127lbs Halibut off a Hobie Outback Kayak - Seward, AK

Landed a personal best 127 lbs halibut off a Hobie Outback using salmon gear out of Seward, Alaska. Was trolling for salmon when the halibut hit.

[@RoxnDox]

Rudy, you and Ryu had a fantastic day bringing home that barn door! Awesome job, man...

[@RudyT]

Thanks! We had a great day. No salmon but we caught a few rockfish for a great shore lunch, then this halibut! Always great to be on the water!

[@bluebeard2181]

First of all congratulations on a great catch! Also, that was just one hell of a video capture of the battle. That being said, I couldn't help but notice that you took the time to thank sponsors at the end... but no mention of your companion and the assistance he gave you! I doubt that you would have caught that fish had it not been for his help.

[@RudyT]

Fair enough. That's my son Ryu. He is in enough of my videos that most people subscribed to my channel already know him. But I agree. He definitely should get some credit!

[@andrewadam6185]

I didn't realize that thing was so big! We (my wife and I) saw the fish and met you while sea kayaking last year. Congratulations on a phenomenal catch!

[@RudyT]

Thanks! We were definitely lucky!

[@paulandresen8671]

No way it can go down with three barrels, not with three !

[@senpais.1830]

That halibut got shanked prison style 😅😂 Jokes aside, great catch!! Beautiful fish

[@RudyT]

Thanks. But yah, we regret not having a larger knife to effectively dispatch and bleed this fish properly. But super important for eating quality to bleed out your fish!

[@russellweidler6964]

That's insane from a kayak I've halibut fished half my life and landed some monsters but what you fought in that kayak must of been epic. Right on

[@victorchen5663]

Damn, what a fish, what a fight! And that's why I use Gamakatsu hooks as well! :-p

[@sams5155]

Awesome stuff a dream catch for anyone let alone on a kayak. Good for you sir.

[@DwightPerkins-i7t]

Can't believe you don't ever bring enough landing gear

[@isaachernandez4332]

Nice catch! Well done on a kayak, definitely a task to do!

[@bdv861]

I just watched this for the halibut.

[@slabhand]

Great Job! You're an inspiration.

[@bigfishjohnny]

What a battle! I thoroughly enjoyed that.

[@RudyT]

Thanks! It was amazing we got it using Salmon gear. But the kayaks get pulled around so it really does wear the fish out faster!

[@vxphan2601]

That is a bucket list fish. Congratulations

[@skunkedagain]

Awesome!

[@unjarredoutdoors5513]

Awesome video. Congrats on the fish!

[@danielvang3808]

Wow. Nice job landing it! That is huge!

[@RudyT]

Daniel Vang woohoo!!! Thanks!!!

[@Scottttyboy]

Awesome video man! What a great catch

[@squeedum4893]

That's a lotta fish dinners!!!

[@briansupermag3918]

I know this is old but darn that was amazing. Congrats

[@RudyT]

Thanks. It was a lot of fun on light tackle!

[@tiderunnerfishingnj1435]

Awesome video bro and such beautiful filets. Looked like one hell of a fight. Need to get myself one!

[@yossarianmnichols9641]

Next time you hook one that big you will end up in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. Bring lots of snacks and a gallon of fresh water.

[@andrewstraker7985]

Congratulations fish of a lifetime and some great eating there.

[@RudyT]

Thanks! I ended up only having to freeze about 5 pounds. The rest was consumed fresh and given to friends and family! We aren't huge fans of frozen halibut.

[@chazbickel4518]

Bye hand , off a kayak , nicely done!!

[@andybrotonsfishing]

Well your video, I look often and I love. I also fishing kayak is the top. Hello from France ;)

[@AddictedFishing]

Giant!

[@jcm5343]

Amazing Rudy!

[@Takuplumbing]

Let’s see your setup, please. I’m in SE and trying to get into kayak fishing. Stay safe out there.

[@RudyT]

This halibut i caught with salmon trolling gear. It is work in progress, but my typical set up and a few tidbits of info can be found here: alaskakayakfisher.com/halibut/ Keep in mind, we may be fishing shallower than you might be in SE Alaska. Cook Inlet is a flat feature-less bowl for the most part so we troll and cover a lot of ground. My understabnding of the folks who fished more in SE Alaska is they tend to fish structure. I will try and post some pics of the gear we use somewhere and link it. Where in SE Alaska are you fishing. Even though I live in Southcentral Alaska, SE Alaska is like a bucket list trip!!!

