Measuring halibut?

[Fishin'Zinn]

If it's not over the limit, usually fits in a standard net. If it doesn't good chance it's over. Rough measure over the side, if unsure then shes coming in the boat to measure with the tape.

Bring it in, rub it's belly to calm it down (50% of the time, works every time I know lol), and re-verify with a tape. I heard when they die they do stretch out a bit.
You don't want to get caught over the size limit. Ever

 

[hippaisland]

If it's not over the limit, usually fits in a standard net. If it doesn't good chance it's over. Rough measure over the side, if unsure then shes coming in the boat to measure with the tape.

Bring it in, rub it's belly to calm it down (50% of the time, works every time I know lol), and re-verify with a tape. I heard when they die they do stretch out a bit.
You don't want to get caught over the size limit. Ever

This! Get rough measurement while in water, holding leader and having bud kick boat in gear helps Hali lay flat so can get a better measurement. If it's close, net them and get a proper measurement. Slipping gaff under their chin is very hard on the big ones.

 

[Sentinel]

Only thing harder than measuring a live halibut is jumping on the back of a Yukon moose and measuring his antler spread to make sure he is 50" plus before you harvest.

 

[Scorpiofisher]

Haven't tried it yet but heard guys are tying a piece of flaggers tape to a snap swivel (total length is 133 cm). When the hali is close, reach over and snap the swivel over the leader. The swivel and flaggers tape slides down to the halibuts mouth and the flagging tape lays out nicely beside the fish. Nice part is if the fish takes off the snap stays on the leader for the next visit to the boat.

 

[Sradons]

I have a piece of aluminum tubing bent at each end with the distance set to 132cm. If the fish touches on both ends it stays in the water. Super easy.

 

[TomicTime]

rub strip on outside of aluminum hull at waterline marked with sharpie
good for a season then need to remark
i set it at 130
big fish dont exactly cooperate

 

[TomicTime]

Haven't tried it yet but heard guys are tying a piece of flaggers tape to a snap swivel (total length is 133 cm). When the hali is close, reach over and snap the swivel over the leader. The swivel and flaggers tape slides down to the halibuts mouth and the flagging tape lays out nicely beside the fish. Nice part is if the fish takes off the snap stays on the leader for the next visit to the boat.

will try this next year !!!!!!

 

[Bret]

I've got a 133cm gaff that gives me a good idea the length. I've been netting them always get help from one of the clients, the net also keeps them subdued so there is the thrashing of a nutty flatty on the deck. If it's an over easy to toss back...

 

[trophywife]

I've got a 133cm gaff that gives me a good idea the length. I've been netting them always get help from one of the clients, the net also keeps them subdued so there is the thrashing of a nutty flatty on the deck. If it's an over easy to toss back...

net? that just seems like a waste of a good net.

 

[hippaisland]

net? that just seems like a waste of a good net.

It works just fine if you've got a good net! But also wouldn't put one that's clearly over in a net. I always get as good a measurement as I can in the water first, only if they're right near the mark do they come in that way. Havent had any issues netting though. Hate seeing people slip gaff under jaw and heave into boat only to toss it back. Way to hard on the fish.

 

[Rockfish]

One of my buddies has two long sticks with a 133cm tuna cord tied between. Easier to check for length while it is still on the surface of the water beside the boat. I have seen Halibut pulled up and bent over the side of the boat, white side up, while someone takes a tape measure to them on the flat white side. The stick method is easier on them.

When they were trying to sell the upper size restriction to the angling community I was at a local SFAB meeting at the Esq. Anglers Clubhouse and DFO Enforcement Officers present were asked about how difficult it is to tell Halibut size and they did tell us that they were not going to bust someone who was a little or so over. They acknowledged how hard it is to tell.

On the other hand I asked a female DFO officer at their booth at the Victoria boat show who was not willing to give a cm or 2, so to speak. So I guess it all depends as to who checks you. Someone with experience, judgment and common sense or the DFO officer from the boat show.

My guess is DFO does not want to stir up round two of the Political Halibut Wars for a fairer distribution of quota or what most on the sport side wanted, that we be consider outside the commercial fishing quota system which never should have been put on the sport sector to begin with.

Keep in mind that with a fair distribution we would not be closed down now, we would still be allowed a limit of two, no small annual limit and there would be no need to have a max size limit or a corrupt, divisive “experimental” pay to fish outside the sport regulations system. So if someone gets busted because the spine stretches out a cm it may just lead to political Halibut Wars round two. There is already enough anger about all the new restrictions and recent early closure based on DFO’s guesstimates.

