Halibut Handling

[ziggy]

Just had an incident where I caught a good sized halibut just after anchoring and was looking for advice on how to keep it cold, while my partner continued to fish. Too big for my Coleman and Silver Horde kill bag, so I used a couple of wet burlap sacks and freezer packs from my small kill bag.

Do the bigger Kill Bags hold a 60# halibut? If so what size would you recommend? Do most of you just tie off your fish and leave it in the water?

 

[Jencourt]

I harpoon them, club the crap out of them, feed a rope through mouth and cleat it off. I then cut the white side just above the tail.snap the spine and let it bleed out in the water. I move fish to my mid or forward cleat and it stays there till we are ready to pull the pin. Has worked well for us and mess stays in the water not the boat.

Just a note: give em a little rope. If tied too short,the swell will lift head out of water. The tend not to relax well when that happens,AS I am sure you know.

Cheers:Ray

 

[Fisherf]

I would just "tie it off and leave it in the water". Watch out for seals though! Did this with a big ling and had a seal eyeballing it! If you cant tie it off and have a filleting space, you can just fillet it up and throw it in the freazer. i do not know about the Bigger kill bags.

 

[Dogbreath]

I would just "tie it off and leave it in the water". Watch out for seals though! Did this with a big ling and had a seal eyeballing it!...

Last year with Blue Wolf we had a Sea Lion maul a Hali left in the water we didn't know until we puled it up.

 

[halimark]

I hogtie and hang. Tape 18" stainless welding rods in one end of 6-7' braided line, other end has loop, fish in or beside boat after confirming legality, rope rod end down throat out gills, thru loop and tighten. Then half hitch around tail, pulls fish to U shape. Then cut gills, blood will be substantial if done correct, they hang over side until big motor starts. Never had anything bother them although pucker factor is always tight when the killer whales are close as I have read "stories". If on pick clean over stern at end of day and put on ice, at ramp clean, ice and home. Nice white meat fillets are the result.

HM

 

[Fisherf]

my friend did the same thing with a 109 pounder and dident notice either so there was nothing left after! @ dogbreath

 

[ziggy]

Sounds like keeping them tied off over the side is the winner. Save me buying a giant kill bag. Thanks for the feedback guys.

 

[Island Fish Lifter]

i left one hanging just on the harpoon once while I was resetting my gear. When I went to get it it was gone, did hear it thrash a little bit. Lesson learned. Tie with rope immediately.

 

[halimark]

I always hogtie, they cannot smash, get of or bang your boat up. Never bonk, just cut gills to get all blood out. Sounds cruel but best tasting white meat.

HM