pac hali kayak rod suggestions

Ya i was looking for a larger float for my harpoon

Sean -

Your calstar heavy rig is more than enough. I use a 700 ML avet 2 speed rig. The problem is when you get them up to the surface. If it is a shooter (>50 pounds), options are limited from a monohull SOT kayak. A pole spear or harpoon would be my choice. The guys in Hawaii use them on big tuna and wahoo. Tail snaring them is the other option but would be hard on a hali. If it is really big, call in an AI or PB and we can throw him on the tramp and beat on him. 

Scott

Sean -

Your calstar heavy rig is more than enough. I use a 700 ML avet 2 speed rig. The problem is when you get them up to the surface. If it is a shooter (>50 pounds), options are limited from a monohull SOT kayak. A pole spear or harpoon would be my choice. The guys in Hawaii use them on big tuna and wahoo. Tail snaring them is the other option but would be hard on a hali. If it is really big, call in an AI or PB and we can throw him on the tramp and beat on him. 

Scott

thanks Scott! I'll do my best to hook one that requires such measures.

I was looking over my rod/reel selections Saturday and I have a couple of 40# setups that should work fine.

I'm hoping for a nice 20-30# fish, I'm not greedy

A 30# will give u a run for your money lol i went for a stomach gaff not paying attention i hit its back an it pulled down an ripped the gaff through it flesh causing a 3" cut through its body behind its head an took me on a reverse slay ride got him up on the clip an bashed its brains out with a pair of wire cutters lol. This year ill bring the wood shampoo, 3' spear with attached float, and a gaff.  Wish i could just bring a .410 pistol but i dont have one lol

A 30# will give u a run for your money

Not any more than a 30# CAlibut.  Anyone here think a gaff is insufficient for a 30# CAlibut?

-Allen

Guess im just a noob lol

Guess im just a noob lol

Sorry, I didn't mean to imply that.

I too went down the whole path of flying gaff and/or harpoon and buoy.  I too put a lot of thought into it.  But when I asked myself the same question, about whether a gaff is insufficient for similarly sized CAlibut, the conclusion that I came to was that all this stuff is way overkill for the size of Pac butts I'm likely to encounter outside of Alaska (< 50#).  Now ... your conclusion may be different and that's fine too.

-Allen

 Now ... your conclusion may be different and that's fine too.

... it makes for good wintertime discussion threads.

Figuring that my rods are good enough, I'll have to think about whether or not to have an additional piece of gear beyond my standard gaff. Hmmmmmmmmmmm.........

Great thread and contributions on the topic.  In my experience with CA halibut....
The net is best left on the deck with a 50+ pound fish unless it's a badass, modified salmon net with a second or 3rd angler ready to assist in the landing that includes humanely dispatching the catch quickly.  That's hard to do in a net.  I watched my cousin slide a 45# FLATTY INTO a LARGE DIVERS GAME BAG then pull it alongside and dispatch it with a billy.  It was a sight and I'm sure remains his principle landing net today.

Drooling like Homer since Bigfoot landed his beast at Shelter Cove, I've been working on a few shorter harpoons.  I have a few tips with cables from Southchathamtackle.com, a landing gear company in one of the Carolinas. I use their stainless gear exclusively.  They also make line winders and a bunch of other stuff that are pretty bitchen and practical angler items.  Steer clear of the wooden gaffs, that East Coast wood ain't very hard. 

Anyway, I think a headshot on halibut is quite doable, still very dangerous, and I'd wait to stick one when it's pointed away from me and the boat.  My harpoon head is "flying" with a cable and line.  If I miss my kill shot, the fish should bleed out fast enough.

Lastly, I hate spectra for halibut fishing.  Both lure and bait fishing.  I sharpen my lure hooks often too.  The first halibut run will remove the stretch in mono.  When braid was newer, I got the opportunity to test the two lines on halibut. I came away with a better feel and control of the fish with mono, particular to this species.  I also tore out, shook off and straightened more hooks using spectra on big halibut.  Just my experience, others may differ. 

Wasnt affended no worries polepole i just wanna be prepared for the best case scenario last year there was an angler who hooked into one that went air born on him an he couldnt handle it due to its size.  If i get lucky enough to hook into one of that magnitude I wanna be ready so i dont just have a story at the end of the day.  The poor guy was so bent an upset an all he could think about was that fish that weekend.

Lastly, I hate spectra for halibut fishing.  Both lure and bait fishing.  I sharpen my lure hooks often too.  The first halibut run will remove the stretch in mono.  When braid was newer, I got the opportunity to test the two lines on halibut. I came away with a better feel and control of the fish with mono, particular to this species.  I also tore out, shook off and straightened more hooks using spectra on big halibut.  Just my experience, others may differ.

Hey Spike, you talking about CAlibuts here?  I've never had any issues using spectra on Pacific Halibut.  But I use big heavy duty hooks (8/0 and bigger) and not light wire live bait hooks common when fishing CAlibuts.

Standard fair for the Alaska charter fleet is heavy boat rods with no stretch dacron or spectra.  They don't seem to have an issue either.

-Allen

Yeah, my experience is limited to Calibuts to 40# generally hooked at 50-100 feet in Malibu.  After so many ears of feeling that bite on mono, tap-tap-tap-inhale, I never got comfortable with the spectra.   

 Ive never caught a pac hali Sean. Definetely on my wish list. All my friends in AK. use braid. 120# dacron mostly. No leader. Weve caught pac hali to 60 lbs on leftover english bangers after breakfast hahaha They also use the old broom sticks and the opldest crustiest penn reels youve ever seen. Limey has a boat in dock ay Homer and hes taken us out to Elizabeth Is on overnights. Braid is good for a good hookset although I would tie a leader of 8o lb blue Seaugar. Man I hope I can get to Shelter and fish for tyem. PM me your address. Ive some big hammer silver sledgehammers for you to take. I have a trevala 66h and a revo toro 60.

t. All my friends in AK. use braid. 120# dacron mostly. No leader. Weve caught pac hali to 60 lbs on leftover english bangers after breakfast hahaha They also use the old broom sticks and the opldest crustiest penn reels youve ever seen.

Pm sent

yeah, my only experience pac hali fishing we were in between 200-300FOW, using dacron braid (this was in about 1998) on big ole' Penn reels and broomstick rods. you could hardly even feel the 8-10lb rockies bite. Of the 4 of us we had one hali hookup so at least i got to see the whole deal of harpoon (hali freaks and dives to the bottom and is slowly hauled to the surface), then a .410 to the noggin (POW!), then finally severing of the spine before it went into the box. It still flipped the lid off the fish box on the way in. It weighed approx 125# using the calculator. Such a cool experience.

Let me re-phrase that. They use a leader on a 3way when using bait. 2lb balls. due to current speed. No leader on artificials on a jighead. DUDE! ahem.................... never caught one on the kayak yet.