Moving boat while fighting fish?

[EstevanPoint]

What do others do when they hook fish? Do you keep moving? Do you leave the gear down? Do you bring the gear up and focus on the fish?

I know many of these things will be impacted depending on location and time of year. Why do you do what you do? Is there a benefit to continuing to move through the water? Does it make more sense to stop because it makes it possible to fight the fish with the boat little bit?

 

[Squire]

If you’re pretty much alone then anything goes. If you’re in a loop with dozens of other boats, maintaining the same heading is expected even if you slow down a bit for a runner. Nothing worse than the guy who slows down and starts to turn toward the side he’s hooked up on regardless of traffic.

 

[Pineapple Express]

I generally fish solo. I always put the boat in neutral and play the fish. Once the fish is dealt with I pull in the other rod and rigger and then reset everything. Takes a few extra minutes but it's much more relaxing to deal with the fish without worrying about steering the boat. I generally try to avoid fishing in the pack so this method doesn't impact others

 

[Airplane]

What do others do when they hook fish? Do you keep moving? Do you leave the gear down? Do you bring the gear up and focus on the fish?

I know many of these things will be impacted depending on location and time of year. Why do you do what you do? Is there a benefit to continuing to move through the water? Does it make more sense to stop because it makes it possible to fight the fish with the boat little bit?

I always try and keep boat in motion to be in control of the fish getting ahead of the boat so fish does not go under boat to other side. When fish is running and screaming line yes stop boat maybe chase fish but in general I like to control fish to back of boat or side.

 

[Chuck]

Location, sea state, weather, traffic! A big fish slow the boat down all comes up get away from traffic into open water if conditions permit. Smaller fish slow the boat down a bit and keep line away from side that's still down get it in and try not to disrupt the tac. Also has a lot to do with if I'm solo, have experienced or inexperienced hands onboard. On my boat many variables come in to factor what will take place, it's on a fish by fish basis.

 

[SpringFever2359]

Location, sea state, weather, traffic! A big fish slow the boat down all comes up get away from traffic into open water if conditions permit. Smaller fish slow the boat down a bit and keep line away from side that's still down get it in and try not to disrupt the tac. Also has a lot to do with if I'm solo, have experienced or inexperienced hands onboard. On my boat many variables come in to factor what will take place, it's on a fish by fish basis.

X2 all depends where and what you're fishing for.

 

[eroyd]

Keep moving and keep the fish and gear behind the boat. Head away from other boats when possible.

 

[Duffy]

Keep moving and keep the fish and gear behind the boat. Head away from other boats when possible.

The other boats should give you some room if you get a fish on , but this does not always happen.

 

[Samnjoe]

Totally depends on the scenario.
Traffic no traffic. Offshore or rock piles. Mouth of the Fraser in September is mostly an elbows up strategy.

 

[Sharphooks]

Where I fish in my backyard the boats never give room. I immediately go into neutral to fight the fish but if anybody comes towards me I’ll power up and try and get my boat between them and my fish. It’s definitely combat fishing, especially if you’re hooking up and they ain’t

 

[Nootka4life]

Get out of the way don’t stop in the middle of the pack. Once you’re by yourself I don’t care what you do but if you stop in the middle of the tack and give no room for other boats expect to loose your fish and gear. Guides are the worse offenders except when you have a fish they will hug you no matter where you turn.

 

[Sharphooks]

Get out of the way don’t stop in the middle of the pack. Once you’re by yourself I don’t care what you do but if you stop in the middle of the tack and give no room for other boats expect to loose your fish and gear. Guides are the worse offenders except when you have a fish they will hug you no matter where you turn.

Ha ha…try and picture 150 boats during a 24 hour spring opening. That was my thrill last summer. There was no place to run, no place to hide. You just hunker down and try and use your boat to keep the barbarians from entering the gates when you had a fish on.

 

[Nootka4life]

Just keep the same speed and heading simple. Then the boats can adjust speed and coarse and help you out but if you stop in everyone’s way we are all F….ed

 

[pescador]

Into neutral, hit both downriggers. Fight fish and bring in second rod at same time. It’s a balancing act. I reel in the 2nd rod while it’s still in the rod holder. Get the second rod/line out of the water first. Then pull the downrigger balls up and onto boom hooks. Then focus on landing fish and getting the net ready. Having a good system of net stowage and retrieval is super important. I fish solo lots and even with my wife there she’s not gonna touch the gear. Her choice not mine, she gets nervous. It’s just an ugly mess waiting to happen if you don’t clear everything outta the water first. I lose the odd fish. I’d rather lose 3 fish a year than deal with lost gear and the headache of line tangles. I even do this when I have experienced fishing friends on board.

 

[BC Coast Pilot]

Keep it in gear.

 

[Samnjoe]

Usually hold heading and speed. Sometimes slow down and move out of the pack on a bigger fish. Never stop in the pack to play a fish. Give room to others when you can.

 

[Aquaholic]

Keep it in gear, tension on the line, you control the fish, not the opposite. Imagine every strike if a commercial troller had to pull up 5 gurdies with 6 spoons per gurdie, and go into neutral...not going to happen. Watching a salmon go under a boat in neutral while fighting it looks like amateur hour.

 

[Roberth]

What do others do when they hook fish? Do you keep moving? Do you leave the gear down? Do you bring the gear up and focus on the fish?

I know many of these things will be impacted depending on location and time of year. Why do you do what you do? Is there a benefit to continuing to move through the water? Does it make more sense to stop because it makes it possible to fight the fish with the boat little bit?

I put the motor to idle and engage the autopilot to a course avoiding other traffic. Slow momentum helps keep the line tight. Then neutral as I finish the fight. I also fish solo a lot

 

[ab1752]

Also solo a fair bit too, when (if) it happens I just point out to sea away from everyone else and keep it moving, ignore the other side unless it hits too...if I know the one on is getting the bonk I really want to tire it out to facilitate a lesser shitshow into the net. Half the time for fish up to about 12 lbs I hand bomb it onto the deck now days.

 

[wolf]

Into neutral, hit both downriggers. Fight fish and bring in second rod at same time. It’s a balancing act. I reel in the 2nd rod while it’s still in the rod holder. Get the second rod/line out of the water first. Then pull the downrigger balls up and onto boom hooks. Then focus on landing fish and getting the net ready. Having a good system of net stowage and retrieval is super important. I fish solo lots and even with my wife there she’s not gonna touch the gear. Her choice not mine, she gets nervous. It’s just an ugly mess waiting to happen if you don’t clear everything outta the water first. I lose the odd fish. I’d rather lose 3 fish a year than deal with lost gear and the headache of line tangles. I even do this when I have experienced fishing friends on board.

Same get gear out of water ive seen so many people get gear stuck on other side and break off, slow it down bring fish to you ... I watch guys troll same speed and then stand on swim gird and see many a time flasher and hooks fly at mach 10 slow everything down and be calm relax its suppposed to be fun enjoy it. guys will see you have a fish on and most move ...