Alaska Halibut

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Av8nBill

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Just got back from a two week trip in Alaska and did a one day Halibut charter out of Ninilchik. Highly recommend Ninilchik Saltwater Charters if you're ever up that way. It's end of season now, but they were great.

Everyone on the boat brought back their two-fish limit and the wife and I released at least another 15 apiece. She was the official "Cod queen" on the trip and I was shocked to see them cut 'em up for bait rather than hold on to 'em. We also hauled in several really large Skates and, man, was that a work out!

My biggest halibut was a 67 pounder and we ended up shipping 72 pounds of filets home. Since we had another week on our vacation, they even held the fish and delayed shipping so they wouldn't beat us home. :D

Just FYI - Some parts of Alaska are already under a really restrictive one fish under 37 inches limit for Halibut for sport fisherman and legislation under consideration will further restrict the rest of the state to this same limit unless you "lease back" a fish from the commercial fisheries. So if you're interested in going, I'd advise making it next season or write your legislators now.
 

snake77

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Re: Alaska Halibut

That is awesome, alaska is on my go for vacation list and I will deffinatley keep that charter on the record.
72# of halibut man o man
 

foodfisher

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Re: Alaska Halibut

Whatzup wit dat? Commercial fishers are catching too many, so they're restricting sport fishers? Used to catchem up to and over 300#'s. Needed shotgun w/slug to bringem aboard. Mid 1970's though.
 

jigngrub

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Re: Alaska Halibut

There used to be a lot of big fish in the oceans...
 

Fly Rod

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Re: Alaska Halibut

Av8nBill: Glad you had a great vacation to Alaska and got to fish for halibut. :) That was always on my list to fish for halibut and salmon.

Did you happen to go on the train ride?
 

Fishing Dude too

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Re: Alaska Halibut

Not sure of the name of the charter service brother used but he said they used the comm regs for their boat, Worked out fine everyone caught their limit, then some. Guess my thinking is what's the harm? Have a cousin who lives in Fairbanks need to get up and see him during bou season.
 

Av8nBill

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Re: Alaska Halibut

Av8nBill: Glad you had a great vacation to Alaska and got to fish for halibut. :) That was always on my list to fish for halibut and salmon.

Did you happen to go on the train ride?

Didn't get to do the train... Spent a week running aroung the Kenai Peninsula and then hopped over to Glacier Bay for 5 days of kayaking the West Arm. Beyond incredible, even though it rained a LOT of the time. We're saving the train and cruises until we aren't in good enough shape to hike/kayak, etc. anymore.
 

KrakenCharters

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Re: Alaska Halibut

Whatzup wit dat? Commercial fishers are catching too many, so they're restricting sport fishers? Used to catchem up to and over 300#'s. Needed shotgun w/slug to bringem aboard. Mid 1970's though.


I stumbled over this thread while internet surfing and thought I would join and comment. The Halibut fishery here in Alaska has been improving for many years now. It is true that the Halibut industry was nearly fished out years ago. Here in the past 10 years or so the fishery has made a great comeback. Here in Southeast, AK we have been seeing the population come back strong. The nearly unregulated commercial fishing of the 80's did come close to killing the Alaska fishery.

Capt. Clark
 
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