Newbie here!

Hi friends,

My name is Kim and I live in Felton. I've been kayak fishing out of Santa Cruz for the past couple of summers now with my husband Adam, and love it. I'm the chick out there with the neon orange hat on because I'm afraid of getting run over by a sailboat -- those guys are like squirrels on the water, I swear.

So, Adam and I are pretty good at catching rock cod, ha, but that's about it. What is the trick for landing halibut on a kayak?!?! We've both hooked keeper-size (or at least we thought so) halibut only to lose the damn thing at the surface then be pissed off the rest of the day. Well, that's a lie, Adam has had success once before but like two years ago

Looking forward to meeting y'all on the water one of these days.

Kim



 

Thanks for bringing up the lack of landing the big Butt.

whoops 

Welcome to the madness Kim

There is a GURU by the name of NoWhereMan... search and you will be enlightened. Head West to where the sun sets... where land meets the water .. find the deep, bounce a ball, and wait  that is all I can tell u.

Welcome Kim and Adam.

get a big net!  that's the best advice I can give at least.

Welcome to NCKA Kim and Adam 

There is a GURU by the name of NoWhereMan... search and you will be enlightened. Head West to where the sun sets... where land meets the water .. find the deep, bounce a ball, and wait  that is all I can tell u.

I'll search! I've already been following the second part of your advice to a T. And it works enough to keep me going back out.

Welcome to NCKA 

Welcome! I like your husbands name! On the bottom left there is a link to a great write up from Bushy. A extremely experienced guide out of Santa Cruz. The link is catching Halibut from your Kayak. It is a great resource!

Welcome! I like your husbands name! On the bottom left there is a link to a great write up from Bushy. A extremely experienced guide out of Santa Cruz. The link is catching Halibut from your Kayak. It is a great resource!

Ha! Adam (@oceandweller) went out with Bushy to learn how to catch halibut a couple years ago, and that was awesome! I guess we just need more practice. (And a bigger net, as mentioned earlier.)

I saw on another thread that you're hosting a safety class in Monterey on March 7th. We want to come to that! I'll call the number to inquire this week.

Hi Kim,

Welcome to NCKA, it sounds like you have been catching halibut without any issues but are having trouble landing them. So the first thing not to do is to let them break the surface, most of the time they go crazy.

Then you need to decide on whether to use a net or a gaff. If using a net make sure it is plenty large. Always guide the halibut into the net head first. They will almost always escape if netted tail first.

Gaffs are good because when you place it well at the front of the fish it temporarily paralyzes them allowing you to get them onto the clip, and remove the hook. However, it is only temporary, so they need to be given a good beating before removal of the gaff.

Also, be sure to check out halibut fishing techniques at: thelostanchovy.com

Hi Kim,

Welcome to NCKA, it sounds like you have been catching halibut without any issues but are having trouble landing them. So the first thing not to do is to let them break the surface, most of the time they go crazy.

Then you need to decide on whether to use a net or a gaff. If using a net make sure it is plenty large. Always guide the halibut into the net head first. They will almost always escape if netted tail first.

Gaffs are good because when you place it well at the front of the fish it temporarily paralyzes them allowing you to get them onto the clip, and remove the hook. However, it is only temporary, so they need to be given a good beating before removal of the gaff.

Also, be sure to check out halibut fishing techniques at: thelostanchovy.com

Hi Mark, Thank you, that's great advice and I'll check out that website.

Gaffing kind of intimidates me -- I've never done it before and I'm worried I'll miss the fish and whack it off the hook or whack myself or the boat or something. But I should probably get one, and a beat stick, and a bigger net. I think the net has to have been the issue in the past. But, I figure if I have a gaff and a net, I can try whatever feels least uncomfortable next time.

And I shouldn't say I have *no* issues catching halibut...I have done it, but not often, ha!

Anyway, thanks so much for the welcome and the tips! Much appreciated

welcome to another sc mtn dweller.

I'm a gaff guy when it comes to halibut, unless they are so marginal in size I'm not sure. My method is to play them out as much as possible (hookset withstanding) and get them to hang vertically next to the kayak. Then, with your deck clear, game clip or boga grip ready,  and the kayak prepped for some mayhem, gaff them like you are Julia Child flipping a potato cake (with confidence ).
Get them clipped immediately and hang on as they will go nuts at any time. Never stop for photos until the fish is secure
My best hali success has been on whole squid fished bounceball style or on swimbaits just off the bottom.

welcome to another sc mtn dweller.

I'm a gaff guy when it comes to halibut, unless they are so marginal in size I'm not sure. My method is to play them out as much as possible (hookset withstanding) and get them to hang vertically next to the kayak. Then, with your deck clear, game clip or boga grip ready,  and the kayak prepped for some mayhem, gaff them like you are Julia Child flipping a potato cake (with confidence ).
Get them clipped immediately and hang on as they will go nuts at any time. Never stop for photos until the fish is secure
My best hali success has been on whole squid fished bounceball style or on swimbaits just off the bottom.

Do you go with or without dodger. I do both depending on depth and viz and had about the same success landing halibut on both.