336lb Halibut Catch and Release! Alaskan Halibut Fishing - Petersburg, Alaska! JULY 2024

[@gc0960]

I was there with Capt Zac. This fish was huge. It wore me out to the point that I had to hand off to Capt Zac for help. As you can see, we took turns to get it done. Nature can be powerful! Thx for the assist Capt!

[@CaptainZac]

Well said Geoff! It was awesome to share this barn door battle and I think it is safe to say that all parties involved were totally exhausted by the end - you, me and the massive halibut! Alaska certainly serves up some amazing adventure! Until next time my friend, tight lines! Captain Zac

[@joel383]

Legendary!

[@timfulwood3449]

That was a beast! Nice tag team effort from you both. Congratulations Geoff!

[@codyledoux4338]

Geoff, amazing fish Sir!!! If you're from PSG then I think we're neighbors! I married Faith Nelson out at Point Agassiz and have been down here in Petersburg area the past 4 years. Congrats on that beast. As someone who's disabled (2 bad shoulders, just had my neck fused C3-C7 in January) I sure hope I never hook into a beast like that until I get an electric reel!!! Again what a great fish, neighbor!!

[@gc0960]

@@codyledoux4338- no, I’m from the mainland USA. But I do visit Petersburg whenever I go to fish AK! Hope you heal up and get out fishing soon! Tight Lines

[@billzumwalt324]

A true Sportsman. So refreshing to see a person with honorable ethics in this day and age. You were a long way from Juneau !

[@CaptainZac]

Hi Bill thanks for stopping by and I really appreciate the positive comment! We were very fortunate to cross paths with this special fish and were happy to release it after an unforgettable battle! Yes indeed - it is quite a journey down to Petersburg by water but there is some awesome fishing along the way! Thanks again and tight lines my friend! Captain Zac

[@robertlittle8672]

I totally agree with you,so many people don't ever think about what their doing to the future of fishing.

[@jimnieswaag1662]

Only true sportsmen release a monster like that. Well done gentlemen! 👍

[@CaptainZac]

Hi @jimnieswaag1662 many thanks for the positive comment and I'm glad you enjoyed this halibut action! After an epic battle, we were happy to release this big breeder to swim free. We'll never forget this special encounter and this massive halibut can go on creating the next waves of future halibut! Thanks again and tight lines my friend! Captain Zac

[@randymutch5791]

great conservation its nice to see these huge breeders live and breed for future fisheries

[@CaptainZac]

Hi Randy thanks for the positive comment and I'm glad you enjoyed this barn door catch and release! Yes indeed - the little ones are much better eating and these big ones represent the future of the fishery! Thanks again and tight lines my friend! Captain Zac

[@andrewhansen4179]

Thanks for posting this video. That was exciting to watch. Nice release of the barn door. Keep it up.

[@CaptainZac]

Hey @andrewhansen4179 thanks for the positive comment and I'm glad you enjoyed this barn door action! We were thrilled with the entire experience and happy to release this awesome fish! Thanks again for stopping by and here's to many tight lines in 2025 my friend! Captain Zac

[@pauloehmen1665]

Holy crazy catch 👍the release was the best. Thanks much

[@CaptainZac]

Thanks Paul I appreciate the positive comment and am glad you enjoyed this catch and release! Tight lines my friend! Captain Zac

[@michaelk7635]

Congrats Gentlemen on an absolute monster!!! You did the right thing letting this great fish go. By the way you did not need an electric reel. You just needed Mary!!!

[@CaptainZac]

Haha hey @michaelk7635 many thanks for the positive comment and you are right about Mary! She was unable to join for this trip but probably would have out-fished us if she were in the boat! She would have reeled this big fish in no problem! Thanks again and tight lines my friend! Captain Zac

[@waikarimoana]

What a monster on the line and great fight but got lost at the last moment Captain Zac, but as you know all part of fishing.Great video and footage, enjoyed the trip with you team, thumbs up and greetings from Kiwiland,, Tony.

[@CaptainZac]

Hey Tony many thanks for the positive comment and I'm glad you enjoyed this halibut action! Oh - we intentionally released it and chose to keep the smaller fish which are better table fare! Plus, the big ones are the breeders so releasing them helps the future halibut population! Thanks again and tight lines my friend! Captain Zac

[@1richrodfishing]

Wow that was a huge halibut thanks for sharing and posting your video congrats on your catch 💯👍🎣🔥 Catch you next time!

[@CaptainZac]

Hi @1richrodfishing many thanks for the positive comment and I'm glad you enjoyed this barn door catch and release! Thanks again and tight lines my friend! Captain Zac

[@nigelkavanagh2048]

Fantastic catch and release skipper! Kudos.

