Short shaft spear for halibut

When I was up in Alaska a few years ago I was fishing on a friends boat for halibut by Elizabeth Island. We left from Homer where he had his boat berthed and fished for two days. When we pulled up halibut in the 40 to 50 pound range he would harpoon them with a spear with a butterfly gun tip on it. So In reading a lot about dealing with big halibut from a kayak and the havoc that they can wreak, I designed this short shaft spear with the same tip he had on his in Alaska. I hope I get to try it out on a huge halibut this year. Craig

Craig,

Great idea...so will the carabiner be hooked up to a tether when you harpoon the butt?

Gary

Yes, I will coil a piece of line say 2ft long attached to an eye on the kayak. Possibly longer but just enough to get my arm in position above my shouder for the thrust . What do you think? Maybe its overkill. I don't know. We have landed big halibut like this but having a boat to fling them into is a whole different story. I do see an avantage to this idea and that is to just let the fish die while tethered to the spear.

Similar idea but without the sling, which could be easily added.

https://www.southchathamtackle.com/store/index.php?crn=208&rn=463&action=show_detail

IMHO, it's not really a good idea...

Few of the main issues to consider.

1) Leverage.
From a spearfishing perspective, we use slip-tips (detachable tips) for large game fish, whether white sea bass or tuna.  The main reason being, that short section of pole gives the fish considerable leverage to tear itself up more.  Marmite's link is a good example of a detachable tip made for your particular application.  Given the relatively soft flesh of a halibut, a thrashing fish tethered on a relatively short leash could rip off without good placement.   

2) Contraction.
Tying the tether line off to the band... is kinda scary.  If the fish pops off due to tearing or if you don't get sufficient penetration on your shot, you risk a tear off.  Even worse - that band will stretch as the fish dives.  You can imagine what will happen when the fish pops off - the stretched band will propel the spear backwards straight at your kayak!  Can you imagine if the fish thrashes on the surface and pops off? 

3) Swimming.
The reputation of halibut is well deserved for their strength and bursts of energy.  Given the length of the polespear, the stretch of the bands, and the leash... that's way more than enough for a decent sized halibut to turn around and head straight for the bottom.  The shorter the leash, the less momentum a fish will have to rev up.  Injured or not, a relatively fresh halibut tethered to one side of a kayak may very well be able to flip it.

4) Loading.
Even a short polespear needs two hands to load.  Only takes a second, but cumbersome to do when dealing with a frisky fish.



I've tossed the idea around about this spearing approach as a gaff replacement before, but there were just too many fundamental problems for use on a kayak.  It's definitely do-able, but there are gonna be a couple fish that make it a living hell.

One idea I thought briefly of is a gaff with a tuned speargun flopper on the inside of the curve near the tip.  That way you could raise the fish's head out of water and the fish would be locked in until you remove it.   

I wasn't thinking about loading the band for propulsion to push the spear through the fish. I am going to try to jab the spear through the fish. I am willing to try. We speared bigger halibut in alaska than are even caught down here with no problem even when lifting the fish over the rail.The man that I fished with in Alaska is a commercial fisherman with over 40 years on the water and has probably caught more halibut than anyone I know. Hell, probably more than any 10 people I know. So, my point is you just don't know until you've tried it from a kayak. Thanks for the tips though. Hopefully I will be able to let you know how it works this year. There is a certain amount of risk in all things.

I have thought about getting a flying gaff like the ones Spike had up for sale awhile ago.  But they are kind of pricey.  They even have something like Fuzz mentioned, a lockable gaff, but they are even more pricey.

Hey Marmite. I went to the link you provided and they have some cool stuff. Pricey is right. Gee, I hope I don't kill myself with this contraption.

Yeh Craig,

Sometimes you think up a good idea but don't always see all the other angles to it.  When I used to SCUBA dive I remember them cautioning you about spearing a big ling in a hole because they could charge you and impale you with your own spear.  I think it would be pretty freaky to be fishing with you spear a big Hali, see him take a big plunge and then see your spear slinging up and then out your back side...grim!

I kind of like the "meat hook" lockable gaff...but not $290 worth.

The Halibut dart would certainly be easy to fabricate.  Just get some 3/8 inch stainless rod (surplus piece at Metal Supermarket) for a few dollars.  Drill two holes midway down the length and swag a loop of stainless steel cable through the holes.  Grind one end down to slanted point and have it compression fit in your shaft.

Hmmm...maybe I'll pick up some ss rod next time I'm shopping...

As if I don't have enough projects to do.

I wasn't thinking about loading the band for propulsion to push the spear through the fish. I am going to try to jab the spear through the fish. I am willing to try. We speared bigger halibut in alaska than are even caught down here with no problem even when lifting the fish over the rail.The man that I fished with in Alaska is a commercial fisherman with over 40 years on the water and has probably caught more halibut than anyone I know. Hell, probably more than any 10 people I know. So, my point is you just don't know until you've tried it from a kayak. Thanks for the tips though. Hopefully I will be able to let you know how it works this year. There is a certain amount of risk in all things.

Please don't mistake my posts as an attack on your ideas. I am well aware of the effective use of harpoons in landing Alaskan halibut.   As a diver, shooting/harpooning a fish to give it the coup de grace would be a very satisfying landing technique.  

But as you commented, "having a boat to fling them into is a whole different story".  





Summed it up the best I could in my last post: "there were just too many fundamental problems for use on a kayak.  It's definitely do-able, but there are gonna be a couple fish that make it a living hell."



Since you seemed determined to give it a go, here are a few suggestions that would help refine your approach:

*  Use norprene for the rubber sling.  More progressive stretch - offers stretch resistance, but won't snap back. Safer in case the fish pops off.  Eliminates the recoil potential.  Material is also rot-resistant.

*  Add a non-slip handle (i.e. a thick rubber grip).  Sitting on your yak and off your backside, you'll generate a LOT less thrust power than standing on a boat.  You need to have as much power transfer as possible before and after initial impact with the fish (to drive tip through and engage on far side).

*  Use a slip-tip (detachable head).  Effectively eliminates the halibut's leverage against the pole.  Lessens tearing dramatically and you won't get beaten with the pole once you get a handle on the fish.   

*  Take your time in picking your strike spot.  Aim for the brain or base of skull for quick kill, or though a softer spot like the cheeks (ruining cheek meat... blasphemy).  A solid headshot will also help control the fish better.




As I mentioned before, I've thought through this a few times.  If you need/want any help with the materials/info, just let me know.  Happy to help.  

You could have the steel cable attached to some heavy braid that was wound up on, say a spool or block of wood to keep it from tangling. The end of the braid could attach midway on a 3/4 pipe or dowel or other handle to hold on to.   But then you'd be let with a hand line so you better play the fish dead, attach it to your rod line and reel it in or have a glove on so you don't risk cutting through your fingers.

If it really got risky you could just drop the line or cut the braid.

OK. Thank you all for your points and tips. You may carry on now. I don't plan on letting go of the shaft. The same way you don't want to let go of the gaff. I think I will have more contol over the fish holding on to the shaft than holding on to a gaff. Then I propose to offer the killing blow with a trusty ball peen hammer. Its really all an unkown. Thanks all. I will keep you updated. Bye Bye.