Ranger Tug for Halibut Fishing?

[NorthernFocus]

I guess so. Models with transom door recommended.

 

[rheimb1]

Nice!

 

[Newf]

That's a beauty NorthernFocus. It must have taken a while to get that one in. My little R21-EC is a great platform for halibut fishing. I've landed many over the last few years, mostly in the 20-30lb range so nothing like yours. That one would be well over our size limit or at least it looks to be. How much did it weigh? Congrats.

 

[NorthernFocus]

That's a beauty NorthernFocus. It must have taken a while to get that one in. My little R21-EC is a great platform for halibut fishing. I've landed many over the last few years, mostly in the 20-30lb range so nothing like yours. That one would be well over our size limit or at least it looks to be. How much did it weigh? Congrats.

I used to fish professionally and by my standards the R25 Classic stinks as a fishing platform. The only redeeming traits are the swim platform/transom door and warm dry cabin to step inside between drifts.

It wasn't too bad hauling it in. We were only fishing in 150ft. Twice she had it half way in and it went back to the bottom. Then when it got to the boat it made one last ditch effort and peeled about 50 ft of line. We don't weigh them but it was 62 inches which according the the IPHC tables equates to 121 lbs on average.

30 lbs is about the perfect halibut. Enough meat to make it worth the effort but small enough to handle/clean easily. But I prefer them no more than 32 inches because that's what will fit in our box. We normally don't boat the big ones. But we have a boat rule, first fish always comes aboard. And that was the only fish we caught that trip. Bad decision. Way too much work. I spent all afternoon today vacuum packing. But it did buy a lot of good will with friends and neighbors.