[@CaptainZac]

Hey Nigel many thanks for watching and I'm glad you enjoyed this barn door action! I appreciate the positive comment - tight lines my friend! Captain Zac

[@Cntrmass]

Just WOW! Way to go both of you.

[@CaptainZac]

Thanks @Cntrmass I appreciate the positive comment! Tight lines! Captain Zac

[@Thekeep22-p8j]

Hey my dad emailed you about the halibut jigs that were lost in the mail and told me about you and congratulations on the fish thanks for helping my dad

[@CaptainZac]

Hi Landon thanks for the message and I'm glad we found a quick and easy way to get the jigs to your dad for his upcoming trip! Will you be joining him on that fishing trip? Thanks for the positive comment and tight lines my friend! Captain Zac

[@geraldanderson6561]

WOW, I didn't know that halibut got that big. Great catch and release!

[@CaptainZac]

Hey @geraldanderson6561 many thanks for watching and I appreciate the positive comment! We were very fortunate to cross paths with this extraordinary fish! Thanks again and tight lines my friend! Captain Zac

[@pascalb1974]

Well done guys !!!!Always good to see some big fish close to the boat!

[@CaptainZac]

Hi @pascalb1974 thanks for stopping by and I'm glad you enjoyed this halibut action! I appreciate the positive comment - it was definitely a cool encounter with such a big fish! Thanks again and tight lines my friend! Captain Zac

[@bmiller7710]

Incredible fish! Thanks for sharing and you definitely made the right choice letting the old girl go!

[@CaptainZac]

Hi @bmiller7710 thanks for the positive comment and I'm glad you enjoyed this halibut action! Yes indeed - this was a special fish and we were happy to send it back to the deep to continue producing the next generations of halibut for years to come! Thanks again and tight lines my friend! Captain Zac

[@Aceak]

I live in Juneau Alaska born and raised and I agree Jerry’s meat it very good the crab dip used to be good but now it’s not but still very good little store in the valley. Im at 29:02

[@CaptainZac]

Hey @Aceak thanks for stopping by and I appreciate the positive comment! Yes indeed Jerry's Meats is a great local store and their smoked salmon dip with crackers is a really solid - a staple in my boat, especially when we have visitors! Here's to many tight lines in 2025 my local Juneau friend! Captain Zac

[@tristannyman9059]

Halibut of a lifetime! Hell yeah, Captain!

[@CaptainZac]

Hey Tristan thanks for watching and I'm glad you enjoyed this barn door battle! Thanks for the positive comment and tight lines my friend! Captain Zac

[@chuckrichards3501]

Great catch and release !! You are really getting the hang of that electric reel. You have a nice smooth operation. Love the videos..

[@daveyJ213]

Dang Dudes! That was a huge halibut. Amazing! Good job. Too much fun.

[@CaptainZac]

Hi @daveyJ213 many thanks for the positive comment and I'm glad you enjoyed this halibut action! It was definitely a cool encounter and luckily it was hooked right in the corner of the mouth for an easy (well, relatively) catch and release! Thanks again and tight lines my friend! Captain Zac

[@davidsolberg9464]

Another awesome video my friend. Looks to me like you letting that big girl go got you some karma rewards from mother nature. That was a very nice batch of halibut that you were able to harvest!!! Good luck, have fun, and be safe out there my friend.

[@CaptainZac]

Hi David many thanks for the positive comment and I'm glad you enjoyed this halibut adventure! Well said - we were certainly fortunate to have some good luck on the smaller "eating size" halibut after we sent this big barn door back to the deep! Thanks again and tight lines my friend! Captain Zac

[@jonclausen2734]

I caught a 92 pound halibut in June of 2023 and thought that was big ! Wow what a great catch, I’m sorry I kept mine being my first time in Alaska and love halibut. If I would catch one like that I would definitely let it go! The smaller ones taste a lot better! Nice work

[@bradleyeis7319]

Nice catch Zac, that was 1 huge Halibut.

[@CaptainZac]

Hi Bradley I appreciate the positive comment and am glad you enjoyed this halibut action! Tight lines my friend! Captain Zac

[@AnglingSpiders]

What an absolute tank! Congrats, amazing fish.

[@CaptainZac]

Thanks Sean I appreciate the positive comment! We were fortunate to cross paths with this special fish! Tight lines my friend! Captain Zac

[@meljce]

Great job fellas that’s the way to keep the halibut numbers strong let the big ones keep breeding. Congrats

[@CaptainZac]

Hi @meljce many thanks for the positive comment and I'm glad you enjoyed this halibut action! We were very fortunate to encounter this extraordinary fish and were happy to send it back to the deep in favor of future generations of halibut! Tight lines my friend! Captain Zac

[@roblockhart8410]

Amazing catch and release! So cool you got it on video too

[@CaptainZac]

Thanks @roblockhart8410! I appreciate the positive comment and am glad you enjoyed this halibut action! Yes indeed - we were fortunate that all of the stars aligned during this encounter with this extraordinary fish. Thanks again and tight lines! Captain Zac

[@goodcitizen64]

Great catch and release Cpt!

