Yes, it does happen. Gives you an excuse (as if we really needed one) to get THE rod you want. Grin and move on. That really was the one that got away. Tight lines.
My father and his fishing buddies fished out of Westport for years and always got their limits. Another place they always fished was Sekiu. Good luck.
Could that strange fish have a long dorsal fin and a large mouth for the size of the fish? If so it may have been a Ling Cod. To my estimation it is a tastier fish than halibut. Mmmm.
I used herring in Sitka. However couple charter captains used salmon heads. Smaller halibut couldn't get in their mouth, but, the fuss caused a big halibut to investigate, take it away and got hooked. Hope this helps. Good luck.
If you get back to Alaska check out the Newhalen River.
I have frozen salmon, sheefish and arctic char, whole then cut steaks while frozen and punched out guts with my thumbs. Always tasted fresh. Skin, scales and slime all kept from freezer burn.
1. Patch behind ear THE DAY BEFORE.
2. If no patch, 1 tablet might BEFORE and 1/2 tab morning of.
I get sick easily. This works 4 me. Not sleepy either.
Further, restaurants I am familiar with in Kotzebue and Nome kept their fish frozen whole stacked like cord wood until they are ready for them.
When I lived in Alaska I shipped salmon home with my wife when she was visiting family in Florida. Froze them UNCUT, wrapped in several layers of plastic wrap then bath towels. Checked cooler as baggage. Fish was still frozen hard when she got there. Also, shipped as air freight to Burlington, Vt. With same results. Hope this helps.
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I was at Pete's Pier Marina on the Crystal River couple weeks ago. I watched an old man with a cane pole and small bare shinney hooks pulling in mullet, about one every 4 or 5 minutes. He also ocassionally pitched something out as chum. My guess is that he was throwing out little bread balls.
Easy, don't go fishing with them.