GAFFERS AND SLINGERS???

[Baywolf]

Same topic this time every year. At what size do Ya'll call a gaffer? I've witnessed many fish released at the boat while the gaffman is beating a poor little dolphin to death trying to get the stick in the meat. I've gone to slinging anything under 10 lbs in the boat. What do you think.

[kevin oconnor]

i think it would have to be anything over 15-20

[BTH284]

IMO anything over 20 lbs is a gaffer. Anything under 20 lbs to 10 lbs is a flip flop. Smaller than that.... peanuts or live bait with a wasdown hose in their gullet while rigging up although I have never done this on my boat. Another way for me to judge them is how far do they flop around when on the deck. Seems lil ones cover more distance per flop than the big ones.

[SeaBiscuit]

What "Block" said. I sling 'em under ten, gaff the bigger ones. A high teen fish is definitely a gaffer in my book.
Biscuit

[anthony]

I would say somewhere around 10-15 pounds they become gaffers...under that they are hoister's.

[Captain Jay Kavanagh]

Does not matter, just as long as they end up in the boat!

I have got a little gaff I made out of a broken rod and a 14/0.. stainless hook, great for little dolphins and kings.

Barb don't let go, fiberglass flexes!

[Baywolf]

Does not matter, just as long as they end up in the boat!

Jay I agree whole heartedly. I hear alot of talk on the radio about folks getting a bunch of gaffers then I see what shows up on the dock. I was just trying to get a general concensus for what folks are calling gaffers.

[Overboard]

I agree with ya Rick... Anything under 10lbs gets flipped in the boat, over 10 gets cold steel just to be safe. Now I do size my gaff according to the fish. I use a small gaff for those mid-size dolphin so the thing doesn't look like it was shot with a high powered rifle .