Catching a 404 Pound Halibut

Every once in awhile, something so spectacular happens out on the fishing grounds that it is the buzz of the lodge for the rest of the season. Usually the event revolves around big fish. The 60 pound king salmon caught on June 18 was one such exciting story. Just under a month later, on July 16, the talk switched over to the humongous 404 pound halibut caught on the Triple Play.

The family poses with their halibut

The family poses with their halibut

If that wasn’t exciting in itself, this fish had a backstory to go along with it. Two years ago, a group of clients was here fishing. One person in their party hooked a very large halibut and brought it about halfway up. But then the halibut broke off and got away! (This is why it is called fishing—not catching.) Because of the extreme difficulty in bringing the fish up, it seemed to be a halibut of considerable size. They rued that lost fish for two years, vowing that their next fishing trip would have different results.

The mouth of this halibut is bigger than a grown man's hand!

The mouth of this halibut is bigger than a grown man’s hand!

This year, the same family got their just reward. Instead of “the one that got away,” they reeled the huge halibut all the way up to the boat. Captain Greg shot it with a gun, and with the help of his deckhand and using three gaffs, they hefted it on board, amidst loud whoops and hollers, because it was the biggest fish they had ever seen!

Captain Greg and Deckhand Dylan pose by this "barndoor" halibut.

Captain Greg and Deckhand Dylan pose by this “barndoor” halibut.

Creating once in a lifetime memories for the fishermen, these are the moments that we live for, and the reason that everyone talks about the World Class Fishing in Sitka, Alaska.

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