Halibut Fishing For Barn Door Sized Halibut In Alaska

Ringing the dinner bell involves standing on the deck and letting the wave flow to bounce your weighted herring or plastic bait against the bottom a hundred or more feet below. As it will swallow the loud lure, halibut will move hundreds of yards to explore the pounding of your lead lure…

The underwater rodeo starts with the well-known tug, tug, tug, tug, tug, tug, tug, tug, tug, tug, tug, tug, tug, tug, tug, tug, The split tail white scampi’s hefty one-pound lead nose bounces off the ocean floor, attracting halibut to the bait. The water is completely black at 200 feet below the surface.

However, for halibut, a white lure appears to be the ideal choice. A 20-pound “chicken” halibut fights with the same ferocity as a 60-pound salmon. For a fish determined to stay on the bottom, the massive flat surface provides further resistance combined with muscle. A 40–50 pound halibut usually requires three excursions to the top and two journeys back to the bottom.

All that muscle turns the halibut toward the bottom, and the line screams off the reel, just as it approaches the surface, where a net or gaff awaits. The Alaska halibut will keep swimming until it hits the bottom. You know what you’ve got now, and you’re hoping your gear remains together.

Captain Jerry dropped the anchor in 150 feet of water on the lee side of a spit. The tide was just starting to come in, and the “Dancer” was bobbing as the tide rushed back in. Every 12 hours, a lot of water is displaced with 18-foot tides. Halibut might rest on the sandy bottom while waiting for the tide to bring in their next meal. The dinner bell had been rung by the sound of the anchor striking the bottom. The 55-foot cabin cruiser had snatched the slack from the anchor chain and positioned herself to face the approaching tide.

Dan tossed his white scampi bait with a one-pound lead nose over the edge and waited for the reel to unspool. With a thud, the foot-long plastic bait sank to the bottom. The spider wire line was shortened to allow the bait to bounce on the bottom, creating an underwater thud that appears to attract halibut from hundreds of yards away. Halibut fishing in Alaska has always been a fantasy, too far away to ever consider. It had taken nearly 11 months from the day the decision was made to plan, prepare, and fantasize about this day of halibut fishing off Prince of Wales Island. Dan thought “the bite” hadn’t started yet because a minute had gone and then 5 minutes had elapsed.

Then something occurred. He placed the hook with a small pull, yank. Dan knew it was a halibut since he had caught numerous “chickens.” Dan proceeded to lift the rod and reel down as the short, stubby deep-sea pole formed a “U.” The familiar tug, yank, yank of the fish refusing to leave the bottom did not dissuade the 6′ 1′′, 30 year old as muscle fought muscle until the captain on the flight deck exclaimed, “my God, the youngster has caught a keeper!” The fish appeared to be somewhat greenish brown and gliding at an angle towards the boat, but 6 to 8 feet below the surface.

At 3 feet below the surface, the dazed fish saw the boat, brilliant sunlight, and a giddy angler all at once and turned around to return to the depths. As the 5 foot giant slipped out of sight, the Penn reel shrieked as every bearing surface and brake revolted. Dan requested assistance after a 20-minute foray. “Let me have it!” said Paul, who stood 6 feet 4 inches tall and had arms the size of a man’s thighs.

The tug, yank, yank, reel up and scream down had taken its toll in the April Alaska chill, and beads of sweat flowed down Paul’s cheeks. “I’m going to need a break!” he remarked weakly. Dan snatched up the stubby “U” shaped pole and started reeling. Paul had lasted precisely twenty minutes, only to see a darkened solitude for a split second before the line screamed and the halibut returned to the deep.

The famed reel was producing a peculiar squeaking sound as it reeled up and a terrible grinding sound when the break screamed off line, and the fishing pole had fibers that were releasing long lengths on the rod. The halibut was on the way up, but Dan quit up after only 10 minutes. Paul snatched up the rod and juggled the fish and reel. “It should have gotten at the top by now, what is happening?” he yelled 10 minutes later. The stop on the reel had entirely failed, and the fish retreated at its leisure as the line was pulled in.

Dan snatched up the next timepiece. Dan exclaimed, “I see color!” after only 5 minutes. Captain Jerry, armed with a 22 rifle, stood on the bow. Captain Jerry shot and eliminated the 124-pound huge halibut just as it broke the surface.

Because of the incredible force a halibut possesses after getting on board, Alaska permits huge halibut to be dispatched on the surface. The swinging strong tails of these fish have been known to shatter the fisherman’s arms and legs, resulting in multiple deaths.

The halibut fishing in Alaska doesn’t get much better. The excitement is the same whether you’re a “chicken” or a “keeper.” “Have I hooked the bottom?” it begins with the same inquiry.