[@allweatheranglerz4152]

You gentlemen need a sturdy fish club to keep on board and that halibut Should've been beat to hell ASAP to keep you guys and your gear in 1 piece. I guarantee Your little white handle knife to his face didnt even penetrate past his cheek meat or do anything except piss him off. His gills or brain are not located in the middle of his face. Altogether, Luck was on your side despite all you went without or shouldve done differently. Amazing catch to end the day. We catch huge halibut here in southeast AK when trolling herring for kings too, so youve gotta learn quick that your target species isnt always the only fish Thatll bite your bait and there's always potential for your personal best. I hope you split that thing 50/50 with your buddy who had the harpoon. Having a buddy there could very well take the credit for that fish being landed

[@RudyT]

We could have definitely used a bigger knife. Our main purpose was to bleed the halibut which the small knife actually did. Were we lucky? Sure. It’s not everyday we hook a triple digit halibut off a kayak. A fish club didn’t work any better on my other 100+ lb halibut off a kayak. A gun is too dangerous relative to the system we use and unnecessary. We have refined our kayak system over hundreds of halibut and our system works pretty well in the sense we land halibut to 45 pounds using a Barbie rod and we do not carry a club or a gun. The only failure here is we only had a bait knife. We don’t carry a harpoon and buoy set up to land the salmon we were after that day. We are always open to a better method, though my advice is if you ever hook a big halibut off a kayak, beating it with a club is typically much more dangerous than cutting the gills and letting it run on a buoy. You don’t have the leverage in a sitting position to swing hard enough or accurately enough and it pisses the fish off a lot more than bleeding it out. Also NEVER use a gaff. It is like handing an MMA fighter a club to beat you with or a device to break your wrist. Lol. Been there, and lesson learned, we don’t do that any more.

[@allweatheranglerz4152]

DUDE!!! SO many points i hadn't considered! Especially not having good enough leverage to club while sitting down! All in all, you landed that sea monster! Thank you for enlightening me, for i'm just a "yunn buck" who grew up in a skiff, but, never spent a single session on a kayak! I mean no offense, my comment was made from my point of view about #1, seeing that you and your partner were safe and #2, that you landed that beauty!! Awesome teamwork and even more awesome that you addressed my comment to share with me what i could see from a better perspective! Keep posting and i'll keep watching! -AWA Kake, AK

[@RudyT]

@@allweatheranglerz4152 All good and I appreciate the comments. When I initially read your post, I admit I was thinking "oh oh" another troll type post. But I share information to at least give one person's perspective on how we do this off a kayak. The posts I hate are the ones saying things like "stabbing the fish is so inhumane...poor fish." What would be tragic is killing a great fish like this and not utilizing it properly by not taking care of the fish. Bleeding the fish while still alive and in the water will bleed out the fish twice as fast and a lot more blood flows. But your post was about safety and different perspectives on that is always appreciated. We have done this quite a bit, but we definitely don't have the monopoly on good ideas. We should have had a better knife and it would have dispatched the fish faster AND safer as you pointed out. I haven't been fishing much the past few years, mainly because my son is now in High school and he has different priorities like wrestling, cars, and gals. But I own a 21ft center console and I have not started the boat up since taking on kayak fishing. I am harvester of fish, not so much a sport fisherman. I don't do much fly fishing or freshwater fishing because I think the fish are better quality in the ocean for eating and flyfishing is hard! lol. I still choose the kayak since I can go out more often especially by myself or with my kid when he was younger. I have lived in Alaska since 1971, never been to fish in Southeast AK...a bucket trip for me even though I live in this state! You are lucky! You should consider trying this out. Super fun and safe if you have the right equipment. More than once we have been out ready to fish a derby and the derby canceled because the power boats couldn't' safely get out of the harbor. We can launch from anywhere so we found a sheltered spot and were out ready to fish! At any rate, when I start talking/typing about fishing it always turns into a novel. Lot's of good info out there. You should give it a try! It can be a year round hobbie even here in Southcentral Alaska. About 5 years back I managed to run a streak of 14 consecutive months catching a king salmon off my kayak. Pretty tough here, but I bet in Southeast you would stand a much better chance. I have a bunch more videos up so take a look if you haven't already LOADS of Fun!!! Tight lines and be safe!!

