Lost at the net!

[Brian_GSC]

I was able to sneak away and do a little fishing on Saturday. Because of the price of fuel :Evil: I decided leave my boat at home, and pack up the float tube and head north for halibut. I hadn't been out in my tube in almost a year, so needless to say I was excited!

Picked up a couple buddies on the way and made it in the water by 6am. Fishing was slow in the AM--only a few shorts. As the tide gently came in, so did the salad which made it tough to fish in tight to the beach. After a couple hours it happens.....FISH ON! I knew it was the "right kind" by the head shake. My drag was peeling! Then I saw a dog nearby! :Angry: OK, now the pressure is on! I didn't want to lose this fish to a dog. I worked it for a while, then finally got color-----LEGAL baby! As soon as I got color it made another run and headed straight for the bottom! This happened a few times before I got my net out and prepared to scoop him up. **Remember, I haven't been out in a year** Well, I was a little rusty in my "netting technique" to say the least. I was excited and my adrenaline got the best of me! :Embarrassed: The last time I got the fish up it came up vertical. I dipped the net deep (first mistake) and tried to use my rod to "move" the fish into the net (second mistake). I got it's head and about 3/4 of it into the net and that is when "IT" happened. My trap hook "caught" the net at the same time the halibut shook it's head, which ever so nicely freed the flattie! Soooooo, I eneded up catching my net and losing the fish! :Head Bang: Oh well, at least I got to fight it and see it! I'd say the fish was probably around 28" to 30". I was able to get a few shorts after that before we called it a day around 11am.

The water was cold, and it was foggy out--I think it made the flatties a little lethargic. The bites we did get were very soft--you could barely feel them. Totals for me: 5 shorts, 1 legal (lost at the net), 1 batray, and 1 BIG smelt.

[fish_sauce]

thats really unfortunate, but at least you got some action and a story...i was out most of the day on saturday and tried three different beaches to land only a SNGF around 13lbs!!!

about a month ago i lost one that was in the 30'' scale too...i didn't have a net so i was reaching down to pick it up by the tail, but by doing so i ended up letting go of the tension on the hook, so the fish was able to shake itself loose from the lure, and it simply slipped out of my hands....:Shocked::Crying: After that incident i had my heart set on landing a 30''+, and i succeeded in doing so the week after. For a brief moment i was presented with the same scenario and the same predicament (a large fish on light line, heavy crashing waves and no net) but i approached it differently, and well...the results were better.

We usually don't learn much from success. It is in failure that we see our errors and hopefully learn from them....;)

[paintnfish]

Im no expert by any means but as you found
out halibut fishing from a tube or kayak doesn't
mix well with net's alot of the time. not only do you have the
hook problem, it's just a matter of time before
you have a worse problem, your big ol butt
wont fit in the net.

Get a nice gaff and stick her right in the belly.
This will immobilize the fish so you can pull it
aboard and get it on your game clip.

Ive lost my fair share of nice fish untill useing
this method.

Great report, doesnt cost much for a bladder
full of air and the adrenaline rush is great.

[newster]

I also lost my largest ever halibut in a similar fashion. I got two thirds of it in the net and knocked the hook off the mouth and watched it slowly sink out of sight helplessly. From that day forward, halibut = gaff haha.

[Cangler]

Yep its so annoying ...

Ive lost a few when they flap around after being beached

Like paintfish says a gaff is prolly best ..

[Wingnut]

Make sure that it's a legal before you swing the gaff. :LOL:

Had to work Saturday or I woulda joined ya Brian, thanks for the invite. :cool:

Take that boat of yours out to Castaic this weekend! Call me for some :Secret: before you go. ;)

Talk to ya soon buddy. :D

[tacklejunkie]

Sorry to hear you lost the toad!
I've noticed you'll think the hali's are tired and they always have a couple runs left in them. Very strong fish and not easy to tire out!

I'm sure you'll get the next one after this little mixup. Good luck out there and good work on the fishes!

[Brian_GSC]

fish_sauce wrote:
We usually don't learn much from success. It is in failure that we see our errors and hopefully learn from them....:Wink:

Very true, very true!



paintnfish wrote:
Get a nice gaff and stick her right in the belly.
This will immobilize the fish so you can pull it
aboard and get it on your game clip.

The funny thing is, I actually have a gaff! I bought it right after I lost a BIG halibut at Cabrillo. On that day I only had a small net and a Berkley Lip Gripper. The jaw was so big on that fish I couldn't get the Lip Gripper in it's mouth! The fish was 25lb+, easy. After that day I always took my gaff with me, EXCEPT for this time. I decided to leave it in the car. :Embarrassed:



newster wrote:
I also lost my largest ever halibut in a similar fashion. I got two thirds of it in the net and knocked the hook off the mouth and watched it slowly sink out of sight helplessly. From that day forward, halibut = gaff haha.

Since I've had a gaff I've never caught a halibut worthy of gaffing. The biggest halibut I have landed on my tube is a 27".



Cangler wrote:
Ive lost a few when they flap around after being beached

Those things flop around pretty good when decked too! That is always in the back of my head when I think about gaffing one of those things. When you are sitting in a tube your movement is limited, which could make controlling a gaffed halibut challenging.




Wingnut wrote:
Make sure that it's a legal before you swing the gaff. :LOL:
Had to work Saturday or I woulda joined ya Brian, thanks for the invite. :cool:
Take that boat of yours out to Castaic this weekend! Call me for some :Secret: before you go. :Wink:
Talk to ya soon buddy. :D

I've actually seen a deckhand be a little too quick on the gaff and stick a short seabass! :Embarrassed: Oops.
I doubt I will get a pass to get out this weekend...but if for some reason I can slip away I'll give you a call.


tacklejunkie wrote:
Sorry to hear you lost the toad!
I've noticed you'll think the hali's are tired and they always have a couple runs left in them. Very strong fish and not easy to tire out!

I'm sure you'll get the next one after this little mixup. Good luck out there and good work on the fishes!

Thanks TJ! I fought that guy for a while....he didn't want to come off the bottom. I starting celebrating a little early on that one. That is the first one I have ever lost to a "net malfunction"! ;)

[gletemfeelsteelgary]

sorry top hear about the lost legal but it happens...and it happens quite often with the structure of the halibuts mouth when fanned open....But...ya landed some fish and you at least saw the fish and experienced it's battle...you will meet again on the battlefront....hopefully with succes next time.

Good work regardless of the loss..
Which beach ?

Congrats,
Gary