Harpoons

WP · 08-29-2002, 06:10 PM

Has anyone here got a source for a harpoon to use for halibut fishing? I have looked on the net and can only find the tuna/billfish extravaganzas that cost a ton and lodge in the meat (like an arrow) rather than go through and open on the other side. I know that it is probably too late for this year but preparation (and shopping for gear) is part of the fun! Thanks for any help.
WP

RJ · 08-29-2002, 06:19 PM

Harry's bait & tackle newport 265-2407 Randy is a good friend of mine and he builds lots of Harpoons.

skein · 08-29-2002, 08:06 PM

I second what RJ had to say, except he left out the word "good." Randy makes a lot of *good* harpoons.

Skein

WP · 08-29-2002, 08:38 PM

Thanks for the reply...wouldn't you know it? Right at home! I love Harry's, so much stuff in such a little space, but didn't really think about them for harpoons...duh! Anyway, thanks a bunch, WP

08-29-2002, 08:42 PM

Are the heads fixed or detachable?

Salmonator · 08-29-2002, 09:05 PM

Ya know, somebody can feel free to correct me but I have seen plenty of failed harpoon attempts. I went and spent around $40 bucks for a nice gaff (carolina gaff out of cabelas) and putting 50" fish in the boat is a piece of cake. My gaff has a 4" gap, is 4' long and has two foam handles. It has an aluminum body and supposedly floats. Harpoons seem like a pain to me (no pun intended) and I think I'll steer clear of them until I start farming off the 'butts with my gaff.

[ 08-29-2002, 10:06 PM: Message edited by: Salmonator ]

WP · 08-29-2002, 09:11 PM

I have had no problems with Halibuts to 55 lbs but the space they take up on the deck and the trashing they give to the gear around the deck makes me prefer to 'poon them and dispatch them while they are in the water, then bring 'em in to the motor well. If I should get so lucky as to bring in a 60 or 70 or 80 lbs fish, it also gives me options for landing them.
WP

Miss B Haven · 08-29-2002, 09:23 PM

Salmonator - I had a 70 lb butt rip a very large very sturdy gaff ( I'm talking Marlin size - 6 foot glass handle and an 8" hook) right out of my hands. It took several nuckles with it. I admit I missed the stab, I got it right in the thickest part of the back, behind the gill plate. It was fine and hanging there until the guy running the whacker gave the dang fish a love tap instead of a death blow. It just exploded at that. [img]graemlins/stupid.gif[/img]
Dang fish pulled so hard it ripped itself off the gaff by tearing through about 5 inches of it's own back meat. Certainly got my attention and respect as I was getting the first aid kit and sucking on my nuckles.
Amazing thing was that we didn't lose it. The hook stayed in and we got to bring it up and start all over. Boy was I excited about that (bleeding to death and all). :grin:
Been on the "poon thing" ever since. [img]graemlins/idea.gif[/img]

Threemuch · 08-30-2002, 07:50 AM

I'm with Salmonator. Maybe I haven't gotten the right fish yet, but I haven't seen one that I couldn't get with my 6' long 4" gaff. In case it's really heavy, I have a backup 3' gaff for hauling over the rail.

That said, I have my speargun in the bow, with 100 yards of 300 pound test spectra on the reel and a leash attaching it to my anchor ball. But I haven't had to get it out yet.

KB

Chum King · 08-30-2002, 06:25 PM

A little bad news for all you "poon wannabes".

I checked in at Harry's Bait and Tackle this afternoon, and Randy has sold out all of his harpoons for this season. He makes them over the winter when he has time available.

The good news is that it looks there are going to be at least two more halibut days open in September. :smile:

dock rat · 08-30-2002, 06:29 PM

Keta, The heads on the harppons Randy builds down at Harry's bait and tackle are detachable.

08-30-2002, 06:34 PM

The only way to go. Thanks Rat.

Orca · 08-30-2002, 11:14 PM

I'd rather use the harpoon. They are easy to use, and it gets alot of the thrashing out of the way outside the boat. On multiple hookups, you can harpoon 2 or 3 at a time and leave them all thrashing outside the boat, then start working them one at a time.

I built my own unit and it works great I could pass on the design if anyone is interested in a place to start. You will need access to a mill to build the darts easily. I suppose you could build the darts with a jig saw and a sander, but the mill makes short work of the process.

09-02-2002, 12:00 PM

I don't have one to take pictures of but these worked for me.
It is a 1/2" bolt not a 12" :grin:

[ 09-02-2002, 01:02 PM: Message edited by: Keta ]

Orca · 09-02-2002, 11:12 PM

Here are the details on my home-built harpoon. I have not seen any other harpoons up close, and just dreamed this whole deal up. In the beginning, I thought the darts might be too big, but they work great and I might even make them bigger in the future for more holding power (although I have not lost any fish with this setup). Myself and others thought they might be too big to penetrate, but they drop through like slicing warm butter.

The harpoon has 3 parts - The dart; rope (1 for each dart you make); and the pole.

The dart is made as shown, and has 175 lb coated wire attached so that it can be clipped to the rope. The wire extends about 16" total. I started with some scrap 1/2" aluminum plate from the local scrap yard.

The rope is just a piece of rope with a stainless clip attached. The rope is clipped to the dart to use, then unclipped to remove from the halibut.

The pole as shown is made of a round base post-hole digger handle with a piece of 1/4" stainless rod on the end. I will soon upgrade this to a 3/8" rod tapered to 1/4" at the end to hold the dart. 1/4" rod is a little flimsy. The rod is sticking out of the handle 10". I took the handle, and drilled a slightly undersize hole for the rod. I then cut a thin slot in the center along the long axis of the handle so the wood would spread when the rod is inserted. I pounded the rod into the handle, then put a stainless hose clamp around the end of the handle to tighten the rod to the handle. I then coated the end of the handle (clamp, slot and end) with that plastic rubber in a can to keep the wood rot to a minimum.

To use the harpoon you tie a rope to a cleat, clip the rope to a dart, put the dart on the stainless rod on the pole, and hold the rope tight on the pole with 1 hand to keep the dart from falling off the pole. Harpoon your catch, and once the dart is through, release the rope you are holding tight, but keep ahold of the pole. You can now pull the pole out and the dart will stay on the opposite side and drop sideways to the fish. After much thrashing, you can drag the fish over the side, unclip the rope, and remove the dart.

I harpoon just behind the gill plate, but am open to other suggestions.

Good Luck!

[ 09-02-2002, 12:33 PM: Message edited by: Orca ]

Fishplay · 09-03-2002, 04:44 AM

Englund Marine also sells them if you don't have the time and / or skills to build one.