Chapter 18 - Don’t Lose Your Fish

Locating and hooking a fish on a lure or on natural bait is usually the toughest problem in fishing, but after the fish is hooked there's also the important job of boating or landing it. In doing this, experience is the best teacher; the best way to learn how to play and land a fish is by hooking many of them. However, there are some tips and hints which can be studied in advance so that you won't be fumbling and groping in the dark. After all, why take the chance of losing a good-sized fish when you can learn the correct procedure ahead of time?

Playing and boating or landing small fish is often no problem and with a strong line and a stiff rod you can usually merely tighten the drag and reel them in. But when you are fishing with light rods, thin lines and for big fish you must be careful not to strain your tackle. Naturally, broken lines, straightened hooks and even a snapped rod or two are all part of the game and even top-notch anglers encounter them from time to time, but the idea is not to let this happen too often.

When fishing with a spinning outfit you usually use a light line with the right drag setting. This is very important. One way to set the drag is to run your line through the guides on the rod, tie it to a stationary object, such as a pole or a tree, and then start backing up and letting line off the reel spool until you are at least 75 or 100 ft. from the end of the line. Next, you tighten the drag a bit and back up, holding the rod tip high. Keep backing up and tightening the drag until the rod takes its maximum bend. When this happens try backing up again. The line should slip off the spool but not too freely. When fishing for small- or medium-sized fish you can leave this setting, but there are conditions when loosening or tightening the drag will be necessary.

When fishing for fish which, when hooked, start off with long, fast runs, you need a fairly light drag. If a fish tends to take out a lot of line you may even have to loosen the drag still more. When you are fishing from a boat and you hook a big fish on light tackle it may be necessary either to follow the fish to keep it from taking too much line or to regain some line while the fish is resting.

On the other hand, when you have a fish near the boat or shore ready for boating or landing, you often have to tighten the drag a bit in order to bring him in. This is especially true when fishing in a strong tide or current. Of course, you should never tighten the drag so much that no line will come off. With a spinning reel it is often safer to apply pressure to the reel spool with your finger than to tighten the knob which increases the drag tension.

The same principle applies when you are using a conventional rod and reel. When you are fishing for big fish the drag should always be set well below the strength of the line. The longer the runs made by a particular fish, the lighter the drag setting should be. During a fight the rod should always be held up so that the strain and shock will be taken by the rod tip. Never point the rod at the fish or let it rest on the gunwale of the boat.

The drag on a spinning reel or any reel should be tested at regular intervals to make sure that it hasn't been changed by accident.

The most crucial time in fighting a fish is when it is near the boat or the shore, almost ready for the gaff. Here the angler shouldn't tighten his drag but should be set for a sudden run when the fish sees the boat or the first attempt at gaffing is missed. Gaffing is a job for a man with steady nerves and quick reflexes. Always wait until the fish is near the boat and thoroughly played out. Gaffing a big fish when it is still green is dangerous—you can be pulled overboard. Also, a wild run or leap can break the line.

But playing and boating a fish from a boat is simple compared to the difficulties encountered by the surf angler. When playing fish in the surf you'll find that no two fish act alike. Fish of different species vary in fighting ability and the tactics they use. Even fish of the same species vary in the type of fight they put up. Each fish has to be handled individually, and the surf angler must take into consideration its size, the location being fished, the surf, the current and the strength of his tackle.

The beginning surf fisherman usually tries to land his fish in the shortest time possible. A common fault is the tendency to "freeze" and keep the fish from taking any line. If it's a small fish it can be horsed and yanked out of the water in a short time, but if it's a big one, it will often win by breaking the line or straightening out the hook. Inexperienced anglers have no idea of the power which can be exerted by a big striper or channel bass. I have seen brand-new 45-lb. test lines pop like sewing thread. Large, heavy wire hooks will straighten out or twist with surprising ease. In the old days many a bamboo rod snapped during a fight with a big fish. These days, what with glass surf rods, it doesn't happen so often but almost any rod can be snapped by a clumsy or excited angler.

Even the veteran surf angler often runs into difficulties when fighting fish. Waves, currents, undertow, rocks, and other obstructions combined with the actions of the fish present problems which must be met and solved. And one usually has to work fast and do the right thing at the right time, for one wrong move can mean a lost fish.