[@tokay999]

Wow!!!! Amazing catch

[@brenterwin99611]

Nice one, Rudy my man...

[@ThrustIssues7]

Oh man, you must have ate like kings. Halibut is so good!

[@joebeck165]

A great catch for sure, but not a great size for eating

[@2005wsoxfan]

$23.00 a pound. My fave fish to eat

[@leethao9711]

Amazing catch !

[@tomhuynh5532]

First time seeing this big hali. Definitely my future goal if I go to AK

[@dannybigdog4384]

Dannnng!!!!!!!

[@spencerwalgamott5729]

That’s a nice fish!! What size hooks did you use?

[@RudyT]

Thanks! I was trolling for cohos so probably 5/0 and 4/0 gamakatsu big river bait hooks.

[@ryanimpreza]

Awesome job

[@anthonyahola7278]

Handled it like a pro.

[@DaebakMonkey]

Very nice fish! After the fight with that beast the fillets must be very rewarding to eat. A guy down here in Washington hooked a 124 pounder in a 12 foot Howie Outback. Here’s the link to the article: www.heraldnet.com/news/edmonds-kayaker-catches-record-124-pound-halibut-off-neah-bay/ (Keep in mind we don’t get big fish down here often anymore. A guy caught a halibut weighing about 290 pounds and it made headlines across the state because it broke a record set in the 80s.)

[@achristianson4059]

That’s epic ! Serious question , How do you get your hobie up there? Bag check? Or do you rent ? I’m looking at flights

[@RudyT]

I am not aware of any Hobie rentals in Southcentral Alaska. Most halibut fishing can be done with a paddle kayak that is available. Some of the best halibut fishing is found in lower cook inlet, where you can often catch fish in 20 to 40 feet of water less than a quarter mile offshore. The tricky issue is understanding the currents in that area that can run up to 4 knots. That means while you only may be paddling a quarter to a half mile out, you will get carried several miles away from the launch point with the current, then when the current switches back, it will carry you back to the launch site. Takes a good understanding of how the currents work in that area. Seward is a great location but I would say 90% of the halibut I have caught off my kayak was in Lower Cook Inlet from the Deep Creek area to Anchor Point. You could bag check an one of the inflatable Hobies but you might as well buy one up here and try to sell it at a steep discount if you are trying to airfreight a Hobie from out of Alaska.

[@RudyT]

If you haven't seen the rest of the videos, my two largest halibut were not from Lower Cook Inlet. But all the other halibut in this playlist were from Lower Cook Inlet. kzbin.info/aero/PLlIdopvl1g-UpSEV-9GN5CfcTmJA4alNP

[@mikeandroi2698]

Great video. What is amazing is it was caught on using an ugly stick (GX2?) and a Okuma cold water reel. Proves you don't need super expensive gear to catch fish!

[@RudyT]

Thanks! It is absolutely true when fishing off of a kayak. My son is thelight tackle halibut master with a 38 pound halibut on 8 pound test and a 45 pound halibut caught on a kiddie rod spooled with 15lbs braid. The "give" of the kayak like a buoy and the ability to chase down plus keep the fish on the correct side of the a kayak using hands free pedal propulsion on the hobies is the key.

[@RudyT]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/qYavZ5KboLtpZtk

[@RudyT]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/ionbgqigoNyZbJY

[@jago76]

Curious how the eating was? Often, halibut over 100 pounds are not very tender.

[@RudyT]

The only way you could tell is the larger grain. Not wormy. Ate fine. 127 pounds isnt a chicken but really its not a huge halibut either. A frozen 25 pounder is a LOT worse than this fish fresh. I gave away most of the fish so friends could eat fresh halibut.

[@jago76]

@@RudyT Thanks, I caught a 70 pounder years ago and had it frozen to ship home.. Was not the best.

