Alaska Halibut are legendary for both their tenacious ability to fight and their amazing size. Reeling one in is a truly unique experience. A halibut won’t give up without a fight, but every fish also fights differently so each fish you hook has the possibility to be a different and one of a kind experience.
J-Hook
Circle Hook
One major problem many anglers, both inexperienced and experienced alike run into when landing a halibut is setting the hook. First thing you need to know is what type of hook you’re using. If you’re using a J-hook, the type most anglers use, you set the hook by yanking up on the rod when your rod tip starts bobbing up and down, the signal a halibut has taken your bait. However, if you’re using a circle hook yanking up on the rod is going to yank the bait up and out of the halibut’s mouth. This can be a problem with even experienced fisherman because they are so used to yanking up to set a J-hook. If you are fishing with circle hooks, all you need to do is start reeling the fish in. A circle hook sets itself in the halibut’s mouth and, if done right, is much easier to use than a J-hook.
Once your fish is hooked, make sure that the line stays tight. Most anglers that lose fish lose them due to slack line. Also make sure that you set the drag on your reel appropriately for a long run. Finally, once the halibut gets close to the boat, be prepared for a strong dive downwards as the fish gets a burst of energy from seeing that its being pulled toward the giant shadow of your boat. Make sure that as you bring the fish up to the boat, you’ve let it run long enough to exhaust the fish. This will make getting the fish on board much easier.
Once you’ve got the halibut next to your boat, your fun may still just be beginning. If you’ve caught a 30-pound or smaller fish, you can net it and bring it on board. Make sure to keep both the net and line away from your body as the halibut thrashes around. If you’ve caught a bigger fish, especially if you’ve caught one of Alaska’s legendary 300-plus pounders, you’re going to need to take extra steps. If its not killed before its brought on board, the fish can easily give you some bruises, cracked ribs, or even knock you overboard into the frigid Alaskan waters as it trashes around on deck. The spines, fins, and tail can also cause cuts and the fish may even bite you, although this is much less common.
If you have caught a medium sized fish, a gaff (long sharpened hook) should be adequate to bring it on board. However, if you’ve gotten a fish over fifty pounds, the fish will still flop around on the end of the gaff, so you’ll need to harpoon the fish. If possible, aim for the base of the spine, but shooting them straight through should do the trick as well. You guide may cut the gills before the fish is brought onto the boat as well. This helps kill the fish quicker and also makes the meat taste better. When the fish finally stops moving it should be safe to bring it on board. However, make sure that you still stay several feet away from the fish as it still may have muscle spasms that can knock you overboard even when its dead.
Some guides may use a gun to make sure a halibut is dead as well. However, some fisheries or types of boats have rules against using guns and the gunpowder may contaminate some of the meat so this isn’t a standard practice. One thing you shouldn’t do is try to beat the fish with a golf club, baseball bat, or other blunt objects. With a really large fish this has the possibility to just make it angrier and cause it to thrash around more.
With these tips, and the help of your chartered guide, you should be able to make the most of your Alaskan fishing trip and reel in some monster halibut. But you won’t be able to do this if you’re not there on a trip, so quit stalling and start planning your trip already!
Related posts:
- Alaska Halibut Fishing: Know Your Prey
- Alaskan Halibut Fishing Bait
- Alaska Trout Fishing: Monster Fish and Monster Excitement