Halibut

[roryh]

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QUOTE(Norm B @ Feb 11 2007, 10:45 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

When I was on fishery protection off Iceland we took shelter in a fjiord during a blizzard. Using frozen herring I caught several halibut between 15lb and 25lb, only to find out later that they were below the minimum landing size. The Icelandics certainly look after their fish stocks.

 

Bloody hell! 25lb below mls, knew they were big buggers but that surprises me (never seeen one whole)

[Vagabond]

Have never caught Atlantic Halibut - still on my wish list.

 

I have, however caught a couple of Pacific Halibut.

 

The first one, 70lb, fought only a little harder than a skate of the same size. The second, 50 lb, was quite different - a real battle. When I finally got it to the boat I remember thinking - "If big (ie 150 lb plus) skate fought like this, we would never catch more than one in a day" (there wouldn't be time!)

 

I heard a story during my RAF National Service (probably apocryphal but still a good story) of a RAF group in the Lofoten Islands, who when off-duty, used to lounge, sunbathe, read, sleep etc on lilos tethered to the shore.

 

Some fished for cod with handlines. One guy decided he wanted to both fish and sleep, so tied the handline to his foot.

 

He woke up (but not for long) underwater.

 

When his body was recovered, it was still attached to the line. On the other end of the line was a large halibut....

Edited February 12, 2007 by Vagabond

[chevin]

Like Vagabond I have never caught an Atlantic halibut but I have caught one from the Pacific. The shallow water around the mooring for the boat I was on was littered with halibut carcases but why I can't understand. They are far from what I would call good eating, infact I consider a number of fish here that are better eating than that was as rubbish fish and I return them. Perhaps we are spoiled here when it comes to table fish!

[Seahog]

good thread ... very interesting