[@CaptainZac]

Hey @goodcitizen64 I appreciate the positive comment and am glad you enjoyed this halibut catch and release action! Tight lines my friend! Captain Zac

[@tommycornforth5150]

Nice Halibut! Look like fun! Heading to Homer August 4 a Can't Wait! Just ordered some of your Halibut Seasoning! Keep putting out the good videos!

[@CaptainZac]

Hi Tommy many thanks for your support! I appreciate the positive comment and the spice order! Best of luck on your upcoming fishing trip to the Halibut Capital of the World! Tight lines my friend! Captain Zac

[@ericwiegele7651]

Captain Zac You guys earned that sea monster.. Congrats…!!! I’m looking forward to seeing what else you guys got to catch on your Petersburg adventure! Tight Lines.. Safe trip home.. E

[@CaptainZac]

Hi Eric many thanks for the positive comment and I'm glad you enjoyed this halibut action! We boated all the way down there and back from Juneau so there were definitely some cool on-water encounters during the trip! Thanks again and tight lines my friend! Captain Zac

[@dennismalcolm6620]

THAT WAS AN AMAZING FISH 🐟 AND I AM SO GLAD THAT YOU CHOSE TO LET IT GO!!!! 🎉🎉

[@jackleonguerrero135]

We need more captain and fishermen like that,think about the future.

[@CaptainZac]

Hey @jackleonguerrero135 I appreciate the positive comment and am glad you enjoyed this halibut action! Thanks again and tight lines my friend! Captain Zac

[@waynehillstead7424]

What a day. Great team work, fantastic barn door. and a fight that you will remember forever. Very jealous. Hope you had a chance to get a Rock Fish taco at El Zarape in Petersburg. Keep up the good work Captain. I'll have a line in the same waters in eight days :-).

[@CaptainZac]

Hey Wayne many thanks for the positive comment and I'm glad you enjoyed this Barn Door action! Haha no unfortunately we weren't able to get any tacos from El Zarape but we did enjoy some Papa Bears pizza!!! Cool - best of luck on your trip next week! I'd love to hear how you do! Tight lines my friend! Captain Zac

[@patrickdonahue6608]

Well done! That is amazing

[@CaptainZac]

Thanks @patrickdonahue6608 I appreciate the positive comment! Tight lines my friend! Captain Zac

[@FCGS-kf9xo]

Is that near Point Baker? We will be there on Wednesday. Fishing has been amazing out that way. Hopefully, the cohos come in strong.

[@CaptainZac]

Hey @FCGS-kf9xo this was out in the Sumner Strait so between Petersburg and Point Baker. The cohos are showing up in numbers in Juneau - I caught three yesterday and talked to another boat that got 15 which is great for this early in the run. Best of luck on your fishing trip next week - tight lines! Captain Zac

[@FCGS-kf9xo]

Thanks for the reply, Zac. I hope we get into some good eating halibut and look forward to trying your seasoning and recipe. It looks delicious!

[@CaptainZac]

@@FCGS-kf9xo Thanks - tight lines!

[@wbstone4388]

Great job and nice release! We fished that area in June and caught some nice halibut. Some days the current was so strong we had to move over to Prince of Wales Island to have easier fishing. Looking forward to Coho salmon soon.

[@CaptainZac]

Thanks @wbstone4388! That's awesome that you had a great week halibut fishing in this area recently as well! Definitely some strong currents out there! Tight lines my friend! Captain Zac

[@TimVaughan-bu7tq]

Capt. Zac , Great fish 🐟. A real monster . Full respect to see the release of that fish . & your mate can claim that one 😅 .,, excellent post to watch . Great content Cheers Tim

[@CaptainZac]

Hey Tim many thanks for the positive comment and I'm glad you enjoyed this halibut action! We were very fortunate to cross paths with this extraordinary fish and were happy to release it in favor of future generations of halibut! Thanks again and tight lines my friend! Captain Zac

[@mrcorona77777]

Your living the fisherman,s dream GOD bless you my friend.

[@CaptainZac]

Thanks @mrcorona77777 I'm glad you enjoyed this halibut action and I appreciate the positive comment! Tight lines my friend! Captain Zac

[@mikehelms5845]

I’m exhausted. Great job men!!!!!!

[@CaptainZac]

Thanks Mike I appreciate the positive comment and am glad you enjoyed this barn door battle! Tight lines my friend! Captain Zac

[@markmaccani9411]

Zac, Great job on that Halibut action. That sure was a monster of a Halibut, awesome job and nice job on the release. I will text you later on the dates I will next be in Sitka incase you have the time to get over for the Coho fishing as discussed in a previous convocation. Good luck on the up coming trips and tight lines.

