San Diego Bay 8/15 Got butt kicked by a big butt

[Patrick.walker5326]

Thanks for the info.

Why is it that you would be amazed with a legal Hali on a fly line?

[taggermike]

Except for maybe sharks, Halibut are about the most anxiety inducing fish to gaff that we have around here. Some times they just lay there, get gaffed, and go in the hatch with out a flip, other times you get what you got. A captain I really respect, Capt Ron Baker, said to always gaff em deep in the guts. Don't rush your gaff shot. Keep their heads in the water and try to lay them out. They are very difficult to gaff when they are hanging vertically. Make your first gaff shot count cause they will go ape and bolt for the bottom if you blow it. when they're on the gaff put your rod in the holder with a light drag or free spool with clicker on. If the freaks and gets off you still have a chance to recover it. With the fish on the gaff and now 2 hands free is the time to use your clip. In your case, clip less, things can get more interesting. Maybe drag it straight in to the hatch, but it's about impossible to get the hatch open holding the fish. Some thing that has worked for me is to pull the fish across your shins, swing your legs over the fish, lean our weight forward, and try to pin the fish down with your legs. This is not ideal but it's what I got. Or just keep your game clip attached to a leash. You'll get em next time. Mike

[Aaron&Julie]

Game clips are expensive, you need to have it secured to your 'yak. We use a quick clip on one end secured to the 'yak, about 5' of bungee, then the game clip on the other end. Good cable ties help ensure any knots you use stay in place. You can get any length or thickness you want in a bungee cord where we picked up ours at UFO: http://www.yelp.com/biz/ufo-upholste...fabric%20store We also bought plenty of length of bungee, and added hooks to secure our rods in the crates behind our seats.

Additionally we always bring along a nylon rope type stringer, the type with the long pointy metal tip to go thru the gills, and a ring on the other end. When you feed your game clip thru the 1st fish's gills, let it chill for a minute or two (or beat it into submission), then transfer it to the rope stringer. That way you have no interference when that big fish comes along to use your game clip to slide it into his gills while he's still in the water.
This method worked extremely well one morning when we both nailed 2 WSB each, all 4 about 40lbs or more a piece. If we hadn't transfered the 1st ones to the rope stringer, it would have been nearly impossible to slide the game clip into the 2nd ones with a 40 lb white already dangling on the clip. Food for thought.
Those nylon rope stringers are very cheap and worth having on hand.

[Dail14]

Originally Posted by Aaron&Julie

Game clips are expensive, you need to have it secured to your 'yak. We use a quick clip on one end secured to the 'yak, about 5' of bungee, then the game clip on the other end. Good cable ties help ensure any knots you use stay in place. You can get any length or thickness you want in a bungee cord where we picked up ours at UFO: http://www.yelp.com/biz/ufo-upholste...fabric%20store We also bought plenty of length of bungee, and added hooks to secure our rods in the crates behind our seats.

Additionally we always bring along a nylon rope type stringer, the type with the long pointy metal tip to go thru the gills, and a ring on the other end. When you feed your game clip thru the 1st fish's gills, let it chill for a minute or two (or beat it into submission), then transfer it to the rope stringer. That way you have no interference when that big fish comes along to use your game clip to slide it into his gills while he's still in the water.
This method worked extremely well one morning when we both nailed 2 WSB each, all 4 about 40lbs or more a piece. If we hadn't transfered the 1st ones to the rope stringer, it would have been nearly impossible to slide the game clip into the 2nd ones with a 40 lb white already dangling on the clip. Food for thought.
Those nylon rope stringers are very cheap and worth having on hand.

That is exactly what I had done with the butt I managed to keep.

[Aaron&Julie]

Then it sounds like your problem and downfall was not having the game clip attached to the 'yak, so it seems.

[Jimm H]

Consider instead of a game clip make your own stringer just like the ones you use for trout. Just use a longer metal stake of piece of solid metal dowel rod (12" or so long, 1/4" diameter... bought from Home Depot), and attach some nylon rope to it with a crimp covered by some duct tape.

You tie off and string it through from the gill to the mouth while the halibut is in the water. 12" easily clears the teeth, they don't react to it, and its's easy to knot it off. Either way (clip or stringer), clicker on, and reel out of gear with your thumb on the line before the gaff shot in case it runs down.

There are multiple uses for rope out there (tying off a thresher by the tail to let it bleed out before bringing it in). Try that with a game clip.

My largest halibut on the kayak is 36 lbs.

Jimm H.

[Hobie-Pedaller]

Originally Posted by Patrick.walker5326

Why is it that you would be amazed with a legal Hali on a fly line?

because Halis are almost always down on or near very bottom.
rarely (if EVER) will be swimming around thru mid to upper depths of water column, where a typical flylined bait will be positioned.