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While the use of a harpoon to “take” halibut is not authorized, the use of a “spear” to take halibut is legal, but you have to be “a person floating or swimming in the water” (CCR Title 14, section 28.90). Use of a gaff, including a gaff with a detachable hook, is authorized to land the fish as long as it is legal size. So the best option and the only one that is legal for California is to use a gaff with a detachable hook, sometimes referred to as a flying gaff. The description of a gaff can be found in CCR Title 14 section, 28.65 (d).
"(d) No gaff hook shall be used to take or assist in landing any fin fish
shorter than the minimum size limit. For the purpose of this section a gaff
hook is any hook with or without a handle used to assist in landing fish
or to take fish in such a manner that the fish does not take the hook volun-
tarily in its mouth. No person shall take fin fish from any boat or other
floating device in ocean waters without having a landing net in posses-
sion or available for immediate use to assist in landing undersize fish of
species having minimum size limits; the opening of any such landing net
shall be not less than eighteen inches in diameter."
I can't really find the definition of a harpoon...but I think that is what it would be called if you were found with it.
Now, the "hook" on a gaff isn't defined either...So I suppose you could create a very narrow gap "hook" with a sharpened cutting edge that could stab through the fish to "hook" it...but I think you are really walking a fine line.
Nothing says that you couldn't put a spring loaded gate on the hook of your gaff that would close and keep the fish from flopping off... I think I might look into that.
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