[@danmcalinden8728]

What’s that rod / reel set up ? Looks strong enough for big stuff but light enough for small stuff

[@RudyT]

It is a heavy action Ugly Stick GX2. Stiff as a broom handle. Super light, super cheap. The reel is an Okuma Cold Water 2030 Line counter reel. It was my back up gear. Much cheaper than my Seeker Rod and Daiwa Saltist reel combo you can see. Fortunately for me, off of kayaks we use fairly light drag settings and the kayak also gives when the fish takes off so we can get away with much stiffer rods which helps when landing a fish.

[@yakinwithbigfoot3832]

wow that was awesome!

[@JoeBurner1720]

Hey Rudy what harpoon is that?

[@RudyT]

It is a custom harpoon made by one of my kayak fishing buddies. He made it from used golf club shaft. But what makes it work is that he machined the head of the harpoon half the diameter of the commercially sold ones so that it is MUCH easier to punch through. My son likes a slightly longer reach and weight to help the harpoon head to penetrate better, we bought a shovel handle and inserted a brass metal dowel.

[@JoeBurner1720]

Rudy T thank you Rudy, are there any commercially sold harpoons that you would recommend?

[@briansmith3502]

This angler obviously had training harpooning whales in the Artic from indigenous whalers.

[@yaady2366]

oh a fookin G2 JESUS

[@michealfriedman7084]

How deep are you fishing?

[@RudyT]

This was about 50 ft down in 150ft of water. I was trolling for salmon when I caught this fish. Halibut can be found off the bottom especially when there is bait around.

[@michealfriedman7084]

@@RudyT Very nice. Have you ever fish deeper? Say over 400 feet? I plan to fish in Haines on kayak. It's deep water 450-750 feet. I hope it's feasible.

[@rimfirematt]

Nice! How about the salmon fishing?

[@RudyT]

Salmon fishing was slow according to my sources. We didn't hit anything...not even a pink. Saw one jumper all day. I am actually hearing about more kings being caught than silvers right now.

[@Trevorb27usaf]

Would you be interested in teaching someone? Just got stationed in alaska and have always wanted to do this.

[@RudyT]

Sorry. Just saw this. I haven't been out much lately but there are some good pages on facebook. Alaska Kayak fishing is a good one where people post when they are going. As long as you play it safe at first and have good equipment like a drysuit and PFD, it is super easy to get into!

[@wavealip8059]

You are a bad ass for snagging a fish this size in a kayak. Tips Hat..

[@tonglo85]

Awesome..where did you water taxi too?. Would like to join you guys next year

[@RudyT]

Fox Island Spit. Though I think Kayaker's Cove is closer to where we hooked up.

[@tonglo85]

@@RudyT awesome..hope to ser you guys out there on the water!

[@FSSCasino]

I would release that! It take forever to grow up to that big lol

[@RudyT]

It was given opportunity to spawn on many occasions. Harvesting a 10 pounder without knowing the sex has potentially much greater impact on biomass. This fish was 10 pounds at one time. Had someone killed it then, was that better or worse for the biomass? Furthermore, this fish fed a lot of folks. I hate frozen halibut so I gave away most of the fish to be consumed fresh. My friends were grateful to receive roughly 1,000 dollars worth of halibut that many could not afford. But I hear you. If you are in position where the fish can't be utilized, I would commend you for releasing it. Not as concerned that a fully utilized halibut caught from a human powered platform is a real conservation issue.

[@Sackmatters]

Amazing. I take it salmon fishing hasn’t really started yet this year. I was down there 4th of July week and there wasn’t anything to be heard of.

[@RudyT]

Super Slow. We didn't even hook a pink. Saw one jumper all day.

[@Sackmatters]

Rudy T that’s a shame. I hope they start running soon.

[@philsbs2007]

It doesn't even seem real! Talk about doormats you caught the whole door!!! Awesome!!!!

[@RudyT]

Thanks! I have lived in Alaska since 1971 and it's only my second halibut over 100 lbs...both off of a kayak! Loads of fun!

[@ikstrucking3289]

No. He caught the whole floor!

[@jamesbarlow6725]

Epic fish from a Kayak.....

