NorCal Kayak Anglers
Kayak Fishing Zone => Hookups and Fishing Reports (Viewable by Public) => Topic started by: Todd W on December 02, 2023, 04:27:34 PM
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Got on some jumbos today! I launched from the coast guard around 830 and conditions were perfect. Bait was somewhat hard to come by even tho my fish finder was lighting up, but managed a few sardines and squid. The 44” came on a live squid mid morning. About 30 minutes later in the same spot I got another one in the 20lb range. As I’m putting the 2nd on my stringer both fish start thrashing around and I lost control of the 20lber and back to the bottom she went. I had no bait left at that point and didn’t find another sardine for around a half hour. I threw him down in around 90ft of water or so and took it for a walk and about 20 minutes later it got hit by a freight train. I thought for sure it was a shark the way it ran but after I got it straight up and down I could tell it was a big hali. That fish suprisingly fought me all the way up, and I got her on my light rod, it was a blast. Put an extra rope I had through the mouth and out the gills instead of fumbling around with the stringer again. 2 jumbos secured and called it a day after that. The 1st fish measured 44” 36lbs and the 2nd 42” 32lbs.
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WOW^2!
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Damn!! I would have been so happy with the first one I’d call it a day to secure the win from seals, sharks etc. Way to keep your 2023 halibut streak going. What’s your skunk ratio?
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Wowzers!! Congrats. I didn’t know halibuts are still around this late in the season.
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Egads !! :smt005
Killing it !!!
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Wow!! That’s quite a limit!
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Holy shit. Well done!
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Warrior status! Thanks for posting... :smt006
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Damn!! I would have been so happy with the first one I’d call it a day to secure the win from seals, sharks etc. Way to keep your 2023 halibut streak going. What’s your skunk ratio?
Thanks man! I do get skunked maybe… 10-15% of the time this year? I want to say 2 or 3 skunks since april on the kayak, before that was spotty with all the storms we had I don’t remember getting out too much but I do remember getting a few in febuary. All the skunks came within the last month and a half that I can remember, and they’re my fault I got bit and didn’t get a hook in em. One trip I got sardines shredded 4 different times and couldn’t hook up.
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Wowzers!! Congrats. I didn’t know halibuts are still around this late in the season.
Yea in monterey I don’t think they don’t go anywhere. Some would say deeper in the winter, like these fish were caught in 90-100ft, but my buddy just got two in 50ft last week so who knows. There’s still bait around and the waters 58.
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Isn't "Todd W" ready for retirement? How about "Halibut God"?! :smt005
You are so dialed, bro. Very nice job and super impressive season. :smt001
I caught some nice ones in Humboldt Bay later in our season (Sep-Oct), but I haven't hit the 40" mark yet on Cali's.
I did get my ass handed to me by a twentyish pounder that probably went high 30's (inches). It was heavy coming up, and when it hit the surface the white side was up because my big trailer treble was in its gill plate. I netted it pretty easily, but when I grabbed the net frame in both hands it erupted and flipped itself over, twisting my net and escaping. Last thing I saw was a big brown flying carpet - right out of my net!
I'm more of a gaff believer now.
I assume you gaffed both of these and most/all of your others this year?
What's your tally for the year?
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Damn! You smashed it. Way to go! 🤙
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Very inspirational! Congratulations! and thanks for sharing.
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Congratulations 🎉 on the impressive limit.
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I caught a 27 pounder in Monterrey earlier this year and had to hit it with a bat about 20 times before it stopped thrashing. Those big mommas have 2 lives. Congrats on catching some massive halibut in the dead of winter. Good job you’re the halibut king.
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Amazing! I’m speechless. You’ll need a third freezer ..but this time of year they’re on sale
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Dang, nice work!
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Nailing it as always :smt007
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Wow, way to get it done!
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:worship
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Wow... most of us dream of catching ONE 40-incher but you nabbed TWO in one outing!
Congrats.
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Isn't "Todd W" ready for retirement? How about "Halibut God"?! :smt005
You are so dialed, bro. Very nice job and super impressive season. :smt001
I caught some nice ones in Humboldt Bay later in our season (Sep-Oct), but I haven't hit the 40" mark yet on Cali's.
I did get my ass handed to me by a twentyish pounder that probably went high 30's (inches). It was heavy coming up, and when it hit the surface the white side was up because my big trailer treble was in its gill plate. I netted it pretty easily, but when I grabbed the net frame in both hands it erupted and flipped itself over, twisting my net and escaping. Last thing I saw was a big brown flying carpet - right out of my net!
I'm more of a gaff believer now.
I assume you gaffed both of these and most/all of your others this year?
What's your tally for the year?
Oh yea the nets get tricky especially with that heavy of a fish. I only use a gaff when landing now but it takes some practice, I’ve had plenty of missed gaff shots trust me! Usually if you get the halibut to lay out flat for you and hit them right in the guts and keep the head just out of water they stay pretty calm. Calm enough to get your stringer in their gills then it’s game over. I keep my stringer tied to my kayak handle with about two feet of rope on my right side since that’s the side I like to gaff it on. So after I stick em I pull em in close and everything’s right there. But yea I bet there’s some big ones out there in humbolt, you’ll get a 40” eventually it’s all luck of the draw. Do you fish live bait out there? If you want some live bait tips I’ve tried it all! Lol And total for the year man idk I’d say around 40 or 50? I don’t keep track anymore.
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Oh. Hell Yes!
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Wow. Two 40s in one day?? Congrats!
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Oh yea the nets get tricky especially with that heavy of a fish.
Do you fish live bait out there? If you want some live bait tips I’ve tried it all!
I've netted hundreds of salmon including a 40, a 38, a 35 and a 30. Halibut are just different with that big door mat body.
I've fished live bait but prefer my popsicles. Would love to fish with you at some point. :smt001
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awesome!
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You set the bar pretty high and keep crushing it Todd :smt005. Congrats on that fantastic score!
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Holy Moly!
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Nice butts dude! Solid limit for December.
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Unbelievable. The stuff of dreams! Congrats!
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Thanks for posting you inspired me to go out today and I got a 30” halibut which I was stoked to catch!
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well done... inspirational!
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Nice work, let's hope this is a good sign of a nice year for 2024, can't wait to get out on the water, R.
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Damn Todd what a great story about a couple big halis!
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Great fish, Time of year to start getting more!