HALIBUT OBSESSION
Dave Wood-Brignall got the big-fish bug!
After landing his first shore-caught halibut in Norway, Dave Wood-Brignall had no idea the experience would kick-start a unique angling journey. His dedication paid off with the stuff of dreams…
On a bitterly-cold morning in Bodo, the ratchet on Dave Wood-Brignall’s multiplier suddenly broke the surrounding silence and screamed into action. A large herring bait that he strategically positioned in almost 200 metres of water had been grabbed by a halibut which was rapidly stripping line from the spool as it tried to escape.
Bringing the powerful fish under control, Dave didn’t have a clue that his angling journey was about to head off in a new direction. Eventually, he landed the halibut and, even though his maiden fish weighed a mere 10lb, the excitement and thrill was enough to stop him in his tracks.
Emotionally drained from it all, he paused, thought for a moment and then suddenly wondered where his angling future might be headed because he knew that this single encounter had sparked an obsession for catching halibut.
Recently I accompanied Dave, a 46-yearold carpenter from Romney Marsh in Kent, back to Bodo and Guided Fishing Norway.
It was my second visit with him to the shore fishing camp, but this time I was hoping to delve deeper into his thinking and, hopefully, find out for myself why these fascinating flatfish have become a huge part of his fishing.
Dave is actually an accomplished match angler with many wins under his belt, including the prestigious SAMF UK Masters final. He claimed that title on his own turf, beating a huge field of top international shore anglers over two days.
Now, though, it’s quite possible that his love of match fishing may be just a distant memory because, putting it mildly, he’s caught the halibut bug big time. It’s easily noticeable that his vision and tenacity has changed because he’s now firmly focused on targeting these huge, prehistoric-looking fish.
Being a regular visitor to Bodo and the famous fast tidal waters at Saltstraumen, Dave always hooks up with John Strange and Phill Hambrook, who together operate the extremely successful and popular shore fishing camp called Guided Fishing Norway.
“I remember telling Dave about a particular session when I’d hooked a large halibut and simply couldn’t control it. After 20 minutes, I was sitting on a rock utterly stunned, along with a reel that had been totally emptied,” recalled John.
However, Dave, determined as ever, didn’t want to suffer the same outcome, so decided to spend a few quid on beefing up his kit before heading to the same mark where this huge fish had previously spooled John.
Incredibly, he managed to hook a halibut that inevitably steamed off on a powerful and solid run. Unable to control it, the outcome was reminiscent of John’s experience…one lost halibut and one empty reel. Things were now about to get totally serious.
UPGRADED TACKLE
Dave’s next visit to Guided Fishing Norway saw him arriving with his upgraded tackle. His pair of Zziplex M4 GT beach rods certainly have the backbone to handle large halibut, along with cod, coalfish, wolf fish and ling.
He also forked out a hefty amount of cash on a couple of Avet SX Raptor multiplier reels too. These are equipped with a leverdrag system, making it far easier (much more so than a star-drag) to control a large running fish. Additionally, they hold a shedful of line and are totally bombproof – lean as hard as you like on these multipliers and you’ll discover just how reliable they really are.
His search for a large halibut was turning into a bit of a monster for him. Some even said it was actually becoming an addiction. To those looking on, it probably was; to him, he simply wouldn’t accept failure. His tackle had to be capable of doing the job, and he felt he was now fully prepared and ready.
The question of using the services of a guide is debateable for some anglers. For me, it’s a no-brainer. They put you on to proven marks and save you a whole load of hassle. Both John and Phill have researched and fished the marks extensively around Bodo for some time. They have amassed a huge amount of knowledge and experience along the way, so much so, that they can even point out many hazardous tackle snags. When fishing in more than 200 metres of water, that is invaluable information to any angler.
For Dave, though, he wants to know everything there is to know about targeting and catching halibut. He’s constantly probing John and Phill’s knowledge.
“He never stops asking questions, and I feel, at times, he’s even stretching what John and I actually know ourselves. His determination to succeed is incredible and admirable,” explained Phill.
One evening, Phill announced that the following morning’s tide looked ideal for targeting halibut. However, it would have
to be an early start because this mark is only suitable for two or three people to fish comfortably and is regularly visited by other anglers.
There weren’t many takers on Phill’s offer, the extremely early start wasn’t appealing, apart from Dave, who was straining at the leash and right up for it. This, ultimately, would turn out to be the best decision he would make on his quest to hunt down and beat a large halibut.
