Halibut - landing

I just use my safety knife.  Slip it under a gill flap, turn serrated edge down, and hold on.

-Allen

Are you doing this while the fish is still hooked or are you gaffing it and then doing this after you've secured it some way?

I just use my safety knife.  Slip it under a gill flap, turn serrated edge down, and hold on.

-Allen

Are you doing this while the fish is still hooked or are you gaffing it and then doing this after you've secured it some way?

While still hooked, before securing.  But only if it appears to be well hooked.

-Allen

I went out on Saturday to try for halibut, no luck but what i had ready to handle a halibut was an adaptation from fishing for them in my power boat. In the power boat, I have the harpoon with the detachable head connected to 15 ft of line which is tied to a 14" float.The float has a further 12' of line which I tie to a cleat on my boat. The float acts as a shock absorber before the fish hits the end of the line. For the kayak, I left the harpoon at home and used a big 6" shark hook which is easily grasped by hand. I did not attach the line to the kayak for obvious reasons. The float sits behind me in a box with lined coiled very carefully around the top of the float.
T2

I went out on Saturday to try for halibut, no luck but what i had ready to handle a halibut was an adaptation from fishing for them in my power boat. In the power boat, I have the harpoon with the detachable head connected to 15 ft of line which is tied to a 14" float.The float has a further 12' of line which I tie to a cleat on my boat. The float acts as a shock absorber before the fish hits the end of the line. For the kayak, I left the harpoon at home and used a big 6" shark hook which is easily grasped by hand. I did not attach the line to the kayak for obvious reasons. The float sits behind me in a box with lined coiled very carefully around the top of the float.
T2

I've done similar in the past.   Shark hook to a float.  Or harpoon to a float.  Sort of stopped carrying them because I didn't really use them that much and never hooked a 100 pounder where I needed to use them on.  I hope to pay for that decision some day.  I wouldn't tie off to a cleat though.  I think a large butt can pull a float that size underwater no problem, then give you something to think about.

-Allen

I like the shark hook and float idea. Are you hooking them through the mouth with that? I imagine you might even be able to hook them with it through the belly.

I like the shark hook and float idea. Are you hooking them through the mouth with that? I imagine you might even be able to hook them with it through the belly.

The shark hook I have probably has a bigger gap than my gaffs.  And it is barbed.   I've always just lipped hooked them though, but a wise man would whip the hook onto a short handle so as to get a better reach for the belly shot.   

-Allen

Yeah, I'm gonna have to invest in this idea I think. Seems like a good thing to have when you encounter a 'but in the 30 to 80 lb. or so range. I was considering a harpoon, but i wanted something small for storage reasons and I wasn't sure I'd be able to get enough force sitting down in a kayak to drive that thing home so it goes all the way through. I could be wrong though. Have you guys had a fair amount of shots at halibut with harpoons from a kayak?

Another question,
What size of float do you guys think would work for a halibut between 30 to 80 lbs.? I saw t^2 mention a 14" float, that sounds like a good size for a kayak to me. Any more advice on floats?

I think this size would work:

Yeah, I'm gonna have to invest in this idea I think. Seems like a good thing to have when you encounter a 'but in the 30 to 80 lb. or so range. I was considering a harpoon, but i wanted something small for storage reasons and I wasn't sure I'd be able to get enough force sitting down in a kayak to drive that thing home so it goes all the way through. I could be wrong though. Have you guys had a fair amount of shots at halibut with harpoons from a kayak?

Another question,
What size of float do you guys think would work for a halibut between 30 to 80 lbs.? I saw t^2 mention a 14" float, that sounds like a good size for a kayak to me. Any more advice on floats?

Well, for reference, a crab float has about 6-7# of buoyancy.  And that's what I used to take.  I look at it this way, unless you're willing to carry a large float (large for a kayak anyway), a butt can and will pull it under.  What you're doing is adding an extra amount of drag on the halibut to help tire it out more, or if you get a good gaff shot, bleed it out until it dies on the line.  Of course, don't just dump the whole thing overboard ... if you can safely hold onto the float rope, by all means do in order to apply even more pressure.  If you get in a jam, you can always let go.

-Allen

I think this size would work:

"I think we're going to need a bigger boat!"

My idea for the tag end of the float line is to grab it as it goes by (gloves on) and try and brake it enough to hold on. If I can't my thought was that I will  still be connected to the fish with the fish hook and line and the float will help me tire the fish. This is still all theoretical for me. Hopefully I will be able to chime in with some real experience at some point this season.
T2