What to do once hooked up?

[Mango Man]

Hello, new here but had a question that you all might be able to help with. Lets say I am trolling at 7 knots with a following sea and the wind is light but quartering to the port bow. When a fish is hooked up, what do yo do?

An article I was reading said to turn the boat - in this case to starboard and go with the wind and back the throttles off to idle.

When you guys get hooked up what do you do with the boat, is this article just too much is it really much easier, do I really care about the wind and which direction to sea is going?

Kelly James

[Sea Draggin]

Depends on the size of the fish. With normal gamefish/meatfish, knock it out of gear, throw them in and move on. With larger fish, like BFT, for the first part of the fight I personally like my boat up sea of the fish, because everything stays tight better. Then for the kill, we will swing around, surf the fish and cut them off at the pass.

[gottaflylee]

Depends on what we are fishing for, lets keep it meat fishing. First, stay calm, keep the boat going at the same speed, as well as same direction, for at least 30 to 45 seconds...looking for multiple hookups. Only clear what lines you have to, to land the fish. I like to keep the fish on the windward side of the boat to keep the boat from being blown over the fish when near the gaffing point. With stubborn fish that are staying out of gaff range I will turn the boat away from the fish to make the stern to come closer to the fish...works like a charm most every time...

[Mango Man]

Thanks for your thoughts - I most just meat fish, but occasionally hook up on a nice sailfish and wasnt too sure what most do.

[MAKO19]

I like to keep the boat moving the whole fight. On the initial hook-up we will keep her moving at trolling speed to see if we can get more on. After a few seconds we will back off the throttles slowly and smoothly as to maintain tension on the fish. A couple other reasons are:

1) Keeping the boat moving forward will keep tuna out of there "death spiral" and makes it easier to control the fish, keep them out of running gear and makes it easier to set-up for a perfect gaff shot.

2) Wahoo will tend to swim right past the boat if you are not moving. This is not that big of a deal if you are on a center console but can be a real pain if you are on the bigger sportfishermen and even walkaround style boats.

[Big Jay]

Depends on so many factors...type of fish, size, tackle, sea conditions, what the fish is doin etc.

LEts start with the strike.

If it's a tuna bite and they are manageable size we'll keep the boat in gear to get multiples.

If it's a big tuna, or marlin which will know in the first 30-60 seconds we'll automatically start clearing lines and bump the boat into idle but still in gear.

Now as for the battle.

Both marlin and tuna are known for blistering runs. In which case, if you are out gunned you better start backing down. I prefer to back down into a quarter/beam sea rather then following (right into it) or head (with it). If they are big you could really take some big water over the transom in which case you want someone competent at the helm and have your scuppers clear.

Both are also particularly known for running right at the boat, in which case you then better get on the sticks and help the angler take up some slack.

In one particular case this past summer we had a 200-250# class blue come up and take a black purple feather on a 20# outfit with 30# line. The initial run took 3/4 of the line, we started backing down and then she started greyhounding across and then right back at the boat. We went from backing straight down, then backing down and across, to all of a sudden having to jam the sticks in gear and motor to take up the slack.

Then the fish did the other thing she could do. She went deep and sat down in the current. If you have heavy tackle and a two speed reel its no problem. If not you are going to have to spin the boat to take off some of the angle and bring her up. Usually what the fish does is put her head into the current. You want to spin the boat AHEAD of the fish while the angler keeps pressure and gains line. If you look at your course on the GPS the track should look like a curly-cue around the fish.

The way i describe this best to people is put the angler in a corner of the stern. If its the starboard corner, put the port motor in forward, starboard in neutral. Turn the wheel to the startboard and slowly cirlcle in front of the fish. Once you feel you have gotten the fish's head pointed at the transom bump the other motor into forward and plane her up...taking off the angle. A lot of times you'll see guys fighting big marlin or BFT this way.

Now for the end game.

I like my gaff shots on the starboard side. If you are working a fish off the beam you want to "scoot" the boat out from over the fish using the opposite motor. If you have a fish getting under you on the starboard bump the port motor in gear and feed it some throttle to scoot out of the way.

If you are ending the game at the transom use both motors and just stay out from over the fish.

Marlin, swords, and mako's can be the tricky ones. Marlin many times will point their nose at the transom, go apeshit, and start greyhounding off to the side. Get on the sticks and go with the fish. KEEP THE FISHES BILL POINTED IN THE SAME DIRECTION AS THE BOAT.

If the fish is pointed away then there is a good chance its going to greyhound away in which case you need to back down on it again. However, they have also been known to double back and the next thing you know you are backing down on a fish that's jumping towards you possibly into or on the boat.

This is just a summary, it can do different anytime, anyfish, any moment.

that's what makes a good captain so valuable.

[Deep C]

Theres a cranky thing on the side of most reels. If you make it go round and round , the distance between fish and boat grows shorter...

I try to turn in a way that will get the fish out of the spread and parallelling the boat. That way I can keep as much bait soak time going as possible. I paralell the fish and every once in a while turn in its direction to close that gap even more. This works with most small to medium meat class fish.
Billfish I do in one of several ways. I have gone to making the move I described above. Especially with expensive live bait still hanging out back. Fighting the fish up the side and just "fishing' towards it produces a lot of extra bites and saves wear on those live ones from being put in and out of the well...
Big blue marlin or tuna, I will clear the spread starting with the side he has run to. There I'll start backing or in the case of an outboard. I will get the angler forward and run up on the fish...