Halibut Gaff Setup

Here's what I have been using and it seems to work pretty well.  Inspired by fungunnin's setup.  It's massively jury-rigged, consistent with the kayak angling spirit



The hook is a shark hook.  I am not sure what size that would be (20/0?) or even if shark hooks have sizes.  It was in the "shark hook" bin at the marine store.  Bill used the gaff hook only from a flying gaff. Basically what you want is a giant hook, with a barb on it (this is why a regular gaff won't work).  I sharpened that hook til it was needle-sharp, then put a piece of pool noodle over it until I was ready to fish.

I duct-taped that to a fish billy club (i.e. "wood shampoo").  Any 2-foot wood handle will work.  Though a broom handle may be too narrow.  Last thing you want is your handle to bust when you're driving the hook in. Anyway, the duct tape is really just to hold it on straight.  I secured the hook to the club using 4 of the beefy-sized zipties, pulled super tight with pliers.  Rawkfish used hose clamps, also a good idea.  Drill a hole at the other end of the handle to run the line through.  So that's the business end.

The buoy end is just a shrimp and a crab buoy tied together.  Last year I used a large boat fender rigged sideways and that worked fine, but I wanted something lighter.  Note that the line runs out of the middle (rather than the end) for maximum floatation. 

15 feet of anchor line connects the gaff to the buoy.  Only thing I am going to change is that I'm going to use a floating line.  Anchor line sinks.  I didn't have trouble, but recognized the potential for it.  Floating line will be better because it is less likely to get tangled on your mainline either before or after the fish is gaffed.

A 100+lb fish will pull this under.  But at this point I am leaning more in favor of portability vs the likelihood of hooking that big of a fish.  And, let's say you do hook a fish that big...the fact that he pulls the buoy under doesn't mean that much, it's still pulling against him, it'll just take longer to tire him.  And, you should hopefully still have your mainline hook in his mouth.

That's a rockin setup Rory!  You come up with some great gear man.  I'm still in awe of the Iron Maiden.  This too shall be assimilated into my aresenal.

-Spot-

That...is...shark...hook...tastic.

Great set-up Rory, I studied your video and copied it prior to going out yesterday to try for some halibut. 

For those in PDX, the Fisherman's in Tigard off Greenburg has the shark hooks.  They did not have them at the OC store when I checked.  As I was walking around with the hook and some halibut gear, one of the employees asked me if I was making a flying gaff.  He had never heard of such a thing, and then all of the sudden this year, everyone has been buying shark hooks to make one.  I told him that there are a bunch of idiots like me making them to try to catch halibut off their kayaks.

... I told him that there are a bunch of idiots like me making them to try to catch halibut off their kayaks.

hahaha...FOOLS!  don't they know that hooks and drysuits are a dangerous combination??

As I was walking around with the hook and some halibut gear, one of the employees asked me if I was making a flying gaff.  He had never heard of such a thing, and then all of the sudden this year, everyone has been buying shark hooks to make one.  I told him that there are a bunch of idiots like me making them to try to catch halibut off their kayaks.

Big blonde kid with a crewcut?
If so, a couple of weeks ago he had to ask one of the much older employees who immedately knew what I wanted and took me to the shark hooks.  More experienced guy didn't even blink at the mention of using it from a kayak.  He had some really good advice on set-up and use.
Blonde kid knows the status quo well but always feels obliged to correct me when I ask for something specific that's out of the powerboatin ordinary (Like telling me I need to put 80-100lb test line on my salmon reel).  We'll have him trained to help kayak fishers by the end of the summer at this rate.   

-Spot-     

nice......Thanks Rory, I'm gonna try to rig up a harpoon I just found today in a similar fashion.  Hope I get to use it this weekend.  Got 5 days to try if weather and all cooperate.  Am getting wiser about the use of the gps too.  If I can't hook one with that much time and this good advice I'm done...............for now.

Can I use the head off of a speargun to harpoon one of those suckers after I've brought it up? I have a couple hanging around when I used to spearfish.

True

nice......Thanks Rory, I'm gonna try to rig up a harpoon I just found today in a similar fashion.  Hope I get to use it this weekend.  Got 5 days to try if weather and all cooperate.  Am getting wiser about the use of the gps too.  If I can't hook one with that much time and this good advice I'm done...............for now.

