# To Gaff, or not to Gaff? Big fish in kayak



## Chris V (Oct 18, 2007)

After reading Chris' great report yesterday and talking to a couple other kayak buddies, I get several different opinions on the subject of whether its smarter to beach your kayak and land the fish from shore, or stick him while you're out there. My buddy Jack (crazy SOB)who's been doing it for quite some time would probably just grab whatever it is hes catching or hit it with a makeshift flyer. Others say hell no,they're headin for the beach. Me personally, I will gaff whatever it is out there. the worst beating I've had so far was with a big cobe butI would do it again even with a bigger fish, thoughI might not escape unharmed!

Say you've got a 50lb. cobia, 40lb. king, 100lb. tarpon, etc; What would you do? The safe route is obvious.

Chris


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## need2fish (Oct 2, 2007)

I think it just depends on how securely you have him hooked, the surf/sea conditions, and how big/what type of fish it is. I thought about gaffing a decent sized black tip over in Mexico Beach but after I got him boatside I just figured it was safer/easier to drag him to shore - (had too much life, small yak, short trip to shore). 



I would probably do the same with a cobe if I ever get one of decent size - just too much flipping around on the boat. Kings you can usually wear out pretty good before bringing them on and they die pretty quick so I've always just plopped under my leg teeth forward. Now a sailfish.......well - by any means necessary.


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## whitetailwarrior (May 10, 2008)

still new to the yak world of true SPORT fishin and that king i yanked in the yak that weighed 15.65 lbs the other day was still in the yak just tired him out then gaffed was sure to keep head where feet would of been can stiil count to 10 with toes haha shark would beach it i think dont know have not been in that situation YET thought about getting a cheap 22 pistol {one of those reach out and gaff him}and keep in yak for that kind of toothy critter, does that sound nutz


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## true-king (Oct 2, 2007)

Last time I beached the yak to bring in a fish (20 lb king), a shark took a chunk out of it. I say get the fish in the boat safely as soon as you can.


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## Chris V (Oct 18, 2007)

Trust me I've thought about a small gun myself but then I also have thought of the dangers it would impose on myself.

Sharks are going to be the most dangerous to handle needless to say since they thrash like a cobia, have sandpaper skin and of course, teeth.

Either way, if I hook it in the kayak, I land it in the kayak.


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## draper11 (May 8, 2009)

I used to have a little cheapsingle derringerthat would shoot either .45 or .410 shot shells. It cost about $50 years ago. Excellent snake gun. That would be ideal and wouldn't get in the way but would be one more thing to have to clean every time you went out.


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## [email protected] (Mar 20, 2008)

The only reason I beached it is because I hooked him on the bar...If I was out where I normally fish I would have let him breathe alot of air(hold his head out of the water)and pulled him in the yak and taken the beating. a tarpon will just be pulled yakside for pics and released...anyone who beaches the yak for a King is a sissy. Just kidding Trueking...but really kings are the calmest fish ever if they are tired.


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## Chris V (Oct 18, 2007)

Kings are pretty easy as long as they are tired. Last August I gaffed a 22lber right after hookup as she ran past the kayak and I got completely soaked, bloody and beaten up to the point where I now know not to ever do that again.


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## fishging (Jun 13, 2009)

Does anyone carry a 'billy club'? I have one that my dad turned out of a closet rod. I'm going to be down there next week and plan on beating the life out of anything I bring in the yak.


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## Chris V (Oct 18, 2007)

I have one that has 2lbs of lead in the end and it doesn't take too many swings to end a life.......as long as I remember to bring it.


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## jrbagadoughnuts (May 13, 2008)

Went out Thurs morning & caught a nice 15 pound King, I let him get nice & tired before grabbing him by the tail & swinging him in the boat.



no gaff needed at that point, but I'd say anything other than a shark, if I caught him in the yak he's getting drug into the yak. If he's still 



thrashing around a lot a couple of hits with the paddle should slow him down.


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## Razzorduck (Oct 22, 2007)

Tailing kings is a no brainer. Easy and safe if tired. Still looking for my first cobia so that will be a game time decision. If I'm close to the beachI'll take him there otherwise a boga/billy combo should work.Sharks I cut the leader don't want em in the boat. I like my body parts. If and when the tarpon comes I will release at the boat hopefully with hook out. DoI get double points for that?:letsdrink


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## Pourman1 (Oct 4, 2007)

I use The "Stinger" , a mini aluminum bat , works every time :letsdrink


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## yakdiver (Jul 12, 2008)

> *Pourman1 (6/26/2009)*I use The "Stinger" , a mini aluminum bat , works every time :letsdrink


Likewise, but I've named mine the "fish be cool tool"


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## choupique (Jun 18, 2009)

I have had good and bad experiences.. doing both....

