My first Halibut of 2009!!!!

Was hoping to make the NCKA event over at SC harbor, but the wife needed me to watch our daughter starting at 11 so she could go to work and do lesson plans so I decided just to sneak out for a few solo hours and be home in time to make her happy..

Launched off the Capitola Pier and hit up my usual beginning kelp patty right out front...was getting a ton of small RockFish and throwing them all back...was trying out using a white twin-tail scampi tipped with squid on the upper spot of my rock-cod rig...all the small rockies were ignoring the scampi and biting the frozen chovie chunk on the bottom...

After an hour or so releasing the little ones, I got a bite and it felt HEAVY, but it wasn't really fighting and I thought maybe it was a RockFish that was wrapped up in some kelp...kept on bringing it up slowly and saw a big dark shape coming to the surface...at first I thought it was a big glob of kelp, then I realized HOLY CRAP ITS A FLATTY!!!!!!!

Grab the net, and right then it realizes its hooked and takes off fighting and pulling line!!!

Get it back next to the kayak and try and net it while it is thrashing and end up getting the net tangled in the bottom hook, but the fish is still not in the net!!!   

Start getting real scared that I might lose it, and pull it a little closer and just reach down and grab the leader and pull it into my lap..luckily it was hooked REALLY good!!

Give it a quick measure, put it on the clip and beat it over the head till it stops flopping... 

Bummed I didn't get to meet a bunch of you guys today but super stoked that I got my first halibut this year (actually just my second ever!!) and my biggest one at 25 inches...

Here is the link to the Capitola Boat and Bait report:

http://capitolaboatandbait.com/2009/08/16/capitola-fish-biting-on-psychedelics

Here are some pics:

Nice fish for a couple hours fishing and an easy launch. Way to do it!

Nicely done Jim, now lets hope that wasn't the winning fish!

Michael

Congrats Jim

Time on the water has paid off.
Hope to get out on the water with you soon.

Stoggie

Good job bro!... Nice fish!... Put in the time in Capitola and it usually pays off with something big... this is the fishiest I've ever seen Capitola in the 12 years I've been fishing this area, and I've got a feeling it will last into November with the warm water push we've experienced so far.

Thats the look of a happy fisherman . Good job .Wish I had stayed another day .

ConGrats!!!!


  Thats a Great Smile and well deserved........  

WTG Adrenaline rush for sure!!!

Way to go man, your looking pretty stoked and so you should!
Hali's go nuts when they get within a few inches of air, or if their heads get out they go balistic, if you keep them a couple feet under, they will stay calm all day. Kind of a dumb fish but man they taste good! Congrats.

Good job Jim. Sounds like a real exciting time. Dont you just love it when things start going wqrong and then it turns out all right after all? Big sigh after all that I am sure. WTG! You look pretty happy for sure.

Thanks for the kudos guys!!!!!

Yeah, it was pretty exciting and I wouldn't have been surprised at all if the fish had come unbottoned and swam away, but it didn't!!!!
 

Got some fat filets and some nice roe sacs that we are fixing to cook up here in a bit... 

Thanks again.

Sincerely,

Jim

way to go on the flattie love in Cap.  I love that halis give you so much meat with little waste.  If you count the roe, there is pretty much no waste.

How do you like the Big Yak? 

WTG Jim, nice hali!

Awesome story of triumph!  You had it coming, BigJim.

Great pics too.

sincerely, Bro!

Eric   

Thanks again guys!!

Here are some pics of the cooking/eating...did two filets blackened and the roe fried up with some Zatarains...washed down with some Chardonnay and some good company to boot!!!

Good times!!!!!!!!!!

Sincerely,

Jim