JTF pounded some butts at the Alameda Rockwall .... 03/21/07

Way to go JTF and Frank!!!



jmairey,

If we meet up again at Spot XJ-15 on Friday, I'll show you the $10 commercial halibut gaff I picked up at Outdoor Pro Shop in Alameda/Oakland. Not only is it going to make a very good "fish come here" stick, but once the butt is on a clip/lip-gripper, it will make a fine "fish be still" stick. It is the "bat" or "slap" style, and it floats.

Scott

A couple side notes in the argument of net versus gaff.  I've never really used a gaff ever.  Coming from freshwater my whole life, I didn't even know what a gaff was. 

I've gaffed a couple rockies, but for the most part, I usually grab the lure and lift them out.  On rare occasion I don't have my net, then I gaff.

That is one big net I'm using.  36" long from beginning of handle to end.  48" deep.  I stuffed the thresher in this net.  I had the t tired and was able to hold the net under the shark then take my right foot and stuff it in.  I've put a couple sturgeon in this net from shore and boat.  My 2 sturg I caught recently I gilled with my hand and put them in the yak.

The thing I've learned is to put the fish facing away and splash water on them.  In the case of the halibut, all I did was make sure they were facing away from me when I netted them. 

Not to many people know this, but I've hooked 2 halibut keeper size previous to this and lost them both.  First to the net, second to the gaff.  I didn't know why I lost it to the gaff at first but now I do.   No, I don't wanna say what I did...

The net job on the first was me netting him with the halibut facing me.  That sucker flew out the net like it was routine, bye bye. 

Anyway, both halibut were put in the boat facing away from me, and clubbed hard and fast for good measure, both times my legs were out of the water,  legs out of the kayak for stability and space to lay the butt down flat. 

I dunno 'bout the game clip thingy, seems risky, the gaff will be my next endeavor, I just wanted to use my net for the comfort factor, that net I have has landed alot of fish for my friends and myself alike.  JTF..

I am not a halibut expert, having only hooked 2 but for some reason I like the big net. Having a raging mad big but flopping around my kayak with a nice sharp gaff attached does not seem like a good time.

I dunno 'bout the game clip thingy, seems risky, the gaff will be my next endeavor, I just wanted to use my net for the comfort factor, that net I have has landed alot of fish for my friends and myself alike.  JTF..

"The comfort factor"... says it all.  The bottom line is that we all use what we're most comfortable using until bad experiences force us to change.  I've also landed way more fish with my net than with a gaff, so I'm always more tempted to use my net whenever I can get away with it.  I just know I need to learn to use a gaff more to become more comfortable with it.... because someday, I know I'm going to land something huge that's just not going to fit in a net.

both abking and jtf were using hella big nets, that is true!

I have yet to net a fish on the ocean... and I've only netted a few in freshwater.

I'm the opposite of jtf, but he's probably better with a net than I am with a gaff.

last summer I landed all my lings and rockies with a gaff or the lip gripper depending
on size or ease of gripping (lings are easy to grip). 
I blew the one halibut, but I dont think that will happen
again, I got a second game clip. big and with a pointy end like mooch has.

JTF, they say to gaff the 'but. but leave it under water on the gaff. then get it clipped.
then lift the head enough to beat the hell out of it. This worked for me on my first two
legal butts except they both came to life later, I did not hit them hard enough or enough times.

next time I am going to bleed the gills, sharks or not.

I'd like to try a slap gaff sometime, that looks good from the yak! thornley, happy to see yours!

I guess you need to know how to wield both to be a well-rounded fisherman. it's not either/or.

It'll be interesting trying to net a salmon if that ever happens, I do have a nice net now but
I certainly need a little practice.

J

It'll be interesting trying to net a salmon if that ever happens, I do have a nice net now but
I certainly need a little practice.

J.....just go to the nearest farm     and pratice netting one of 'em chickens    If you can net one within a minute, then you'll be ready for the salmon 

I've gotta say that, other than that skinny little escapee-salmon the other day that squeezed out the large guage of my net, I've had nothing but great experiences using the king-sized net.  I don't even know if I'll bring my gaff lingcod fishing this year because the net's so easy.  The rubber net I bought is heavy and isn't as big as my big net, so I've now got my eye on a king-sized mesh net - no more escapees that can make it into my lap before being bonked!   

Congrats JTF and Frank..

This year has started with a bang, NCKA members have been nailing the Fish. 

Never caught a Halibut, hope to catch one this year.

John

JTF... Don't hate bro... but I pictured you to be a diehard gaff kinda guy.... not some big awkward net carrying type.... considering most of the slayers I know swing a mean gaff.  Oh well.... 

You won't see a big'ol net on these dudes' yaks... 
http://www.bigwatersedge.com/

i like the sound of the gaff when it hits flesh, thunk!

WTG

scott

Excellent!!!!!!! great catch.  This is a very good sign.  Normally Hali's in March mean a great Bay pot luck season.  If weather holds enough in the spring this could be a banner year.  Hopefully the wind this year doesn't F@$# it all up.
jason

Great fish, JTF, congrats.

I'm far from an expert on gaff vs. net, but wanted to share the Alaska Butt experience (I'll take any chance I can to relive the Ketchikan trip).  Up there with Howard, there's no nets, only a gaff.  And, these are Pacific Butts, thicker than California ones.

Hoping PolePole, who handled most of the butts on our trip, weighs in on this, but we would poke them, slap the water with paddles (or was that only for 'rock' fish?), and even slice their gills before finally gaffing them.  We would get them to the surface from 100 feet and deeper, and wanted to have them make multiple runs, and be pretty tired out, before bringing them on board.  I'll never forget slicing a butt's gills and seeing the cloud of red following it as it peeled off its last run.

I don't think any butt that was hooked was lost due to this technique.  We put a lot of faith in the line and hook holding, but I do think there's some merit to playing the butt a bit longer than first reaction, then when its tired, using the gaff....

Anyone lost a butt by playing it too long?

-- Dave

JTF... Don't hate bro... but I pictured you to be a diehard gaff kinda guy.... not some big awkward net carrying type.... considering most of the slayers I know swing a mean gaff.  Oh well.... 

You won't see a big'ol net on these dudes' yaks... 
http://www.bigwatersedge.com/

yeah, haha chuck, funny thing bout are socal brethren is that normally they have so many rods behind them the net would get caught up, their yaks remind me of trawlers!!!   

Dont get me wrong though, not pokin fun, down south I'm gonna say they carry all those rods out of necessity for the bigger difference in size and numbers of species they can target, makes me jealous, but, and I say but, in the moment, if I decide I want to release a big fish, the net makes it way easier..... can I get an amen?  Try grabbin a 30" or bigger striped bass with your hands, not gonna happen.  Its why i carry both.   jtf..

Yeah Dave, our halibut dont even compare to Alaska's.  No way no how!!   THose things are monsters of the deep up there.  I might want a double gaff for those things.  Scary what would happen if I pulled one in my yak, I might be the one gettin a beatin.  Do they even make a handheld net for those beasts?