The tension of the drag on a surf reel is an important factor when you are fighting a fish—it shouldn't be too light or too heavy. It can also play a vital part in the hooking of your fish. The general idea is to have the drag heavy enough to set the hook in a fish's mouth at the same time allowing the fish to run without putting undue strain on the rod and line.

You can set the drag in the same manner as was described earlier in this chapter (by backing up with your line attached to something). But many experienced surf anglers who do a lot of fishing set the drag merely by pulling the line off the reel and feeling the tension.

The size and species of fish you are after also governs the drag-setting to some extent. I find, for example, that when after fish such as big stripers, big channel bass and bluefish the drag should be fairly heavy, mainly in order to set the big hooks in the fish's mouth, but also to prevent these fish from taking too much line too fast, especially in areas with obstructions around. When using metal squids, underwater plugs and rigged eels the drag should be tighter than when using surface plugs. Fish hooked on a surface plug usually roll and thrash around on top and too tight a drag will cause the line to break or the hooks to straighten out.

When fishing for smaller fish the drag can be lighter unless, of course, you are mainly interested in getting as many fish as possible and horsing them in. When a school of small stripers or blues hit in, some surf anglers using conventional or heavy spinning outfits tighten their drags and horse the fish in so that they can quickly cast out and get another fish on. The only trouble with this is that every so often a big fish mixed in with the small ones grabs the lure—then you have to loosen the drag in a hurry.

If there are weakfish of either the northern or southern varieties around, horsing techniques are out. These fish, with their paper mouths, call for finesse and careful handling.

Many a big tide-running weak has been lost in the surf when played with a heavy hand.

As a general rule, most fish in the surf should be played and allowed to run freely in open waters. About the only exceptions are bluefish, which should always be kept coming. Slack line and trying to be a good sport by allowing the bluefish to run around freely will often cost you a fish. Besides, it takes too long to kill a bluefish if you play him on a light drag. Other exceptions are sharks and rays. With them you can really lean back and fight it out if your tackle is strong enough to take it.

Once the drag on the reel is set it pays not to fool around with it unless it turns out to be definitely too light or too heavy for the situation at hand, such as when a big fish takes a lot of line out. In this case it can be loosened a bit. When you regain most of your line the drag can be tightened again. When a fish is hooked in the surf you should feel its weight against the rod tip at all times to avoid slack line. This may not be easy if you hook a big striper. I've had these fish run in toward me soon after being hooked and it seemed like the fish was off. Bluefish will sometimes do this too. When this happens, you should reel as fast as possible to take up the slack line.

Care should be taken when fighting a fish near the boat. An experienced angler like Jack Horing here doesn't try to rush things unless the fish is willing.

Let's say you are fishing an open sandy beach with no obstructions around. When you hook a fish here, you can let him run freely. Usually the fish will head out to sea or run parallel to the beach. If the fish runs too far to the left or right the angler should follow and keep reeling until he's opposite the fish again. The rod tip should be held high, of course, to take the strain off the line. One problem which comes up often in beach fishing in popular areas is interference from nearby anglers. Naturally, if you are fishing with friends you can clarify matters by having an understanding beforehand as to what to do if a fish is hooked. Generally, the best procedure is to let out a yell when a fish is first hooked so that the guy on your left or right can reel in his line.

With strangers it's more difficult. Some guys resent reeling in their lines when fish are obviously present. Others, usually beginners, don't realize what should be done. I once lost one of the biggest stripers I ever hooked because the angler on my right failed to reel in his line until it was too late. This fish hit me close to the beach; then took off at a sharp angle to my right. I yelled for the angler to reel in his line. At first he looked at me without understanding. When the fish was near his line I tried to slow him down with thumb pressure on the reel spool. Finally the angler realized what was up and started to reel in his line. Too late! The fish started off again and my line went slack. I reeled in and found that a treble hook had straightened out. That's one reason why most surf anglers prefer plenty of space between themselves and other anglers.

With striped bass the first run or two is the longest and most powerful. After that, the fish either settles down to short runs and head shaking or bores down. These are routine maneuvers which usually pose no danger unless there are rocks or obstructions nearby. When there are, you have to keep the fish from fouling your line around them or cutting itself off. Often a steady, firm pressure on the fish will make it slow down, stop or change direction.