Tried to walk a 125 lb poon to the beach in Navarre in 04(that cool spell right before IVAN)... got surrounded by a herd of medium sized bulls....

in 2001 grabbed a 30 lb is king about 500 yards west of jetties and about 500 yards off beach.. grabbed him by tail went to hit him in the head... passing jet ski wake caused 3 hooks to stick me.... the very next day while trying to beach yak with a 6 ft bull well all was fine till he saw people or commotion on beach and turned back out and turned me sideways... and wave rolled me over RIGHT ON HIM.. lost rod and wedding ring trying to egress from that situation...

the best course of action is 

1. Two kayaks and 2nd kayak handles fish....

2. two people in yak.. see above...

BTW tuna popper.. last year we didn't bring yak... but my son probably caught 20 -50 pompano each day we were there last year except for the two days in was real rough.... 

bringing yak this time... will be there soon.


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## captken (Feb 24, 2008)

This little homemade hand gaff/flying gaff works for most fish I catch. I haven't caught a king out of the yak but catch Tarpon about as big as they come, Cobia to 48#, Black Drum to 60# and lots of smaller fish. I slip my measuring stick/stake out pole into the hollow end of the PVC pipe the gaff hook is mounted on and hold it on by pinching the rope to the stick. The hook eye is through bolted so the bolt serves as a stop for the long handle.

I do not tie the flying gaff line off to the yak and the end loop is large enough for my hand and does not cinch down. If I hooked a really huge fish, I suppose I could loop the line to my cooler and let the fish fight it for a while.

I want no part of a long handled gaff on a yak and do not want a live kingfish aboard. I hook a Tarpon around the jaw bone and tow him while paddling to get him going again.










I have a small, home made,billy handy too.


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## true-king (Oct 2, 2007)

> *[email protected] (6/26/2009)*The only reason I beached it is because I hooked him on the bar...If I was out where I normally fish I would have let him breathe alot of air(hold his head out of the water)and pulled him in the yak and taken the beating. a tarpon will just be pulled yakside for pics and released...anyone who beaches the yak for a King is a sissy. Just kidding Trueking...but really kings are the calmest fish ever if they are tired.


This was two years ago when I didn't know what I was doing.


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## Team Hobie (Oct 9, 2007)

Just to piss Chris off, I say unless you land it in the kayak it doesn't count. I guess YaknFlies gets the cobia wager. ;0)



I guess I'm never fishing close to shore so getting there with a fish on has never been an option.



Just a comment on the club thingy. I have beat the holy crap out of sharks and not made a dent in their ability to fight/bite.



Someone once told me that they used to carry a small squirt bottle of cheap booze. They would squirt it on the gills of a big fish and it would instantly knock them out. I've never tried it. It could be a hoax but given the blood flow thru the gills it kind of makes sense that it would act quickly to make them drunk.


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## [email protected] (Mar 20, 2008)

If I brought a squirt bottle full of booze offshore I would never make it back...it would be too tempting! You are right Ted...yakflies deserves the wager after reading the rules on that thread...As long as Team Mayhem wins everything Im cool with it!


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## captken (Feb 24, 2008)

If some of the things boozed up women have done to me are any indication of what might happen with a drunk fish, I dang sure ain't going the booze route.


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## Sharker (Aug 6, 2008)

GAFF and BEAT!!! Hasn't failed me yet


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## NICHOLAS (Oct 18, 2007)

That flying gaff is the way to do it on big fish that will give you a beating. On a big king I will gaff him in the gills and just hold him on the side of the boat to let it bleed down for a while. It works very good.


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## Chris V (Oct 18, 2007)

I too have heard or read the whole booze in the gills thing but haven't tried it and to be honest, never will. I've never been that afraid of a fish to start resorting to things such as "lets get them drunk first". This all sounds like the makings of a date rape, not landing a fish.


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## Jhoe (May 4, 2009)

> GAFF and BEAT!!! Hasn't failed me yet
> 
> 
> 
> Catch, Tag, Release! [USA FLAG]




that made me laugh


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## Sharker (Aug 6, 2008)

LOL, well played, that only applies to sharks


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## illforwill (May 26, 2009)

i will usually just gaff the fishclose to the peck finand gills andsling them in the bow unless its a 30# plus fish thenthe decision will be made on the spott nut i not scared of taking a beating unless its from a cob they can do some damage


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