Halibut gaff 2.0

Did something similar with shark hooks. A good thread to look at is

http://www.northwestkayakanglers.com/index.php?topic=4965.msg63456;topicseen#msg63456

$10 shark hook with a stick wrapped in 550 cord.  Great, much better option.   

What did you pay for the hook?  A quick online search for flying gaff hooks shows absolutely retarded high prices.

I paid $45 for the gaff. The stupid high price of these is what has kept me from going any further than just thinking about it.
I have made up a shark hook version last year. Probably would work well but I think this will work better. I have seen shark hooks go for $16 locally.

[stupid newbie question]

So, is the idea with a flying gaff to shove it into their mouth and then run the point through the corner of the mouth?  Or do you shove it into the fish's mouth, turn it sideways and the yank up setting it through the mouth and body of the fish?  Or do you impale them somewhere else?

[/stupid newbie question]

The idea is to hook them in the mouth, then let them get tired fighting the bouyancy of the bouy.

All the 'corner of the mouth, sideways, body' etc doesn't matter.  Just a solid hookset wherever you can get, but preferably in the mouth  :-)

I am going to take my shark hook/bouy setup with me again this year--didn't get a chance to see how it works last year as I didn't get any hookups from the kayak. Our season is open but the weather/tide gods have not been cooperating so far this year. I did get a chance to net a halibut last season from my power boat--it turned out to be a 40 lber and it just fit in my largish salmon net so anything over that you'd have to gaff or poon or use the shark hook.
T2

Some note to help you crazy kayak butt gaffers.

With limited mobility on a kayak, it is hard to position a halibut for a good gaff or harpoon shot.  More often than not they will come up more head first and vertical.  You won't get a good side view of her.  This makes them hard to gaff.

They have hard heads so taking a random shot at the head doesn't always work well.  One of the best ways I've found to gaff a butt is by holding the gaff the opposite way you might find natural.  You don't hold it like a sword.  Instead, hold your hand out with your thumb on top.  The gaff goes down, with the point away from you.  You come inside out on the fish and just pull straight up.

If you like random swings consider more of a  slap gaff style hook on a meat hook T bar style handle.  There is something extremely carnal about swinging away in this manner.

-Allen

One of the best ways I've found to gaff a butt is by holding the gaff the opposite way you might find natural.  You don't hold it like a sword.  Instead, hold your hand out with your thumb on top.  The gaff goes down, with the point away from you.  You come inside out on the fish and just pull straight up.-Allen

I thought that seemed like the natural way to do it. 

If I can gaff I'll gaff.  Otherwise, I don't mind if the damn thing makes 10 runs all the way to the bottom.  I got a mirage drive and my arms can handle the cranking.

AOTY question though, if you help your buddy gaff a butt, does it still qualify?

AOTY question though, if you help your buddy gaff a butt, does it still qualify?

NO ... You must land the fish unassisted.
If you need help decide what is more important. AOTY points or dinner.

Remember when you gaff a fish that fish needs to be kept. Don't gaff and let the fish go with holes in it, besides the hole put in it by the hooks. Someone on here recommended gaffing the fish in the belly where it is softer and easier to get the gaff hook through instead of the head. +1 for that, I gaffed the halibut last summer through the belly and really saved my bacon landing the fish that way instead of the head shot. Good luck and I am going to try the shark hook with buoy set up this summer.

Someone on here recommended gaffing the fish in the belly where it is softer and easier to get the gaff hook through instead of the head. +1 for that, I gaffed the halibut last summer through the belly and really saved my bacon landing the fish that way instead of the head shot. Good luck and I am going to try the shark hook with buoy set up this summer.

Yeah, I like belly shots on butts if you can do it.  But that was part of the point I was trying to make when I said they come up head first and vertical.  It's not easy to get a clear shot at the belly.

And oh, never pull a butts head out of the water.  DAMHIK.

-Allen

So, who sells shark hooks around puget sound?  Sportco doesn't have them. 

Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk

Seattle Marine Supply is where I got mine last year. Not many places carry them. If you want one let me know and I'll swing through and see if they have any left.

I'll shoot you a PM.