Halibut harpoon technique

Shark hook action through the mouth. Sounds like the viking here does it quite a bit and works!



Full article here:
http://www.kayakfishingmagazine.net/articles/102-current-issue-featured-articles-on-kayak-fishing/1961-awesome-halibut-in-norway.html

I've heard just punching it repeatedly in the head can be very effective

I'd never imagine this topic could cover ten pages, having harpooned an absurd number of halibut a small hand full over 200 lbs there is no other way I would consider securing a fish of size if you intend to harvest it.

With six fish over 200 lbs I have never had a fish come off the buoy line when harpooned through the belly using an A1 buoy.

I'd never imagine this topic could cover ten pages, having harpooned an absurd number of halibut a small hand full over 200 lbs there is no other way I would consider securing a fish of size if you intend to harvest it.

With six fish over 200 lbs I have never had a fish come off the buoy line when harpooned through the belly using an A1 buoy.

LOL  no doubt about the pages but that's what makes kayak fishing so much fun!  Everything is new or just different enough from the traditional fishing that we can have these conversations. 

Your comment about the 200 pound halibut holding throgh the belly is a key piece of info for me.  First an A1 is big enough to handle 200 pounds which I suspected.  If 30 pounds of floation aren't going to float it, my 14 pound max drag on an avet certainly won't cut it  to even get it to the surface. 

Like polepole mentioned, I prefer a belly shot due to the meat and the potential pre-bleeding aspect which really slows a halibut down.    But I would have been scared to hit a trophy through the belly.  That's going to be the "spot" for me then.. 

I like the belly we work the fish up and relax the line tension just a bit and they usually go horizontal in the water, sometimes its right on top others times maybe 20 inches down with a good tip its just a push on the belly and it slides right through no jabbing or throwing like a spear its quick and easy with a big target area.

Once on the float gear can be stored, the rod put in a holder and boating the fish can be focused on without distraction. 

I'd never imagine this topic could cover ten pages, having harpooned an absurd number of halibut a small hand full over 200 lbs there is no other way I would consider securing a fish of size if you intend to harvest it.

With six fish over 200 lbs I have never had a fish come off the buoy line when harpooned through the belly using an A1 buoy.

Funny thing is that this conversation about how best to secure a halibut comes around almost every year. 

Personally, I don't have any suggestions or preferences on harpoon or shark hook technique.  I got both but most of the halibuts I caught were less than 30lb and I managed them with my landing net. 

Just trying to picture myself how exciting it'll be to harpoon one or get one on the shark hook...oh, this cabin fever is killing me.

Poons are lame. An AR-10 in .308 is ideal on a kayak. Fire once you see color. A few 50 round mags should do the trick

On a slightly more serious note, a friend and I will be going for halibut in a kayak for the first time. I always just used a gaff on a normal boat even for the 80 pounders and just tapped them on the head once we flopped them on the deck. I am going to give my friend my pneumatic speargun, but I may show him the shark hook method (looks bad@$$). I will be using a .410 revolver (Judge). I guess we will see whats better, but I cant see anything going wrong with the Judge

Just know a gun isnt necessary from a kayak. Off a boat it seems like there is always another fish to catch so Ya gotta quickly dispatch it and bring it on board.  But off a single kayak, bleeding it out 5 minutes calms it down.

But hey, I don't need to reef back trying to break a rod when I set the hook.  Completely unnecessary but it sure feels good!!  Could be the same with a gun. VIDEO!!!!!!!! 

Just be careful!!!

A guy from Missoula caught a large halibut from a power boat.  When he got it up to the boat, he told his wife to shoot it with a handgun they had with them.  She hit the halibut, but unfortunately also hit the line.  They sat there and watched the large halibut slowly sink out of sight.

I'd never imagine this topic could cover ten pages, having harpooned an absurd number of halibut a small hand full over 200 lbs there is no other way I would consider securing a fish of size if you intend to harvest it.

With six fish over 200 lbs I have never had a fish come off the buoy line when harpooned through the belly using an A1 buoy.

