A question I should have asked yesterday

[Cbad Mike]

Today I finally hooked a nice halibut. :) 1st good on from my kayak! It freaked out when it saw the net so since I knew that I wanted to keep it I used my gaff and pulled it onto the kayak. The hook came out when I got it on deck. I quickly snapped a photo of dinner and then realized that I needed to kill it. During the FOURTH stab in through the head it freaked out, tried to bite me, and then jumped back in the water and swam away. :doh:
I feel like a f#cking idiot!! I've landed plenty of fish in boats and on docks where the fish had no where to go but am new to kayak fishing.
So the question that I should have asked yesterday before I caught it is what is the best way to kill a halibut quickly so it doesn't bite my junk or worse yet, jump back in the water like today? Just to plan ahead this time, maybe I can add the same question for other types of fish too?
Thanks,
Mike

[xpresso2am]

Club it!, game clip it...

[blitzburgh]

Two words;

Game Clip :).

It's OK man, stuff happens. Get yourself a game clip and some rope and watch videos posted by Greg Andrew;).

[RK]

1. As fish approaches at color
REDUCE DRAG and KEEP ITS HEAD UNDERWATER.
2. with head underwater GAFF IN THE BELLY ZONE this will paralyze the fish.
3. keep a cool head and do not lift fish out yet, run secured game clip through gills and mouth.
4.slide hali across deck of kayak and place opposite leg over tail end of fish while applying pressure to game clipped end.
5. TAKE OUT BAT AND DESTROY HEAD..................
(should only take about 200 shots)

Discalimer:
This is only for the big specimens but after that you shouldnt really have much of a problem.

[addicted2sp33d]

Maybe this is a noob question, but why do people pull the gills on WSB and YT, but not Halibut?

Seems like gill-pulling would be effective for all fish species.

[RK]

GILL, GUT, ICE
for 24 hours or more ensures the highest level of quality with the final product....

[ful-rac]

Right....Halibut needs to be secured after gaffing, before anything...clubbing or otherwise..(pics)...invest in a good game clip! I think they run about 20 bucks or so. Make sure to gaff in the belly! And to secure it before taking the gaff out or else! Better luck next time!

[paintnfish]

Gaff, game clip, pop a gill, let it bleed and your good to go

[WahooUSMA]

LMAO - Chalk it up to learning. I caught a nice one once from my yak, gaffed it and brought into the well. Major mistake's - With all the excitement, I forgot to club it, loosen the drag, game clip, etc. So as I was attempting to get the hook out, the phaquer came back to life and went ape shit in my lap - The treble hook on the trap set-up swung widely and lodged under my middle finger nail, right behind the cuticle. So now my finger is hooked, the drag is tight, reel's in the water-out of reach, and the fish is PISSED, and I can't get the flipping hook out of my finger. I managed to swing a leg on top of the fish in an attempt to pin him to the hull so I could cut the line with my knife. Eventually (seconds later), the hali thrashed around so much that the hook ripped away from my nail. Kept the fish but lost the nail...not a good trade.

[mtnbykr2]

Maybe this is a noob question, but why do people pull the gills on WSB and YT, but not Halibut?

Seems like gill-pulling would be effective for all fish species.
TO BLEED

[GR6RR]

ouch

[dos ballenas]

at least the crabs got dinner :drool5:

Thanks for posting.... as embarrassing as it can be, we have all made the same mistake! As long as you learn from it who cares!

[kayakhunter]

<EMBED height=315 type=application/x-shockwave-flash width=560 src=http://www.youtube.com/v/JMOIMCPpSzw?version=3&amp;hl=en_GB&amp;rel=0 allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always">

[bellcon]

What Ron Said:

Gaff, game clip, pop a gill, let it bleed and your good to go


And for more info:
http://www.bigwatersedge.com/bwevb/showthread.php?t=6760&highlight=landing+halibut

[Halol]

This may help :)

<iframe src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/V1TOypkQO7M" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" width="420"></iframe>

[driftwood]

Here is another technique by a long time pro. :D

http://www.bigwatersedge.com/bwevb/showthread.php?t=6820

[GregAndrew]

In addition to the Belly Gaff, you should keep the fish supported by the gaff until you are done putting the game clip on, removing the hook and popping a gill/killing the fish. Besides gaff location, the most common problems are from swinging too hard on the gaff shot (your hand only needs to move about 6 inches), and supporting the weight of the fish by something other than the gaff (game clip, deck etc.).

[bellcon]

Here's a pic taken by Mr. Greg Andrew of a handsome fellow doing it the right way

(belly gaffed, game clipped, gill popped, and she didn't move a muscle until I slid her down in the water and removed the gaff)

:D

http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff159/bell6pac/SCI%20April%202012/sci25lbr.jpg

[roby]

Great information on how to gaff a halibut. I've read most of what has been posted and it has helped tremendously. A big thanks to all that have contributed in past threads.

