Gaff Technique

  Well ,

 Kevin had the opportunity to witness me throwing the possibly the winning ling back due to over

confidence in my netting technique. I'm not sure what happened, he was on the boat in the net and the next thing, the ling is gone,

 I was a bit shy to use the gaff because I've only nailed one fish with it, a Nice Dorado, that went flawless,

 Thought the net would be fool proof,  well guess again Batman......

  I was lucky to pick up a nice ling right after that,  netted that one too, but put the Hurt on Quickly...

So don't feel to Bad ChuckE, I'm with ya ...

    ........Danglin

 What are friends for,  brutal teasing at your expense! They must really love you to invest that much effort in razzing you!
  Chuck have you considered a metal "lipper". After having one of those larger steelies pop right out of the plastic one, I invested in a metal lipper. I wanted something not as bulky as a net to handle toothy fish and fish to be released without handling them (or gaffing )

You only need to use a gaff for keeper lings and halibut. Or WSB and other fun SoCal species.
Otherwise JUST LIP EM LIKE BILL DANCE! Don't be scurred.

Of course, it helps when you have paddling gloves on. That decreases the "bass thumb" syndrome. You just gotta be assertive.

Love my custom EK Gaff though!
PK

I've never had anything escape my big net - 30lb lings and halibut are no problem at all.  The trick is to fold the net over the fish and put it's lights out before attempting to stringer or remove the hook.  Many folks use a 'barely legal' net which is really only adequate for 'barely legal' fish.

But agarcia was probably taught on a boat, and maybe for surface fish like big striper or something, that might explain the difference in technique, one for surface fish off a boat, another for fish that try to hang deep?

Yes on a boat, no to the other stuff. I'm not saying anything I do is the right or only way to do things but here's what I know, have been told and have observed.    
You should never allow a fish to break the surface, keep it a few feet under till you're ready to sink a gaff or net it.  You'd be surprised how often a docile played out fish will turn Hot as soon as it breaks the surface.  If its so tired out its just laying there under the surface guide it in figure 8's or big circles not allowing any slack in the line.  In addition, long back and forth battles will make the hole where the hook penetrated enlarge (IMO this occurs moreso with tight drags and low/no stretch lines). How many times have you seen a ling boated and the hook pops out as soon as the fish hits the deck????  So....when your played out fish hits the surface and freaks out diving back down or jumping, your hook will pop out.  Does it always happen...No, will it eventually happen, Yes and chances are it will be a pig cause that just how things go.

Regarding the over under preference.  I don't stab myself with knives, aim guns at my face nor accidentally puncture my body with a hook solidly fixed to the end of a 4' stick cause I go over the top instead of under.  I think you have a better chance at getting bit by a shark than stabbing yourself on a gaff job.  Like I said previously, when you come from underneath the fish is in a better position to escape.  Getting penetration on the fish isn't the only issue, its getting it on deck after its stuck.  If you reach and hook the fish from the top its easier to apply pressure to in a downward motion and pull it into you than it is to lift into the fish and pull it in.
You guys can try it for yourselves, fill up your bathtub and swing on a bottle of crystal geyser.  


Chuck....tell us....did you go over the top or come from underneath?

  Poor ChuckE ,

  Looks like the Flogging will go on for a while.................. Danglin

agarcia,

Watch the videos and tell if I am lying.  You have more pull from the bottom than the topside. The guys on the 200 to 300 pounds tuna are lifting with the bottom gaff and not the ones on the top.

It is just common scent to not have the point going into the Yak or you.  Granted we do not catch that big of fish up here.  But, it might help on a 30 pounder.  Halibut, Salmon, Ling, or Striped Bass.  Unlike the "Long Range" fishermen... I am looking at a good safe gaff.  The belly is the best for this..not a head shot.

And, we are talking about off at Yak and not a boat.  I think the main reason the boat guys don't what you to do it because it will mess up the paint. Also,, if you want to go on a 16 to 21 day trip is like going to the World Series.  Unlike where you can get away with a 2-speed graphite for Halibut up in Alaska for 300 lbs.  Sorry, it all gold or platinum in tuna country.

Ken kickfish

Chuck....tell us....did you go over the top or come from underneath?

