netting halibut?

[scott craven]

Trolling for springs on the oak bay flats i hooked
a halibut about 30lbs.
got it right to the boat, and gaffed it in the head
but before i could swing it into the boat, it flipped
off the gaff, and then went nuts!
needless to say, it bent the hook on the spoon and swam away
anybody use a landing net on these size fish, or will they
ruin the net ?[?]

 

[Slabby20]

I've netted a few in the 20-30 lb range without any damage to my nets. I try and get the butts out if the net as soon as possible before they begin their halibut dance on the deck. I usually use a gaff if I can. A well placed gaff really helps control the fish.

 

[Slabby20]

I've netted a few in the 20-30 lb range without any damage to my nets. I try and get the butts out if the net as soon as possible before they begin their halibut dance on the deck. I usually use a gaff if I can. A well placed gaff really helps control the fish.

 

[IronNoggin]

I always carry a harpoon. Even little chickens can make a real mess in your boat, real fast! A shot through the gill plate settles 'em down very quickly, and I have yet to loose one off the harpoon (yet - quickly touching wood!)

Cheers,
Nog

 

[IronNoggin]

I always carry a harpoon. Even little chickens can make a real mess in your boat, real fast! A shot through the gill plate settles 'em down very quickly, and I have yet to loose one off the harpoon (yet - quickly touching wood!)

Cheers,
Nog

 

[theJohnD]

I totally agree, harpoon the only way to go. I had the bullet head style first but really like the one with two bronze "arrowheads". Cuts well and absolutely will not pull back through. Netted a few small fish years ago, now halibut get harpooned unless they are smaller than 20 lbs or so and they get released. On big fish even if they have been harpooned, don't bring into the boat until they are very DEAD. More than one commercial fisherman has been killed by an halibut brought into the boat too soon.

 

[theJohnD]

I totally agree, harpoon the only way to go. I had the bullet head style first but really like the one with two bronze "arrowheads". Cuts well and absolutely will not pull back through. Netted a few small fish years ago, now halibut get harpooned unless they are smaller than 20 lbs or so and they get released. On big fish even if they have been harpooned, don't bring into the boat until they are very DEAD. More than one commercial fisherman has been killed by an halibut brought into the boat too soon.

 

[marula]

oh that bites, that happend to me once, hit it with a regular fish gaff and it took off!
I don't use a net but now use a halibut gaff that you reach under and hook them. They seem to just freeze in the water while we reach down with a laso around its tail and through its gills.

I have a big harpoon on standby, i will have to try that one of these days if I get a big one on.

 

[marula]

oh that bites, that happend to me once, hit it with a regular fish gaff and it took off!
I don't use a net but now use a halibut gaff that you reach under and hook them. They seem to just freeze in the water while we reach down with a laso around its tail and through its gills.

I have a big harpoon on standby, i will have to try that one of these days if I get a big one on.

 

[5-Salt Fever]

Do any of the harpoon users tie a Scotty or A2 float attached to 20ft or so of rope to your harpoon head?

 

[5-Salt Fever]

Do any of the harpoon users tie a Scotty or A2 float attached to 20ft or so of rope to your harpoon head?

 

[wolf]

Yes I use a 20" scotsman and nail em right in the guts because they bleed instantly and it wont pull out from there impossable and I like the cheeks another great reason but thats ONLY my opnion.Craven I will use a net when im drifting because sometimes they wont give you a shot but get an old crappy one and use it only for that so if it does get wreacked big deal go get another one from a garage sale for 5 bucks at least you get the fish 30lber x $7.50 lb hhhhmmmm ill wreck a net for that!!!!!!



Good Luck Wolf

 

[wolf]

Yes I use a 20" scotsman and nail em right in the guts because they bleed instantly and it wont pull out from there impossable and I like the cheeks another great reason but thats ONLY my opnion.Craven I will use a net when im drifting because sometimes they wont give you a shot but get an old crappy one and use it only for that so if it does get wreacked big deal go get another one from a garage sale for 5 bucks at least you get the fish 30lber x $7.50 lb hhhhmmmm ill wreck a net for that!!!!!!



Good Luck Wolf

 

[ratherbefishin]

A few years ago, i went by myself (My partner bailed out with 6 hours notice!)to winter Harbour for 2 days of bottom fishing. It turned to be a terrible trip. Truck boke down and everything that could go wrong went wrong. I lauched in Coal Harbour and arrived in the bay at 4:30PM instead of the expected 8:00 AM. Before to go and set up Camp, i tought that I would try to tease a small hali in the bay. i send the line down baited with a nice chunk of octopuss and hooked imediately the biggest hali ever. When it surfaced the stupid thing was much bigger than the door of my pick up truck. That is when i realised that my harpoon was burried under all my gears in the bow of the boat. Afraid of loosing the fish, tired with weak arms and not thinking straight, I figured I could use the gaff to pull it in the boat and then whack it with a Hammer that i had handy. The minute that i had the gaff in that fish, it was he who was playing me. I couldnt hoist it aboard and that fish shook me from one end of the boat to the other before it got loose. I was lucky not to go over board. I felt like such an idiot that since that day, the harpoon is always handy and I use it on all reasonable (and sometimes unreasonable) fish!

 

[Mr. Dean]

ratherbefishin;
I had a similar experience once. It'll NEVER happen again!

Best to be prepared for the unexpected.