I caught a hali while fishing for salmon off French Creek a few years back. It came after catching a few nice 20's springs over the day before. I thought man, this must be a 40+ pounder! Turned out to be a 20 lb-ish hali caught right in the middle of the "wrist" or whatever you call that part right before the tail starts. I pulled it up from 200' tail-first. The hook on the hootchie somehow snagged it there, and the skin was tough enough to hold the fish. Never before or afterwards have I caught one in the Strait.