Nuther hali story Part Two

Well I thought I'd go for a change of scenery this time and give Tomales a go, but not from Nick's cove, but out near the mouth from Lawson's landing. Word is they are hitin' em out on the bar. So I launched after getting the skinny from one of the freindly locals. He pointed out a couple spots, where the "bar" is and where to make bait. Well I started on the dock for bait, and low and behold I actually caught some right sized smelt for a change. Things are looking up  So I head out across the bay. There are so many bars and small channels on the way out. You'll be out in the middle and suddenly your looking at the sand! Not too bad in a yak, but I could see PBs having a problem if you wandered off course out there. Anyways, I started peddling against the current to take a look near the mouth, but with a strong incoming tide I decided to just go with the flow and rode the incoming 2/3 of the way to Hog Is. Then when the tide turned I rode it back out. On my way back I get that tap tap,....wait, Set! Fish on! Wrastel her up to the boat, gaff her then grab a hold of the lower lip with my bocca. Do a little detistry with the pliers and open the clip to string her up. Right about then she starts floppin' and smackin' my leg. I'm thinking, no problem, got a good hold with the bocca right? WRONG!!!!!! flipped off and into the drink goes another 28"es or so..... The bummer is she'll probably die later from that gaff wound... I think I'm gonna get me one of those harpoons they use up in Alaska  In all my years, I've never had such problems with landing and keeping halibut  That make three in a row now.... So I keep on working my way back in and times running short and the winds starting to blow anyways, so I start cutting across the bay towards the landing. Again going over several bars and small channels, I'm about a minute from the beach and Jonesz pulls a hailmary!!! Hook another one in 8FOW! Goes tearing off, and this time when I got it to the boat I gaffed, decked and grabbed the lip with the bocca AND layed my leg on it till I got the sucker on the game clip. Two lessons here: They ain't caught til their on the clip, and it ain't over till yer on the beach!!!  The streak continues....
Think I'm gonna try Paradise after work again on Sunday morning. Any takers?

Jonesz those halibut are just mean when you get them to the yak!

 I've been thinking of using my shortie speargun to get a line in the butt, then gaff it. Seems like they don't always freeze up when you gaff them, giving you enough time to bonk em.

Also since their brain is only the size of a peanut, it makes a small target.

Good job!

      Jonesz, Good to see your streak is alive, albeit another location. Those halibut just don't play fair acting all calm and subdued on the rise and then go ballistic  on board. With the amount of crabs we have hooked in Tomales nothing will go to waste.

WTG on the halis jonesz. If you ever fish on Saturdays I'll join you. After catching
my first fish on the yak, I am so hooked. Can't wait to do more hali fishing when
the weather permits of course.

Jed

Fishshim,
the thing that got me this time was I had him. All I had to do was hook em up to the clip, and I made the mistake of trusting the bocca to hold. Now I know better... it's all a learning process...

Fishshim,
the thing that got me this time was I had him. All I had to do was hook em up to the clip, and I made the mistake of trusting the bocca to hold. Now I know better... it's all a learning process...

Jonesz I know what you mean. I only use the lippers for smaller less active fish now, after I dropped a steelhead, and a leopard shark that was enough.
 
While I was about to close the clip on a netted, bled, dead halibut it "woke up". My net went flying off my lap in the ensuing cluster fowck and slowly bobbed into the deep while I got beotch slapped with a slimey, salty shower.   It's funny now Would have been good video...

Thats what I like about Halibut the bigger fight isn't necessarily in the water...

Is this Jonesz the firefighter?  If so, this is aka UC.  Just got into kayaking and after I get back from Idaho/Montana/Washington on Oct 6th I'll PM you to get together for some instruction and maybe you can come up to striper fish.

U.C.!! Yep.  How ya doing? Your gonna love the yak fishing. Most of my fishing now a days is on the yak. Too bad your going to miss the BAM tourny. Great bunch a folks will be there.  Mendo is going to be great again this fall. Not long before we have it all to ourselves  One ramps closed, one to go... Oh an dwelcome to your new addiction....