NORTHERN LIGHTS
It was still dark and eerily quiet as the last dancing wisps of the Northern Lights faded into the starry sky. The pair quickly loaded the truck and were soon on the road at 5.30am.
“The mark is only a short drive away, but during the journey, Dave kept going over the how and where, just like we had done a dozen times the night before,” joked Phill. “The tides at this particular mark are the fastest in the world, and it’s imperative that a baited rig is fishing correctly.
“It took him four casts before we were both happy that the presentation was perfect. Another angler who doesn’t know this mark will probably never fish it correctly and to its full potential,” he added.
An hour into the session, it happened without any warning. The ratchet on Dave’s reel set off as the rod tip bowed and line slowly left the spool.
“The fish didn’t appear to be in any sort of a hurry. In fact, I doubt that it even knew it was hooked,” said Phill.
Dave then lifted his rod, and in doing so, the pair swapped a sneaky grin. The fish then slowly came to a stop, which is quite normal for a halibut, and then, momentarily, it was quiet once again.
Lifting the rod to take the strain, he slightly increased the drag with the lever, resulting in an incredible response from the fish, as Phill explained: “The halibut obviously felt the tension and recognised that something was wrong, and subsequently headed off at lightning pace.
“The heavy nodding on the rod, along with a screaming ratchet and a spool losing mainline at speed, certainly signalled that this wasn’t a 20-pounder!” he added.
This is the precise moment that having a guide can be worth its weight in gold. It’s very
easy to panic in this situation, but having Phill next to him, Dave knew he was in good hands. He listened and paid attention as Phill began to explain what would happen; how he should react and, more importantly, determining the halibut’s next move.
“To be honest, nothing had prepared the pair of us for this fish because its power was something I hadn’t ever experienced before. “It was not only testing our angling skills, but Dave’s tackle was being pushed to the extreme limit too. I knew immediately that this was a very special fish,” said Phill.
SNAGGED
Dave had been hooked into the halibut for around 15 minutes when, suddenly, everything went solid. He lifted his rod and there was no response…he was snagged, and it appeared that losing another large fish could be on the cards.
Utterly deflated, Dave began wondering if his efforts were worth it and if they would ever be rewarded. Again, this is where a guide can be vital because Phill was totally upbeat and reassured him that this is quite normal, and they should just sit it out for a while.
“I was concerned that the tide was due to turn soon and that would pose a potentially huge problem for us,” revealed Phill.
They never spoke and the pair quietly sipped coffee, hoping something would happen, when Dave suddenly declared that he was going to try and bully the fish out of the snag.
“I watched as Dave leaned back hard on the rod, he was really bending into it and I feared that this wasn’t going to end well,” said Phill.
Suddenly, as Dave leaned even harder, something moved at the other end when the rod slowly eased. “It’s free!” he yelled.
This fish was very heavy, and Dave sensed that as it bolted for freedom once again, taking all of the line that he’d managed to get back on to the spool. The game was back on, and both of them were fully aware of the imminent turning of the tide. Dave certainly didn’t have time on his side to coax the huge halibut to the shore.
It was apparent that this halibut was hooked properly, but any failures on mono or tackle at this time would be disastrous. With every 20 metres of line Dave gained on to the spool, the halibut took back 15 metres. It was becoming a hard slog, but one that he appeared to be winning.
Suddenly, it emerged on the surface in all its dark and glistening beauty as both guide and angler simply glared, speechless at this massive fish. Then, with a flick of its huge paddle, it dived quickly below the waves.
Dave was having none of this, though, because the tide was now running much harder. It was now or never if he was to beat the massive specimen. As he leaned back, his rod took the strain, and with each turn of the reel handle, it slowly edged closer to Phill’s waiting gaff.
With one swift action, the gaff was expertly inserted first time, but this fish was extremely heavy and needed the strength of both of them to get it safely on to solid ground, as it thrashed powerfully.
With the halibut eventually resting on top of the snow, the exhausted pair just stared at it, trying to take it all in. Emotion kicked in as cries of delight bellowed out from them.
“Dave, you’ve done it, mate…that is a world record halibut if ever I saw one,” said Phill.
The scales settled at 153lb 8oz and confirmed the biggest halibut caught from Norway’s shores, and a possible world line-class record too. As far as Phill was concerned, that was job done. However, for Dave it just meant another chapter of his angling quest had closed, but another was just beginning.
He reckons there’s a 200-pounder feeding on the seabed in Saltstraumen, and who would bet against him catching it? Certainly not me.
Nice work DWB, I now totally get it. Your fascination and obsession with targeting and catching halibut is all so very clear now.