Wow, that's a lot of halibut. Just wondering how many of those were by kayak and your thoughts on the differences of harpooning from either craft.

Shark hook action through the mouth. Sounds like the viking here does it quite a bit and works!



Full article here:
http://www.kayakfishingmagazine.net/articles/102-current-issue-featured-articles-on-kayak-fishing/1961-awesome-halibut-in-norway.html

Anyone want to head over and fish with Joel this summer?  I have an invite.  BTW, he releases the majority of the fish he catches, and hence the lip gaffing.

I learned early on that I don't like lip gaffing California butts.  One day I was out fishing on the Triple with a buddy.  We ended up catching 2 CAlibuts that day, 25 and 34 pounds.  I lip gaffed the 25 pounds.  It literally jumped off the gaff, and guess what she hit?  Think about the physics of things here.  I'm dragging a fish towards me by its lip.  It gives a kick of its tail.  The only direction it can go is towards me.  On a kayak you are not high enough off the water to hang the fish, so it will have its tail in the water.

-Allen

I'd never imagine this topic could cover ten pages, having harpooned an absurd number of halibut a small hand full over 200 lbs there is no other way I would consider securing a fish of size if you intend to harvest it.

With six fish over 200 lbs I have never had a fish come off the buoy line when harpooned through the belly using an A1 buoy.

Wow, that's a lot of halibut. Just wondering how many of those were by kayak and your thoughts on the differences of harpooning from either craft.

This is going to be my first year fishing from a kayak, I honestly expect it to be easier to stick one from a kayak than a large boat with a rail to lean over, sticking them in through the belly takes very little effort just an easy push and the tip slips right through.

 In a 12' inflatable with a fish around 90 pounds it was just a lift of the rod with my left arm and a poke with the harpoon in my right hand. When I fish with my wife and kids I'm almost always out on the float chamber for the motors so I'm at water level and don't have to deal with the railing. We stick probably more fish than most would just because we have small kids on board and sometimes a dog. Even a 60 pound fish can do some damage flinging a two pound cod weight around.

Disclaimer, my opinion is not based as a kayak angler but having fished lower cook inlet, the chiswells and montague islands since the late 80's halibut has always been a staple food for my home both growing up and with my family now. We block out two weeks a year for halibut, ling and rockfish harvest, coupled with our fish wheel in copper center and dipnetting sockeye we consume fish we harvest sometimes as much as four times a week. 

Put in the time with a whole sockeye carcass or the head off a king in the thirty pound range and you will need the harpoon or the shark hook. Large skates we just roll over in the water and clip the heavy mono close to the mouth

Shark hook action through the mouth. Sounds like the viking here does it quite a bit and works!



Full article here:
http://www.kayakfishingmagazine.net/articles/102-current-issue-featured-articles-on-kayak-fishing/1961-awesome-halibut-in-norway.html

Anyone want to head over and fish with Joel this summer?  I have an invite.  BTW, he releases the majority of the fish he catches, and hence the lip gaffing.

I learned early on that I don't like lip gaffing California butts.  One day I was out fishing on the Triple with a buddy.  We ended up catching 2 CAlibuts that day, 25 and 34 pounds.  I lip gaffed the 25 pounds.  It literally jumped off the gaff, and guess what she hit?  Think about the physics of things here.  I'm dragging a fish towards me by its lip.  It gives a kick of its tail.  The only direction it can go is towards me.  On a kayak you are not high enough off the water to hang the fish, so it will have its tail in the water.

-Allen

That photo is just insane if not dangerous though obviously he has support and friends near by.  Halibut could easily kick you off that kayak.  The hook could easily get caught.  You could easily be dead. 

Not criticizing the photo.  But he's got way more kahunas that I ever will.  I am genuinely scared pulling a ten pound halibut into the kayak with protruding 5/0 hooks as it thrashes between my legs.  I'm not bringing anything remotely live on board  like that.  For folks who never caught a halibut before, I recommend being a wimp like me first before you try to snap a pic like that. 

Fish is all the way out of the water.  It can't move that much.