pic. Big congrats! Jim

11-11-2015, 05:45 PM	#11
summers in kuwait Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2014 Location: East County San Diego Posts: 657	Beautiful fish and great write up. Congrats!

11-11-2015, 06:21 PM	#12
taggermike Senior Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Chula Vista Posts: 1,589	Great catch. Halis are freakishly strong and explosive. And bleeding, braining, and clubbing them doesn't slow them down some times. Like got2fishsd said, gaff halis right in the gut. Keep up the good work. Mike

11-11-2015, 07:02 PM	#13
Harry Hill Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2015 Location: Yucaipa, CA Posts: 1,136	that must have been something to see from the pier, a guy in a kayak beating the snot out of a fish with a pair of pliers. That may end up on TV somewhere.

11-11-2015, 07:19 PM	#14
JeffB Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: La Jolla Posts: 1,216	Nice Hali! __________________ If you're looking for me I'm

11-11-2015, 08:00 PM	#15
Phishphood Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2015 Posts: 346	Nice report and nice fish. Mike- you headed in through the channel around noon in a green hobie?

11-11-2015, 08:41 PM	#16
2-Stix Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2015 Location: Ventura, CA Posts: 376	killing it! no pun intended.

11-12-2015, 07:45 AM	#19
Harry Hill Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2015 Location: Yucaipa, CA Posts: 1,136	Dumb question here, what does PB mean?