Pacific halibut from a kayak

Allen, I don't think he ever lost a fish after the shot. His technique is to keep the head a bit below the water surface, maybe a couple of inches, then fire. Even if it is not a direct brain shot the bullet force so deeply stuns the halibut it is quieted and manageable.

Allen, I don't think he ever lost a fish after the shot. His technique is to keep the head a bit below the water surface, maybe a couple of inches, then fire. Even if it is not a direct brain shot the bullet force so deeply stuns the halibut it is quieted and manageable.

Hi charles, I certainly can believe that, but I personally won't use a gun on a kayak, nor can I recommend it.  But to each his own.

-Allen

Check out Northwest Kayak Anglers (NWKA). Those guys have pacific halibut fishing dialed. I went ahead and signed up there, too, since many of the salmon fishing techniques they use up there are also productive here. (And I do love to fish up in WA when I visit my aubt and uncle.)

Like others said, you want a harpoon and float. You also want to make sure your drag is set properly. If the drag is set properly, YOU control how hard the fish can pull on you.

Alex, have you every caught a Pacific Halibut off your kayak?  Ever harpoon one?

You can coax a pac butt to come to the surface with much ado about nothing.  But after harpooning, you may NOT have any control over what happens.  I've seen halibut drag an A2 buoy under for many 10's of seconds, if not a minute.  That's ~68 pounds of buoyancy.  At this time, with the violent head shakes, anything can happen.  Hooks rip out, harpoons rip out, mayhem can ensue.

-Allen

what's your recommendation?  Harpoon + buoy, then freespool instead of loose drag?

Check out Northwest Kayak Anglers (NWKA). Those guys have pacific halibut fishing dialed. I went ahead and signed up there, too, since many of the salmon fishing techniques they use up there are also productive here. (And I do love to fish up in WA when I visit my aubt and uncle.)

Like others said, you want a harpoon and float. You also want to make sure your drag is set properly. If the drag is set properly, YOU control how hard the fish can pull on you.

Alex, have you every caught a Pacific Halibut off your kayak?  Ever harpoon one?

You can coax a pac butt to come to the surface with much ado about nothing.  But after harpooning, you may NOT have any control over what happens.  I've seen halibut drag an A2 buoy under for many 10's of seconds, if not a minute.  That's ~68 pounds of buoyancy.  At this time, with the violent head shakes, anything can happen.  Hooks rip out, harpoons rip out, mayhem can ensue.

-Allen

what's your recommendation?  Harpoon + buoy, then freespool instead of loose drag?

Harpoon + buoy.  And don't change a thing on your drag, and certainly don't go into freespool.  Too much can go wrong in the heat of the moment.  Just hold on and enjoy the ride.  It's quite the rush.

-Allen