Handgun and Kayak fishing

Same as a bang stick.  Don't REALLY see a need on that particular sized Gar but to each their own.

I recall watching a video a while back of one guy, who does not fish with a kayak, that we all respect for his reel repair abilities, catch a nice size halibut.  When it got to the boat some one on the boat dispatch said halibut with a shot, from what appeared to be .410.  No one hear said anything other than nice fish, myself included.  Now what were the chances on a pitching deck in a Grady White on the Pacific Ocean any different than the guys shooting said garr?  If anything it was far more unsafe to discharge the shotgun on a butt than it was for this guy to shoot a garr from a bank.  Are we being hipocrites here, and too judgemental, or are we showing favoritism for a West Coaster? Either way, is a firearm needed to catch a fish now a days? 

I am not showing favoritism for a West Coaster. Shooting a halibut with a gun is NOT legal in CA!!!

From http://californiaoutdoorsqas.com/2013/03/:

Question: I have a question about safely bringing large halibut onboard. Because the Pacific halibut caught in Alaska are often over 100 pounds, deckhands use pistols or small shotguns to kill the fish before bringing them on board. This is to prevent the fish from causing damage or hurting anyone once on the deck. Would this method be legal to use in California ocean waters with large fish? Of course, the fish would already be "landed" by first being gaffed. Is it even legal to carry a pistol while fishing on a private boat near shore? — Timothy B., Morro Bay

Answer: Sport fishermen may take halibut by hand, hook and line, spear fishing, spear, harpoon or bow and arrow (California Code of Regulations Title 14, sections 28.65, 28.90 and 28.95.) Firearms are not a legal method of take for halibut, so a gun may not be used to assist in taking or landing the fish.

In some areas it may be legal to carry a pistol on a private boat but there are closures that prohibit the possession of any firearm on a boat along portions of the Monterey and San Luis Obispo county coastlines within the California Sea Otter Game Refuge. If considering carrying a pistol on your boat, you need to research local laws and ordinances within the jurisdictions you will be transiting on your fishing trip.

Read more here: http://www.modbee.com/2013/03/26/2629689/guns-not-allowed-to-finish-off.html#storylink=cpy

Listed below are the gear restrictions for taking CA halibut from page 103 of CA 2013-2014 Ocean Sport Fishing Regulations https://nrm.dfg.ca.gov/FileHandler.ashx?DocumentID=59205&inline=true:

28.65. GENERAL. Except as provided in this article, fin fish may be taken only on hook and line or by hand. Any number of hooks and lines may be used in all ocean waters and bays except:
(d) No gaff hook shall be used to take or assist in landing any finfish shorter than the minimum size limit. For the purpose of this section a gaff hook is any hook with or without a handle used to assist in landing fish or to take fish in such a manner that the fish does not take the hook voluntarily in its mouth. No person shall take finfish from any boat or other floating device in ocean waters without having a landing net in possession or available for immediate use to assist in landing undersize fish of species having minimum size limits; the opening of any such landing net shall be not less than eighteen inches in diameter.

28.90. DIVING, SPEARFISHING. Persons who are floating or swimming in the water may use spearfishing gear and skin or SCUBA diving equipment to take fin fish other than giant (black) sea bass, garibaldi, gulf grouper, broomtail grouper, trout, salmon or broadbill, except that:
(a) No person may possess or use a spear within 100 yards of the mouth of any stream in any ocean.
(b) When spearfishing for or in possession of federal groundfish or associated species as authorized pursuant to sub-sections 27.25(c)(4), 27.30(c)(4), 27.35(c)(4), 27.40(c)(3), 27.45(c)(4) or 27.50(c)(3), in an area or during a season closed to the take of these species, no fishing gear except spearfishing gear may be aboard the vessel or watercraft.

28.91. SLURP GUNS. Slurp guns may be used to take finfish except that bag and possession limits shall not be exceeded wherever they apply and no species of finfish may be taken for which a minimum size limit has been established (see Sections 27.60 and 28.00-28.55).

28.95. SPEARS, HARPOONS AND BOW AND ARROW FISHING TACKLE. Spears, harpoons and bow and arrow fishing tackle may be used for taking all varieties of skates, rays, and sharks, except white sharks. Such gear may not be possessed or used within 100 yards of the mouth of any stream in any ocean waters north of Ventura County, nor aboard any vessel on any day or on any trip when broadbill swordfish or marlin have been taken. Bow and arrow fishing tackle may be used to take finfish other than giant (black) sea bass, garibaldi, gulf grouper, broomtail grouper, trout, salmon, broadbill swordfish and white shark.

How did this crap get on a kayak fishing board???  These guys aren't kayakers........more like a couple of bubba's.

Because we are open minded and like to post our different points of view (although sometimes silly).  Makes things fun and interesting. 
As PolePole said... Click..

I have many years experience catching them and IMO, they were all bones and scales like a carp, but I suppose some folks think they food of the gods. Hot water swamp fish, yuck! Lot of fun tho, they get big like a sturge but they are a bony fish, not a cartilage fish so forget about fillets. I had one on that went over 50 lbs, we cut it loose, it was as big as the canoe we were in. In the Potomac backwater next the Reagan airport, lots of them back in the swamp there. Killing for sport???  Reminds me of the Paddlefish snaggers.

the first time he tried to squeeze off a round, he flinched.  not a big fan of revolvers, anyway.

I recall watching a video a while back of one guy....  Now what were the chances on a pitching deck in a Grady White on the Pacific Ocean any different than the guys shooting said garr? ......

Deck wasn't pitching, and it wasn't a Grady White. Notes indicate Montague island, AK-common practice up there to plug a big halibut before bringing it on deck.  Saves on the broken leg bills.

Fine with me....I still have the .44 slug that plugged a big fish I caught up in that area.

Personally I don't care if  hillbilies blow up a gar or three, but they essentially already had the thing landed, and on the bank no less, not a deck.


Bushy

Dead fish is a dead fish, but a large powerful darting fish and two people in close proximity on a slippery, uneven riverbank, plus a handgun = disaster waiting to happen

No big disaster if they shoot each other!