*BLING* floating gaff project

Very nice.... but keep that metal hook clean and oiled.  Mine is rusting.  It looks exactly like the same one I bought at OPS.  I thought it was stainless steel, but I was wrong.

Sean... I was sad to hear you lost that precious new gaff at The Ranch. 

All gaffs need to float!

Sorry to be a downer, but can't a big ling or other hog get off that size hook?  I modified a short metal gaff I got at England Marine in Crescent City so the tip side is about 10" long from the curve.  I'll put a photo of it on here later.  It absolutely will not float, but it only cost a bit over $10...

Your bling gaff is way cooler though, Sean!   

Big barbed shark hooks will keep 'em on also, but only if their pimped out like dat one.

I have used a gaff around this size for years, with good success.  Jelly has a little one from Mooch (Mooch has a secret generous side) and we have zapped many lings with it.  If were going to keep one I'll go for a head shot, get the head on the rail and turn out the lights before much madness takes place.  Of course, it doesn't work out 100% with any landing tech.

Jelly working his calcutta gaff...



In baja I have stuck things much more frisky than a ling with the same size hook and it has usuall worked great!

Sean, being a dad. I think that shot of Jelly is world class. Combo of fish, background and Smile is worth a million! Lifetime pic. Randall

Good pic of Jelly - that illustrates the point well.  I guess I'm thinking more in terms of coming up through the gills so I have a release option without popping a hole in the fish.  So the round hook definitely looks quite effective and I'm confident it would work well to 'grab' a lingcod, a tuna or something else and get it on the boat - nice tool.

Mine turns out to be only about 7" from the curve to the point once I measured it...     As I've pointed out, I'm kinda weird and I guess I can admit I like it when I have a buckin' bronco of a ling to contend with!   

Dude...that thing is scary!  If I'm gonna release one I'll use the red plastic lip grippers.

I have used my red plastic grippers almost exclusively the last few trips including 5 lings although none was larger than 28".

my confidence in my gaff is dented since that halibut went balistic and the gaff ripped a big hole in the fish and it came off the gaff.

I have used the back side of my gaff to subdue a couple lings and a big cabezon.

I'm talking releasing 20+#er's - I don't know if you want to lip-grip that!     This may be a mute point for me now that I love using my giant salmon net...

I wouldn't want to mess with the gills of a fish I was intending on releasing.

MolBasser

You can...just gotta keep in the water.  If you bring em on board they will gator roll  like crazy.  

'course, if I have my gaff out, that fish is not getting released and it is gonna get stuck in a relatively meaty part of the fish, like the head, gill plate or near the gill plate with a swift and powerful stroke.  (unlike Mooch....)

MolBasser

forget the gaff - bring a net instead  (based on my experiences )

forget the gaff - bring a net instead  (based on my experiences )

That is because is your a wuss 

MolBasser

I wouldn't want to mess with the gills of a fish I was intending on releasing.

MolBasser

I agree - with a big ling being the exception.  There's so much room between a big ling's gills that a smooth metal rod sliding in between them is unlikely to hurt 'em - IMO.  After all, they swallow spiny rockfish whole...