How to Land Halibut- Taught By Mr. Miyagi and Friends

Usually I would take my club and stick it in their Halibuthole and beat them from the inside.

I want to see a video of that!

With the halibut bite picking up in the bay, some people have been asking me for tips on landing halibut. I've lost my fair share of butts through the years, so i've composed a few tips to help others.

Thanks for the vid, still looking for my first butt on a kayak!

Great video. Thanks for sharing!!


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I think the most important part of the tutorial is to make sure the net is lifted and kept high at all times.
Don't underestimates a halibuts ability to jump out of nets. They are extremely good acrobats and will escape even the smallest of openings.(Learned this the hard way) You guys can also go the easier route and use a gaff, but just make sure it is impaled in the middle of the body. Game clip ASAP! 

After losing too many larger ones in a net landing (unless you carry a giant net that you can wrap up and twist the flatty in the net itself).

I never use a net for flatties as they go ape shit, it's gaf, game clip, bat to the dome 15-20 times and into the gunnysack with game clip still attached.

Good luck out there!! Over a dozen years of yak fishing I'll tell you I've lost almost as many as I have landed, they're extremely hard to control, unless you're using wire leader, they can cut through 40lb flouro leader within a head shake. Love em to death though cause everyone is a different fight..

My biggest calibut to date is only 13 lbs and 31", but I don't find any issues with netting them if you don't lift them out of the water.  I have landed pacbuts up to 49" in a net before.  I don't carry fish clips.  I slit their gills in the net then bang them between the eyes then rip their belly and guts out through the gills like I do with all other fish like salmon, lings, cabs, rockfish, etc.

If you plan to catch big fish than carry a big net.  I do bring a gaff and use it occasionally when the halibut is in the net to help control it.  I gaff or land big lings with my hands.  Nets and lings don't mix well cuz they just twist and tear it up. 

My biggest calibut to date is only 13 lbs and 31", but I don't find any issues with netting them if you don't lift them out of the water.  I have landed pacbuts up to 49" in a net before.  I don't carry fish clips.  I slit their gills in the net then bang them between the eyes then rip their belly and guts out through the gills like I do with all other fish like salmon, lings, cabs, rockfish, etc.

If you plan to catch big fish than carry a big net.  I do bring a gaff and use it occasionally when the halibut is in the net to help control it.  I gaff or land big lings with my hands.  Nets and lings don't mix well cuz they just twist and tear it up.

I agree with the lings and nets. They don't mix to well together. It's more of a mess to try and get them out when they are all tangled. I prefer the net to the gaff personally. Looking forward to my first PACbutt (if i ever get one). I heard they can get pretty crazy when landing them. I'll get one hooked up first then figure it out.