Two 50lb Slabs! Alaskan Halibut Fishing - Petersburg, Alaska! JULY 2024

[@gc0960]

Geoff here. I was fishing with Capt Zac that week in Alaska. What a week we had! We also managed to hoist that 336 lb halibut up from the deep which was close to triple the size of my prior biggest fish. Fall is coming now, and with it comes some awesome days hunting and fishing. But I so appreciate the friendship that I’ve built with Zac. The fun on the water and shared intel we’ve both gained through our years on the water is priceless. I appreciate how well he’s captured some of our “fish-capades”, on video, through shared voyages in AK! So fun to look back every once in a while and say “That was magic!”. Thanks Capt Zac!

[@CaptainZac]

Hey Geoff many thanks for the positive comment here and of course for all the fun fishing adventures over the years! Our trip last year was unforgettable for many reasons! This particular outing was fun - one nice hali down deep and another nice one at an "old reliable" spot I'm sure we'll visit again sometime. Here's to many tight lines in 2025 my friend! Captain Zac

[@markmaccani9411]

Great job on that Halibut action there Zac and Jeff. Just got back from Sitka myself. Had a few good days there. Good luck on future trips.

[@CaptainZac]

Hey Mark many thanks for the positive comment and I'm glad to hear that you had some good action in Sitka. We are only a few months away from another season! Here's to many tight lines in 2025 my friend! Captain Zac

[@goodcitizen64]

Thanks for taking us along for a great trip, Captain Zac! Tight lines!!

[@CaptainZac]

Hey @goodcitizen64 many thanks as always for stopping by! I'm glad you enjoyed this halibut action! Tight lines my friend! Captain Zac

[@BrandonSampson-p4n]

It was cool watching you edit this as we flew from Seattle! Good stuff!

[@CaptainZac]

Hey @BrandonSampson-p4n thanks for the positive comment and I'm glad you enjoyed this halibut action! Tight lines my friend! Captain Zac

[@waikarimoana]

Wow, what a fshing trip Captain Zac and a monster landed too, awesome video and footage, thanks, thumbs up and greetings to all.

[@CaptainZac]

Thanks for the kind words Tony! It was an awesome day on the water and a fun one to capture! Tight lines in 2025 my friend! Captain Zac

[@waynehillstead7424]

Another good day filling the freezer. Sumner Strait pays off again. I love that area. Keep up the good work Captain!

[@CaptainZac]

Hey Wayne many thanks for the positive comment and you are right the Sumner Strait has filled many a freezer and many a fish box! Thanks again and tight lines my friend! Captain Zac

[@AnglingSpiders]

Nice catches, gotta love it when you can put some quality fish in the boat

[@CaptainZac]

Thanks @AnglingSpiders I appreciate the positive comment - tight lines my friend! Captain Zac

[@markleonard-pe3os]

Great fishing Zac . Wow heavy fog !

[@CaptainZac]

Thanks Mark I appreciate you watching! Yes indeed - this was this "pea soup" fog! I'm glad it finally lifted! Tight lines my friend! Captain Zac

[@philmccumbee6938]

Two great Hali’s. Your new fishing partner is not as cute as Queen Mary. Tight lines my friend. Thanks for taking me along.

[@CaptainZac]

Haha hard to argue with you there Phil!!! Thanks as always for stopping by and tight lines my friend! Captain Zac

[@JujU957-1]

always impressed with your catches! Love Alaska and halibut fishing.

[@CaptainZac]

Thanks @JvincentR! I'm glad you enjoyed this halibut action! Tight lines my friend! Captain Zac

[@Cntrmass]

As. Al😂ways, great videos. The one that got away was a cod!

