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The one that didn't get away!

On July 5, 1998 I went halibut fishing alone on an 18 foot skiff. I hadn't had enough time that morning to prepare myself with a club or a gun, figuring that I would never catch the 'big one', the one that I had been dreaming of all my life. Little did I know what that day had in store for me.

It was a nice day, even though the weather report had predicted fog that evening. I was about 7 miles from Nelson Island and I didn't see any foul weather coming my way. I wasn't worried because I had my GPS (Global Positioning System) and a hand-held VHF radio with me. Willie Charlie, a friend of mine was about 1/4 mile from where I was fishing, so I wasn't completely alone on the sea.

As I sat alone in that 18-foot Lund boat I began to think what I would do if I caught the 'big one'. I wasn't getting any bites at the time so I decided to gather the materials that I might need just in case a giant halibut came my way. I had nothing useful except for a gaff and a brass harpoon tip that I found in my brother's black plastic cooler. I had a wooden stick that I fastened the harpoon tip onto. The stick was too light and thin to club any halibuts with, so I decided that this would be the better purpose.

An hour passed. I was getting small ones here and there but still no monster fish. I was getting restless from sitting in the same spot for what seemed like hours. I figured a little movement would do me good so I crawled to the front of the gently rocking skiff to stretch out my legs. I had fastened my rod to the back of the boat near the engine under my seat. I made sure the release and the alarm were set.

While I was looking to see if Willie and his partner were catching any halibuts I heard the alarm on my reel go off like crazy! I thought I had put the release on too loose because of the way it was making the whirring sound. My line was going 100 mph! I don't know how I got to it so quickly with all the junk in my way but I was there in a flash!

First I tried tightening the drag reel to its fullest but still it would not stop! I had just bought this brand new PENN 45GSL Graphite Lever Drag reel along with my 200 lbs. test STREN saltwater high Impact Dacron line. I had good faith in my equipment and I knew it wouldn't fail me. I hung on as tight as I could and I didn't even realize that I was standing on the edge of my seat! It was pretty exciting.

I looked at my reel and saw that my line was running out fast! I placed my thumb against the line and the rod handle to try help slow it down. That didn't do any good so I tried using both my thumbs. Still nothing! I was beginning to panic. What was I to do? Both of my thumbs were beginning to burn from the friction of the string.

In my last attempt to stop the fish, I pressed the string against the rod handle as hard as I could with both of my thumbs and started to pray, "Please God! Please make it stop!" Finally my prayer was answered. Another two more feet I would have run out of line. And I mean this literally, another 2 more feet and I would have lost everything! Whew!

Not knowing what could be at the end of my line I began to reel it in. Both of my thumbs were burned and had lost all sensation of feeling. Sometimes the Fish would decide to resist. It was like trying to pull in a boat anchor! I decided not to fight the resistance. Instead I just held on to my rod and rested. And boy did I need it! My back was aching like crazy.

Finally, after 10 agonizing minutes I caught my first glimpse of the giant halibut. I mean this baby looked huge under the water! I figured it was just the water magnifying it, so I tried hard not to panic. I thought I could probably take him no problem. Heck, I hadn't encountered a halibut that I couldn't handle in my 15 plus years of fishing. I looked up to the clouds above and began to reel in some more line. I wouldn't be surprised if I did a little praying also. When I looked down at it again its frame was even more enormous. It was spitting out herring and other partially digested flesh from its gigantic mouth! Chills flooded my body. I came to realize that I had finally met my match. Right then and there I froze stiff. The brass harpoon that I had prepared would be useless against this beast. I feared that if I used it the giant halibut would rip my arms out of their sockets or even tip the boat over in its' attempt to swim away. There was no way I was going to be able to bring this brute into the boat by myself!

I picked up my hand-held radio and called, "Ah... Willie?" I wasn't sure what I was going to say next.

"Hello Greg!" Willie cheerfully answered.

"Did you bring your gun with you, Willie?" I asked him breathing hard from my adrenaline rush.

"Yes I did." he answered.

"I think you need to come over right away!" I pleaded.

"Sure thing, I'll be right there!"

It took five shots to kill this 6' 6" 200 plus pound halibut. After that it took all three of us to pull its carcass into my boat. It was an experience that I will never forget. Thank you God!

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