pac hali kayak rod suggestions

I must've gotten lucky.   

Here's the entire flick:

Im thinkin 40 or 50 just get 2 hobies to break u off lol

Why 40 or 50, especially when you say the following?   

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.

You can pop a fish off on 40-50 when you're leadering with it.  I've seen it happen multiple times (I have done it myself exactly once) when someone thinks they can just "bounce" an albacore into the boat.  The fish never leaves the water and all you get is a handful of dangling leader.  I've got to believe the violent headshakes of a halibut on the leader can exert a similar force and that its teeth will just help in sawing you off.  Now, if you're not leadering the fish and are trying to guide it into your gaff, 'poon, net directly off the rod tip, well, you can probably get away with 40-50.

Also, I'm not running 150# mainline.  I'm running 30# braid, with about a 10' section of 30 pound mono (shock leader), to a swivel, then 2-3 feet of 150# leader.

-Allen

I must've gotten lucky.   

Naw, that looks like skill!   

-Allen

Plus, they have that whole "reverse swim" action that backs them right up out of whatever net you have. I got an 8# calibut into a game bag just like Spike's cousin did, but that was a one-time desperation move on a little fish.  I also once "gaffed" a 12# one with my game clip by slipping it though the gills as the fish lay flat on the surface ( But I watched Bigwavedave lose a nice one that way a couple years later, it bent the clip straight like it was nothing).
My main focus with halis is that they not escape, so I'll use whatever works.

Somewhere I have this video that is pure jackass rookieness at its finest.  I really need to find it sometime.

Scallen and I were up in Alaska.  Scallen hooked up on a chicken butt.  He got it to the boat in short order then went to net it.  He didn't get head first and sort of side scooped it.  Of course it popped out of the net.  Second pass, same results.  Third pass, and this time a trailing hook got caught in the net and the fish proceeded to thrash him before the hooked freed from the net.  I got it all on video.  Well, thinking "enough of this already", I paddled in.  I grabbed my lip gripper and stuck the fish.  Was just letting it hang there while I reached behind for my game clip.  Well, the fish decides to do the whole "reverse swim" thing and with me in the THE POSITION (you know, the reach behind position that is the most unstable position you could possibly be in), I proceed to roll right into the drink.  But hey, I recovered ... lost no gear (even though my rods weren't leashed, they stayed in the rear flush mounts), and still landed the fish!   

-Allen

IMHO, I would not gaff or harpoon in the bellie area. That is the weakest point of a Butt, and they have ripped their own gutts out to get away. As far as a net, you will be fine, unless you hook one like the guy from last year!!! Sorry, I don't remember his name, but I was the guy that attempted to net it with my big Salmon net. When that Big Butt started to touch the edges, on both sides, of my net and I hadn't reached the widest part, I pulled it away. As soon as I pulled it away, the butt opened his mouth and bit down, cutting the line. It drifted down as we all watched. That fish was huge, its eye was bigger than a golf ball. I am not making this $hit up, as I wasn't the one who hooked it, I just witnessed it! This may be "an excetion to the rule", but I will be bring a harpoon and use heavy leaders.

I like to gaff buts in the belly. It seems to make them freak out less than when you hit bone. Bigfoots pac but was hit in the belly first and it didn't twitch. Then Tommy hit another gaff in the head and she was done. Dive clip, cut gill, club, club, club. Worked like a charm.

By the way, I want to know pac hali baits and lures. Got to hook them first.

great vid Eric. 

What were the stats on that halibut?
And how wide is the mouth of that net?

Hrm mayhave to find some heavier leader an do a 30# shock like u suggested cause i can break 30# solo lol

This is an awesome thread. I have read all the responses and there is a lot of good info and things to take into consideration with a big Hali. Hoping to get one up at GS7.

Eric that video was f-Ing AWESOME.

Eric that video was f-Ing AWESOME.

great vid Eric. 

What were the stats on that halibut?
And how wide is the mouth of that net?

Thanks, Guys.   

That was just over "chicken" size at about 42" and 35 pounds.  The net is a "big salmon net" - I gave it to Domenic, so I'm not sure of the opening size.  When you go to buy a "big salmon net", get the really big one.   

I don't care about a big net being wind-drag or a bother to have along.  If I have a chance to catch and keep a very big fish (almost any time you're in the ocean...) I have that net with me.

I like to gaff buts in the belly. It seems to make them freak out less than when you hit bone. Bigfoots pac but was hit in the belly first and it didn't twitch. Then Tommy hit another gaff in the head and she was done. Dive clip, cut gill, club, club, club. Worked like a charm.

I'm a belly gaffer too!  Aim for the heart!

By the way, I want to know pac hali baits and lures. Got to hook them first.

Many options for bait/lures.

My favorite baits.   Large horse herring, as large as you can find.  Run a 16/0 circle hook trough about 1/3 the way down from the head and back through the herring.  This will cause the herring to spin some.  This is the go to rig for many charters.  Slather it with herring oil to create more of a slick.  Halibut really key in on smell and will follow a scent trail if they pick it up.  I've seen this time and time again when fishing halibut on anchor.  The first 1/2 hour may be slow, but if there are halibut in the area they'll hone in on the baits soaking in the water and the bite will appear to just turn on.  Some charters will even tie a rag soaked in herring oil on the anchor chain to create even more of a smell slick.  Substitute baits include a large strip of salmon belly or a chunk of octopus leg.  Or a cocktail of all 3!

My favorite lures.  Kalin 10" grubs.  Glow color.  On an 8 ounce jig head which matches the grub width perfectly.  Work this aggressively pulling up in full strokes.  This lure is especially effective in SE Alaska, however, I've fished areas where it doesn't work as well, especially areas where the halibut are <20#.  Inside Prince Williams Sound I've found smaller 6" grubs to work better, or 4 ounce bucktail jigs or similar jigs with a large hootchie.  Also try inverting the hootchie too so it works backwards.  This is effective in areas where the butts appear to be feeding on crab.  Again, glow colors seem to work well.  I'll even work a glow hootchie over bait.  And again, juice it all up with herring oil.

-Allen

I have watched that video 3 times now, and it never gets old!!!!! I hope to have a situation like that this year!!

I caught my biggest halibut on my salmon setup which was 40lb braid with 65lb mono leader.  My dedicated barndoor setups have either 80lb or 65lb braid, 2speed Avet MXL with Trevala rod.  I like to use the double Wally Whale Hootchie setup with 250lb leader line and 16/O circle hooks with a large herring on one hook and a salmon or tuna belly on the other hook soaked in butt juice or a live sand dab.  Another good rig is a spreader with a 3ft leader for your cannon ball (1-3lb) and a 14" B2 Squid with a 34"-30" 150lb leader with 10/O J hook and a 10/O treble slip tie setup with a herring, salmon belly, tuna belly or live sandab.