Light Gaff Opinions

[Redweiser]

Always looking for something better ... had a few Aftco's straighten ... Top Shots have been working for me but I've seen a few bent 3/8" tips on charter boats in Venice.

[crash1371]

You are not the first that has expressed concerns in that area. Nice to see that you are getting fish big enough to do that .When I left China the thing that was being worked on was harpoon for the Caribbean with the commercial fisherman ,North West for Halibut and East Coast for BFT . I long since left that Co. And don't know how it turned out I know that there are web sites out there of Company's that have them just a thought. I punched in harpoon gaff

[Redweiser]

You are not the first that has expressed concerns in that area. Nice to see that you are getting fish big enough to do that .When I left China the thing that was being worked on was harpoon for the Caribbean with the commercial fisherman ,North West for Halibut and East Coast for BFT . I long since left that Co. And don't know how it turned out I know that there are web sites out there of Company's that have them just a thought. I punched in harpoon gaff

Thanks Tim,

I have a harpoon and flying gaff with 8' handles for big fish. Most fixed gaffs are nonferrous 300 series SS with no hardness (rigidity) for saltwater corrosion resistance. Upgrading to 1/2" dia. hooks with more weight is sufficient for most fishermen but I wouldn't be comfortable pulling a 200 lb yellowfin over the gunnel with it ... a mako would be out of the question.

I'm presently testing a tempered 400 series SS gaff that I'm quite impressed with.

[paul h]

I took a shark hook and fiberglassed it to a closet a rod (1 1/4" dowel) for a handle. So far so good.

[thill]

I took a shark hook and fiberglassed it to a closet a rod (1 1/4" dowel) for a handle. So far so good.

I purchased a couple of Mustad gaff heads from Terminal Tackle - One I mounted to a nice fiberglass handle, and the other I did the same as above, and epoxy/glassed it to a closet pole I worked in a lathe.

Both have performed very well, so far, (STRONG!) but nothing over 150- 175# tuna. I think I actually trust the closet pole gaff over the glass one, as it doesn't flex as much and just slaps the hook to 'em.

All this to say, the Mustad gaff hooks have performed well for me.

-TH

PS - They are tinned steel, not stainless, so I wiped them with vaselene last year to avoid any kind of corrosion. So far, so good after 2 seasons. I don't even rinse them.

[Redweiser]

I took a shark hook and fiberglassed it to a closet a rod (1 1/4" dowel) for a handle. So far so good.

Some hard stainless were just listed on ebay ... they're strong

Ebay item no: 370232188799 -- 5/8 shank 4"-5"-6" in. gap.

...................370232178056 -- 3/8 shank 2 1/2"-3" in. gap.