Watching a video clip of an angler fighting a monster fish may look easy but doing it in real life can be tough and for some, a source of bitter disappointment. Fighting a big fish can be a challenge for most anglers but if you know how to maneuver a fish on hook then the prize could definitely be yours. If you have been having a difficult time landing that dream catch, here are some suggestions on how to chase hooked fish.
Realistically speaking, chasing after a hooked fish is so much more than simply keeping line on a reel. Anglers take months or even years to acquire the skills required to bring a large game fish onto the deck. But take these tips below into your consideration and in time, you should be able to chase hooked fish with ease! Let’s cut to the chase and discuss these tips.
Know Your Curb
First things first: The motion of your boat. You can keep the boat anchored or have it drifting as you’re trying to hook up a fish, either way both pose two threats. One, drag pressure rises when the diameter of line on a spool goes down. Two, excess line pulled through the water will only provide more drag and resistance on your part. And when you get yourself a sprinter of a fish, you have to have a quick reaction as time is of the essence.
Another risk to consider is when fishing along drop-offs, reefs and other high-profile bottoms. When you fish any of these areas, fish dragging can go so long and so deep. In addition, the fish may also swim around structures that will cause parting. Lastly, the fish can be far from the boat, giving it an advantage which you have little, or no control of.
No Other Way but To Get Going
If you are really driven to catch the game fish of your dreams, there’s no other way but to get going and know how to chase hooked fish.
The first factor you must always consider is the environment, the fish size and the strength of the line. Like, for example, when you live-bait a sailfish with 20-pound gear, you can give chase if a fish strips up to half the line from the spool. And take note, this is in open water without structures.
Chasing your fish on an anchored boat is another story – a more complex one at that. And when you do anchor, make sure that the anchor line is accessible and have a float ball or large boat fender nearby. You will need one to save your spot when you give your hooked fish a chase of towards the horizon.
If you have the fish hooked for a while and it shows no signs of stopping, the time to give chase is when you have stripped one-third of the line off the spool. The point of this is so you can quickly close the gap between the boat and fish, in order to be almost on top of your target. And by doing so, you will have the fish line enter a more vertical angle which means there will be less chance of it parting on sloping bottom, rubble or coral heads.
Pressure Is Good for You
You can have control when you keep a safe amount between you and the line of the spool – but there’s a balance you have to consider. To achieve this balance, the one tip we can give you is to tire the fish. It’s important have the fish run out line and tire itself. To do this, fight the fish from a stationary boat. Keep the fight on and gain line when you can. This will make the fish’s forward progress slow which, in turn, will lessen the water that flows across its gills, making it more tired.
It takes preparation and skills to chase hooked fish smoothly. Also, you need to have a lot of patience as you may fail on the first few attempts. Always keep these tips in mind and practice. If you are keen to chase hooked fish but still need assistance, a guided sport fishing adventure will be a great start.
