King and Halibut - Mothers Day weekend w/video

Hit the water at 5:30am.  Was bummed for the first hour thinking why did I get up so early.  But about 7:15 I managed the first halibut.  34 inches so thats 17 pounds I think on the charts.  If you watch the video, you'll see my line act like it just got caught on some debris as the line angle gets shallower but nothing that looks like a strike.  Downrigger was set at 10ft (per Rimfirematt's instruction) in about 20ft of water.  You can see the fish actually comes up like it's seaweed.  No battle no nothing.  But once near the yak, it puts up a better fight.  Fish are super shallow right now chasing the herring and hooligan around.

About 30 minutes later I get hit by a king.  I pride myself in getting fish into the net, but 6 months of no kings made me rusty.  Lucky the hooks didn't catch the net.  Somehow managed to land it.

In this area, once you keep a king, you have to move a mile offshore to get out of the King Salmon conservation zone.  So I pedal another half mile or so out and immediately hook up to a tiny halibut...barely 10 pounds.  Not sure it was worth the effort but I had to head back to Anchorage so I kept it.

Feels good to finally catch something after getting blanked on 5 or 6 consecutive trips but since that was December through April, I guess it's not  a bad thing.

All fish caught on herring.  First two on a down rigger, the last one mooching.

Stopped by the parent's house on the way back and mom got a gift of fresh king and halibut!  I'm such a good son...lol....any excuse to go fishing!!!!

Sweet Video!  Congrats on the fish.  I like your downrigger setup too.  Looks  very efficient.

Dang Rudy, that looks like fun!  So, is that magic pink reel now officially yours? 

-Spot-

Great way to kill a skunk.  Thanks for the video.

Do you have any photos of your downrigger setup?

You're so giving!  Man I wish my mom liked fish. That would be a sweet deal!

Thanks for posting the video - jealous of you guys in AK and CA catching halibut all the time.

Now there's a good son! And what a pretty King -- looks easily +20. Nice...

 Rudy
 I do like your videos.......... especially at 3:35 on this one. Close but no cigar. Might want to work on that.

 It's a rare day that Cook Inlet is that calm. Must have been great to be out on that.

 Congratulations on what looks like an awesome day.

Great video, I wish we could find halibut in 20 ft of water down here.

Dang Rudy, that looks like fun!  So, is that magic pink reel now officially yours? 

-Spot-

Uhh...yes and no.  We sort of broke up, then she got jealous I was using "her" equipment so she might be coming back to Alaska soon.  Sad, funny, & true.  I tell ya, that reel CATCHES fish!!!

Great way to kill a skunk.  Thanks for the video.

Do you have any photos of your downrigger setup?

Not sure where my pics are but here's a quick video 

awesome job! I love the really calm water you had that day! I just don't like the time of day that you got it!

Nice! man...I want to get back out. Great videos, Rudy.

What was the water visibility there?

What was the water visibility there?

As clear as I have seen it.  Maybe 10 to 15 ft or more.  The sun's glare made it hard to tell.