[@CaptainZac]

Hey Mark many thanks for the positive comment and I'm glad you enjoyed this barn door action! Yes definitely let me know when you'll be back in AK - the cohos are already starting to run hard here in Juneau! Tight lines my friend! Captain Zac

[@morganhealy9918]

WOW!! Congrats on the barndoor

[@CaptainZac]

Thanks @morganhealy9918 I appreciate the positive comment! I'm glad you enjoyed this halibut action! Tight lines! Captain Zac

[@Tomtom67733]

this was an amazing video. I live in Oregon and catch them here, but none ever close to that size. great fish.

[@CaptainZac]

Hi @Tomtom67733 I really appreciate the positive comment and am glad that you enjoyed this halibut action! We were very fortunate to encounter this special fish and were happy to send it back to the deep! Best of luck halibut fishing in Oregon - tight lines my friend! Captain Zac

[@dansplett8303]

Great catch and release

[@CaptainZac]

Thanks @dansplett8303! I appreciate the positive comment and am glad you enjoyed this halibut action! Tight lines my friend! Captain Zac

[@TchaboAcemah]

So jealous! Awesome fish!

[@CaptainZac]

Hey Tchabo many thanks for the positive comment and I'm glad you enjoyed this barn door battle! Tight lines my friend! Captain Zac

[@terryhartsburg2667]

Nothing better than a fire eye jig! ❤

[@CaptainZac]

Hey Terry many thanks for the positive comment and your continued support! I'm glad that you were once again able to put some nice halibut on the deck with the fire eye glow jig this year! Thanks again and tight lines my friend! Captain Zac

[@kmaciejewski71]

Wish I would have known that was your boat tied up last week. Would have come and said hello! My cabin is two places north of the lodge. Been watching your videos for the last few years trying to figure these fish out! Being from Minnesota, it’s been a learning curve trying to figure out the ocean! Great fish!

[@CaptainZac]

Hey @kmaciejewski71 thanks for the positive comment and too bad we didn't cross paths a few weeks ago! How cool that you have a cabin right up shoreline! There is some fantastic halibut fishing in the area and pretty soon the cohos should be running. I'm glad you are finding my videos helpful and I appreciate your support. Perhaps the next time I'm down that way I'll stop over and say hello! Tight lines my friend! Captain Zac

[@jamesfrensley5330]

THAT was one CHUNKY female! Just look at her underwater. LOTS of baby halibut in there. Good to you for letting her go & lay future generations. Was with my father in law out of Homer in the 80's & brought in a 417 pounder. I cried at the cleaning table, not for the 4 fillets that filled a black, hefty garbage bag each. But for the 20 plus pounds of creamy white eggs, they threw out for the seagulls.. I ALWAYS regretted that.😢

[@CaptainZac]

Hi James many thanks for the thoughtful comment and I appreciate you sharing your experience harvesting a big barn door up in Homer back in the 80s. Sounds like quite a bittersweet moment at the fillet table. With a little more awareness among anglers, halibut fishing could be re-framed around keeping the best-eating fish (those under 100lbs) while releasing these big female breeders. Anglers would enjoy the best-tasting halibut fillets and future halibut populations would be strengthened - seems like a win/win to me. Thanks again and tight lines my friend! Captain Zac

[@philmccumbee6938]

Absolutely awesome barn door. I would have never been able to land that monster. You guys showed excellent team work. Thank you for another epic video. Not nice to eat and not offer your viewers a sandwich. Tight lines King Cod.

[@CaptainZac]

Haha hey Phil many thanks for stopping by and I appreciate the positive comment! Perhaps I'll start giving away some Halibut Magic so viewers can make halibut salad sandwiches for themselves! Thanks again and tight lines my friend! Captain Zac

[@charlesmeyer8113]

AWESOME!

[@CaptainZac]

Thanks @charlesmeyer8113! Tight lines! Captain Zac

[@BillMikesAnglingAdventures]

Beast 👍👍

[@CaptainZac]

Thanks Bill! Tight lines my friend! Captain Zac

[@berntout3697]

Landing that monster with light tackle...good job!

[@CaptainZac]

Thanks @berntout3697 I appreciate the positive comment and am glad you enjoyed this barn door action! Yes indeed - it was quite a battle on light tackle! Thanks again for stopping by and here's to many tight lines in 2025 my friend! Captain Zac

[@samsmith7150]

Monster fish!!

