Is this what they call a chicken halibut?
 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xi9-8...&feature=fvwp\

See how it was scared of that fish bonker and kept trying to dodge it.

What a chicken...

Good one :lol::lol::lol:.

That is one big fish, now when said he needs everybody does that mean that he is going to bring it onto the boat...

they typically leave fish of that size tied to the boat !! A fish of that size would destroy the inside of a boat while flopping around , and or break a leg of one of the fisherman !!

atleast that what our guide told us last year when we were fishin for hali's...

Speaking of halibut being brought into a boat with out being subdued, there was this true story about a newbie halibut angler that I heard on an online halibut fishing article. What happened, was this newbie hali angler brought in a 40lb halibut. The next thing that happens, is the angler brings the hali into the boat without subduing it.:scared0018: The angler bends down to unhook the ticked off hali and winds up with a black eye and broken ribs.:Lightning: :sEm_oops2:

Sorta funny that he hit it with the gaff and essentially didn't phase him. At that size he may just as well have hit him with a feather. Seems sort of odd to not have a harpoon line thru him (most boats carry them).

I've had several guides tell me that anything over about 60# gets the tail cut and tied to the boat til dead...even then hauling a few hundred pounds of deadweight would be tough.

I'd probaly release such a huge hen, she will give tons more fish in the future.

One day, perhaps...
Zeke

Holaaa thats a big fish... I wouldn't want that one in my 20'er lolo.. Think I would snap a couple pics and cut the line on that monster..

Wouldn't be an eater anyways,, better to let her go and lay some eggs..

I always thought they shot them before boating them when they were that big!
:confused:
Cat

There's no way that piddly little billy club knocked that fish out. Something like that I'd want a Louisville Slugger for!

We usually tie the tail with a slip knot then sever the spines but you would almost need a chainsaw on that one

The bad guides shoot em once they are in the boat... :sign0161:

That is a HOG of a Hali.

Speaking of what to do with these monsters once they are in the boat.

I personaly wouldnt recomend doing it this way.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OKDLs...eature=related

Jamie

With the silly laws here in Canada, people aren't allowed to shoot halibut to subdue them. They have to be sudued with a club, harpoon and slicing the gills. People in the U.S.A. are allowed shoot them though.

Just watched that video. Too funny LMAO.

Bet she tasted awful

Is ther any C&R for halibut or do they come up from too deep to make the trip survivable.

@ aulrich- Pressure is not an issue with halibut. They spawn in over 2000 feet of water, and can be brought up as fast as one can reel and released with no harm. They dont even burp like trout do sometimes. Ive released many nice halibut

Thanks, I was just curious.

Halibut is one of my "Bucket Fish"

Circle hooks really help with the catch and release.

At Great Pacific Salmon lodge, we are looking into a reward of sorts for those fisherman who release big Halis and Big Salmon. It's a tough subject to discuss. Personaly, I would have a hard time releasing a 50#+ Salmon, but at the same time we think those that do so, should be rewarded. I dont believe that anyone should feel bad about keeping fish they caught.

It has even been suggested that we give away a free trip to all those that release these monster fish we can catch up here. It's something I am taking under consideration.

What are your guy's thoughts?

Jamie

BTW. That video of the guy in the boat cracks me up. Glad I wasent with him and sad I wasent there watching.

Once a fish reaches that size it actually can't spawn anyway, as the eggs harden up and are no longer able to be fertilized. Food for thought. Probably didn't taste good though and had a lot of mercury in the meat. With that being said, hard to release a once in a lifetime fish like that if you're paying thousands of dollars to be on a trip...we always inform the guests about the importance of the breeding stock (that one wouldn't breed anymore) and how smaller halibut taste a lot better.

I am typically not shy about killing fish, a limited catch of eaters is perfectly acceptable. I do got a soft spot for big fish you just can't replace the decades it takes to grow them.

Salmon are pure confusion to me with thiere limited lifetime thier managment must be ten fold more complicated.

Catching a big Halibut is definitely on the "to do" list.


.

Can you provide a study link that shows at what size a large halibut will not longer be a breeder in the population? I have not heard of this egg hardening fact before...and as I get asked a lot of halibut questions...I am missing this important fact to understand.

Thanks a bunch

Sun

P.S. This was my 2000 post...I am so proud. I would like to thank the academy...my parents...all those that did not ban me from AOF a long, long time ago...my teachers for teaching me English...my Typing 10 teacher for teaching me to type up to 95 words a minute and not hitting my knuckles too hard with the ruler for bad typing posture...

Catching a huge halibut is certainly one of my big goals in life to do as well.:sHa_shakeshout:

This is from personal experience Sundance, every halibut whose eggs I've seen that are over 260lbs were this way. This was verified in a conversation with 2 other lodge operators this past February at the Calgary Sportsmen's Show