itsme

OK... Looks like a regular gaff. So, why is it called a 'flying' gaff???

Downtime2

Undo the rope from the handle and cleat it off to the transom cleat. The hook is held in place by, say, some #7 single strand wite, tie wrap or something of that fashon. when you gaff the fish, the hook comes off the handle and the rope takes the load. Get the handle out of the way and wire the fish with the rope. One of ours hanging on the ladder to the tower...

itsme

Gotcha...makes sense!!! Thanks, I learned something today!

Xanadu

Zip ties are great and electrical tape works. In a pinch just loop around the gimble and hold the rope with your hands. There's a custom shop in Carolina that made one of mine that has a detent spring (?) that works great. There's a set screw that adjusts it if you need.



One thing about line on your hook. You've got to have enough but too much can be very, very bad! Your best bet is to use as little as you can get away with. You don't want enough slack for a fish to get up a head of steam and tear it out and you don't want so little that a jump ends up with a 600# fish in your boat. Sharp is good.

Magic236

A flying gaff has a detachable head. I guess it "flies off the handle." If set up properly they do not fly off and will scare you to death that they will not detach when you sink them in a large fish. They are for large fish as the detached head tied to up to 30' of line is much more managageable than straight gaffs. Many people need to be backed on a straight gaff on fish north of 80 lbs. I would say it is crew choice and circumstances that dictate when to use one a flying gaff.

Jetpowered

Try a good quality harpoon. I threw the flying gaff away and only use a gaff for stuff too small to harpoon.

Captain Woody Woods

Harpoons are badass but illegal for all the gulf coast tournaments.