Ahab's Hali Harpoon and Kage

Well I really liked Mike's harpoon (http://www.norcalkayakanglers.com/index.php?topic=38056.0) so decided to make one myself. When you build and repair rods as well as making your own lures, my "shed" has a lot of stuff in it. Decided to use only stuff in my shed with the exception of the aluminum rod and tube. Total project cost was less than $25.

Parts:
1/2" X 3' aluminum tube
3/8" aluminum rod X 3'
Butt section of a Lamiglas 2 piece jigging rod broken and repaired.
Newell P533 4.6F 50 ft 125# Maxima Big Game Leader with 300 yards 40# Izorline copolymer backing.
Fuji heavy duty size 25 turbo guide.
Heavy duty split rings #2
4' 1/8" floating rope
SS Carabiner
Brass clip
Butt cap
Bullet crab float

I had the butt section of the Lamiglas rod for a couple of years and was wondering if I would ever find a use for it. Never thought it would end up as a harpoon.  The Newell reel was my Guadalupe Island reel but since I gave up long range fishing, I hadn't used it for 5 years. Everything else was leftover from other projects.

I did some research on halibut harpoons and didn't like the 2 basic methods, tether with heavy rope to the boat or tether to floats. Tethering to the boat could be dangerous in a kayak. Tethering to floats could tangle your main line and break you off. I decided to go with a tether to rod/reel and float hybrid approach and use heavy mono which stretches to absorb shock and is easy to cut if things go bad. The float attaches to the end of an 18" double 125# shock leader. I used floating rope to connect the float to the main to prevent it from tangling.

I went with a slip tip design because it is the standard commercial design. I don't think a kage would work on a halibut because the skull bone is difficult to penetrate and unless you hit the brain, all you do is piss them off. In addition, hitting them in the head with a spear may cause your hook to unbutton. I used 6061 aluminum for the tube and could not get it to crush without cracking so ended up with a dart style head. Used a 3 bevel chisel point and it came out pretty good. It can be used single or double handed and the wrist leash adds control and power. I had enough leftover parts to build a kaji, but won't be using it on halibut. My harpoon is 5' in total length which allows you to hit them 2' sub surface. The pac buts which I have caught seemed more calm 2-3' below the surface. Oh and whatever you do, don't lift the head out of the water. 

Scott

That is really slick Scott! Very nice. Sure hope you have the occasion to use it!

I was working on my own version over the weekend, but still haven't gotten it completed.
I completely agree that the two methods of tethering ( line to yak or line to float) both have major issues.
I was wondering about the total length of the harpoon. I think I built mine too long & may have to cut it down.

WoW, jaw dropping design

That's awesome, Scott!  Nice work.   

How about you harpoon guys hang out within earshot of me, so when I do catch one that's too big for my net you can come over and go all Apeshit-Javelin on it?!   

I cannot wait to witness the carnage that we hope to do!   

How about you harpoon guys hang out within earshot of me, so when I do catch one that's too big for my net you can come over and go all Apeshit-Javelin on it?!   

hahaha.... mine is more like a "nuclear missile", more of a deterant for me catching Hali's; kinda like all our nuclear bombs, mine wont get used either...


Nice work Scott!!!! Hope yours sees more action than mine....

  NIce !!!    Looks like a fun project.     Hope ya get a chance to test it out on a 30lb'r

That looks great Scott!  I am ever impressed with the ingenuity and cludgery skills of NCKAers.  I hope you have a chance to use that sweet lookin harpoon in the near future.

That's awesome, Scott!  Nice work.   

How about you harpoon guys hang out within earshot of me, so when I do catch one that's too big for my net you can come over and go all Apeshit-Javelin on it?!   

I cannot wait to witness the carnage that we hope to do!   

Oh man Thats some funny stuff right there Eric. I gotta see Ape-shit Javelin man.


Nice design Scotty!

I was wondering about the total length of the harpoon. I think I built mine too long & may have to cut it down.

Sean -

The standard length for a commercial halibut harpoon is 6'. http://www.seattlemarine.net/productcart/pc/viewPrd.asp?idproduct=6533&IDCategory=1326 That length is designed to be used from a boat. From a kayak, 4-5' seemed about right to me. A longer harpoon allows you to stick it at more depth which is a good thing. If your harpoon is too long, you can choke up on the grip or use it in a kneeling position. If it is too short, your screwed. For a kage style spear, 6-7' would be my choice so you can use the aquahunter technique where you hold the rod in your left and spear with your right hand. Can't wait to see your harpoon.

Scott

Interesting design, but it just looks too complicated for me.  Tethering to floats is a very popular method with break offs being rare, and even if you do break off, that's what the buoy is for.  An A2 buoy has like 68 pounds of float.

BTW, the Hawaiian guys refer to the spear as a Kage, not a Kaji.

-Allen

I was wondering about the total length of the harpoon. I think I built mine too long & may have to cut it down.

Sean -

The standard length for a commercial halibut harpoon is 6'. http://www.seattlemarine.net/productcart/pc/viewPrd.asp?idproduct=6533&IDCategory=1326 That length is designed to be used from a boat. From a kayak, 4-5' seemed about right to me. A longer harpoon allows you to stick it at more depth which is a good thing. If your harpoon is too long, you can choke up on the grip or use it in a kneeling position. If it is too short, your screwed. For a kage style spear, 6-7' would be my choice so you can use the aquahunter technique where you hold the rod in your left and spear with your right hand. Can't wait to see your harpoon.

Scott

Thanks Scott!
I think the total length of mine is about 5 1/2'. I already epoxied a copper cap to the butt of the handle so I'm waffling on cutting it down. Plus, I already started decorating it
I went the Kage style but used a SS smooth rod rather than a threaded one, and put a SS slip tip dart with a coated cable on it ala Tote's previous write up. Right now I have about 15 feet of line on it with a float.
Still mentally working out how to store the line. I had considered a small reel of some sort, so I really like your including that as part of your design.

Still mentally working out how to store the line.

Coil the line and secure it with a rubber band.  Make sure the rubber band is just tight enough to hold the coils, which will leave it just loose enough to let the line unravel under the tension of a harpooned butt.

-Allen

Interesting design, but it just looks too complicated for me.  Tethering to floats is a very popular method with break offs being rare, and even if you do break off, that's what the buoy is for.  An A2 buoy has like 68 pounds of float.

-Allen

The original design was mano y mano and did not have a float option. You against the fish. I added the float option in case it was barn door size. Personally, the fun of big game fishing is breaking their will. Using a float to do 90% of the will breaking is just not my style. Even with the float, it's not complicated. I'll post a pic of how you throw it with the float.

Interesting design, but it just looks too complicated for me.  Tethering to floats is a very popular method with break offs being rare, and even if you do break off, that's what the buoy is for.  An A2 buoy has like 68 pounds of float.

-Allen

The original design was mano y mano and did not have a float option. You against the fish. I added the float option in case it was barn door size. Personally, the fun of big game fishing is breaking their will. Using a float to do 90% of the will breaking is just not my style. Even with the float, it's not complicated. I'll post a pic of how you throw it with the float.

Is using a harpoon to break their will any different with and without a float?  Is that any more different than using a net or gaff to break their will?  Presumably their will was broken by the time you were able to lay them out for the 'poon shot.

That being said, the complex part is the part where you're now essentially juggling 2 rods.  And you still have this issue:

Tethering to floats could tangle your main line and break you off.

-Allen

Once the harpoon is secured, I am going to break off the main line.