Old halibut fishing methods

For decades Icelandic fishermen’s has used special long line for the giant halibut with good results. Not many are using the halibut line today but there are few who are trying these old fishing methods. In Suðureyri are few fishermen’s who have tried the halibut line and during the summer of 2007 one local fisherman cached over 50 halibuts on his fishing boat witch is extremely good fishing.

The bait is usually small Haddock, Cod or Pollack. They are cut into large pieces and attached on the halibut hooks. The leader is about one meter long and the line has few meters between the leaders. The halibut line is placed near to the shore on a shallow water and then the fishing boat heads straight out from the shore until the line is all in the ocean. After 2-3 days the line is pulled up and if you are lucky there could be one or few halibuts on the hooks. Some fishermen’s are using Lump Sucker as bait because they have found those fishes in the halibut’s belly.

It is told that the giant halibut is hunting where the strong current is and on sand bank’s. Often the halibut is in very shallow water like 5-10 meters. They usually chase their prays for a long time.

It is well known the halibut’s are resting under the big birds cliffs in Iceland and they eat the bird eggs who fall into the sea. Fishermen’s have found whole egg from guillemot’s in halibut’s belly that was cached on that aria.

The following photos were taken last summer when Mr. Valgeir Hallbjörnsson from Suðureyri worked on halibut line with his friend. This time he didn’t get lucky but he will try again this summer with a doubt.

Robert Schmidt
www.fisherman.is

Photos by Robert Schmidt