Gaffing halibut is one of the simplest things to do.

First check to see if the fish is hooked good. Halibut will remain very calm until their head breaks the surface of the water.

Second, grab the leader and lift very slowly. Have the gaff ready in your other hand. As soon as the head of the halibut breaks the surface hit the crook of their head (the spot where the brown meets the white above their eyeball) as hard as you can with the gaff. If using light leader be careful not to break the leader when doing this. If using anything bigger than 50 lb test you have no problems. Fish over 100 lbs may need to be hit a few times.

Thirdly, lift the halibut into the boat at your leasure as the fish is dead. It may flop a couple more times but this is nothing more than the dead halibut twitch as it now has a brain hemorrage.

Lastly, cut gills!!

In my opinion guns do not belong on boats ecspecially in crowded areas as bullets ricochette off of water and you never know when a wave could knock you off balance when you are pulling a trigger.

I lead the halibut over the gaff hook like you would a salmon over a net. Then just lift the hook right up through him and pull him on into the boat in one motion. An extreamly sharp gaff really helps.

To subdue I usually stick 'em in the brain with a short, stout, sharp knife and give a few good twists. Immediatly cut the gills and let 'em bleed out in the self-draining fish box and then transfer them into your cooler/hold full of crushed ice.

Dang! I've got to go catch some halibut.

17 years in Ak. I've yet to find 1 that required a gun to kill, I've boated them upto 264 lbs. and a harpoon and Louisville slugger took care of things pretty quickly. I can tell you 4 stories about guys or boats who have been shot, I gotta believe that'll ruin an otherwise great day in a hurry.

FishNg1 pretty well summed it up.

Upside down is white side up. Right side up is white side down. So if you take the right side up, white side down and you flip it upside down, white side up, the downsides brown.

Pretend it's your mother-in-law. You'll do fine.

Too damn funny, Sol!

I'm an expert at gaffing halibut now, but that doesn't do me much good if I can't catch them. Will there be any still around Whidbey or the San Juans by May 22 when I get home? Anyone want to give me some tips or take a ride in our boat to teach me how?