Last year, I went fishing in Quatsino Sound by myself. My partner cancelled out 6 hours before leaving. Before getting in Winter Harbor to set up camp, I stopped in the bay and tried fishing hoping to spend1/2 hour to try catching a small chicken. I used octopus for bait and went down to the bottom (about 100'). I never had a chance to jig once. A hali took the bait immediately. After what seemed like an eternity of armstrong reeling and fighting, the biggest hali I have ever seen finally reached the top. My harpoon was buried in the bow under all my camping gear, fishing gear and coolers full of ice. I panicked knowing that I couldn't get to it. I grabbed the gaff that was handy and thought that I could hoist it on board and hit it with a hammer that was handy. Forget it. The minute that I had the gaff in the fish, that S.O.B shook me from one end of my 19' boat to the other. I thought that it would pull me in the water. I was too heavy for me to do anything and it finally got off when I lost my balance trying not to go overboard. I don't know how heavy that fish was, but I am 6' tall, 250 lbs and I can lift my share of weight. In my defense, I was tired from reeling this fish up, but yet, I couldn't bring it in on board. Probably a blessing knowing the damage a big hali can do to a small boat or to a 250lbs idiot...
Well, there is the answer to your question. The thing that really brake my heart is knowing that I had the fish of a lifetime and the chances of hooking another one like this will probably never present itself again... Oh well, I'll keep trying anyway