The most crucial period in fighting a fish arises when he is almost licked and is near the beach. This is where the waves are usually the biggest and the undertow is the strongest. When the seas are rough, even a moderate-sized fish is difficult to land because of the terrific pull in the backwash of a wave. An incoming wave, on the other hand, can assist the angler in landing a fish. There are two important things to remember: the first is to reel in fairly fast when the fish is being swept in by the waves in order to prevent slack and to gain line; the second is to let the fish go out again when the wave recedes. Often the fish can be held in one spot in the backwash, but if he is still strong and the strain on the rod and line is too great it's safer to let him go a few feet. This is especially true when you are using spinning outfits, which have lighter lines.

With a big fish it may be necessary to let him run back and forth several times before finally bringing him in on an incoming wave. The fish should never be dragged against the rush of the undertow.

Finally, one of the waves will deposit the fish high and dry on the sand. A gaff is rarely needed when fishing from a sand beach with a conventional surf outfit. However, when you are using a spinning outfit and the surf is rough, you can save time and even a fish by using a gaff.

A gaff is also needed if you are fishing a sand, rock or mussel bar where you have waded out into the water some distance from shore. Here, without a gaff, you take a chance of getting a hook in your hand if you try to grab an active fish in the water. The alternative is to walk the fish back to shore. This kills too much time and increases the chances of losing the fish. So a small hand gaff of the "pick" or "strike" type should be carried on the belt until it is needed.

When fishing from high rocks, such as those found in Rhode Island, you run into some tricky problems when trying to land a fish. You can't be so high above the water that you must climb a long way down to land the fish. You must choose a sloping rock or find a small quiet cove where a fish can be beached. So before you start casting in such areas find a suitable spot and figure out a plan of action.

When fishing jetties and breakwaters where you must stand high above the water, a long gaff is a must. About the only exception is when the tide is low and the water is calm. Then you can stand on a low rock that is even with the water. Here you can usually work a fish in among the rocks where it can be grabbed. But on high jetties and when the water is rough, a gaff is necessary to save the fish and your own neck. Climbing down among the low rocks to grab a fish or using a short gaff can be suicide if a wave catches you. So, when fishing from jetties, most surf anglers use gaffs at least 6 or 8 ft. in length.

Small fish such as school stripers, blues and others can often be lifted out of the water with a conventional outfit or a heavy spinning rod, especially if they are equipped with strong lines and heavy hooks. If you are using a light rod and line or a lure with small thin-wire hooks, a gaff should be used. A gaff or large net is also needed when fishing for weakfish or sea trout.

When the time comes to boat a fish there's no substitute for a cool, steady hand on the gaff. A landing net can also be used for small fish or those that will be released.
 
Wooden jetties present another problem. Here you walk out on a narrow catwalk and fish from a spot where incoming waves hit your legs and a sudden strike or pull by a fish can throw you off balance. It is important not to have your drag too tight when standing on a narrow wooden jetty, otherwise a hit from a big fish can pull you off the structure. If you can get out to the very end of the jetty you can handle a fish more easily, but if the tide is too high or the water is too rough and this can't be done, then you should fish a safe distance from the end and the breaking waves. From this position you can often stop a fish from reaching the end of the jetty by applying pressure on the reel spool with your finger. The idea is not to stop a fish dead in its path, but to let it take line at the slowest rate possible and thus expend its energy. Often, when you do this, the fish may swing away from the jetty and head away from the piles on the extreme end. Then you can let it run more freely. As the fish tires you can start backing up slowly on the jetty until you reach the sand, and then you can jump off and finish the fight from the beach.

The suggestions above will serve as a guide, but in any kind of fishing you can always expect the unexpected. No two fish act alike and each fight is an individual problem which must be handled and solved at the proper moment. The angler who is too anxious and in too big a hurry will lose more fish than the lad who is calm and takes his time. The excitement of hooking and fighting a fish affects most of us and even the veteran angler will sometimes pull a boner in the heat of battle. This is only natural; a slight case of "buck fever" when fighting a fish means that you still get a kick out of fishing. When it comes to salt-water fishing I personally hope I never reach the stage where a fish on the end of my line fails to excite me.