Ian wagner
Active Member
As a commercial troller for 30 years gaffed many of springs netting is wAy more efficient than a gaff but much slower getting hook out
2017 OFFISHALL Vancouver-Howe Sound-Sechelt Reports Thread
- Thread starter fishin_magician
- Start date
aheny
Well-Known Member
You were using a net on your commercial troller? I'm not really sure if I understand what you mean by efficient, whacking a fish with a gaff, lifting it from the water and dropping it in a bucket is by far the fastest way to get a fish in the boat and get your gear back in the water to catch your next fish.
If you ever want to come on my boat and race I'd gladly have you on, as long as the stakes are interesting.
I used to use a net before I begin fishing professionally.
With an inexperienced fishing partner it is way too easy to lose a fish with a net. Nothing is as reliable as an experienced person with the leader in one hand and a gaff in the other. And I'm not sure if you've landed a double before but a net only works if you have 3 people and both fish at the boat at the same time, otherwise you'll lose one of the fish about 1/3 of the time
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scott craven
Well-Known Member
Just curious as to how often the "whack" knocks the fish off the hook
creating a dead fish with nothing in the tub ?
aheny
Well-Known Member
In the last five years I'm sitting at zero, I like to play my fish right out before I kill them, I actually don't remember ever losing a fish with my gaff, but like I said I didn't start using it until I had lots of experience. Early in the fight I'll get it close to the boat and identify it and then if it's something I want then play it right down to nothing.
When a fish is under 70 cm and I'm not sure I'll net it and a few times I have netted a wild Coho, which I feel bad about but I try not to do it.
The key is to hold the leader taught. If the fish seems energetic I give the leader a little tug and send it running again
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getbent
Well-Known Member
Do a gaff release if using a single hook..,works like a charm when done right, don't even lift the fish from the water.
wildthing
Well-Known Member
yesterday sat was slow for us 9.00 am - 12 ran over to north arm and for the amount of boats fishing its was slow......
made a few passes from 100 out to 200' with only a few small shakers
had a chap track across the bow and from port to starboard a boat length in front of me
me running the 100' shelf him coming from deeper into shallow water and getting shirty with me ...
not happening meat clever was ready to chop tangled lines .....
please keep a sensible distance as if you hook up its a mess when fish kite around someone else gear ?????
only seen a few fish get hooked up so we headed back to gibson trolling to QA where we ended up with a bit of action and releasinga wild coho of about 6 lbs and missed a few hits and a few smaller shakers....
till next time
made a few passes from 100 out to 200' with only a few small shakers
had a chap track across the bow and from port to starboard a boat length in front of me
me running the 100' shelf him coming from deeper into shallow water and getting shirty with me ...
not happening meat clever was ready to chop tangled lines .....
please keep a sensible distance as if you hook up its a mess when fish kite around someone else gear ?????
only seen a few fish get hooked up so we headed back to gibson trolling to QA where we ended up with a bit of action and releasinga wild coho of about 6 lbs and missed a few hits and a few smaller shakers....
till next time
fishin_magician
Well-Known Member
Gaffing small fish (like what we're catching now. That is to say under 20 lbs is plenty efficient if done correctly with proper line test....and it better be heavy with large hooks.
However, playing a fish out to the bitter end so that you get it on the first gaff is foolhardy with seals, paying guests and other fish to be caught. Not to mention poor for the fish when the fish shakes the hooks near the end of the fight at the boat or needlessly fatiguing a fish.
On the WCVI and Charlottes we work hard to getting a fish to the boat quickly so we can take the hooks out and release asap.
However, playing a fish out to the bitter end so that you get it on the first gaff is foolhardy with seals, paying guests and other fish to be caught. Not to mention poor for the fish when the fish shakes the hooks near the end of the fight at the boat or needlessly fatiguing a fish.
On the WCVI and Charlottes we work hard to getting a fish to the boat quickly so we can take the hooks out and release asap.
aheny
Well-Known Member
I think I'm doing just fine and I haven't lost any to seals yet.
If I was only out 3 or 4 days a year maybe I would net them.
Who knows, maybe you have a thing or two to learn? I try to learn from everybody I fish with
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Red Monster
Well-Known Member
Got more salt on the boat. Friday fished solo and landed a nice teenager (my sphincter twitched a bit when it jumped out of the water not far from the boat, exciting net job too) between the bell and the North Arm. On Saturday I fished early morning on the South Arm (well away from the flotilla at the mouth) and landed two nice teenagers. It seemed slow on the ebb (not many nets out or so it seemed in the morning) and it probably picked up on the evening flood, but an absolutely gorgeous day to be fishing.
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trendsetter
Active Member
Fished north arm yesterday. Hit a spring at 9:15 am which put up a decent fight then surfaced about 50ft behind the boat. Slapped it's tail and took off screaming out at least 100ft of line. We thought for sure I was sealed but it calmed down and came back to the boat without much problem. Weighed in at 15lbs but that run felt like a much larger fish. Bright red meat. We had mechanical issue so had to miss the night bite. Cheers
P.S. Whole herring, no flasher at 48ft on the rigger.
P.S. Whole herring, no flasher at 48ft on the rigger.
Alex_c
Well-Known Member
Saw someone get their pee pee slapped by DFO, probably barbed hooks. They drove up to us after they gave them a ticket: "Fishing barbless hooks?"
"Yup, all pinched."
"Ok have a good one."
Went all afternoon with nothing but shakers after the screamer spat the hook on the surface. Wind calmed down a bit and either way, it was a beauty day to be out. Good run of fishing, now it's work and school for the next 2 weeks, which is when the next push of fish will undoubtedly move in.
"Yup, all pinched."
"Ok have a good one."
Went all afternoon with nothing but shakers after the screamer spat the hook on the surface. Wind calmed down a bit and either way, it was a beauty day to be out. Good run of fishing, now it's work and school for the next 2 weeks, which is when the next push of fish will undoubtedly move in.
Kapt. Kirk
Active Member
We got checked yesterday. Nice guys. Good to see them out.
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