Hi Pamela thanks for the positive comment and I'm glad this halibut video brings back fond memories of when you went halibut fishing in Alaska! Halibut are a blast to catch and amazing to eat! Thanks again and tight lines! Captain Zac
Hi Wayne thanks for stopping by and I'm glad you enjoyed this halibut action! I appreciate the positive comment - we are very fortunate to have Alaska in our back yard! Thanks again and tight lines my friend! Captain Zac
Awesome adventure for the start of 2024!!!! That crab made my mouth water so bad!!! Definitely going to bring some with us out on the boat in July. Thanks for the wonderful videos. Keep them coming.
Hey Gavin many thanks for stopping by and I'm glad you enjoyed this early season adventure! Haha yes indeed something about fresh dungeness crab tastes EVEN BETTER when you enjoy them while halibut fishing! Best of luck on your upcoming trip this summer! Thanks again and tight lines my friend! Captain Zac
Hi @JerryFields-it3zq thanks for the positive comment and I'm glad you enjoyed this halibut action! Haha yes I'm a Mary fan as well! Tight lines! Captain Zac
I was just thinking about you guys yesterday and was going to drop you a line to see how you are doing, then lo and behold this video pops in. Really glad to see you out and about again. More to come. Andy
Great to hear from you Andy! Yes indeed we are off to the races on another season - halibut beware! I hope you are enjoying some cool adventures these days - any plans to be back in Alaska anytime soon? Tight lines my friend! Captain Zac
Hey @NRALifer1 many thanks for the positive comment and I'm glad you enjoyed this early season halibut action! Catching a halibut this size is always a team sport! Thanks again and tight lines my friend! Captain Zac
Hey Tony many thanks for stopping by and I'm glad you enjoyed this early season halibut action! I appreciate the positive comment - tight lines my friend! Captain Zac
Thanks for sharing. That is a great stack of really good eating, my friend. I see some very tasty fish tacos. Good luck, have fun, and be safe out there my friend.
Hi David thanks for watching and I appreciate the positive comment! Yes indeed the little halibut and pacific cod make great table fare - I actually did make some fresh blackened cod tacos within a few days of this catch! Thanks again and tight lines my friend! Captain Zac
Hey Bill thanks for watching and I'm glad you enjoyed this halibut and cod action! Yes it is always nice to pick up a few cod which are really tasty to eat and help round out a nice "mixed bag" harvest. Thanks again and tight lines my friend! Captain Zac
Hey @JT-py9lv thanks for stopping by and I'm glad you enjoyed this early season action! Yes indeed - that is a beautiful area with some great fishing! Thanks again and tight lines my friend! Captain Zac
Hey Jonathan thanks for the positive comment and I'm glad to hear this early season action is getting you STOKED for halibut fishing! Yes indeed it is hard to beat fresh dugnies - especially while halibut fishing on a calm sunny Alaskan day! Thanks again and tight lines my friend! Captain Zac
Hi Joey thanks for the positive comment and I'm glad you enjoyed this early season footage! Yes indeed - hard to beat the feeling of a 100+ pound halibut pulling drag and head shaking! Tight lines my friend! Captain Zac
@@CaptainZac Great, I live on a 2300 acre lake just 900 yards out my back door, Grew up on this lake and fish all the time but something that big, OH GOODNESS
Enjoyed your video very much here in NZ. The fishing is great to watch, but your personalities are like “icing on the cake” , so subscribed. Cheers, Art 👍👍😀😀
Hi Art many thanks for stopping by and welcome to the channel! I appreciate the sub and am glad you are enjoying this footage, all the way from NZ! Thanks again and tight lines my friend! Captain Zac
Nice goin’ Capt Zac & 1st Mate Mary! Hey that’s a cool lookin’ crab cookin’ pot! :) I bet that was some good eating in a beautiful setting. Always fun to notch the first catch of a prime target fish of the season. Keep two tight lines between you & the honey! Seeya in a few months.
Hey there Geoff thanks for stopping by and I'm glad you enjoyed this early-season adventure! Yes we love this crab cookin' pot - what a great tool for the boat! Thanks again! I'm looking forward to tagging up later this summer to chase some halibut, salmon and whatever else we encounter in the Southeast Alaskan waters! Tight lines my friend! Captain Zac
Hi @Settlingintoalaskaliving thanks for stopping by and I'm glad you enjoyed this early season action! I appreciate the positive comment - tight lines my friend! Captain Zac
Wow, now there’s a dream of mine … fishing in Alaska! I’m down here in So Cal and get out plenty on my boat but a whole different variety! Your clean spoken basic fishing with your decent Lady fishing by your side! Inspiring and enjoyable, keep it up!
Hi Ross thanks for watching and I'm glad you enjoyed this early season action! That's awesome to hear that you get after the So Cal fishery - you should definitely put Alaska on the bucket list for a future fishing trip! I appreciate the positive comment and tight lines my friend! Captain Zac
We were in Juneau a couple years ago doing some boat work before returning to Kodiak. I wish we could have spent some time out on the water while we were there. Sometimes the halibut are an elusive bunch! Nice catch! The cod are excellent eating too! Some nice fresh cooked crab out on the water, doesn't get much better than that! Tight lines and good fishing!
Hey @EISAlaska thanks for stopping by and I'm glad you enjoyed this early season action! I appreciate the positive comment! Wow it looks like you have some awesome adventure on your channel - I'm looking forward to checking it out! Stay safe out there and tight lines my friend! Captain Zac
Hi @kpnitrl38 I appreciate the positive comment and am glad you enjoyed this early season halibut action! We are very fortunate to have some fun adventures together here in Juneau! Thanks again and tight lines my friend! Captain Zac
Great job on those first Halibut for the season there. It was great meeting Mary and You in Juneau the other day and thanks again for the spices. Those will get put to good use. Didn't get into Sitka until 12:30am yesterday so by the time I got the boat off the ferry and to storage I didn't get to done until around 3am. So no fishing yesterday. Maybe today but I also have to work some. No fun without the money. Good luck this summer and once again if you get to Sitka while I'm there we can get after some fish here. Tight lines my friends.
Hey Mark it was great meeting up the other day and CONGRATS on your first halibut of the year! It is always rewarding to enjoy the first few fresh halibut fillets of the season! Tight lines my friend! Captain Zac
Captain Zac and Mary Hopefully you saved some crab for the Queen. She needs her nourishment fighting those fish with her spin outfit. Another beautiful day on the water.. Life is Good.. Tight Lines. Be Safe! E
Hey there Eric many thanks for watching and I'm glad you enjoyed this halibut action! Haha Actually, despite all the awesome fish she catches, Mary doesn't like seafood so she opted for a different snack other than fresh dungies! Rest assured, she'll be well-nourished enough to battle plenty of big halibut this season! Thanks again and tight lines my friend! Captain Zac
Wow, just found the channel and subscribed. Great fishing and a nice couple, reminds me of my wife and I fishing together. I look forward to your future videos.... With respect... Joe
Hi Joe welcome to the channel and thanks for the positive comment! I'm glad you enjoyed this halibut action - great to have you along for these adventures! Very cool that you enjoy fishing with your wife as well! Tight lines my friend! Captain Zac
Hi Carl thanks for watching and I'm glad you enjoyed this halibut action! The pot comes with the stove - it is a Jetboil Half Gen Basecamp - www.amazon.com/dp/B01N5FWB85?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details. Tight lines! Captain Zac
Hey Zac! Loved seeing your first Hali of the season. I’ve been out several times and catching nothing but Pacific cod. Took my wife’s sister out today to have some fun catching cod and hooked our first Hali in just 10 minutes! We ended up catching 4 halibut, and one was 40 pounds! She used your 7 ouncer, I used the 16. What a fun day!