[@CaptainZac]

Thanks @samsmith7150! Tight lines my friend! Captain Zac

[@coolhand6669]

Hey Zac what's going on the 330 halibut Petersburg is one of my favorite places really good fishing. One of these things in Petersburg is the founder fishing is really good in a couple of different places near the town and then in the passage from the town to one of the slues the flounder fishing is really outstanding I've limited it out many times. Also right in front of most the big canneries if you put a Japanese rig with the feathers in the small hooks the herring is incredible not all the time but sometimes there's huge hearing like a foot and a half long herring. If you like to do marinated herring this is the place to get it because the Herring is so big. Also if you head down towards Prince of Wales Island where Point Baker the fishing for rockfish and halibut is really good there too I found from about 60 ft to about 150 the rockfish are just so plentiful and in some places that are not that deep there are lots of good sized halibut from about 40 to 80 in on the average and then some bigger ones and if you like whales holy moly it's incredible amount of whales

[@CaptainZac]

Hi @coolhand6669 many thanks for the positive comment and I'm glad this halibut video brought back so many fond memories of fishing in that area! It sounds like you've had some amazing adventures around Petersburg and Point Baker! Yes indeed the herring are still stacked up right in front of the cannery - we caught a plenty of them for fresh bait last week! Thanks again and tight lines my friend! Captain Zac

[@stuartelder7344]

Howdy from Australia, congratulations on an absolute monster Halibut, l love seeing those fish. What was the red electric reel you used, had some power for its size.

[@CaptainZac]

Hey @stuartelder7344 thanks for watching and I appreciate the positive comment! I am using a Daiwa Seaborg 500mj electric reel - small enough to be fish "in hand" while jigging for halibut but powerful enough to battle barn doors! Thanks again and tight lines my friend! Captain Zac

[@greggpi]

Epic battle

[@CaptainZac]

Thanks @greggpi I'm glad you enjoyed this barn door action! Tight lines! Captain Zac

[@kevinschacher2097]

Wow! Awesome job! You won’t need to go to the gym for a couple days, after that workout!! 😃

[@CaptainZac]

Hey Kevin many thanks for stopping by and I'm glad you enjoyed this halibut action! Haha yes indeed - this was an Alaskan workout at its finest!!! Tight lines my friend! Captain Zac

[@jago76]

Congrats to true sportsmen, One question: how big do the skates get?

[@CaptainZac]

Hi @jago76 many thanks for the positive comment and I'm glad you enjoyed this halibut action! I read from Alaska Fish & Game that skates can grow up to eight feet! I'm not sure if that is measuring their length or width, but either way, a big skate could certainly deliver a rod-bending battle! Thanks again and tight lines my friend! Captain Zac

[@kentaylor1833]

Good job. Only thing drove me crazy was stuff all over your fighting area. I'm super strict about clutter on my boats. Can you share the make n model of your electrical reels. Like the compact Blessings and fish on

[@CaptainZac]

Haha thanks for stopping by @kentaylor1833 and yes indeed - the boat was definitely a bit cluttered! This was a long-range trip to Petersburg from Juneau so we had a good bit of extra gear and supplies on board. I was using a Daiwa Seaborg 500mj (small enough to fish "in hand" but strong enough to battle barn doors!) and my friend was using a Daiwa Tanacom 750. Tight lines! Captain Zac

[@curtgardiner4420]

Just WOW!!!

[@CaptainZac]

Hey @curtgardiner4420 many thanks for the positive comment! We were definitely fortunate to encounter such a special fish! Tight lines my friend! Captain Zac

[@treywallace8970]

Great Catch and release on a true barn door. And yes that indeed was a spotted ratfish. Have caught several in the puget sound. Will notice they have very human like teeth for crushing shells. Tight Lines!

[@CaptainZac]

Hi @treywallace8970 thanks for stopping by and I appreciate the very positive comment! We were fortunate to encounter such a special fish! Oh cool - yes that spotted ratfish was very interesting looking fish. If I catch another one someday I'll definitely check out the teeth - that reminds me of the sheepshead down in Florida that have big teeth to crush crabs and barnacles. Thanks again and tight lines my friend! Captain Zac

[@stevesuv]

amazing

[@CaptainZac]

Thanks for watching! Tight lines my friend!

[@naughtynortherner5367]

Beastie from the deep...congrats

[@CaptainZac]

Hey @naughtynortherner5367 many thanks for the positive comment and I'm glad you enjoyed this halibut action! Tight lines! Captain Zac

[@codyledoux4338]

Epic fish boys!!! How long does it take you to get down here, Zac? We're about to run up to Sweetheart Creek, I'm assuming 4 hours or so from Thomas Bay.

