68lb halibut limit Monterey 12/2/23

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.

WOW^2!

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?

Wowzers!! Congrats.  I didn’t know halibuts are still around this late in the season.

Egads !! 

Killing it !!!

Wow!! That’s quite a limit!

Holy shit.  Well done!

Warrior status!  Thanks for posting...

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.

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.

Isn't "Todd W" ready for retirement?  How about "Halibut God"?!   

You are so dialed, bro.  Very nice job and super impressive season.   

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?

Damn!  You smashed it.  Way to go! 🤙

Very inspirational!  Congratulations!  and thanks for sharing.

Congratulations 🎉 on the impressive limit.

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.