Hey Kim wow that's awesome congrats on your early season halibut success! I'm glad to hear that the fire eye glow jigs delivered for you guys! That must have been a great stack of fillets, especially with a 40 pounder in the mix! Congrats again and tight lines my friend! Captain Zac
Hey John thanks for stopping by and I appreciate your positive (and first!) comment! Best of luck when your season starts in May - tight lines my friend! Captain Zac
Thanks Pamela I'm glad you enjoyed this early season adventure! Yes indeed - it is hard to beat fresh dungeness crab with butter, especially when halibut fishing! Tight lines! Captain Zac
Haha hey Phil thanks for stopping by not surprising that you'd bet on the Halibut Queen to out fish me! The season is still early - plenty of time left for that to happen! Yes indeed fresh dungies are hard to beat - super sweet even before dunked in butter! Thanks again and tight lines my friend! Captain Zac
Hey Captain Alan thanks for stopping by and I'm glad you enjoyed this halibut action! Yes indeed those otters are always cool to see and in the early season they are a little less spooky. I'm using a Daiwa Seaborg 500mj and so far I really like it - small enough to be fished from the hand and powerful enough to crank on big halis! I'm still testing it out so I'll probably have more perspective after fishing with it a handful of trips. Thanks again and tight lines! Captain Zac
Hi @louispavila6637 best of luck in Bristol Bay this season! I'll be posting plenty of halibut fishing videos this season so perhaps you can tune in from up there! Tight lines and stay safe on the water my friend! Captain Zac
Haha hi @fuzzymonkey-qe1xp thanks for positive comment and I'm glad you enjoyed this early season action! Yes indeed - the weekends are a great time to be out on the water fishing! Tight lines my friend! Captain Zac
Gotta go way deep for those Halibut. Was in Sitka towards end of April hitting, cod , salmon and halibut. Yeah, I thought minimum length on Halibut is 30 inches?
Hi @shayneyoung5394 thanks for stopping by and I'm glad you enjoyed this early season halibut action! I couldn't have said it any better myself - we were very fortunate to have a great day on the water during this outing! Thanks again and tight lines my friend! Captain Zac
Awesome video as always. I have a couple questions, I’ve tossed a lot of cod and was told they are a little soft. And about the dungies, I always clean before cooking (way way better eating) and was told that they need cooked about an hour after cleaning or they can turn poisonous. Please enlighten me
Hi @bmiller7710 and @240Turbo48 thanks for watching and I'm glad you enjoyed this early season action! The pacific cod have a soft flakey white flesh that is incredibly mild and sweet - very tasty. I actually know a few people who prefer cod over halibut! In terms of the dungies, I always clean them on the dock and bring just the clusters home. I'll most often cook them right away (steam them in my large propane crab cooker) but every so often will cook them the following day. When next day, I typically give them a rinse before steaming or boiling. I've used the "next day" approach occasionally over the years and never noticed a drop-off in meat quality. I've also never gotten sick from "next day" dungies. However, based on your question, I'm going to take a closer look into this and I'll let you know what I come up with. Thanks again and tight lines my friends! Captain Zac
We keep our Dungeness in a 5 gallon pail with salt water and cook them a whole day later and never had any issues. It probably depends on where you live, just like the psp shelfish poisoning, it's really location more than anything. Luckily where we live in Southeast Alaska it's never been an issue for us!!
Hi @rph3344 thanks for watching and I'm glad you enjoyed this early season halibut action! My spinning setup is a Penn Slammer IV 8500 reel w/ 80lb PowerPro on a Penn Carnage III Jigging spinning rod. Thanks again and tight lines! Captain Zac
Haha hey @SamuelGDM thanks for stopping by and I'm glad you enjoyed this halibut action! Congrats on the 3 blue cats! I fished for them years ago in Virginia and had an absolute blast - they get huge! Thanks again and tight lines my friend! Captain Zac
Hey @mconard801 I appreciate the positive comment and am glad you enjoyed this early season action! Yes indeed fresh cod is super tasty - very mild, sweet and flaky! Thanks again and tight lines my friend! Captain Zac
I love your style. Your video is excellent. It gave me a good pick me up this evening. I so wanted to get up there to fish in July but things have a way of not working out. I have a six year old great grandson with an aggressive tumor around his brain stem and is inoperable. Please do me a favor and catch a big one for me. Hope you all have an awesome season.
Hi Gary I appreciate the kind words and am very sorry to hear about your grandson. Nobody should have to deal with such a devastating medical diagnosis, especially not someone so young. I'm glad this Alaska video was able to provide a brief distraction. Does your grandson enjoy fishing? All the best and thoughts/prayers for you, your family and your grandson - Captain Zac
@@CaptainZac Stetson loves to fish. He is wanting to go to my winter home on Lake Okeechobee Fl. to ride in Grandpa’s boat and catch some fish and see some gators. I’m pretty certain that won’t happen. The pressure on his brain stem has now caused both eyes to cross and he is losing mobility on his right side. But he is such a trooper as he is always smiling and laughing. I have come to accept the fact that the radiation is just prolonging the inevitable. Thank you and God Bless you.
Thanks Gary - he sounds like an incredible kid. Could you please drop me an email? If interested, I'd be happy to record an inspirational audio or video message for him (a fellow fishing enthusiast). With a little more context about some of his previous fishing adventures, I can tailor it to celebrate his awesome experiences. No pressure - just offering in case you think Stetson would get a smile out of it. My email is CaptainZacAlaska@gmail.com
Nice cod haul. Too bad about losing the first hali. Ended up with some nice chickens though. Deck lunch looked great. Making Mary use the manual reel. Tsk Tsk. 😂 . Looked like a good start to the season for you. 👍
Hey Peeling Line thanks for stopping by and I'm glad you enjoyed this early season action! Haha Mary is choosing to use a manual reel - I offered an electric reel and she preferred to use the manual one. Tight lines! Captain Zac
Hey @stevesheller9223 haven't been targeting prawns in the past few years given that I don't have a pot puller (and prawns are down deep) and there are so many other on-water adventures available. My next boat will have a pot puller and then I'll probably be more willing to deploy a shrimp pot down deep! Tight lines! Captain Zac
Hey there thanks for the positive comment and I'm glad you enjoyed this early season action! Yes indeed Mary certainly catches her fair share! Tight lines! Captain Zac
Hy Jonathan - Usually June into early July. The run varies year to year. I've had "hot bites" in early June, mid-June and late June into the 1st week of July. Sometimes the bite will be automatic for a few days and then turn off for a week or so. The tides and the amount of rainfall can strongly influence when and how many fresh fish show up. Thanks and tight lines! Captain Zac
Hey Steve thanks for stopping by and very well said - the perfect day! It is always special to land the first halibut of the year and the dungies and flat calm weather were a certainly a nice bonus! You called it - things would have got very interesting if we hooked up with a big halibut mid crab feast! haha Thanks again and tight lines my friend! Captain Zac
Hey @gentryandjill thanks for stopping by and I'm glad you enjoyed this halibut action! Mary still prefers a manual reel and was not interested in getting an electric one. I got the electric reel for deeper halibut drops (400-800 feet) and am still testing it out (getting a feel for hooksets, reeling, etc.) hence why I was using this reel in relatively shallow (less than 250 feet) water here. Tight lines! Captain Zac
Wait a minute here. Big, strong Zac has an electric reel, and little Mary has to hand crank from depth? I'm surprised no one has mentioned that yet. Geez Zac. Heh. Saw my first fat black bear at Lemon Creek today, and there was a single humpback out by the Tee Harbor can the other day. 2024 is in play mode finally! Has anyone seen any herring near shore? I'm wanting to jig all my bait this year and put away several pounds. Folks, when you come to Juneau do not get suckered into arm wrestling Mary out at Squirez..... She will crush you!