 

[Derby]

So if were able to get 20 % allocation.. what would it look like....? That would be a thread on its own..... Also I believe there is play on the sizing as u say... and correct on experience..method of measuring ect. But if our asking a officer pretty sure they will say no..because they our then quoted , the law is the law and they can in there good judgement choose to enforce that measurement or not...its like speeding the office usually will give u 7 to 10 km over.. but every once in a while they bust u for 2 km over.. because they can

 

[SerengetiGuide]

Emailed Dominic LeBlanc today regarding the issue. And 20% would give 1.54mill lbs I'd assume thats 1/2 no size limit as 1/2 no size was 1.22 mill pounds few years ago...even with increasing size at age I can't see us adding 320,000 lbs to that. (Avg size hasn't gone up 26%, even with release mortality it's still around 24%).

 

[hippaisland]

They should've implemented the 133cm overs long before they did. Trophy Hali hunters are no worse than other trophy hunters. And in my opinion if you forego the over you should be able to take 3 under 83(possession, not daily). Not that my 2 cents is worth anything now that the penny's been dropped.

 

[Rockfish]

They should've implemented the 133cm overs long before they did. Trophy Hali hunters are no worse than other trophy hunters. And in my opinion if you forego the over you should be able to take 3 under 83(possession, not daily). Not that my 2 cents is worth anything now that the penny's been dropped.

So how many very large BC Halibut Trophy's are mounted on walls anywhere, lol. But hey, if Halibut trophy hunting ever takes off I am sure the Taxidermy industry will be thrilled. Sorry, but the focus is on the food, not the Skin. Now if only they had a big rack on em or perhaps we could throw the head in an ant nest and then send the skull (do they have a true skull?) off to Boon and Crockett for a measurement and start a new category. Seriously, there is nothing remotely analogous about sport Halibut fishing and trophy hunting.

The large Halibut are inevitably large female prime breeding stock and from a conservation and sustainability point of view, it could be argued that leaving them in the water is not a terrible idea.

That however is not an argument that the Commercial sector, Quota owners, nor the Government/Political Parties they keep well greased (with Lobbyists and donations) want to make. Rather you will hear the opposite, - it’s very well managed, sustainable, etc.

There is no way in hell the commercial sector is not going to keep the large Halibut that are pure profit. Now increasingly there is also profit for the middle man quota owners, (increasingly corporations) who now own (well they do and they don’t -its complicated, -but practically) the Halibut (currently 85 percent) while not contributing anything, other than to siphon off money from those who actually fish, whether they be commercial fishermen or the sport sector (15 %) through the despised, corrupt, rip off; quota transfer/lease system they keep trying to force on us.

Keep in mind that they only need about 7% to meet the Halibut food needs of the non sport fishing Canadian Public. The rest is exported. If you want something to be outraged about, be outraged about that.

 

[RiverBoy]

Haven't tried it yet but heard guys are tying a piece of flaggers tape to a snap swivel (total length is 133 cm). When the hali is close, reach over and snap the swivel over the leader. The swivel and flaggers tape slides down to the halibuts mouth and the flagging tape lays out nicely beside the fish. Nice part is if the fish takes off the snap stays on the leader for the next visit to the boat.

I tried this with a seamstress measuring tape. problem i found is depending where the hook is in the hali's mouth; if the fish is t straight( almost always ) and the waters' wave action on the tape makes it hard to determine an accurate measurement.

 

[hippaisland]

So how many very large BC Halibut Trophy's are mounted on walls anywhere, lol. But hey, if Halibut trophy hunting ever takes off I am sure the Taxidermy industry will be thrilled. Sorry, but the focus is on the food, not the Skin. Now if only they had a big rack on em or perhaps we could throw the head in an ant nest and then send the skull (do they have a true skull?) off to Boon and Crockett for a measurement and start a new category. Seriously, there is nothing remotely analogous about sport Halibut fishing and trophy hunting.

The large Halibut are inevitably large female prime breeding stock and from a conservation and sustainability point of view, it could be argued that leaving them in the water is not a terrible idea.

That however is not an argument that the Commercial sector, Quota owners, nor the Government/Political Parties they keep well greased (with Lobbyists and donations) want to make. Rather you will hear the opposite, - it’s very well managed, sustainable, etc.

There is no way in hell the commercial sector is not going to keep the large Halibut that are pure profit. Now increasingly there is also profit for the middle man quota owners, (increasingly corporations) who now own (well they do and they don’t -its complicated, -but practically) the Halibut (currently 85 percent) while not contributing anything, other than to siphon off money from those who actually fish, whether they be commercial fishermen or the sport sector (15 %) through the despised, corrupt, rip off; quota transfer/lease system they keep trying to force on us.

Keep in mind that they only need about 7% to meet the Halibut food needs of the non sport fishing Canadian Public. The rest is exported. If you want something to be outraged about, be outraged about that.

