Last day Of eastern straits US halibut........and what a day it was.....

[blackvelvet]

Took a couple friends out today for the last day of our short eastern straits halibut season.

Launched from Everett and ran 50 miles to get out where my honey hole lies, very near Port Angeles.

Long story short I caught a 44" fish (around 40 pounds), then my buddy got a nice little chicken 20 pounder, then about an hour passed when the silence was broken by the other friend who I had onboard. He happens to be 71 years young and a retired ironworker, and he needed all he had to finish the job from over 400 feet down.

Took all 3 of us to muscle this 75" brute into it's final resting place.........my back deck.

According to the weight to measurement chart it weighs right at 225 pounds.........What a great day, just thought I'd share it with my Canadian bretheren, as I genuinly feel for you all with the new draconian hali size restrictions that were so kindly bestowed upon you this year by the DFO.

Definitely a once in a lifetime fish...........Just don't wanna pinch myself and awaken from what may be a dream..............thanks for letting me share with you........Ted

 

[bigdogeh]

Wow! what a Hog! thxs for posting Congrats!!

 

[Sculpin]

Wow Ted. That is a barn door!!!

Congrats on your last day. Way to make the best of your short season. That will put quite a few meals in the freezer.

Cheers,
John

 

[Fish Assassin]

That's a beauty.... Good Work Man,

 

[ChoveyRoller]

Awesome!! Slab-o-rama!

 

[GDW]

Biggest I've heard of caught this year. Congrats!

Question, would you trade your right to taking that monster for extra days of the season? Say you got a slot of 126cm maximum size (60 pounds - ish) but also get an additional 4 day opening (thurs-sun) at some point this year. Would that be a good trade?

 

[spring fever]

Wondering when this was going to raise its ugly head. Pass the popcorn!! LoL Nice fish!!!

 

[GDW]

I know I know...

I bet if they did a slot it would only be an extra 1-2 days only but had to ask!

 

[scott craven]

Beauty, nice work B.V.

 

[spring fever]

Doubt they would get anything extra-once you travel down an unpopular road the powers that be seldom give it back lest they have to travel down that road again. Much easier keeping the "status quo"- IMHO we are probably stuck with what we have-no matter how idiotic it is. Please God keep all my Hali's at 55 lbs!!

 

[Aces]

Took a couple friends out today for the last day of our short eastern straits halibut season.

Launched from Everett and ran 50 miles to get out where my honey hole lies, very near Port Angeles.

Long story short I caught a 44" fish (around 40 pounds), then my buddy got a nice little chicken 20 pounder, then about an hour passed when the silence was broken by the other friend who I had onboard. He happens to be 71 years young and a retired ironworker, and he needed all he had to finish the job from over 400 feet down.

Took all 3 of us to muscle this 75" brute into it's final resting place.........my back deck.

According to the weight to measurement chart it weighs right at 225 pounds.........What a great day, just thought I'd share it with my Canadian bretheren, as I genuinly feel for you all with the new draconian hali size restrictions that were so kindly bestowed upon you this year by the DFO.

Definitely a once in a lifetime fish...........Just don't wanna pinch myself and awaken from what may be a dream..............thanks for letting me share with you........Ted

What an awesome fish, Ted. Congrats!!

Our Halibut regs are very unpopular but we were given a choice (unlike Wash St anglers) and we chose to be able to catch Halibut thru the summer and into the fall as opposed to closing in May. Cheers!

 

[blackvelvet]

What an awesome fish, Ted. Congrats!!

Our Halibut regs are very unpopular but we were given a choice (unlike Wash St anglers) and we chose to be able to catch Halibut thru the summer and into the fall as opposed to closing in May. Cheers!

you are right Shawn, we have no choice in the matter, so if it's blowing we are still going, cause the days of the short season are written in stone and so it is like a derby mentality for sure.

Even with the few days of halibut, I still manage to get 5 or 6 to keep me eating halibut all year. I am fortunate to have a seaworthy boat to be able to fish some rougher days. Those that have smaller boats must pic the good weather days, and that is what sucks for most, cause out of a 13 day eastern straits season, it may be blowing 25+ half or more of those days.

Hope you guys have a great summer season for hali and springers..........You and John can fill me in when you show up for the tuna carnage in September. Until then, tight lines to all my BC friends.......and thank you all for your unbridled passion for the future of all recreational fisheries.

BTW, the average halibut caught on the US side of the eastern straits is just a hair over 21 pounds, so I doubt a size restriction would increase our days out on the water.......58,000 pounds just don't go that far (eastern straits recreational quota)

 

[reelfast]

when i read that DFO had put a 132cm slot limit on halibut, it got me thinking. REELFAST used that slot limit this season as i thought it was a great conservation move. everyone who came aboard and fished our 12 day season was told about the slot limit in advance. everyone had stories to tell and the discussions were absolutely great particularly from folks who have fished around here for decades. all in all, no one could find any reason to complain or not abide by the 132cm. the old timers i had the pleasure of fishing with all have recognized the changing times and were happy to add their little bit to preservation of our declining halibut stocks. just look at the Kenai to understand what happens when we decimate the gene pool. i was quite pleased to have used your Canadian slot limit on REELFAST. everyone went home with fish and we only drew a single blank day.

 

[rook 2]

nice hali

Took a couple friends out today for the last day of our short eastern straits halibut season.

Launched from Everett and ran 50 miles to get out where my honey hole lies, very near Port Angeles.

Long story short I caught a 44" fish (around 40 pounds), then my buddy got a nice little chicken 20 pounder, then about an hour passed when the silence was broken by the other friend who I had onboard. He happens to be 71 years young and a retired ironworker, and he needed all he had to finish the job from over 400 feet down.

Took all 3 of us to muscle this 75" brute into it's final resting place.........my back deck.

According to the weight to measurement chart it weighs right at 225 pounds.........What a great day, just thought I'd share it with my Canadian bretheren, as I genuinly feel for you all with the new draconian hali size restrictions that were so kindly bestowed upon you this year by the DFO.

Definitely a once in a lifetime fish...........Just don't wanna pinch myself and awaken from what may be a dream..............thanks for letting me share with you........Ted

nice hali,way to go,you sure travelled a ways to get it

 

[SerengetiGuide]

Doubt they would get anything extra-once you travel down an unpopular road the powers that be seldom give it back lest they have to travel down that road again. Much easier keeping the "status quo"- IMHO we are probably stuck with what we have-no matter how idiotic it is. Please God keep all my Hali's at 55 lbs!!

Already released 2 over 100lbs . One today at 120. Although I would of only kept one of them anyway as that plus a few chicks is all I'd need for the off season. Caught one that came in at 125cm and was 71lbs though. Short and fat. Also released one long one that couldn't of been over 53-55lbs that was around 132cm. So it shows it varies fish to fish a lot.

 

[Curtis]

Nice Catch!!!

 

[Highliner]

Well done! That's the fish of a lifetime!