Haha hey Alan a lot to unpack here! Mary said that she isn't interested in trying an electric reel - she prefers the conventional gear. I'm still testing this electric reel out (in all depth ranges) but it will really shine on the super deep drops (400-1000ft) for halibut. Awesome that you saw the first black bear of the season! The humpbacks have been pretty spotty thus far in the early season but I understand that a few more moved into the area over the past week so hopefully the sightings will increase. There were some herring in Statter the other day so that's a good sign. Challenging Mary to arm wrestling would be just as unwise as challenging her to a halibut fishing competition! haha Thanks again and tight lines my friend! Captain Zac
Hi Jimmy thanks for stopping by and I'm glad you enjoyed this halibut action! For the Juneau area, unguided anglers are allowed 2 halibut per day any size (4 in possession). For guided anglers, there is a reverse slot - see the regs below. Note that different areas of Alaska have different regs, especially in terms of what guided anglers can keep (both in size and quantity). One fish daily bag limit: Charter vessel anglers may catch and retain one halibut per day. Reverse slot limits: From February 1 through July 14, retained halibut must be less than or equal to 40 inches or greater than or equal to 80 inches in length. From July 15 until the end of the season, retained halibut must be less than or equal to 36 inches or greater than or equal to 80 inches in length. Friday closures. Charter vessel anglers in Area 2C may not catch and retain halibut (except GAF) on all Fridays beginning July 19, 2024 and continuing through September 13, 2024.
Cap't great video as always. 2 questions. Im disabled and un the msrket for an electric reel setup. That one you have looks badass, which make and model is it? Also those looked like great crab utensils. Do you remember the brand of those? Thanks buddy, keep up the great work!
Hey @codyledoux4338 thanks for the positive comment and I'm glad you enjoyed this early season action! This is a Daiwa Seaborg 500mj which I chose because it is small enough to be fished in-hand - many other models are much larger and are intended to be exclusively fished out of a rod holder. So far I really like it - it will enable much deeper drops - 400-1000+ft for deep water halibut and also black cod. Yes these are Toadfish crab tools - highly recommended! Thanks again and tight lines my friend! Captain Zac
Hi Randy it is still early days since I'm still getting "dialed in" with it but thus far it has worked great and I would recommend it. It is a Daiwa Seaborg 500mj which I chose because it is small enough to fish out of hand (vs. the larger reels meant for rod holders) and still has line capacity to get down for the deep halibut drops. Thanks and tight lines! Captain Zac
East Coast Canada here, just curious if your pacific cod are as wormy as ours? I can eat the cod fish in this neck of the woods, they are just so so full of worms :(
Hey @sarahmacdonald5633 thanks for stopping by and I'm glad you enjoyed this early season action! The cod here in Juneau do sometimes have worms, especially the larger ones. It requires a bit more work at the fillet table to ensure that fillets are worm-free before vacuum sealed. I find that holding the fillets up to a light helps you find anything that you need to remove. Once you have clean fillets, the meat is very light, flaky and super sweet! Thanks again and tight lines! Captain Zac
Hey @froesenfish9062 this is a Daiwa Seaborg 500mj which I chose because it is small enough to be fished in-hand - many other models are much larger and are intended to be exclusively fished out of a rod holder. So far I really like it - it will enable much deeper drops - 400-1000+ft for deep water halibut and also black cod. Thanks for stopping by and tight lines! Captain Zac
Hi @cherylannesmith8610 thanks for stopping by and I appreciate the concern. The gas tank cap is on the port stern. The cooker is sitting on top of the stern fish box / live well - probably about 4 feet away from the gas cap but you can never be too careful. Thanks again! Captain Zac
Hi Ray thanks for stopping by and I'm glad you enjoyed this halibut action! Yes it is - Seaborg 500mj. Small enough to be fished out of hand but plenty of power and line capacity for those deep halibut drops! Thanks again and tight lines! Captain Zac
I just bought one was wondering if it was going to be good for halibut lots of people buy the 750 and 800 tanacoms but for me they just seemed huge almost pineapple size :) and the seaborg is just a very nice reel thanks for the reply and I enjoy your videos. @@CaptainZac
Exactly! The most common electric reels are enormous and really designed to be fished out of a rod holder. I personally like to work the jig and feel the STRIKE!!! So far I really like it. I'd love to hear how you like it once you get a chance to fish with it! Tight lines my friend! Captain Zac
Haha hey Gregory thanks for watching and I'm glad you enjoyed this halibut action! You are probably right that Mary would have out-fished me if she was using an electric reel (she out-fishes me on many days regardless of reel!) haha I offered but she doesn't want an electric reel. Once I get dialed in with the electric reel, I'll likely switch back to my standard gear for shallower drops to even out the playing field! Thanks again and tight lines! Captain Zac
I see beer battered halibut fingers with tartar sauce in their future. Gruyère Swiss cheese halibut Olympia too. Food of kings and Alaskans. Fill the freezer baby!
