In that case, you walk the fish down the peir to the beach. In no circumstance do you take a halibuts head out of the water. A 30 inch fish weights about 12-14 lbs, a 36 inch fish can weight up to 22-25 lbs. Their mouths are soft and will rip before you are able to get them our of the water. Bummer dude, oh well, like they say, hindsight is 20-20.

I too have forgoten nets and gaffs at different times, and have resorted to creative ways of landing flatties. Once in a canoe, we got 2 28 inch fish, with no gaff or net. We would rock the canoe till it started taking on water, and slip the fish over the side, as water was pouring in the boat. We landed both successfuly. Another time in a bodyboat, I took a double trolling hook, and made a loop in some 30 lb test adn made a little hand gaff. when the fish came up, I waited for him to open his mouth and sank the stronger, double hook rig into his mouth.

You'll get em next time!


MoonDoggie