[@CaptainZac]

Hey @Cntrmass thanks for the positive comment and I like the way you think! That one that got away was almost certainly a cod! Better to get that fish off the line so I can target more halibut! haha Tight lines my friend - here's to many fishing adventures in 2025! Captain Zac

[@BillMikesAnglingAdventures]

Wow - nice ones

[@CaptainZac]

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

[@naughtynortherner5367]

Shame I'm n the UK I'd love to go out fishing with you guys, you make it look easy to get those monsters from the deep😊

[@CaptainZac]

Hey @naughtynortherner5367 thanks for the positive comment! Hopefully you are able to enjoy some salmon fishing over there in the UK. I was in London / Scotland a few years ago and recall some awesome looking rivers. Tight lines my friend! Captain Zac

[@nigelkavanagh2048]

Great fishing skipper! That catch would please anyone. Tight lines friend.

[@CaptainZac]

Hey Nigel many thanks for watching and I appreciate the positive comment! Tight lines right back at you my friend! Captain Zac

[@GooglyEyeFishing]

Awesome!!! 😃🤜💥🐟

[@CaptainZac]

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

[@mikeprichard7933]

Love this stuff

[@CaptainZac]

Thanks Mike! Tight lines my friend! Captain Zac

[@ericwiegele7651]

Captain Zac and Mary Rewatching your adventure. Nice slab… Hope you and the Queen are doing well.. Happy Thanksgiving. I’m getting ready to go catch some Dungees.. I’m looking forward to seeing what you are up to.. Tight Lines E

[@CaptainZac]

Hey Eric many thanks for stopping by and I appreciate the positive comment! Happy Holidays to you as well and here's to many tight lines in 2025 my friend! Captain Zac

[@johnbolton9957]

Good job! Couple great eaters! 50# line a bit light but makes it to be able to fish 24oz and lighter jigs and still get deep. Years ago I used 80# braid and now 65#. Common to use 32oz or 48oz to get down and hold bottom with heavy current drift around here.

[@CaptainZac]

Hi John thanks for stopping by and I appreciate the positive comment! Makes sense regarding the heavy led to hold the bottom in swift current - I talked to a guy last season who absolutely tore up the halibut in heavy current by attaching his line to his downrigger clip and lowering the ball near the bottom. When the fish bit, it popped the clip! Thanks again and here's to many tight lines in 2025 my friend! Captain Zac

[@fishduckdog]

Been a busy summer and had to let you channel slide and binge watch them later. Plans got changed and my trip to AK was foiled :( Big disappointment. Trying to make new plans now for next summer & plan to make it up near your neck of the woods! Keep up the great work! Be safe and I hope your Black Cod fishing has been good as well! Nice Butts!

[@CaptainZac]

Hey @fishduckdog thanks for watching and I appreciate the kind words! Sorry to hear about the cancelled trip and good luck with the new plans for next year! I'm hoping to do more black cod fishing this upcoming season. I'm glad you're enjoying the videos! Tight lines! Captain Zac

[@Maddiart-1K1]

Lovely video dear 🔸 ◽🍀

[@CaptainZac]

Hi @Maddiart3k thanks for the positive comment and I'm glad you enjoyed this video! Happy holidays and tight lines my friend! Captain Zac

[@mikehelms5845]

Cap Zak. Been a great year watching you. I assume you head home for the winter. Stay in touch see you next season. Looking for any winter adventures. Here in Colorado fish still gotta eat.

[@CaptainZac]

Hey @mikehelms5845 many thanks for the positive comment and I appreciate your support! Yes I'm back in PA for the holidays but will be back in Alaska soon to get geared up for the 2025 season! Happy Holidays and here's to many tight lines in 2025 my friend! Captain Zac

[@garysobonya3461]

Thanks for another great video. I have fished out of Petersburg for 12 out of the last 15 Summers and just love that area. How far out into Sumner are you fishing? We tend to avoid that deep water since we have always done great in 90 to 150 feet. Even caught a 145# where I could see the bottom. That was before I learned to target the prime eater size. 45-65. Keep up the good work. We are out here watching.

[@CaptainZac]

Hey @garysobonya3461 thanks for the positive comment and sounds like you've had some great adventures in Petersburg! Wow how cool - that 145# in shallow water sounds like a blast! Mary caught a 197lb halibut in 20 feet of water a few years ago in the Petersburg area. I'm with you on the prime eating size - I like to release the big barn doors. We were fairly far out into Sumner - out beyond Level Island. Thanks again and tight lines my friend! Perhaps we'll cross paths down in Petersburg one of these years! Captain Zac

[@Flatfishhunter]

Looks like a great day on the water. Could you please tell me what you consider to be the best spot to harpoon the Halibut?