Hey @robertleslie2467 yes indeed my mouth is watering just reading this! Thanks for stopping by and I'm glad you enjoyed this early season halibut action! Kings and Alaskans - I love it! Thanks again and tight lines my friend! Captain Zac
Hey @RKMetalWorx thanks for watching and I'm glad you enjoyed this early season action, even if it made you hungry in the process! haha Tight lines! Captain Zac
Hey John thanks for stopping by and I'm glad you enjoyed this footage! Trailer or stinger hooks are legal. Over the years I've occasionally used them. I find that although you sometimes get more hookups with a trailer hook, you also often get more tangles (which can leave you fishing with a jig tangled around the line instead of a properly oriented presentation). I'm always tinkering and plan on trying a slightly different type of trailer hook this year. Thanks again and tight lines! Captain Zac
Hey @tho464 thanks for watching and I'm glad you enjoyed this early season outing - especially that dungie crab feast while halibut fishing on a calm sunny Alaskan day! Thanks again and tight lines my friend! Captain Zac
Haha hi @mapleholler9800 thanks for stopping by and you are probably right - those porpoises just couldn't resist the wonderful aroma! Tight lines my friend! Captain Zac
Hi @tho464 actually Mary didn't want to try an electric reel - she prefers the conventional gear at this point. Maybe after I land a few big deep water halibut on the electric gear she'll be open to giving it a try! Tight lines! Captain Zac
Hey @AKDivePro thanks for stopping by and I'm glad you enjoyed this early season action! Yes you are right that cod is way under-rated by most. It is such a mild, sweet, flaky white fish - delicious! I always like to add a few pacific cod to the fish box to create a nice mixed bag harvest! Thanks again and tight lines my friend! Captain Zac
Hey @Bo_in_Seattle thanks for watching and I'm glad you enjoyed this early season halibut action! Yes I am testing out my new electric reel (the feel when setting the hook, the drag, engaging and disengaging the electric reel assist, etc.). This reel will help me target deeper drops for halibut in the 400-1000 ft range. At any point in Alaska, you could catch a smaller fish like this little 20# halibut or you could catch a "barn door" weighing hundreds of pounds. In fact, I was out fishing yesterday and caught a much bigger halibut on this same reel - stay tuned for that video! Tight lines! Captain Zac
Can someone educate me on why he is using an electric reel?? I have seen 80 year old folks real in halibut twice that size without electric help. I just don’t understand why an able bodied person would choose to have electricity fight the fish instead
Hi @BlueRibbonExplorer an electric reel is a great tool for deep drop fishing in the 400 - 1200 foot range where fishing with traditional gear is impractical or impossible. It really opens up lots of new fishing spots if you can hit these depth ranges! Tight lines! Captain Zac
Hi @Trapper50cal funny you ask - after I recorded this video I actually did pull out the cheek meat before cutting up the rest of the remains for crab bait. On a fish this small, it is like getting one scallop per cheek. Great observation and tight lines my friend! Captain Zac
Hey @katchfishy thanks for stopping by and I'm glad you enjoyed this halibut action! Yes indeed fresh halibut and pacific cod is hard to beat in terms of table fare! Thanks again and tight lines my friend! Captain Zac
Hey @Cowgirlthirty4 thanks for stopping by. While I agree that Black Cod are excellent eating, I know many people who enjoy eating pacific cod as well (I like to use the bellies and ribs for halibut bait). Pacific Cod is a very mild, sweet, flaky white fish and is very versatile in terms of the range of recipes it is ideal for. For those fortunate enough to have a steady supply of Black Cod, I realize why you may de-prioritize a Pacific Cod for bait. Tight lines! Captain Zac
A young man at the lodge took a slice out of a Pacific Cod and within seconds worms were wiggling their way to the surface. That left a lasting impression. The same might happen with other fish too but I don't want to know. (Covering eyes)
In Alaska you have to.keep.your tongue in the correct side of your cheek to be legal. Locals say you need to take an accountant and civil engineer fishing with you.
Hi @HughButler-lb6zs yes indeed the rules and regs can be pretty technical but they are ultimately designed to help preserve the fishery for generations to come - so I suppose we take the good with the bad. Tight lines! Captain Zac
Hey @dahdah440 that's definitely a great combination! I'm fortunate to have a fantastic first mate aboard for my Alaskan adventures. I hope you find a partner who enjoys fishing as well! Tight lines my friend! Captain Zac
Thanks @terry6514 - halibut tend to tear nets and for a fish this size I'd be releasing it anyway. For a fish of any decent size, I'd have a gaff or harpoon ready to go and take instant action the second the fish nears the surface. For these little ones, I've found it is simpler to just grab the jig and haul them aboard. Tight lines! Captain Zac
Hey @kenmichels7630 thanks for stopping by - "We Alaskans"?? I'm from Juneau and given how many halibut I catch I find it easier to just abbreviate it to "hali"... just like the pot fulls of "dungies" I harvest each season. Tight lines! Captain Zac
Love halibut fishing. We went in Alaska and had the best time ever.
Those look soo good.
Hi Pamela thanks for the positive comment and I'm glad this halibut video brings back fond memories of when you went halibut fishing in Alaska! Halibut are a blast to catch and amazing to eat! Thanks again and tight lines! Captain Zac
What a great start for 2024. You two are living the good life. I'm jealous. Keep up the good work Captain.
Hi Wayne thanks for stopping by and I'm glad you enjoyed this halibut action! I appreciate the positive comment - we are very fortunate to have Alaska in our back yard! Thanks again and tight lines my friend! Captain Zac
Great job Zac and Mary! Great start!
Hi Tim thanks for watching and I appreciate the positive comment! Glad you enjoyed this early-season action! Thanks again and tight lines! Captain Zac
Awesome adventure for the start of 2024!!!! That crab made my mouth water so bad!!! Definitely going to bring some with us out on the boat in July. Thanks for the wonderful videos. Keep them coming.
Hey Gavin many thanks for stopping by and I'm glad you enjoyed this early season adventure! Haha yes indeed something about fresh dungeness crab tastes EVEN BETTER when you enjoy them while halibut fishing! Best of luck on your upcoming trip this summer! Thanks again and tight lines my friend! Captain Zac
Love it , This is the best video I’ve ever seen. Thank you an Mary just to let you know your the the best.🥰
Hi @JerryFields-it3zq thanks for the positive comment and I'm glad you enjoyed this halibut action! Haha yes I'm a Mary fan as well! Tight lines! Captain Zac
I was just thinking about you guys yesterday and was going to drop you a line to see how you are doing, then lo and behold this video pops in. Really glad to see you out and about again. More to come. Andy
Great to hear from you Andy! Yes indeed we are off to the races on another season - halibut beware! I hope you are enjoying some cool adventures these days - any plans to be back in Alaska anytime soon? Tight lines my friend! Captain Zac
Get-em Buddy! Congrats on some great fish, y'all make a Great team! Thanks for posting!
Hey @NRALifer1 many thanks for the positive comment and I'm glad you enjoyed this early season halibut action! Catching a halibut this size is always a team sport! Thanks again and tight lines my friend! Captain Zac
Awesome fishing trip today Captain Zac, and a few beauties in the net too, thanks and thumbs up from faraway landed of Down Under,, Tony.
Hey Tony many thanks for stopping by and I'm glad you enjoyed this early season halibut action! I appreciate the positive comment - tight lines my friend! Captain Zac
Thanks for the video. Enjoyable, as always!
Hi Dave thanks for the positive comment here and tight lines my friend! Captain Zac
Thanks for sharing. That is a great stack of really good eating, my friend. I see some very tasty fish tacos. Good luck, have fun, and be safe out there my friend.
Hi David thanks for watching and I appreciate the positive comment! Yes indeed the little halibut and pacific cod make great table fare - I actually did make some fresh blackened cod tacos within a few days of this catch! Thanks again and tight lines my friend! Captain Zac
way to start the season 👍 many more to come. At least the Cod were biting
Hey Bill thanks for watching and I'm glad you enjoyed this halibut and cod action! Yes it is always nice to pick up a few cod which are really tasty to eat and help round out a nice "mixed bag" harvest. Thanks again and tight lines my friend! Captain Zac
I love fishy the Icy Strait near Hoonah. Thanks for the video !
Hey @JT-py9lv thanks for stopping by and I'm glad you enjoyed this early season action! Yes indeed - that is a beautiful area with some great fishing! Thanks again and tight lines my friend! Captain Zac
Thanks for sharing! Grat Stuff!
Thanks Jon I'm glad you enjoyed this footage and I appreciate the positive comment! Tight lines my friend! Captain Zac
super fun to watch
Thanks! I appreciate the positive comment - tight lines my friend! Captain Zac
This video is getting me STOKED for halibut fishing. Thanks for sharing! The crab looked amazing!!
Hey Jonathan thanks for the positive comment and I'm glad to hear this early season action is getting you STOKED for halibut fishing! Yes indeed it is hard to beat fresh dugnies - especially while halibut fishing on a calm sunny Alaskan day! Thanks again and tight lines my friend! Captain Zac
What a beautiful day for fishing regardless of the cold wind, if they are bitting then that’s a bonus.
Thank you from Central Kentucky, a little south east of the KY Derby, love cod but love to catch a 100 pound Halibut! Blessings!
