Those are butt's. I've caught 4 off the docks in ketchikan that were over 80lbs. I'd imagine your excuse for catching the babies is that the big ones wouldn't fit in the boat or that you had troubles gaffing them and pulling them in ... right
RCL, catching big butts off the docks in Ketchikan isn't much of a feat considering the canneries are dumping tons of chum into the narrows, if you want to level the playing field, get a mile out of town and see how many butts you catch. I'd take a limit of those little guys any day.
akkings ~ Fishing's actually better a mile out of town. There are a bunch of straits that meet and halibut just stack up - you could even ask the guides who only make about a 15 minute run to the fishing grounds. We've caught fish all over that part of AK - it's amazing how many fish are up there. The trick to getting big ones is the bait. No less than 1/2 a humpy. sometimes even a whole one.
I was working out of the upper end of George inlet last summer. Fished for butts every other day. Cought alot of them,smallest was 64lb largest 137lb.Had lots of fun.If you head up that way try fishing about 200yds out from the mouth of the White river.Pinks are the best bate.Good luck and don't catch them all.The sockeye start coming in to George inlet in mid Aug.