4-14 trip planning thread

What if we used rope tied off to a small buoy? or inflate a dry bag so you don't have to drag around a bulky float? So You can secure the fish on the back deck, if they flop off then at least they are not roped to your boat. Then you can just turn around and grab the buoy. Im pretty nervous about how Im gonna get anything bigger than 20 lbs back to the beach! What would you do with a 100lber? You'd be about hosed! All I can think is make sure its dead and tow it. Hopefully no whales are around!

My next thing I need to do is figure out how to load this thing by myself on the truck.

Also I need to trim my drysuit. Im a little nervous about that.

Though it's a couple weeks earlier than I've done it before, it could be productive to prospect for Dollies in the drops in front of those little streams from Tonsina to Callisto Point. I'd be bringing along a spinning rod for that purpose if I end up on Resurrection Bay.

Agree that Deep Creek and points south is the preferred destination, but there are good alternatives.

RFM -- why not dedicate a fishbag for the front hatch? Or in lieu of a milkcrate in the tank well, a cut down tote fastened with shock cord? Guessing that something precludes the options for you but either seems preferable to dragging fish in the water.

Nice tip about the dollies. I didn't think about them.

AKFGAL. Im concerned about the fish that are too large to come aboard the Kayak, assuming one is caught, but its pretty possible. Halibut are a bulky fish. A 50lber would be dang hard to wrangle on the kayak.

Buddy system could come in real handy in that case.  Someone to help bring them on board and tie it down.  It's a good problem to have, but I'll cross that bridge when I get there.  However,  I do have a spearfishing float made by Omer that could come in handy for a large fish like you are talking about.  Lots of tie down points and very light weight.

Now I see the disconnect -- there's RFM planning for transporting the +50# fish he'll catch, here's me already convinced that at most I bring up a big halibut for a look, then break it off.  I know that I'm not strong enough to wrestle aboard a butt in that size class. 

Gotta love Alaska waters: this is a good problem to have to solve.

Yup..I agree with akfishergal...a great problem to have. If its THAT big, I'm towing it in while it's still on the harpoon.
My harpoon head is attached to a buoy. Anything to 50 pounds, I plan to remove downrigger and lash it to the back.

A 52 pound halibut is 4ft long by weight length charts. That should be doable.

Mrs smith bluing can be found at any grocery store in the laundry section.


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OK, well being a problem solver by nature....what is the best way to dispatch a "too big for the yak" halibut?  A gun seems a little (you'll pardon the expression) over kill......  Is a club the best? knife?  On that topic.....Anyone seen the youtube video of the guy on the kayak with the huge halibut pulled up to the side of the yak?  The dude was totally freaked out......  I'm sure he had to clean out his drysuit after that one....

Everything Ive seen or heard of is to harpoon them and slit their gills.  Deal with them onc they're dead.

Everything Ive seen or heard of is to harpoon them and slit their gills.  Deal with them onc they're dead.

Emphasis on "once they are dead"!  I've had halibut on powerboats come back to life well after all of us thought they we're dead.  Not a huge issue on a big boat, but would be a problem on a kayak.  Doesn't happen often but it only has to happen once on a kayak!

With the increased number of people just on this forum gearing up, someone is going to hammer a 70+ pounder and it's going to look huge next to the kayak.  Too cool!

With the right weather and good tides you'll definitely see me and the PA out there just in case I catch the big one

Oh I got some intel that the majority of the catching for even boats starting in Homer Is they are catching them North of the one  fish line. 

I'm assuming you're talking about kings

Well shoot the forecast is not getting any better. Im not so sure Ill go now all the way to homer. Im not willing to blow 100 bucks on gas to stare at waves from the beach. Im not sure if I want to head to seward either. Anyone know if Kenai Lake is open?

Parts of it are.  You can also float the river from skilak down.  I'm not exactly sure how far, but guys have been doing it recently.

Yup kings, kenai guy.

I saw vehicles at sportsmans landing.  A quarter mile or so of kenai lake is open. My buddy said he caught lakers there upto 24 inches.


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