Quote:
Originally Posted by Deamon
If all of us were only so lucky to catch so many that you can throw back anything under 28". I've always tired the fish out, brought him to the side and grabbed them by the back of the head(opposite of the mouth!)nice and firm. It's the spot that will hold them for sure and it's a great leverage point for you. Bigger fish...no. Hot fish...heck no.
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Yep, this is what I do on anything 30" and under, definitely not recommended above that size. When first getting serious about halibut fishing I would net anything close (with a nice promar net, not the tail-splitting kind) and measure... then after a while it was easy to tell what was legal or not. Now I will not gaff anything that I can release safely, about 30" or less. Trying to figure out a way to release bigger ones, perhaps with some mule tape around the tail and a boga grip? I almost lost a few fingers and my dignity a few months ago when about a 31" hali I was trying to release with the "shoulder hold" method went ape-chit, I almost went over the side with him.
Anyway, if you want to keep a legal you need a good halibut-safe net (search up on this) and just start netting and measuring them (take your time!) It's easy to mis-measure a halibut even with a nice loose measuring tape when he's flat on your deck, let alone when he's at the side of your yak.