[@CaptainZac]

Thanks Cody I appreciate the positive comment and am glad you enjoyed this barn door action! It takes about 5 hours or so from Juneau to Petersburg in good conditions but I almost always stop and fish along the way so my journeys take much longer! haha. Oh cool - I'm guessing you'll be heading to Sweetheart Creek for the sockeyes. That is a crazy experience being so close to so many brown bears! Best of luck on your adventure! Tight lines my friend! Captain Zac

[@josephreichart7545]

Putting the Double Heat to the Biggest Hallie Ever ,Nice Tandem Guys

[@CaptainZac]

Hi @josephreichart7545 many thanks for the positive comment and I'm glad you enjoyed this barn door action! It certainly took both of us to battle this extraordinary fish up to the surface and we were happy to release it to swim free back to the deep! Thanks again and tight lines my friend! Captain Zac

[@brevetlarsen130]

Nice fish. I’ve had 20 pound salmon wear me out. Must’ve been a good fight

[@CaptainZac]

Hey @brevetlarsen130 many thanks for the positive comment and I'm glad you enjoyed this halibut action! Haha yes indeed a 20lb salmon wears me out as well so this big halibut was a full-on Alaskan workout!!! Tight lines my friend! Captain Zac

[@clamsoup]

Standing ovation!

[@CaptainZac]

Many thanks Alan! I'm glad you enjoyed this halibut action! Tight lines my friend! Captain Zac

[@GarthWatkins-th3jt]

Good on ya' for releasing it.

[@CaptainZac]

Hi @GarthWatkins-th3jt thanks for watching and I appreciate the positive comment! We were happy to release this awesome fish! Tight lines my friend! Captain Zac

[@GarthWatkins-th3jt]

@@CaptainZac sure thing. My dad and uncle did a ceramic tile job in Juneau summer of '77. He flew me up there, we're from the Seattle area, at the end of the job. Flew down to Ketchikan Alaska the next day and went fishing out of Knudsen's Cove. Didn't hit it too good, humpies were the only salmon in town that day and we didn't stay long enough to "jig" for halibut....easiest jig there is, the dead bait does all the work, ha! Keep your props and reels spinning and twisting and lines tight buddy. Pull one or two over the rail for me if you think of it. All the best, G

[@bang4dabuck]

Way to go boys 👍

[@CaptainZac]

Thanks @bang4dabuck I appreciate the positive comment! Tight lines my friend! Captain Zac

[@gc0960]

Hey there “Bang”! Where have I seen that name before? :) Hope you liked the fish story here. Clearly the biggest fish I’ve ever hooked squarely. Tight Lines!

[@gregoire2411]

Was just fishing there a couple weeks ago for halibut. Great on the halibut, not so much so for the salmon. Just wondering how you get your boat from juneau to petersburg.?

[@CaptainZac]

Hey @gregoire2411 congrats on a great halibut week a few weeks ago! I actually drive my boat down there - 150 miles or so and some great fishing and whale watching along the way! Tight lines my friend! Captain Zac

[@Elparquito]

Been there, done that. We gave up on our fish after 45 minutes or so. This was on a known spot that had big fish in the 400 range. We had other fish to catch, so we finally just tied the braid to the cleat and busted it off. Fish this big are not that fun. Even though we would have never killed it and would have let it go, I did really want to at least see it. Oh well.

[@CaptainZac]

Wow @Elparquito it sounds like you were hooked up with a real sea monster! It is a shame that you weren't able to get that big one to the surface but I realize just how hard it can be to get a huge barn door off the bottom, especially in deeper water and/or in heavy current. Thanks and tight lines! Captain Zac

[@JujU957-1]

Congratulations and great job sending her back down!

[@CaptainZac]

Hi John thanks for the positive comment and I'm glad you enjoyed this halibut adventure! We were very fortunate to cross paths with this extraordinary fish and it was great to be able to send her back down to the deep after this battle! Thanks again and tight lines my friend! Captain Zac

[@jodywade5617]

Females like that produce thousands of eggs a year, Awesome Dude. Fellow southeaster.

[@CaptainZac]

Hi @jodywade5617 thanks for stopping by and I appreciate the supportive comment! Sounds like both of us are 100% aligned on releasing these big females and keeping some of the smaller (and tastier) chickens! Happy Holidays and here's to many tight lines in 2025 my friend! Captain Zac

[@craig1lengyel]

We catch 200-300 pound big eye tuna that fight 2 hours to the top and they it says see yah, right back to the bottom. Painful those big fish!! Nice going! Black magic harness is best for these big fish.

[@CaptainZac]

Thanks @craig1lengyel I appreciate the positive comment and am glad you enjoyed this halibut action! Haha it sounds like you've felt the pain of when a big fish near the top takes a big run right back down to the bottom! Tight lines my friend! Captain Zac

[@johnbolton9957]

WOW!

[@CaptainZac]

Hey John thanks for stopping by and I'm glad you enjoyed this big halibut catch and release! Tight lines my friend! Captain Zac

[@threengcircus]

I noticed you guys hold the rod almost the entire time. Do any halibut anglers use rail rods to gain more leverage and save some energy?