[@Thefishingplumber]

Woooooooooow wished Galveston had them gems

[@michaelgarcia4210]

Is a halibut the same as a flounder

[@RudyT]

Yes and no. Flounder is often used as a general term for many flatfishes. So I guess from that explanation, a halibut is a type of flounder. But typically, the term halibut is reserved for a narrower group of flatfish. I know of several flatfishes commonly referred to as "halibut". The one in the video is a "pacific halibut". Then there is the Atlantic halibut. Both of these are of the genus "Hippoglossus". The one other halibut I hear of is the California Halibut which is the genus Paralichthys . The wikipedia lists a few more but for the average sport angler, these three are the ones that are mentioned the most often.

[@cdsfishing4346]

Nice catch, I actually just caught a halibut on my channel like a week ago.

[@redwood1957]

Were you on a rental yak? Grey video thank you

[@RudyT]

No. We took our own kayaks on the water taxi.

[@fischfreak1]

When i see videos like this iam sad that i just fish in freshwater for pike with my hobie. Nice catsh

[@RudyT]

fischfreak Thanks! Pike are a blast. Best thing about fishing saltwater.....NO MOSQUITOES!!!! LOL.

[@automaticreply]

Dangerous stuff made easy. Nice!

[@gibbyutah]

I think your gonna need a bigger boat :)

[@bradjohnson4787]

I thought you had to release the really large ones!

[@RudyT]

The Charter's have size limits for the second fish in this area. Sport anglers in this area can keep two per day any size. Though it looks good in pictures, I am not sure 127 pounds would be considered "large" by halibut standards here. It certainly isn't an exceptional fish. A trophy certificate here in Alaska starts at 250 pounds. It is true that almost 100% of the fish this size are breeding females. But let's say you kept nothing but small fish ( I would say the average fish we keep is about 10 to 15 pounds), but you kept a lot more fish. Well, this fish was a 10 pounder at one time as well. At least this fish had many breeding cycles completed before harvesting. I have fished Alaska since 1971 and this is only the second halibut I have kept over 100 pounds. As long as anglers are not high grading the fish excessively, I don't personally have an issue with retaining a few larger fish. As far as the eating quality, this one was great. We only froze about 10 pounds of it and shared the rest of fish with friends who mainly ate it fresh.

[@bradjohnson4787]

Thanks, that explains it! Good luck,

[@tasaman]

One hell of a fish.

[@MrKveite1]

Good stuff but it's still small for a hallie so i would advice you to get a buoy 3 times the size of that one for the day when you catch a real one:) They can be 700 instead of 127:)

[@nintendude1988]

You don't want to go any bigger than A0 for halibut, the bigger ones create too much drag when then go under and can actually rip the harpoon wound bigger, thus a greater chance the harpoon comes out

[@MrKveite1]

@@nintendude1988 Ahh Here in norway we use a spear vith 90 degree angle piece that flips when the spear goes through the hallie and makes that impossible. Can use any size buoy you want.

[@brucenguyen8343]

Wait why were u stabbing it with a knife

[@RudyT]

Two reasons. We were trying to cut the gills. Since we don't carry a gun like many powerboats, bleeding them out is the fastest way to subdue the fish. Just as importantly, a properly bled fish is much better table fare. A fish will bleed out twice as fast and twice as much if bled in water vs out of the water.

[@jethro2309]

​@@RudyT a bit barbaric though aint it? Just stabbing its face over and over/ Surely a hali that size aint good eating anyway

[@scotto5548]

@@jethro2309 Totally agree, a fish that big should be catch, photo and release. Doesn't surprise me though, It seems a LOT of people from that part of the world just want to kill and destroy everything. I bet he didn't even use It all for food, just caught It for the glory :(

[@mrbriceno3949]

Wow

[@kojmas]

😮 👍

[@Haneix1]

I have that exact pennel rig hahah.

[@davidjennings127]

A ugly stick,what else

[@studebaker4217]

No wonder normal folk think anglers are stupid. How much more beautiful if this halibut was left alive?

[@RudyT]

It fed a lot of folks. These "sea kittens" are a healthy and nutritious RENEWABLE resource that is strictly managed. I wonder the amount of animal killing pesticides and habitat destruction the soybean farms producing tofu cause?