Hi Joey thanks for the positive comment and I'm glad you enjoyed this early season footage! Yes indeed - hard to beat the feeling of a 100+ pound halibut pulling drag and head shaking! Tight lines my friend! Captain Zac
@@CaptainZac Great, I live on a 2300 acre lake just 900 yards out my back door, Grew up on this lake and fish all the time but something that big, OH GOODNESS
Enjoyed your video very much here in NZ. The fishing is great to watch, but your personalities are like “icing on the cake” , so subscribed.
Cheers, Art 👍👍😀😀
Hi Art many thanks for stopping by and welcome to the channel! I appreciate the sub and am glad you are enjoying this footage, all the way from NZ! Thanks again and tight lines my friend! Captain Zac
Nice goin’ Capt Zac & 1st Mate Mary!
Hey that’s a cool lookin’ crab cookin’ pot! :) I bet that was some good eating in a beautiful setting.
Always fun to notch the first catch of a prime target fish of the season.
Keep two tight lines between you & the honey!
Seeya in a few months.
Hey there Geoff thanks for stopping by and I'm glad you enjoyed this early-season adventure! Yes we love this crab cookin' pot - what a great tool for the boat! Thanks again! I'm looking forward to tagging up later this summer to chase some halibut, salmon and whatever else we encounter in the Southeast Alaskan waters! Tight lines my friend! Captain Zac
Oh my Cod! Nice video.
Haha that's awesome! Many thanks for watching Charles and I appreciate the positive comment! Tight lines my friend! Captain Zac
Excellent. Mary hammered them.
Hey @scottdenzin9124 thanks for watching and yes indeed Mary certainly catches her fair share! Tight lines my friend! Captain Zac
Awesome dude living the dream!
Hi @Settlingintoalaskaliving thanks for stopping by and I'm glad you enjoyed this early season action! I appreciate the positive comment - tight lines my friend! Captain Zac
Wow, now there’s a dream of mine … fishing in Alaska!
I’m down here in So Cal and get out plenty on my boat but a whole different variety!
Your clean spoken basic fishing with your decent Lady fishing by your side! Inspiring and enjoyable, keep it up!
Hi Ross thanks for watching and I'm glad you enjoyed this early season action! That's awesome to hear that you get after the So Cal fishery - you should definitely put Alaska on the bucket list for a future fishing trip! I appreciate the positive comment and tight lines my friend! Captain Zac
I caught a 150lbs Halibut off Pearl Island near Homer yesterday.
Hi @eNosArmory congrats on the big halibut! Tight lines! Captain Zac
We were in Juneau a couple years ago doing some boat work before returning to Kodiak. I wish we could have spent some time out on the water while we were there. Sometimes the halibut are an elusive bunch! Nice catch! The cod are excellent eating too! Some nice fresh cooked crab out on the water, doesn't get much better than that! Tight lines and good fishing!
Hey @EISAlaska thanks for stopping by and I'm glad you enjoyed this early season action! I appreciate the positive comment! Wow it looks like you have some awesome adventure on your channel - I'm looking forward to checking it out! Stay safe out there and tight lines my friend! Captain Zac
Nice to see s couple like you two enjoying fishing together.
My wife would run for the hills.
Hi @kpnitrl38 I appreciate the positive comment and am glad you enjoyed this early season halibut action! We are very fortunate to have some fun adventures together here in Juneau! Thanks again and tight lines my friend! Captain Zac
Great job on those first Halibut for the season there. It was great meeting Mary and You in Juneau the other day and thanks again for the spices. Those will get put to good use. Didn't get into Sitka until 12:30am yesterday so by the time I got the boat off the ferry and to storage I didn't get to done until around 3am. So no fishing yesterday. Maybe today but I also have to work some. No fun without the money. Good luck this summer and once again if you get to Sitka while I'm there we can get after some fish here. Tight lines my friends.
Hey Mark it was great meeting up the other day and CONGRATS on your first halibut of the year! It is always rewarding to enjoy the first few fresh halibut fillets of the season! Tight lines my friend! Captain Zac
Captain Zac and Mary
Hopefully you saved some crab for the Queen. She needs her nourishment fighting those fish with her spin outfit. Another beautiful day on the water..
Life is Good.. Tight Lines. Be Safe!
E
Hey there Eric many thanks for watching and I'm glad you enjoyed this halibut action! Haha Actually, despite all the awesome fish she catches, Mary doesn't like seafood so she opted for a different snack other than fresh dungies! Rest assured, she'll be well-nourished enough to battle plenty of big halibut this season! Thanks again and tight lines my friend! Captain Zac
Wow, just found the channel and subscribed. Great fishing and a nice couple, reminds me of my wife and I fishing together. I look forward to your future videos.... With respect... Joe
Hi Joe welcome to the channel and thanks for the positive comment! I'm glad you enjoyed this halibut action - great to have you along for these adventures! Very cool that you enjoy fishing with your wife as well! Tight lines my friend! Captain Zac
Does that pot come with the stove or two different brands? Looks like the perfect size for boating.
Hi Carl thanks for watching and I'm glad you enjoyed this halibut action! The pot comes with the stove - it is a Jetboil Half Gen Basecamp - www.amazon.com/dp/B01N5FWB85?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details. Tight lines! Captain Zac
Hey Zac! Loved seeing your first Hali of the season. I’ve been out several times and catching nothing but Pacific cod. Took my wife’s sister out today to have some fun catching cod and hooked our first Hali in just 10 minutes! We ended up catching 4 halibut, and one was 40 pounds! She used your 7 ouncer, I used the 16. What a fun day!
Hey Kim wow that's awesome congrats on your early season halibut success! I'm glad to hear that the fire eye glow jigs delivered for you guys! That must have been a great stack of fillets, especially with a 40 pounder in the mix! Congrats again and tight lines my friend! Captain Zac
Buddy of mine lives in Haines. Now I really want to go visit!
You should definitely visit and go fishing! Tight lines! Captain Zac
First🎣 Season starts down here May 1st. Cant wait!!! Thanks for the vid an tight lines!!!
Hey John thanks for stopping by and I appreciate your positive (and first!) comment! Best of luck when your season starts in May - tight lines my friend! Captain Zac
I'm goin like mad to clear my client list and have my gear in order by May1st.
Those crabs in butter look fantastic
Thanks Pamela I'm glad you enjoyed this early season adventure! Yes indeed - it is hard to beat fresh dungeness crab with butter, especially when halibut fishing! Tight lines! Captain Zac
I do enjoy watching you and Mary fish. Sorry but I was pulling for her to out fish you. You may have squeezed by today. The crab looked great!
Haha hey Phil thanks for stopping by not surprising that you'd bet on the Halibut Queen to out fish me! The season is still early - plenty of time left for that to happen! Yes indeed fresh dungies are hard to beat - super sweet even before dunked in butter! Thanks again and tight lines my friend! Captain Zac
Great going Captain Zac! So cool you saw rafts of sea otters. What brand is your electric reel and how do you like it?
Hey Captain Alan thanks for stopping by and I'm glad you enjoyed this halibut action! Yes indeed those otters are always cool to see and in the early season they are a little less spooky. I'm using a Daiwa Seaborg 500mj and so far I really like it - small enough to be fished from the hand and powerful enough to crank on big halis! I'm still testing it out so I'll probably have more perspective after fishing with it a handful of trips. Thanks again and tight lines! Captain Zac
Incredible marking on the Cod.