[@CaptainZac]

Hey @threengcircus thanks for watching and I'm glad you enjoyed this halibut action! Yes some anglers, especially those on large charter boats out in the Gulf of Alaska, fish for big halibut with the rods exclusively in the rod holders or resting against a rail. In Southeast Alaska the water tends to be much calmer hence many angler fish from smaller boats that don't have large rod rails or holders. Thanks again for stopping by and tight lines my friend! Captain Zac

[@lukeseymour1018]

What was the total fight time for that halibut?

[@CaptainZac]

Hey @lukeseymour1018 - it took about an hour to reel in... which felt like 6 hours!!! haha Tight lines my friend! Captain Zac

[@Auqalungangler]

The old man and the sea comes to mind

[@Gman7819]

what electric reel are you using? Could you post a link or just let me know what it is? TIA.

[@CaptainZac]

Hey @Gman7819 thanks for stopping by and I'm glad you enjoyed this footage! I'm using a Daiwa Seaborg 500mj - small enough to be fished "in hand" for halibut jigging and strong enough to battle barn doors! Tight lines! Captain Zac

[@ronaldpretzel7170]

I never keep the large female breeders. Did once, meat wasn't great. Love to anchor on a school of 60/80 pounders Good show.

[@CaptainZac]

Hi @ronaldpretzel7170 yes it sounds like we are on the same page about the benefits of releasing these huge barn doors. Those smaller fish are definitely better table fare! Tight lines my friend! Captain Zac

[@william6526]

If you pulled the anchor you could drift with the tide and take that out of the halibut advantage.

[@CaptainZac]

Hey @william6526 thanks for stopping by and great suggestion about pulling the anchor. We were about 200ft deep so rather than try to pull it I probably could have tied the tag end of the anchor line off to a buoy and picked it up later. Thanks and tight lines! Captain Zac

[@bones8057]

how did you get that hook out? thanks

[@CaptainZac]

Hi @bones8057 thanks for watching and I'm glad you enjoyed this footage! I used a gaff to quickly hook the lower lip of the fish which allowed me to reach into the mouth and pop the jig out. It was pretty quick and smooth and the fish swam away back to the deep! Tight lines! Captain Zac

[@bones8057]

@@CaptainZac Yeah it was so quick that I couldn't exactly tell how you did it. Wow you have some major nads reaching into that big mouth. Those fish have TEETH!!!

[@CaptainZac]

@@bones8057 Haha luckily I've had lots of practice unhooking halibut so I was prepared for the moment when the this huge barn door needed unhooked! Tight lines! Captain Zac

[@kingfisher1466]

Where is your spots to go halibut fishing cause I live in Juneau Alaska

[@natew3241]

Are two’s or three’s on the water

[@CaptainZac]

Hi @natew3241 yes I'm referring to wave height when I mention 2s and 3s. Thanks for watching and tight lines my friend! Captain Zac

[@davidw777]

👍🏻Excellent release! They provide the battle…you return the favor. !Thank you for releasing🫡

[@CaptainZac]

Well said! Thanks for watching and I'm glad you enjoyed the release as much as I did! Tight lines my friend! Captain Zac

[@jimmieburleigh9549]

Gotta ask was it state law to release that big one ? Because it's kind a hard to release what looks to amount to almost a years worth of halibut...

[@CaptainZac]

Hi Jimmie thanks for watching and I'm glad you enjoyed this halibut footage! There is no law against keeping large halibut, however, these "barn door" halibut (100+ lbs) are all breeding females. Letting them go contributes to a stronger halibut population in the future. Also, the smaller fish are much better table fare. The meat in the huge halibut is less desirable - it can be somewhat mushy, with large peeling flakes, with higher potential for worms and higher potential for high mercury levels. Plenty of good reasons to let these majestic giants live and harvest the smaller fish! Thanks and tight lines my friend! Captain Zac

[@jimmieburleigh9549]

@@CaptainZac thanks for that info my friend.. Talking about the skates are they any good to eat???

[@CaptainZac]

@@jimmieburleigh9549 I've heard that certain types of skates are pretty tasty (wings taste like scallops) however there are other skates that don't taste well. I had some skate meat about 10 years ago and it was decent - I'd still rather have halibut! Tight lines! Captain Zac

[@HowardFoster-ih5rw]

Look Zac we need to start the save Mary's arms campaign, and raise up the money to buy mary an electric reel.