[@andreasbakkers2210]

Catch and release!💩💩

[@RudyT]

I fish mainly for food purposes. That fish is over 1,000 dollars worth at retail prices. It fed a lot of folks who were very appreciative. I froze only 10 pounds of it. People say keep the small ones. This fish was a small one at one time. At least harvesting it now, it had many chances to spawn and pass it's genes on before I caught it. I have fished in Alaska since I was 5 years old and this is only the 2nd fish I have ever kept over 100 pounds. Virtually zero impact on population. If you are going to be concerned about a halibut being kept off of a human powered kayak, I hope you address all the powerboat catches including recreational and commercial just as fervently. Conservation us important. But so is harvesting sustainable wild seafood.

[@LocoKickAss]

on a ugly stik!

[@williammcdonald3293]

I know folks always say whenever they catch a fish, they use the term "Nice Fish", they dilute the sayings value. But in this case "NICE FISH" Sir

[@FishDadCook]

Life goals! Great job, I’m so inspired

[@fasx56]

You need a 22 pistol with you to dispatch the big Halibut or something more effective to kill them, you really had your hands full as the old saying goes.Congratulations on the prize Halibut, you earned him.

[@akcharlie1960]

OUTSTANDING!!! I gotta try this.

[@joedennehy386]

Spectacular bro, you certainly wouldn't have landed it without the harpoon and buoy. You would gave been dunk trying. Frivken epic. Thanks from New Zealand

[@Madmoody21]

Would be nice if you had a better way to dispatch such a creature. I read it all got eaten by family and friends so no worries on taking to much stock out of there your fine for a while with one so good pull mate.

[@RudyT]

I definitely agree. However, we have discussed carrying guns like powerboats but we are concerned that as we sit so low to the water, that we may risk a ricochet or shooting the halibut very close to the kayak. We have considered bang sticks. Then you add to the fact we rarely catch fish this large. The reality of the situation is that for the most part, we dispatch fish just as fast as any halibut that isn't shot before it is brought on board a powerboat. In fact they are dispatched faster as the fish bleed out twice as fast when bled in the water versus out of the water in a fish hold. We appreciate the comment and we will be working toward some type of solution.

[@RudyT]

A bang stick is a possibility but really large fish like this are very rare. Worth thinking about for sure.

[@smokenjoe4022]

A little stainless 357 mag would have been a lot less dangerous and a lot more efficient !

[@RudyT]

I am going to somewhat disagree. A firearm onboard a kayak is not a good idea. We catch dozens of halibut over 50 pounds with no issues. Though one has to be careful. Close proximity of the fish and potential angles plus doing everything by yourself on most occasions makes it a bad idea in my opinion. You rarely see an angler on board a boat shoot his own fish. Too many things can happen.

[@MatanuskaHIGH]

Rudy T revolvers won’t go off my accident 🤷‍♂️.

[@truoutdoors]

wow! what an insane catch!

[@johnmckroidskayakfishingad2006]

Big Halibut like that would make me want to consider the 600lb capacity of a Pro Angler 14. Beautiful fish ! Fantastic feat, Congratulations !

[@RudyT]

I agree. My son wants one. I am just getting too old and lazy to deal with a heavier kayak. lol. I also am not sure how I would feel about trying to cartop a PA on my 2 door civic after giving up my truck to my daughter.

[@johnmckroidskayakfishingad2006]

I have friends that car top them, but it's much easier to slide them into the back of the truck. Maybe you will just have to swap cars with your daughter on the days you go kayak fishing.

[@Hydrayak]

Nice work! I've been to Seward a few times. Have never had a kayak to fish though. Always wanted to. Thanks for making this vid!

[@RudyT]

HydraYak Outdoors Thanks! Seward isnt my normal stomping grounds but I am m enjoying it more!! Lol.

[@HowtoAlaska]

Great video I hope it does well for you! What a nice fish to catch from a kayak!

[@RudyT]

How to Alaska Thanks! Finally outfished my kid. Lol. If you have looked through my channel, he is the real pro (literally). Lol.

[@HowtoAlaska]

I definitely follow your channel...I would like to get my boys into this someday.

[@stevanb4481]

Which beach did you launch from?