Thanks @davidsparrow1176! Yes indeed these are cool looking fish! Tight lines my friend! Captain Zac
@@CaptainZac Tight lines to you both also.
Man I wish I can follow you! I’m going Bristol bay fishing throughout the whole summer. I’m going to miss out southwest Alaska halibut fishing
Hi @louispavila6637 best of luck in Bristol Bay this season! I'll be posting plenty of halibut fishing videos this season so perhaps you can tune in from up there! Tight lines and stay safe on the water my friend! Captain Zac
What's up. And my girl wonders why I am not available on Sundays lol great fishing man
Haha hi @fuzzymonkey-qe1xp thanks for positive comment and I'm glad you enjoyed this early season action! Yes indeed - the weekends are a great time to be out on the water fishing! Tight lines my friend! Captain Zac
Gotta go way deep for those Halibut. Was in Sitka towards end of April hitting, cod , salmon and halibut. Yeah, I thought minimum length on Halibut is 30 inches?
That's awesome - congrats on a great outing in Sitka! Tight lines! Captain Zac
Fishing in Alaska while eating fresh crab with the one you love, doesn't get any better than that.
Hi @shayneyoung5394 thanks for stopping by and I'm glad you enjoyed this early season halibut action! I couldn't have said it any better myself - we were very fortunate to have a great day on the water during this outing! Thanks again and tight lines my friend! Captain Zac
Awesome video as always. I have a couple questions, I’ve tossed a lot of cod and was told they are a little soft. And about the dungies, I always clean before cooking (way way better eating) and was told that they need cooked about an hour after cleaning or they can turn poisonous. Please enlighten me
I have the same question with handling the Dungies.
Hi @bmiller7710 and @240Turbo48 thanks for watching and I'm glad you enjoyed this early season action! The pacific cod have a soft flakey white flesh that is incredibly mild and sweet - very tasty. I actually know a few people who prefer cod over halibut! In terms of the dungies, I always clean them on the dock and bring just the clusters home. I'll most often cook them right away (steam them in my large propane crab cooker) but every so often will cook them the following day. When next day, I typically give them a rinse before steaming or boiling. I've used the "next day" approach occasionally over the years and never noticed a drop-off in meat quality. I've also never gotten sick from "next day" dungies. However, based on your question, I'm going to take a closer look into this and I'll let you know what I come up with. Thanks again and tight lines my friends! Captain Zac
We keep our Dungeness in a 5 gallon pail with salt water and cook them a whole day later and never had any issues. It probably depends on where you live, just like the psp shelfish poisoning, it's really location more than anything. Luckily where we live in Southeast Alaska it's never been an issue for us!!
Nice! Zac what size and brand spinning combo do you use?
Hi @rph3344 thanks for watching and I'm glad you enjoyed this early season halibut action! My spinning setup is a Penn Slammer IV 8500 reel w/ 80lb PowerPro on a Penn Carnage III Jigging spinning rod. Thanks again and tight lines! Captain Zac
Nice laugh when the Hali got off I usually cry
Haha hey @donaxe9246 if I didn't laugh it off I'd be crying too! Tight lines my friend! Captain Zac
Damn man. I got 3 blue catfish today and I was callin my buddy, all stoked.
Now im jealous, lol.
Haha hey @SamuelGDM thanks for stopping by and I'm glad you enjoyed this halibut action! Congrats on the 3 blue cats! I fished for them years ago in Virginia and had an absolute blast - they get huge! Thanks again and tight lines my friend! Captain Zac
Wanna catch some nice cod , go halibut fishing😅Nice fish👍🎣😎
Nice halibut! Worth the wait🎣😎
Thanks @timmiller3133 I'm glad you enjoyed this early season adventure! Tight lines my friend! Captain Zac
Enjoyed this video, now I am hungry for some fresh cod! 😂
Hey @mconard801 I appreciate the positive comment and am glad you enjoyed this early season action! Yes indeed fresh cod is super tasty - very mild, sweet and flaky! Thanks again and tight lines my friend! Captain Zac
Went halibut fishing in Juneau years ago. I've never been so sea sick!! Fishing was amazing though!
Hey @fredkelly4365 sorry you got sea sick but I'm glad you caught some fish! Tight lines! Captain Zac
What rods are u using for the halibut ?
Hey @benreich7315 - Penn Carnage III jigging rods! Thanks for stopping by and tight lines my friend! Captain Zac
I love your style. Your video is excellent. It gave me a good pick me up this evening. I so wanted to get up there to fish in July but things have a way of not working out. I have a six year old great grandson with an aggressive tumor around his brain stem and is inoperable. Please do me a favor and catch a big one for me. Hope you all have an awesome season.
Hi Gary I appreciate the kind words and am very sorry to hear about your grandson. Nobody should have to deal with such a devastating medical diagnosis, especially not someone so young. I'm glad this Alaska video was able to provide a brief distraction. Does your grandson enjoy fishing? All the best and thoughts/prayers for you, your family and your grandson - Captain Zac
@@CaptainZac Stetson loves to fish. He is wanting to go to my winter home on Lake Okeechobee Fl. to ride in Grandpa’s boat and catch some fish and see some gators. I’m pretty certain that won’t happen. The pressure on his brain stem has now caused both eyes to cross and he is losing mobility on his right side. But he is such a trooper as he is always smiling and laughing. I have come to accept the fact that the radiation is just prolonging the inevitable. Thank you and God Bless you.
Thanks Gary - he sounds like an incredible kid. Could you please drop me an email? If interested, I'd be happy to record an inspirational audio or video message for him (a fellow fishing enthusiast). With a little more context about some of his previous fishing adventures, I can tailor it to celebrate his awesome experiences. No pressure - just offering in case you think Stetson would get a smile out of it. My email is CaptainZacAlaska@gmail.com
That’s living!
Hi Frank thanks for the positive comment an I'm glad you enjoyed this early season action! Tight lines my friend! Captain Zac
Nice cod haul. Too bad about losing the first hali. Ended up with some nice chickens though. Deck lunch looked great. Making Mary use the manual reel. Tsk Tsk. 😂 . Looked like a good start to the season for you. 👍
Hey Peeling Line thanks for stopping by and I'm glad you enjoyed this early season action! Haha Mary is choosing to use a manual reel - I offered an electric reel and she preferred to use the manual one. Tight lines! Captain Zac
Do you go out with prawn pots also or strictly for crabs. ?
Hey @stevesheller9223 haven't been targeting prawns in the past few years given that I don't have a pot puller (and prawns are down deep) and there are so many other on-water adventures available. My next boat will have a pot puller and then I'll probably be more willing to deploy a shrimp pot down deep! Tight lines! Captain Zac
Mary did pretty good.
Luck was with her.😊
Hey there thanks for the positive comment and I'm glad you enjoyed this early season action! Yes indeed Mary certainly catches her fair share! Tight lines! Captain Zac
Hey Zac, great fish and video as always. What kind of fish batter do you recommend for deep frying halibut?
-Seth
When is the best time to fish the terminal kings at Juneau.
Hy Jonathan - Usually June into early July. The run varies year to year. I've had "hot bites" in early June, mid-June and late June into the 1st week of July. Sometimes the bite will be automatic for a few days and then turn off for a week or so. The tides and the amount of rainfall can strongly influence when and how many fresh fish show up. Thanks and tight lines! Captain Zac
I was all about the halibut until you steamed the Dungeness Crab. Don't anybody hook up until the crab is gone, please. The perfect day!