[@CaptainZac]

Haha hi Howard this is awesome! Thus far when I've offered to get her an electric reel she has declined in favor of the conventional gear. Maybe if I catch a few more nice halibut down deep she'll consider adding an electric reel to her toolkit! Thanks and tight lines my friend! Captain Zac

[@AnthonyGaviola-h9c]

Great to see you finally caught a ratfish. Mary is eating good tonight 😂

[@CaptainZac]

Haha hey AG I hope all is well and looking forward to chasing some cohos with you in a few weeks! Tight lines my friend! Captain Zac

[@AnthonyGaviola-h9c]

@@CaptainZac Can't wait to fish with you again! Have fun with the derby this weekend and good luck. #AGisDerbyWorthyLOL

[@joedennehy386]

The old fella would do way better if he held the rod under his left arm not right, like the captain. Magnificent catch fellas

[@johnmeeks9618]

Why don’t you have rod holders to help you fight this monster?

[@CaptainZac]

Hi @johnmeeks9618 thanks for stopping by and I'm glad you enjoyed this halibut action! I have removable plastic rod holders that are used sometimes if we need to put a rod down, but they aren't intended to fight a huge fish while the rod stays in the holder (some boat have solid metal holders designed for this purpose). Since I almost exclusively jig for halibut, I frequently am fishing for halibut with the rod "in hand" vs. soaking a bait with the rod in the holder. Thanks and tight lines my friend! Captain Zac

[@michaeldeneneo7486]

That fish could have feed a family for a year

[@CaptainZac]

Hi @michaeldeneneo7486 thanks for watching! You are right that this fish would have yielded a lot of fillets, however, it is a large breeder so the tens of thousands of halibut this fish will create will feed even more than a single family in the future! Thanks and tight lines! Captain Zac

[@michaeldeneneo7486]

@@CaptainZac that is true zac I do the same thing here in new England with stripers

[@michaeldeneneo7486]

@@CaptainZac tight lines to you to brother

[@josephreichart7545]

Chikenz for Dinner !!!

[@CaptainZac]

Thanks @josephreichart7545! Yes indeed - those chickens are definitely the best eating size halibut! Tight lines! Captain Zac

[@JaydonMendoza]

That’s were i live

[@CaptainZac]

Hey @JaydonMendoza that's awesome! Petersburg is a wonderful town with some fantastic fishing as well! Tight lines my friend! Captain Zac

[@joelwcarter8058]

THAT FISH WOULD HAVE LOOKED GOOD ON YOUR WALL AT HOME

[@CaptainZac]

Hey @joelwcarter8058 it still could! Given how good replica mounts are these days, I could have the best of both worlds - this big breeder gets to swim free and a replica mount could be made to commemorate such an awesome catch! Thanks and tight lines! Captain Zac

[@BlueWhaler17]

The release was the right thing to do…

[@CaptainZac]

Hey @BlueWhaler17 many thanks for the positive comment and yes indeed we were happy to release this big breeder. Tight lines! Captain Zac

[@bearbarre6435]

Might want to drop a couple of depth charges, Cap'n. This one's fightin' like a Russian sub. (Well, we are pretty close to 'em. They might have been trying to steal some of our gear and reverse engineer it.).

[@CaptainZac]

Hey @bearbarre6435 yes indeed this was the heaviest thing I've ever reeled up! Essentially, it was like reeling in an NFL lineman 200 feet straight up! Tight lines! Captain Zac

[@JamesZackuse]

That's a ratfish you had there

[@CaptainZac]

Thanks @JamesZackuse! Yes indeed - these ratfish are less common up in Juneau where I primarily fish. What a cool fish - really vibrant green(ish) eyes! Thanks again and happy holidays! Captain Zac

[@boogereater3420]

thats a Rat fish its a Shark.

[@CaptainZac]

Thanks @boogereater3420! It was a cool looking fish - that was my first ratfish! Tight lines! Captain Zac

[@BrandonMarkham-u2h]

That is a ratfish

[@CaptainZac]

Thanks Brandon! Yes indeed this was the first ratfish I've ever caught - they seem pretty rare but that could just be a function of where I'm typically fishing. Tight lines! Captain Zac

[@roblockhart8410]

Yep that’s a rat fish

[@CaptainZac]

Thanks @roblockhart8410! That was my first ratfish! haha Tight lines! Captain Zac

[@jal2738]

Thanks for sharing with us,It's a good thing let it go,, you might not of had enough money to buy potato's to make fish and chips out of it

[@CaptainZac]

Haha thanks @jal2738 I appreciate the positive comment and am glad you enjoyed this footage! Yes indeed - rather than go broke buying a truck load of potatoes, we were happy to let this big gal go and keep the smaller ones which make the best fish and chips! Tight lines my friend! Captain Zac

[@timfulwood3449]

Wow! Awesome Halibut, congratulations! If you have a chance, would you please respond to my email or message regarding our previous conversation? Great job, as always! Love your videos.

[@CaptainZac]

Hey Tim many thanks for the positive comment and I'm glad you enjoyed this halibut action! Yes - I'll respond more fully this week! Tight lines my friend! Captain Zac

[@sonnyinjuneau]

What kind of electric reels are those?