Halibut shooting advice

1. Be careful
2. A .22LR will to do the job
3. Be careful
4. Don't bring the halibut's head out of the water until after you shoot it
5. Be careful
6. Harpoon the halibut before you shoot it
7. Be careful
8. Loosen your drag before you shoot
9. Again be careful :smile:
10. Aim behind the eyes and shoot when the halibut's head is 3"-6" under water
11. And finally BE CAREFUL.

Have a safe and productive trip

[Pilar]

Keta, what about other boats?

Last year I had a guy bust a cap on a flattie not more than 100 ft away. It made my ears ring, I think it was a 44 mag. That would be good for say a 200 pounder not the 40 pounder the guy blasted.

By the way you should be careful. Every year the CG deals with several boats that have owner inflicted gunshot holes in the hull.

IE: shoot the fish while it is still in the water.

Yes, I forgot, BE CAREFUL!!!
A .22LR HP will kill the largest halibut in the ocean. I've popped several in the 6'+ size with a single shot .22 before I got smart and started cutting the big hens loose.
Even with a .22 ear plugs wouldn't be bad to have. That sound sure bounces off of the water and hull :depressed:

I want to hear about fish and a good time, not hurts or hulls with holes in them.

And fianly before I go, Be Careful :smile:

[tailchaser]

Honestly, I've never seen a fish under 200 lbs that even considers a gunshot to kill it. A properly used harpoon will do the job. Most of my concers are dealing with safety on a boat and firing a gun with slippery decks, deflections of bullets on water and untimely waves can result in a very bad situation. And it's totally irrelevant to harvesting a halibut here. I'm especially unnerved when someone shoots off a shot near me also because who knows which way he was pointing it. There is always a stupid person out there. Add a gun in his hands and it can cause more problems than a fishing trip is worth. I can remember when I was only 12 years old out of newport a guy came on the radio and asked "do you shoot the fish before or after you get it in the boat??" The same guy five min. later said he shot the leader off on accident because the waves threw him around when he pulled the trigger and blew off half his pole.

Place a harpoon on your boat with a small buoy attached and then to a sturdy cleat or attachment on your boat. The buoy will catch the fish long before it gets to the cleat usually. Sink it into the fish and it's done. Pretty darn easy and safe. I can only recall one fish we lost after pooning it and it was from not getting the poon all the way through the fish.

It might be a one in a million chance something happens but I don't want to explain that to a buddy's wife over a stupid fish.

tc

[Fishplay]

My halibut shooting advice: Dont Do It !!

IMHO
There is absolutely no need to shoot a halibut. A harpoon is all that is needed off the Oregon coast. Please everyone, leave the firearms at home.

[fishwhenican]

Has anyone ever shot one with a spear gun? I have a nice double banded one with a diamond "pop off" tip.
The biggest thing I have ever speared was a 90 lb Skate, with a pole spear (note to fishwhenican: DON'T ever do that again!) what a ride. Then after seeing the tuna jumping after bait, I wonder if I slipped on the drysuit/mask/fins/snorkle could I spear a few? :grin:

[tailchaser]

I think it's definitely safer option than the gun but the whole issue of accidentally shooting it in the wrong direction is still there. Can't say I'd worry too much about a boat next to me firing that thing around. I once tangled with a wolf eal on the end of my spear snorkeling in highschool (noted not to do that one either). It was also an interesting ride and skirmish.
[img]graemlins/stupid.gif[/img] Thought it would be pretty cool to bring home until it didn't die and started to coil up the spear like a friggn' snake.

tc

[Lepper]

Haven't you guys learned yet? not bullets it is called DYNAMITE!

[CAPT KUJO]

I use a .223 SCUBA powerhead designed for SCUBA (if I need it) It loaded with Blanks. Yes The shock from a .223 Blank will take the head off a BIG Halibut and no holes in or around the boat.

Point is use don't need to use real bullets to put down a halibut, blanks work better and are safer.

CAPT KUJO