Thanks Gentlemen for all the responses that explain the use of firearms in subduing this fish. I suppose if I were a fishing guide a bit of showmanship, gunplay and protection for my clients and boat makes using a sidearm, or long gun, worthwhile. Makes memories for the Non Resident tourist and quickens the process to get back to the task at hand, catching more fish. Following up with a shot on a wounded live mammal that can strike with hoof or claw isn't even something to question. All the more when confined on a smallish sea going vessel to keep from being slapped senseless or overboard. I learn something everyday.
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Sounds like fun! I'd use a gun cause I like guns.
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VT still has a rifle season for walleye.
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Ya gotta love the combination of fishing and shooting! That’s some big fish! Felt some catfish while “stump fishin” that a bang stick could have been more effective than sticking an arm down the mouth to bring ‘‘em out.
If you're liable for injury to clients on board your boat then putting down a big fish makes a lot of sense.
I prefer not to carry a valuable firearm in my kayak nor do I want any halibut over 30# in my lap. I carry a club to subdue any halibut over 15# and a sharp knife to cut off any halibut over 50#. Just last week an angler fishing nearshore in 55' of water along the Olympic Peninsula near where I fish landed a 134#. The average halibut here on the southern end of Alaska halibut range is actually about 15# which is perfect eating size. A couple years back a guy in a kayak near Neah Bay hooked a 200+ but needed nearby anglers in a much bigger boat to land it. Most of the charter operators I know prefer a 357 and I occasionally supply them with CB's.
Last edited by quilbilly; 06-12-2023 at 12:27 PM.
I lived in AK for 32 years and did catch a few halibut ranging from about 10 lbs to 65 lbs. I never did shoot one but did see a couple shot. I don't remember what caliber was used but most anything of 38 spl or larger would work fine. I did see one in the back of an 8' pickup bed that took up almost the full length of the bed. I know I would not want to be on the same deck with a live halibut of that size.
Fished out of Homer on Monday. We had 7 people fishing, the Capt and a mate. Rain, rough seas and cold for a GA boy. We all limited out on halibut and rock fish. My son and one other guy each had a bonus Codfish. We had several halibut between 28 and 31 inches.
Oh, we had an all girl crew...the Captain was likely under 35 and the mate told me she was 31. I would have sworn she might be 20 years old.
Do a search for the Irish Mist.
My boss fished the Queen Charlottes [oh sorry Haida Gwaii ] for years and always had a 410 using slugs to dispatch a large halibut .I made a harpoon but unfortunately haven't caught one large enough to warrant using it. He got a stainless snake charmer thinking it would be good for corrosion but ended up giving it to me as it would misfire. Has a very sloppy trigger and wimpy hammer spring. Curious to know what the problem with yours was ?
I always preferred a .38. When you're on the open water, a higher pressure round sure is an ear-buster, so a lower pressure round helps.
Also, beating on a huge halibut with a club to try to stun it before bringing it into the boat is almost as dangerous as it thrashing around on the deck. People also forget just how cold the water is up here, even in the summer. If you go into the water without a life preserver, it's not just an embarrassing moment, you're in serious trouble.
If I can stand off a few feet and shoot the halibut first, you bet I'll go that route. It has nothing at all to do with showing off.
Fished a lot in my days, both sport and commercial. I prefer something akin to a night stick or billy club for dispatching fish.
I have danced with the Devil. She had excellent attorneys.
Very interesting thread.
Don Verna
Muskie guys in Michigan carry a "thumper". I turned one for a buddy's son out of what he called ironwood, he gave me this 30" piece of wood that his son had gotten in the UP. When I trimmed the ends to mount it between centers on the lathe, it looked like tightly wound canvas, the growth rings were so tight.
I think it would put down most everything smaller than "big game".
His kid was happy, no more fish thrashing about in the boat.
That's about 1/2"x 3/4". Tight growth rings.
Last edited by 15meter; 06-26-2023 at 01:11 PM.
Lived in Alaska for 28 years. I only shot one halibut. It was a bit over 100 lbs caught from a sailboat by a ten year-old boy. His dad aasked if anyone had a gun and I did. No one's legs got broken after that. They put the carcass in a 10 foot inflatable boat and it covered nearly all the floor.
I also knew a few people who had salt water sport fishing boats. Some had booms and winches installed for winching aboard big halibut. A few had 'Bang Sticks' that consisted of a piece of pipe with a sincgle shot .410 shotgun about six inches long. They had a fixied firing pin and would fire if you jammed the muxxle onto the head of a halibut. I aleays thought the were too dangerous to have around.
When the snake charmer came on the market some people called it the halibut charmer.
I have eaten a lot of halibut. While it is very good I prefer either rockfish or cod.
Jim
Never used a gun to subdue a fish, but have used a .357mag to subdue an alligator.
This thread reminded me I need to apply for my gator permit this month.
I’ve had walleye, cod, flounder (north eastern fluke), and Halibut.
I vote grilled (blackened in S.E. terms), and I vote Halibut.
Last edited by GooseGestapo; 07-02-2023 at 09:59 PM.
Dan Wesson 744V .44mag, S&W Mod 19-4 .357 , S&W Mod 17 K22, Stevens Favorite .22mag 30GM, ADC .45/410, CZ SP01 9mm
Iron wood does grow slow. My father and I used to cut dead ones very happily for firewood. Burns long and hot.
Twisted grain, we didn't cut ones that had to be split. Good luck w/ that.
At one time I thought I wanted to have a gun stock made of one if I could get a piece large enough.
There are different varieties of ironwood, and if I remember correctly someone told me black ironwood used to be used as ribs in English Naval sailing vessels. Black ironwood is dense enough that it does not float when dry. It will sink in water.
Always wanted to go to Alaska and catch a big halibut. Realistically I can no longer handle something that big anymore. Saw a picture of one caught with rod and reel, a 375 lb’er. Think it was a IGFA record.
Now a former work associate that fished the Western Hemisphere extensively told me pulling up a 100 lb halibut from 200 feet was comparable to reeling up a tractor tire, not a lot of fight. I’m not sure about that. My experiences with bringing in flat bodied species like triggerfish, permit and pompano would seem to indicate otherwise. Their flat bodies have a lot of leverage for their weight.
Halibut are both delicious and expensive. As a RC surviving Lent in the 50’s we had halibut steaks frequently, so I’m guessing they were both plentiful and reasonably priced back then.
BP | Bronze Point | IMR | Improved Military Rifle | PTD | Pointed |
BR | Bench Rest | M | Magnum | RN | Round Nose |
BT | Boat Tail | PL | Power-Lokt | SP | Soft Point |
C | Compressed Charge | PR | Primer | SPCL | Soft Point "Core-Lokt" |
HP | Hollow Point | PSPCL | Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" | C.O.L. | Cartridge Overall Length |
PSP | Pointed Soft Point | Spz | Spitzer Point | SBT | Spitzer Boat Tail |
LRN | Lead Round Nose | LWC | Lead Wad Cutter | LSWC | Lead Semi Wad Cutter |
GC | Gas Check |