[@RudyT]

Fox Island Spit via Millers Landing Water Taxi though the fish was caught probably closer to kayakers cove.

[@AboveTheHook]

holy crap you landed that on a coldwater reel!!!!!!!

[@goch907]

That’s what I’m talking about. Maybe the biggest halibut off a kayak on KZbin?????

[@RudyT]

Possibly. I do know of a 180ish halibut caught off a kayak in Southeast Alaska by Howard McKim though I don't think its on youtube.

[@islandfantasy5931]

What set up are you using? What brand reel and pole do you have?

[@RudyT]

It is a Heavy rated Ugly Stick GX2 and an Okuma Cold water line counter reel. My backup outfit but thanks to kayaks that act like a buoy and moves when a fish pulls, it was no problem at all. I was trolling salmon so I had a two gamakatsu Big River bait hooks snelled onto 40lbs fluorocarbon leader and I was trolling it. I was trying to catch a coho or a king and was working a pretty large bait-ball when the halibut hit. My gear was only down maybe 30ft in over 100ft of water.

[@islandfantasy5931]

@@RudyT Thank you for the video and reply. Aloha

[@betyyjuan6080]

enorme lenguado nunca visto

[@fernandosalas8589]

That sucker is big.

[@BG-bx4ey]

Awesome! I just moved to Homer, can't wait to get out on the water.

[@RudyT]

You are a lucky man! I grew up in Kenai but live in Anchorage now. Ugh. 4 hour drive. Kings are there now but it has been slow. You can also catch halibut off the spit in 150 feet of water or so. They wont be huge or at summer thickness but they are there!!

[@indeepship____3944]

do your self a favor and get a tuna spike i heard they work great on them

[@RudyT]

Maybe the harpoon shot needs to be in the head. We use thinner harpoon heads so that might penetrate. Or maybe just sharpen slightly the rod end of the harpoon so we can hit it with that after we harpoon it. I don't doubt there could be a better way, but so far bleeding the fish out seems to settle them down the fastest. I know it seems a bit "bloody" when everything is up close with cameras rolling, but pretty much the same thing happens to every halibut that is gaffed and yanked on board a charter boat. Except that we bleed them out in the water which is twice as effective as bleeding them out in a fish hold. Might have to study up on fish anatomy and look into the use of the tuna spikes on halibut. Thanks for the suggestion.

[@eddielikesfishing]

I like big buts and I can not lie! Nice fish, one to be proud of landing! That'll help fill the freezer.

[@Teach_1ne]

Sick video!!

[@jamesgordon8072]

I remember my first time. Bigger fish in my stool 😬

[@jesseorellana6747]

I dont undeestand the concept of the harpoon with the buoy, please explain, if you would of broken off your fishing line, what happens? Do u still retrieve the fish?

[@RudyT]

Yes, the buoy would eventually come to the surface and you could retrieve the fish. It would be very dangerous to attach the fish to the kayak even if you believed it was dead. I have seen, though rarely, halibut that have been shot momentarily come back to life 10 minutes after it has been in the fish box on a power boat. I should also note that for large fish, a buoy larger than an A1 size buoy may cause the wire leader on the harpoon head to cut through the fish which may cause the harpoon head to come out of the fish. The buoy here was an A0 buoy which has 13 pounds of lift. Plenty for this 127 pound fish.

[@pikesticker]

@@RudyT The A0 has 13# of lift at the surface. However when pulled down to 33 feet deep its volume is reduced to 50% and therefore has only 6.5# of lift. As the fish took the buoy to 66 feet deep the volume was halved again, leading to only 3.25# of lift. By the time the fish hit 100 feet and deeper (as you were in 200+ feet of water) the buoy essentially was just a piece of poly plastic with almost no lift at all. A more suitable or appropriate buoy would be the 8"x15" bullet shaped crab buoy that has the same cross-sectional dimensions (drag) as the A0 and much smaller than the A1 cross-section and most importantly maintains its full 18# lift at any depth since it won't crush when pulled deep by a large fish. And only weighs 3.1 oz more than the A0 poly.

[@marshallbrooks8896]

Well done!

[@ChristopherBlazen]

🤤Looks delicious