Hey Steve thanks for stopping by and very well said - the perfect day! It is always special to land the first halibut of the year and the dungies and flat calm weather were a certainly a nice bonus! You called it - things would have got very interesting if we hooked up with a big halibut mid crab feast! haha Thanks again and tight lines my friend! Captain Zac
she uses manual reel and you use an electric?
Hey @gentryandjill thanks for stopping by and I'm glad you enjoyed this halibut action! Mary still prefers a manual reel and was not interested in getting an electric one. I got the electric reel for deeper halibut drops (400-800 feet) and am still testing it out (getting a feel for hooksets, reeling, etc.) hence why I was using this reel in relatively shallow (less than 250 feet) water here. Tight lines! Captain Zac
Wait a minute here. Big, strong Zac has an electric reel, and little Mary has to hand crank from depth? I'm surprised no one has mentioned that yet. Geez Zac. Heh.
Saw my first fat black bear at Lemon Creek today, and there was a single humpback out by the Tee Harbor can the other day. 2024 is in play mode finally!
Has anyone seen any herring near shore? I'm wanting to jig all my bait this year and put away several pounds.
Folks, when you come to Juneau do not get suckered into arm wrestling Mary out at Squirez..... She will crush you!
Haha hey Alan a lot to unpack here! Mary said that she isn't interested in trying an electric reel - she prefers the conventional gear. I'm still testing this electric reel out (in all depth ranges) but it will really shine on the super deep drops (400-1000ft) for halibut. Awesome that you saw the first black bear of the season! The humpbacks have been pretty spotty thus far in the early season but I understand that a few more moved into the area over the past week so hopefully the sightings will increase. There were some herring in Statter the other day so that's a good sign. Challenging Mary to arm wrestling would be just as unwise as challenging her to a halibut fishing competition! haha Thanks again and tight lines my friend! Captain Zac
What's a keeper size halibuts in Alaska, I am curiois? In California it's gotta be 22 inches.
Hi Jimmy thanks for stopping by and I'm glad you enjoyed this halibut action! For the Juneau area, unguided anglers are allowed 2 halibut per day any size (4 in possession). For guided anglers, there is a reverse slot - see the regs below. Note that different areas of Alaska have different regs, especially in terms of what guided anglers can keep (both in size and quantity).
One fish daily bag limit: Charter vessel anglers may catch and retain one halibut per day.
Reverse slot limits: From February 1 through July 14, retained halibut must be less than or equal to 40 inches or greater than or equal to 80 inches in length. From July 15 until the end of the season, retained halibut must be less than or equal to 36 inches or greater than or equal to 80 inches in length.
Friday closures. Charter vessel anglers in Area 2C may not catch and retain halibut (except GAF) on all Fridays beginning July 19, 2024 and continuing through September 13, 2024.
Cap't great video as always.
2 questions. Im disabled and un the msrket for an electric reel setup. That one you have looks badass, which make and model is it?
Also those looked like great crab utensils. Do you remember the brand of those?
Thanks buddy, keep up the great work!
Hey @codyledoux4338 thanks for the positive comment and I'm glad you enjoyed this early season action! This is a Daiwa Seaborg 500mj which I chose because it is small enough to be fished in-hand - many other models are much larger and are intended to be exclusively fished out of a rod holder. So far I really like it - it will enable much deeper drops - 400-1000+ft for deep water halibut and also black cod. Yes these are Toadfish crab tools - highly recommended! Thanks again and tight lines my friend! Captain Zac
Guarantee a bite when one takes out the snacks lol
Yes indeed well said! It never fails - the second you pick up a snack, the fish will strike! Thanks and tight lines! Captain Zac
would you recommend that brand and model of electric reel
Hi Randy it is still early days since I'm still getting "dialed in" with it but thus far it has worked great and I would recommend it. It is a Daiwa Seaborg 500mj which I chose because it is small enough to fish out of hand (vs. the larger reels meant for rod holders) and still has line capacity to get down for the deep halibut drops. Thanks and tight lines! Captain Zac
East Coast Canada here, just curious if your pacific cod are as wormy as ours? I can eat the cod fish in this neck of the woods, they are just so so full of worms :(
Hey @sarahmacdonald5633 thanks for stopping by and I'm glad you enjoyed this early season action! The cod here in Juneau do sometimes have worms, especially the larger ones. It requires a bit more work at the fillet table to ensure that fillets are worm-free before vacuum sealed. I find that holding the fillets up to a light helps you find anything that you need to remove. Once you have clean fillets, the meat is very light, flaky and super sweet! Thanks again and tight lines! Captain Zac
I know the commercial fishing limit is 32 inches, is there a size limit for everyday fishermen?
Mary's a gangster, fishing on the outside of the gunnels.
Haha yes indeed - Halibut Beware when Mary breaks out the 7oz Fire Eye Glow Jig with a piece of herring! Tight lines! Captain Zac
What kind of camera are you using?
Hey @ExcelRealEstateExperts thanks for stopping by - I'm using a GoPro 11 here. Tight lines my friend! Captain Zac
What can u tell me about your electric reel. I have always wanted one.
Hey @froesenfish9062 this is a Daiwa Seaborg 500mj which I chose because it is small enough to be fished in-hand - many other models are much larger and are intended to be exclusively fished out of a rod holder. So far I really like it - it will enable much deeper drops - 400-1000+ft for deep water halibut and also black cod. Thanks for stopping by and tight lines! Captain Zac
All mine were 40# or so in Homer & Seward.
Sounds awesome @macclark4112 - those 40# fish put up a great fight and taste delicious! Tight lines my friend! Captain Zac
Best Eating Halibut
Agree - this size fish is excellent table fare! Tight lines! Captain Zac
How do you find a place to catch halibut?
Cooking with flame above the gas tank? Or is it at the bow ? Made me nervous Safety first !
Hi @cherylannesmith8610 thanks for stopping by and I appreciate the concern. The gas tank cap is on the port stern. The cooker is sitting on top of the stern fish box / live well - probably about 4 feet away from the gas cap but you can never be too careful. Thanks again! Captain Zac
is that a seaborg 500?
Hi Ray thanks for stopping by and I'm glad you enjoyed this halibut action! Yes it is - Seaborg 500mj. Small enough to be fished out of hand but plenty of power and line capacity for those deep halibut drops! Thanks again and tight lines! Captain Zac
I just bought one was wondering if it was going to be good for halibut lots of people buy the 750 and 800 tanacoms but for me they just seemed huge almost pineapple size :) and the seaborg is just a very nice reel thanks for the reply and I enjoy your videos. @@CaptainZac
Exactly! The most common electric reels are enormous and really designed to be fished out of a rod holder. I personally like to work the jig and feel the STRIKE!!! So far I really like it. I'd love to hear how you like it once you get a chance to fish with it! Tight lines my friend! Captain Zac
What type of real is the man using?
It is a Daiwa Seaborg 500mj - tight lines! Captain Zac
Thanks for sharing this with us.Mary would of had twice as many fish if she had a electric reel. So cool you get to do this with your best friend
Haha hey Gregory thanks for watching and I'm glad you enjoyed this halibut action! You are probably right that Mary would have out-fished me if she was using an electric reel (she out-fishes me on many days regardless of reel!) haha I offered but she doesn't want an electric reel. Once I get dialed in with the electric reel, I'll likely switch back to my standard gear for shallower drops to even out the playing field! Thanks again and tight lines! Captain Zac
I see beer battered halibut fingers with tartar sauce in their future. Gruyère Swiss cheese halibut Olympia too. Food of kings and Alaskans. Fill the freezer baby!