[@CaptainZac]

Hey @rodtalley1532 thanks for stopping by! The best place to harpoon them is just behind the gill plate and just above the centerline. You want to avoid too far below the centerline since the stomach area isn't as strong as the dense meat and may rip causing a lost (and mortally wounded) fish. Tight lines! Captain Zac

[@AK2HI]

I've lived here 34 yrs and this is the first time I've seen someone use an electric reel on a halibut, guess I'm old school of do it myself

[@CaptainZac]

Hey @AK2HI thanks for stopping by and I appreciate the comment! Electric reels are a useful tool to gain access to different (deeper) halibut spots that many anglers won't or can't target with conventional gear. This is especially valuable in high-pressure fishing areas like Juneau. Tight lines my friend! Captain Zac

[@AK2HI]

@ probably good for black cod

[@CaptainZac]

@@AK2HI Yes it is - I catch black cod and squid down deep with this reel as well!

[@AK2HI]

@ those arm hook squid are a blast to catch haha

[@CaptainZac]

@@AK2HI Yes they are - an awesome combo on top of halibut or salmon fishing!

[@v.l.bradley9962]

what reels are you using?

[@CaptainZac]

I'm using a Daiwa Seaborg 500mj and my friend had a Tanacom 750. Tight lines! Captain Zac

[@JeremyVeleber]

Are you using Daiwa SEABORG 500MJ reels? I'm thinking about getting an electric reel for next the halibut season in Washington.

[@CaptainZac]

Hey Jeremy yes that's the reel I'm using in this video. I like it because it is small enough to fish "in hand" while jigging for halibut but strong enough to muscle a barn door up from the ocean floor! Tight lines my friend! Captain Zac

[@JeremyVeleber]

Nice! I got a Tanacom 750 under the tree this year. Looking forward to trying it out this spring.

[@CaptainZac]

@@JeremyVeleber That's awesome! My friend Geoff was using a Tanacom 750 on this trip and it performed great for halibut and black cod! You'll love it - total game changer!

[@mikehelms5845]

Hey Capt Z. Haven’t seen you in a while. Going dark for a while ?

[@CaptainZac]

Hey Mike thanks for stopping by! I took a little break but will be back to posting videos soon! Tight lines my friend! Captain Zac

[@randymutch5791]

i cant believe you use only 50lb test line. 120 minimum for me

[@CaptainZac]

Hey @randymutch5791 I use this lighter line so that I can get more of it on the smaller reel and achieve deeper drops. I use 80lb braid on my non-electric reels. Tight lines! Captain Zac

[@fredbrown8894]

2 things I wanted to comment on. Have you ever thought about sharpening your hooks and your hooks? Also, have you ever thought about adjusting your hookset? So it's not so hard.

[@CaptainZac]

Hi @fredbrown8894 thanks for watching and I'm glad you enjoyed this halibut footage! Yes - I do sharpen my hooks regularly. With jigs, I always prefer a strong hookset to bury the hook (especially since we are fishing in very deep water!). Thanks and tight lines in 2025 my friend! Captain Zac

[@charlieboatman3412]

Are yall ok.

[@CaptainZac]

Hey @charlieboatman3412 yes thanks for asking - I took a few month break after the season. Happy Holidays and here's to many tight lines in 2025 my friend! Captain Zac

[@charlieboatman3412]

@CaptainZac do you do cheater I live in tx. Going back to Alaska in June of 2025

[@johnlipstreu4986]

What size real what kind how much

[@CaptainZac]

Hi @johnlipstreu4986 I'm using a Daiwa Seaborg 500mj. It is an expensive reel but I like how I can fish it "in hand" while jigging for halibut and it has the power to muscle in barn door halibut. Tight lines my friend! Captain Zac