I messed up by reaching over instead of lifting up from under.  I think Scwafish said it best...

Just lift...watch Jelly in the video for the right way, watch me for the "not" way...some of my lamest gaffing in a while. 

Hold the gaff with your thumb up towards the top of the grip and just lift with a little mojo...it doesn't take much.

If I can get in the habit of gripping the gaff this way, it'll keep me from reaching over.

Got it, thanks all.  I'm glad I'm not the only one who could use a primer.

-E

Like Josh (P-spark), I use my net more than the gaff  The use of a net (I use the big promar fold-able net) is a no brainer....I simply lead the fish into the net head first and lift it on the deck with my "fish be cool stick" ready for the dispatch job    . By the way, I got a wooden fish bat from Sports Authority....it packs a punch and best thing I like about it = it floats 

I prefer the use of the net especially when I'm not too sure if the fish is of legal lenght. I also stay away from gaffing a fish that I plan on releasing. I use my fish glove or my orange plastic lip grip (which also floats and is inexpensive) for rockfish that I don't want to keep.

I've been using my EK Gaff on rockfish that I plan on keeping and save my net for big lings, stripers and halibut.

I have lost more fish gaffing and I have not lost a fish with my net....yet.....

just my 2 cents...

.

I have lost more fish gaffing and I have not lost a fish with my net....yet.....

Yeah, at Bean when I had my first Hali in more than 2 years on the line, I looked at my gaff, then I looked at Mooch's net. Nothin but net for me on that fish, but I'll still bring the darn gaff out with me every time. The one time I don't have is probably when I'll need it. Thanks for this thread Eric, I've learned quite a bit here too.

Watch the videos and tell if I am lying.  You have more pull from the bottom than the topside. The guys on the 200 to 300 pounds tuna are lifting with the bottom gaff and not the ones on the top.

Uhhhh  OK

First off I never said you were wrong or that you are lying.  I've never been on any trips longer than an overnighter and I've never seen a cow gaffed and hauled on board in person.  I'm not gonna claim the underside gaffs don't do all the lifting but to get the fish to the boat you do this

It is just common scent to not have the point going into the Yak or you.

Maybe I don't have any common sense but it would have to be the sloppiest most incompetent gaff job in history  for you to get a hook stuck in you while gaffing a fish.

And, we are talking about off at Yak and not a boat.  I think the main reason the boat guys don't what you to do it because it will mess up the paint. Also,, if you want to go on a 16 to 21 day trip is like going to the World Series.  Unlike where you can get away with a 2-speed graphite for Halibut up in Alaska for 300 lbs.  Sorry, it all gold or platinum in tuna country.

I'd respond but I don't know what your saying.



Everyone just use what feels comfortable and works for you in whatever situation.  What I presented is the most common way to to gaff a fish from a boat and it also applies to the kayak.  All this is technique/info/recycled from local deckhands, skippers and bonafide fish killers who had to nail their fish on the first swing.

The only thing that worries be a bit is the critical timing for switching up...  I'm reeling up something large, get it along starboard, rod in left hand, gaff in right...  gaff fish with right hand, place rod in holder with left hand and grab fish club with left hand that previously held rod....  I'm picturing gaffing and clubbing happening alongside, rather than in my lap, and they need to happen almost simultaneously, or risk losing fish.

That sound about right?

For some reason I always bring fish up on the left side (port) naturally.

I club it in my lap ( you can used to leggs to hold it down) and don't take out the hook until it is dead. I leave the hook in it because if it acts up and jumps off.  Hopefully, I can still catch him a second time. My hammer is tape on a piece of cable and tied to my yak.  So, if I drop it...I won't lose it.

Ken kickfish

Who needs a gaff or a net?  On my recent trip to Hinchinbrook I used the lip gripper on anything "substantial" and just grabbed the line on anything less.  I don't recall losing anything at the boat.  Well ... I guess I wasn't using any hooks smaller than 10/0 and with a gap that big, you tend to get a good hookset.

OK ... so normally I swing a gaff down.  Well, not really swing.  Bring down over the top and pull up.  But sometimes there is something carnal about swinging, and I swing ... SWING HARD.  But hey, don't swing towards the boat.  Swing left to right, or right to left.  Only a dumba$$ put a point in their boat.

-Allen