Hey @robertleslie2467 yes indeed my mouth is watering just reading this! Thanks for stopping by and I'm glad you enjoyed this early season halibut action! Kings and Alaskans - I love it! Thanks again and tight lines my friend! Captain Zac
Try instant potato flakes for your batter. Really crisps nicely, no matter the fish.
All of that "catching" and the crab is making my mouth water...
Hey @RKMetalWorx thanks for watching and I'm glad you enjoyed this early season action, even if it made you hungry in the process! haha Tight lines! Captain Zac
Only one hook? Is that law? If not put on a trailer hook.
Hey John thanks for stopping by and I'm glad you enjoyed this footage! Trailer or stinger hooks are legal. Over the years I've occasionally used them. I find that although you sometimes get more hookups with a trailer hook, you also often get more tangles (which can leave you fishing with a jig tangled around the line instead of a properly oriented presentation). I'm always tinkering and plan on trying a slightly different type of trailer hook this year. Thanks again and tight lines! Captain Zac
14:45 Paradise
Hey @tho464 thanks for watching and I'm glad you enjoyed this early season outing - especially that dungie crab feast while halibut fishing on a calm sunny Alaskan day! Thanks again and tight lines my friend! Captain Zac
Dungy? Haly? Why no coddy?
Haha maybe I'll catch so many cod this year that a nickname like that will stick - time will tell! Tight lines! Captain Zac
Those porpoises probably showed up because they caught a wiff of the crab and butter.
Haha hi @mapleholler9800 thanks for stopping by and you are probably right - those porpoises just couldn't resist the wonderful aroma! Tight lines my friend! Captain Zac
Surprised that my first halibut of 2024 was a small baby halibut😂
Throughout a season there will be plenty of small ones to go with the large fish as well! Tight lines! Captain Zac
Sharpen the Hooks , get the Hali's
Well said - sharp hooks are always very important! I sharpen my jigs often! Tight lines my friend! Captain Zac
Mary doesn’t have an electric reel
Hi @tho464 actually Mary didn't want to try an electric reel - she prefers the conventional gear at this point. Maybe after I land a few big deep water halibut on the electric gear she'll be open to giving it a try! Tight lines! Captain Zac
IMHO Pacific Cod are better eating than halibut. But everyone want to catch a big halibut…. Great video, thanks for posting
Hey @AKDivePro thanks for stopping by and I'm glad you enjoyed this early season action! Yes you are right that cod is way under-rated by most. It is such a mild, sweet, flaky white fish - delicious! I always like to add a few pacific cod to the fish box to create a nice mixed bag harvest! Thanks again and tight lines my friend! Captain Zac
Fast forward or not….not a big difference!!🤣
That's what I call LADY LUCK
Hey @ivanalagoz9469 thanks for watching and well-said! Mary usually out-fishes everyone in sight! Thanks again and tight lines! Captain Zac
Dunged I can eat five any day ❤
Yes indeed dungies are very tasty and can be eaten for breakfast, lunch and dinner! Tight lines my friend! Captain Zac
Electric reel for 20# halibut 🧐
Hey @Bo_in_Seattle thanks for watching and I'm glad you enjoyed this early season halibut action! Yes I am testing out my new electric reel (the feel when setting the hook, the drag, engaging and disengaging the electric reel assist, etc.). This reel will help me target deeper drops for halibut in the 400-1000 ft range. At any point in Alaska, you could catch a smaller fish like this little 20# halibut or you could catch a "barn door" weighing hundreds of pounds. In fact, I was out fishing yesterday and caught a much bigger halibut on this same reel - stay tuned for that video! Tight lines! Captain Zac
Can someone educate me on why he is using an electric reel?? I have seen 80 year old folks real in halibut twice that size without electric help. I just don’t understand why an able bodied person would choose to have electricity fight the fish instead
Hi @BlueRibbonExplorer an electric reel is a great tool for deep drop fishing in the 400 - 1200 foot range where fishing with traditional gear is impractical or impossible. It really opens up lots of new fishing spots if you can hit these depth ranges! Tight lines! Captain Zac
Plan A, do not let Mary catch the first Halibut of the year!!!!
Haha this is awesome! I can certainly see how the results could suggest a bigger plan here haha. Tight lines my friend! Captain Zac
It sucks being on probation, but Lord knows I can drive and I can drive very safely!!!!
And yes I eat fish! Ate a fish sandwhich yesterday at work?! ❤😂😢😮😅😊 MENOPAUSE still sucks!!!
Too small to take that cheek meat?
Hi @Trapper50cal funny you ask - after I recorded this video I actually did pull out the cheek meat before cutting up the rest of the remains for crab bait. On a fish this small, it is like getting one scallop per cheek. Great observation and tight lines my friend! Captain Zac
I don,t think your wife would have appreciated if you caught a Hally Berry 🤣
Haha thanks @mrcorona77777 I'm glad you enjoyed this halibut action! Tight lines! Captain Zac
Enjoy that light and flaky meat!
Hey @katchfishy thanks for stopping by and I'm glad you enjoyed this halibut action! Yes indeed fresh halibut and pacific cod is hard to beat in terms of table fare! Thanks again and tight lines my friend! Captain Zac
Black Cod are fabulous but Pacific Cod are bait
Hey @Cowgirlthirty4 thanks for stopping by. While I agree that Black Cod are excellent eating, I know many people who enjoy eating pacific cod as well (I like to use the bellies and ribs for halibut bait). Pacific Cod is a very mild, sweet, flaky white fish and is very versatile in terms of the range of recipes it is ideal for. For those fortunate enough to have a steady supply of Black Cod, I realize why you may de-prioritize a Pacific Cod for bait. Tight lines! Captain Zac
A young man at the lodge took a slice out of a Pacific Cod and within seconds worms were wiggling their way to the surface. That left a lasting impression. The same might happen with other fish too but I don't want to know. (Covering eyes)
In Alaska you have to.keep.your tongue in the correct side of your cheek to be legal. Locals say you need to take an accountant and civil engineer fishing with you.
Hi @HughButler-lb6zs yes indeed the rules and regs can be pretty technical but they are ultimately designed to help preserve the fishery for generations to come - so I suppose we take the good with the bad. Tight lines! Captain Zac
My dream to go fishing with a woman I love
Hey @dahdah440 that's definitely a great combination! I'm fortunate to have a fantastic first mate aboard for my Alaskan adventures. I hope you find a partner who enjoys fishing as well! Tight lines my friend! Captain Zac
Slow down man!!…you stress like your life depended on that fish!!….slow down and ENJOY………
Use your net bro...wouldnt of lost that first halubut..🤦♂️
Thanks @terry6514 - halibut tend to tear nets and for a fish this size I'd be releasing it anyway. For a fish of any decent size, I'd have a gaff or harpoon ready to go and take instant action the second the fish nears the surface. For these little ones, I've found it is simpler to just grab the jig and haul them aboard. Tight lines! Captain Zac
A Hali, haly, we Alaskans call them HALIBUT, you must be from cali
Hey @kenmichels7630 thanks for stopping by - "We Alaskans"?? I'm from Juneau and given how many halibut I catch I find it easier to just abbreviate it to "hali"... just like the pot fulls of "dungies" I harvest each season. Tight lines! Captain Zac