Just because they don't get it mounted doesn't mean they're not trophy hunters... In the past it was primarily US clients wanting BIG halibut, the ones that brag about still having a freezer full from the season before. They do it for the photo and for "bragging rights" to their thick skulled buddies.
I'm on the same team here, much rather see the big ones released and go on to breed.

 

[007]

I have always found the following works really well.

Once they are within about 6” of the surface pop them with a .22 (short - less noise).

Make sure you have a harpoon with a 48” Scotsman ready; any smaller and they can sometimes pull it under prolonging the hassle of landing them. Slam that into them, make sure you do it quick, the .22 may have only stunned it. Also, try and hit it about 1/3 – 1/2 way back from the nose, this will ensure you get deep into the meat and not bounce the harpoon off the skull. Only catching them for the photo and bragging rights anyway, so damage to the meat doesn’t matter.

Then get a noose around the tail, a gaff under the chin and into the gills. Use the gaff to ensure you have a back-up; in case your noose knot slips or the rope slips in your hands.

Next drag it over the gunnel belly up; the slim on the back helps it slide. The gaff in its gills also assists with providing a bit of a ‘bow’ in the spine; see below why this is helpful.

Once on the deck give it a good club with a wooden baseball bat; a wooden one tends to have more density than aluminum.

By this time it should be pretty much subdued, or at least its spine snapped which prevents it from flopping around.

I then use my great-grand mothers dress makers measuring tape, which she brought with her from England in 1904; it’s probably not that accurate but has sentimentally value.

If the fish is over 133cm, I will record it on my requested experimental quota license. At the end of the season, if I remember, I will pay for the poundage.

***********

Didn’t mean to trivialize this topic and hope you all can see the humor in this post.

It is an amazing wild resource we have access to.

I catch 2-3 per year, one of which is always on a guided trip; thank you to those hali masters I go out with. That is enough for myself and to share with family and friends, this incredible resource the ocean offers. Over the past few years, since I’ve learned of how the allocation was gifted, I find it highly disturbing [sic] as a Canadian.

Re-allocation of quota, in my opinion based on gained knowledge, is what is required. Pound for pound benefit to the economy and sustainability of the resource - the recreational sector should be given a larger percentage. I am sorry if (above) average Joe will have to pay more, at the grocery store or in a restaurant, but that is the reality of commercializing a wild resource.

 

[greenhornet]

Hello fellow fishers

I catch a bunch of hali every summer for my clients and when I get a questionable fish i use a broom handle the 133cm size to measure it,If its questionable I let it swim for another day.Of course id love to have it for the guy who just busted his butt really it in but those are prime females and its better to have them as breeders,I find that 70 lbs looks great at the dock or a photo op but 25-55 are a lot better to manage and eat.Here is a tip when dealing with hali before bringing them into the boat once you have established the length.

If I have a say 50 lb hali I harpoon it first and foremost,now you have it on a rope with a boy on it its yours !! its going to peel off some line when you stick it with the harpoons still fighting it on the rod you wait till the buoy pops up grab the rope bring it up beside the boat.Dont beat it on the head it only makes them go crazy,so what I do and i was taught this by a guy who caught shitloads of big ones when they where able to be taken years back,is take your knife and stab it between the eyes of the hali and twist the knife you will see clear liquid boil out of its head that is the brain matter,now that thing is dead and will not flop around at all,its an amazing little trick that works unbelievable.now it is safe to bring the monster of the deep into the boat.youll see the hali won't jump up and down or go crazy this trick with the knife works I guarantee it.I do this for all hali they don't suffer and no one gets hurt.

Tight Lines
Billydoo

 

[greenhornet]

Hello fellow fishers

I catch a bunch of hali every summer for my clients and when I get a questionable fish i use a broom handle the 133cm size to measure it,If its questionable I let it swim for another day.Of course id love to have it for the guy who just busted his butt really it in but those are prime females and its better to have them as breeders,I find that 70 lbs looks great at the dock or a photo op but 25-55 are a lot better to manage and eat.Here is a tip when dealing with hali before bringing them into the boat once you have established the length.

If I have a say 50 lb hali I harpoon it first and foremost,now you have it on a rope with a boy on it its yours !! its going to peel off some line when you stick it with the harpoons still fighting it on the rod you wait till the buoy pops up grab the rope bring it up beside the boat.Dont beat it on the head it only makes them go crazy,so what I do and i was taught this by a guy who caught shitloads of big ones when they where able to be taken years back,is take your knife and stab it between the eyes of the hali and twist the knife you will see clear liquid boil out of its head that is the brain matter,now that thing is dead and will not flop around at all,its an amazing little trick that works unbelievable.now it is safe to bring the monster of the deep into the boat.youll see the hali won't jump up and down or go crazy this trick with the knife works I guarantee it.I do this for all hali they don't suffer and no one gets hurt.

Tight Lines
Billydoo