The Outdoor Line Forum

I would have either a harpoon in the boat or a shark hook that you can attach a bouy line to. While most of the halibut you catch are not going to require it you certainly want to be prepared when a nicer fish climbs on. Better to be prepared than lose a nice fish at the side of the boat

Hey Bow,
Welcome aboard and here is a cut and paste straight from the WDFW Regulation Site:

LANDING A FISH - A club or dipnet (landing net)
may be used to assist landing a legal fish taken
by legal gear. A gaff may only be used to land a
legally hooked HALIBUT, TUNA, or DOGFISH
SHARK that will be retained. HALIBUT may be
shot or harpooned while landing.

I would certainly keep a gaff on board because as Robbo correctly pointed out (as much as that pains me to admit... ) most of your Straits of Juan de Fuca 'but's can easily be handled by a gaff.

A good question to ask is "how big must a halibut be to put down the gaff and pick up the 'poon?"
I put that line at 75 or 80lbs which is about a 55" halibut. Once they get to be five feet tall, you've gotta swing 'em over the gunnel with some momentum.

Keep in mind that once the harpoon goes through and sticks, don't wait for the halibut to make the next move. Have your fishin' buddy put the rod down, pick up the gaff, slam it home and yard that beast into the boat!

You can high-five and plan the fish fry AFTER you get your gear back down! You're not limited yet!

Just remember to give them the wood shampoo after you poon them and before you swing them in the boat. A hot 80 pound halibut with a poon tip thru it is a complete rodeo on deck. Even bigger and they get downright dangerous. Poon'em, beat'em, swing'em.

You said "poon"...

You can also bleed them before you bring them in the boat. Hit them with the dart, get up side the boat, and slash the gills...they bleed out in about 4-5 minutes.

I'm with jeff, I will even stick a small one, tie it off and bleed it before it come into the boat, of course if there's sea lions around that plan changes. Even a small but can break stuff like a rod set in the wrong place