Bob, I know this is a salmon and steelhead site but after browsing your Alaska fish pictures I have to ask, do you promote c&r of large halibut? 100+ pounders, if not, why not? I've been guiding in Ak. for 11 yrs. now and I've seen a noticable average size difference each year, my first couple season it wasn't uncommon to bring in a limit of 30-40lb fish which are respectable S.E. Ak. fish but each year it seems the averages are dropping, not just S.E. but Cook Inlet and Bristol Bay. The past 6 years I've worked for a resort that has strongly promoted catch and release of the big females and there are a few lodges in this same area who are starting to do the same. As Im sure you know the halibut take anywhere from 8-15 yrs. to sexually mature and if people continue to target "barn doors" wheres that going to leave us down the road?
I know that of all the "large-trophy fish" the halibut is far and away the easiest to catch but its been my experience that these large fish are really only good for pictures and bragging, there's no better eating halibut then the little guys (under 30 lbs.) are the best.
Over the past 6 seasons I've tagged and released 5 that were over 250 and probably 25 over 100lbs. my guests are given the choice with no pressure on them one way or the other and I would say 80-85% agree to snap a few quick photos and let those big hens go lay her 2-4 million eggs. Just curious what your thoughts or anyone elses are on this subject.

Well, I just got to agree with you. Waaay to many guides/skippers knocking these big FEMALE spawners in the head. They just don't realize that those females are the ones that make the little ones. To many trying the be the "big cock on the walk" hanging them for the tourists to see. Yes, I need the tourists too. I do all my own processing for my clients and the 25-60#ers are the ones that have the best filets. Those 100-200#ers are just to grainey.
Most Cook Inlet skippers knockem'all. They must like the sound of the 410. Thinking that the other boats heard them shoot one. Hey, Joe Kool shot another one!!! Can't blame it on the indians when they are all gone.
Most S.E. lodges release the bigun's and I commend them for it. I wish it would be the law. Go out and catch a couple of nice size Halibut and filet them and then you have 20-30#s for the winter and that's enough. Want more:go twice and get 20-30 more pounds. Expensive, yes. But how expensive when they are all gone. I could go on for quite awhile on this but this is enough. Thanks for bringing it up. fp

Great subject. I sport fish in AK and have seen the fishing getting worse and worse for halibut. We have taken more than our share of 250+ pounders but no more. I find it interesting that folks on this board that are so adament about releasing all wild steelhead don't have the same high standards when it comes to other species. This includes wild salmon, ling cod, rockfish etc.

I like to see these big gals go back whenever possible ... many do, but certainly not enough. Educated clients will often let the big females go ... and the guides / captains need to help in that. Being that halibut has always been considered a foodfish, I think the conservation minded approach will take a little longer in this fishery ... but we're trying.

Same can be said for the salmon ... look through the gallery for salmon pix, you'll see some kings going back (both WA and the second-run Kasilof native kings). Unfortunately, we don't always have a clipped / no clipped situation here on the N. coastal rivers (especially with kings), so it's often difficult to tell the difference and as such, some wild fish are being killed.

I'd like to see the kill reduced on these stocks myself ... I've been harping on the Region 6 guys for several years to knock the king limit down to one and a five fish annual limit ... they've always said "No Need!" ... but, it looks like things might be getting depressed enough that that might come into play in the very near future.

And, if we can get the state to mark the fish for us ... I'll gladly institute a no-clip/no-kill policy (same as I am with steelhead) on the salmon on any of those stocks needing some help. Anyone else??

[This message has been edited by Bob (edited 03-21-2000).]

I have to admin that a while ago, I caught an over 300lb monster, and while catching it was fun... keeping it was a big mistake. Aside from the fact that it was probably a female, all those comments on how bad big halibut taste are true. I never was much of a halibut meat lover, until I had a Neah Bay 40lb hali... The meat is so tender and best described as sweet. The thing is that many of the guides you go with in AK must get bragging rights when they bring in the big hali's, that unless you are firm with those guides.... they'll have them harpooned, bonked, shot or whatever in no time after bring them to the surface. It is a shame that the only hali's most guides will consider C&R-ing, are the very ones that taste the best.

Although it made for some impressive pictures, if I had to do it over again... I would of let her go, and had her provide me with a future of continued hali fishing.


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Thanks for the positive replies, just hoping to educate a few before its to late, the fishery is still healthy, but for how much longer, if we practice conservation now instead of waiting for the state and feds to declare emergency actions(think we've all seen that before) we'll maintain healthy populations. This isn't something we can blame on indians, logging, or dams. Just think about it next time you reach for the .410. take a picture, last forever and you don't have to eat it.

I just read an article a friend here at work brought in from Homer Alaska where it mentioned the halibut today are half,(again) half of the size now per age as they were a decade ago, I found the article amazing to say the least, so ak, I think your plan is in order. Tony

Yes, we can do something about it. But a note on the Cook Inlet halibut fishery in AK. For all the sport boats taking part in it, their catch is still only about 10% percent of the total harvest. The rest ... commercial (don't forget the damage the draggers did too before they were banned), and they are currently screaming bloody murder that the sporties take "too many".

Bob, one more question for you, does that Homer halibut derby that you promote encourage c&r. Don't think so.

That's a weird way to ask a question. Why do you ask if you already know the answer??

Just trying to figure out why you mentioned previously that you try to encourage clients to release "the really big ones" but you also promote a derby, kinda hypocritical don't ya think

Is there any way to tell the difference between male and female halibut with out close examination ,like without getting one in the boat?I too prefer the 30#ers over the bigger ones for eatin. Waiting impatiently for our Lapush opener in May.Cheers

Sealice, short of having a degree in marine biology you won't be able to tell the difference between the smaller ones, the largest males though won't be much over 80lbs.

Scott ... the derby does not only pay for "big fish". There are a number of tagged fish (usually small ones) that pay off up to $10,000 ... the derby isn't only about killing the biggest fish!

Bob, first off let me apologize for previous comments, Its just that I know that good guides and lodges don't need pictures of dead halibut to attract clients. The resort I work for has both a large mailout brochure and a pretty extensive web page, neither of these show a halibut over 45lbs. and both state the resorts views on the importance of c&r, this has in absolutely no way hurt business as this resort is full 90% of the season and has a waiting list to get in during primetime. thanks for listening to me I'll get off your back now.