That'll work!  Let us know how ya do.

What is the choice location to attach sharp pokey hook into said pissed off door mat?

-Head?
-Belly?
-Tail?
-Back?


Thoughts on towing a boogie board behind ya for two reasons?

-Use as the floatation device to tire out the halibut.
-Place to strap said dead halibut for transport back to shore.

The boogie board could be lashed over the rear tank well while launching.

I'm just thinking outside the box here, and by no means trying to improve on what has already been proven to work.

Can I use the head off of a speargun to harpoon one of those suckers after I've brought it up? I have a couple hanging around when I used to spearfish.

True

Hell you can use anything you want! A spear gun shaft would work but make sure you can drive it all the way through the fish. Just a spear shaft is going to be pretty light and hard to put that much force behind without more weight.
The problem I have noticed with halibut on the kayak is that they almost come stight up so all you get is halibut mouth at the surface rather than a flat side to hit with a spear or harpoon.
Good luck and post pics of your rig!

What is the choice location to attach sharp pokey hook into said pissed off door mat?

-Head?
-Belly?
-Tail?
-Back?


Thoughts on towing a boogie board behind ya for two reasons?

-Use as the floatation device to tire out the halibut.
-Place to strap said dead halibut for transport back to shore.

The boogie board could be lashed over the rear tank well while launching.

I'm just thinking outside the box here, and by no means trying to improve on what has already been proven to work.

The head seems to be the easiest target. Avoid the cheeks if you can... them be tasty!
I don't think a boogy board is going to do you much good in the transport department. If you can get a 71 pounder in the back of the yak you would only need to drag a 100+ and trying to strap a 100 pound fish to a boogy would be a hell of an undertaking out at sea. 

I've never caught anything bigger than a flounder in my yak.  And it's probably a delusioin of grandeur to think that I'll succeed in landing a 10# fish of any species in the next couple years, never mind a 100# fish. 

All that said, if I do get lucky enough to hook a halibut too large for me to lift into the yak, what is the best way to get it home, assuming I can subdue it?  Tieing a rope to its tail and towing seems like the best bet except for the likelihood of fur-bags and sharks being attracted by the bleeding carcass.  But I'm having a hard time envisioning an alternative.  As Bill said, wrangling a hali onto a boogie board if it's already too large to lift into the yak seems ... challenging.  And it doesn't seem like a boogie board would even slow down a thief of either persuasion.

As I was walking around with the hook and some halibut gear, one of the employees asked me if I was making a flying gaff.  He had never heard of such a thing, and then all of the sudden this year, everyone has been buying shark hooks to make one.  I told him that there are a bunch of idiots like me making them to try to catch halibut off their kayaks.

Big blonde kid with a crewcut?
If so, a couple of weeks ago he had to ask one of the much older employees who immedately knew what I wanted and took me to the shark hooks.  More experienced guy didn't even blink at the mention of using it from a kayak.  He had some really good advice on set-up and use.
Blonde kid knows the status quo well but always feels obliged to correct me when I ask for something specific that's out of the powerboatin ordinary (Like telling me I need to put 80-100lb test line on my salmon reel).  We'll have him trained to help kayak fishers by the end of the summer at this rate.   

-Spot-     

He is the one.  He's a nice guy, though.  I talked to him for awhile one day and his passion seems to lie with Kokanee fishing. 

What is the choice location to attach sharp pokey hook into said pissed off door mat?

-Head?
-Belly?
-Tail?
-Back?


Thoughts on towing a boogie board behind ya for two reasons?

-Use as the floatation device to tire out the halibut.
-Place to strap said dead halibut for transport back to shore.

The boogie board could be lashed over the rear tank well while launching.

I'm just thinking outside the box here, and by no means trying to improve on what has already been proven to work.

oh man, i love the thinking.  if barndoor halibut were more plentiful (from a kayak) It'd be worth a shot.  but then we're in a superstitious zone...

bring the boogieboard = don't hook a halibut
don't bring the boogieboard = hook a world-record halibut

I often face a similar situation with whether or not to bring the fish cooler.