I wanted to add and give back to BWE.

Below is a link on how not to catch and release your halibut....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qKkkxti0NIA

[taggermike]

Good advise from every one. I'll add-stay calm (as best you can), don't get in a hurry, have your landing stuff(gaff,net,clip) at hand, and always secure the fish befor you take the gaff or even the hook out. Others may disagree, but except for bigger sharks, I think halibut are the most difficult fish to land we have in our waters. They are not tired like YT or WSB are when they reach boat side, they are amazingly explosive, freakishly strong, and difficult to kill. And pretty nasty teeth. Mike

[mbaha]

6374See attached

[MrM]

what is the best way to kill a halibut quickly so it doesn't bite my junk or worse yet, jump back in the water like today?


Being new to the whole "kayak fishing" thing, this made me laugh hysterically! I'm glad nothing truly important went back in the water with that fish...

[sixgunn]

Maybe this is a noob question, but why do people pull the gills on WSB and YT, but not Halibut?

Seems like gill-pulling would be effective for all fish species.

gill pulling is to bleed them out, but the reason you want to bleed them is as a fish dies, it releases chemicals back into the blood stream. bleed it, no chemicals, better meat.
Some gill rakes can hurt, I always use a pair of dikes to cut them.

[GregAndrew]

Mostly it is lactic acid that builds up during the fight that you are trying to get rid of by bleeding.

[Jimmyz123]

Today I finally hooked a nice halibut. :) 1st good on from my kayak! It freaked out when it saw the net so since I knew that I wanted to keep it I used my gaff and pulled it onto the kayak. The hook came out when I got it on deck. I quickly snapped a photo of dinner and then realized that I needed to kill it. During the FOURTH stab in through the head it freaked out, tried to bite me, and then jumped back in the water and swam away. :doh:
I feel like a f#cking idiot!! I've landed plenty of fish in boats and on docks where the fish had no where to go but am new to kayak fishing.
So the question that I should have asked yesterday before I caught it is what is the best way to kill a halibut quickly so it doesn't bite my junk or worse yet, jump back in the water like today? Just to plan ahead this time, maybe I can add the same question for other types of fish too?
Thanks,
Mike

This is the exact reason I carry a net. What I do is net the fish, then you have it stuck where it can't just jump out. Then I grab the game clip and get that secured all while the fish is still in the net, now you have a handle on the fish. Make sure your clip has a rope secured to the Kayak so you don't lose grip, and keep the net under the fish by pinning the handle of the net under you leg. Once the beast is secured on the clip and the net under, I take a sharp knife and cut the throat and let it bleed. I've had great success with this. Sorry to hear of you loss, but congrats on the great catch.

[yani]

Bleeding the fish is important. Gills, plus cuts at the base of
the tail that allow the circulatory system to vent--while the fish is
alive--ensuring for complete drainage.

Bleeding a fish allows you to keep your fish in storage longer,
since blood decomposes more quickly than muscle.

PS. Driftwood's the pro, not me!!!

[lamb]

Nice halibut! :cheers1:

http://www.bigwatersedge.com/bwevb/showthread.php?t=6760

[William Novotny]

One of my first reports on this site was also my first halibut landed on a kayak. Lets start by saying that I was even less prepared then you. Not only did I have no game clip, I had no gaff, net, knife, clue........So I get this 32" butt to color and have no clue how to handle him. I know better then to lip him like a bass, so I slide my hand inside his gills and pull him onto my lap. Im wearin board shorts. He bites down on the soft flesh of my inner thigh about an inch below my coin purse and gives a few head shakes before letting go. I hadacircle of puncture wounds and a dark purple bruise about 4-5"in diameter. Fish didn't get away though. learned my lesion that day.carry gaff, carry rope or game clip,loosen drag, gaff in the gut, secure fish, slide fish in with legs ON TOP OF FISH. Never in your lsp like your about to read it a bedtime story.

[slobslayer]

So thats my problem, maybe I'm just too prepared and they know they don't stand a chance ha

[William Novotny]

So thats my problem, maybe I'm just too prepared and they know they don't stand a chance ha

That could be it, another secret is to light up a smoke, declare in a rather loud tone that its time to call it quits, and reel in every line exept your bait rig then slowly paddle towards the landing. Approximately 8% if the time it fools them every time.

[Cbad Mike]

Thanks everyone for your replies:you_rock:. I bought a game clip and read all of the info you posted. THE NEXT ONE IS NOT GETTING AWAY!