Tuesday 29 January 2013

Catching Big Fish From Little Boats

When it comes to catching big fish many anglers still feel that you need a big boat. However times are changing and the modern day trailer-boat is a serious weapon that is capable of tackling big fish.
There is no denying that a decent 13m game boat is going to be a lot more comfortable, but the comfort comes at a cost. There is nothing cheap about running a game boat. Trailer-boats, on the other hand, are a lot cheaper to operate and can be run with less crew as well, however they simply can't match the big boats in terms of comfort. Mind you the overall investments are a mere smidgen of a game boat which is a lot easier on the hip pocket. On top of this you can run on a lot smaller crew which is also makes it easier.
The size of your the trailer-boat is not the restriction it used to be thanks to advancements in hull designs, the introduction of four-stroke outboards and major advancements in electronics. Suddenly heading offshore or to remote peninsulas can be done with ease and most importantly safely. The modern day trailer-boat has become a serious weapon cable of tackling big fish and rough seas. Safety is still paramount and the key is to understand your own limitations as well as your vessel's. A five-metre tinny is capable of fishing well offshore in the right hands and appropriate conditions. These days the weather forecasts are pretty accurate so there is no excuse for heading out in crap weather.
The huge improvement in outboards and in particular the introduction of four-strokes have really revolutionised offshore and remote fishing. Not only are they now much more reliable but the fuel consumption has dropped dramatically. On Strikezone I am running the new Honda 225 and it is chewing even less than my old 225hp, effectively increasing my cruising range. The ability to manage fuel consumption has helped further and now with a set of digital gauges I can monitor exactly what the Honda is burning and change the speed to optimum cruising. Add to this the trend towards increased fuel capacity in trailer-boats and we are now able to run some serious miles to remote fishing grounds.

Chase the bite

The great thing about trailer-boats is their flexibility to follow the bite. Bigger boats are largely restricted to their home ports and moving them takes some serious logistics, while all a trailer-boat angler has to do is hitch it up and drive off. Just imagine you hear about a great bite off Tutukaka, in a trailer-boat you can leave Auckland and be there by lunchtime. In a game boat you may have to wait for the weather before you can go. It is a similar case to the largely unexploited west coast. There is some great fishing to be had but harbours are few and far between. There is also beach launching for the more adventurous.

Stack it right

If there is one problem with a trailer-boat it is the lack of space. It doesn’t matter which way you look at it, there is nowhere near the room in a 6.5m trailer-boat compared to a 10m cruiser. However it isn’t necessarily a disadvantage, instead you just need to pack right and utilise all available space effectively.
Trailer-boats have limited space whichever way you look at it. Put simply there is never enough room for all the gear you want to take. The only way around this is to become target specific when you head out fishing. If you plan to go marlin fishing offshore, then don’t fill the boat with snapper tackle.
Working as a fishing journalist, one problem I have is that I am continuously chasing different species from day to day. To make matters more complicated, my cameraman Ron Croft runs several cameras for Strikezone TV and he believes his gear has precedence over my tackle - so I end up with even less room!
At the end of the day Strikezone is only 6.5 metres so we really have to be ruthless in what goes in, and what stays behind. One trick I employ is to stack all my gear into fish boxes with snapper gear in one and game fishing gear into another. That way when I go I just grab the box of gear I need. It certainly makes packing and unpacking a lot less painful!
Everything needs a home, be it the chilly bin, tag poles or camera cases. Anything not stowed away securely becomes a hazard, especially in rough weather. Everything in the cabin is prone to moving around since it is close to the bow which is moving the most so you really need to secure everything. Strikezone has a typical V-hull configuration which is perfectly suited to stacking the likes of fish boxes and camera gear. A series of straps locks everything in position while the padding cushions against the constant banging for valuable equipment like cameras.

Rod issues

Rods are always an issue. They are cumbersome and hard to store. Rocket launchers are okay for travelling with light rods but heavy game rods tend to snap welds pretty quickly. The other problem is if you are planning to cast poppers for kingfish or flick soft plastics for snapper then the rods overhead in the rocket launcher can be a real pain and are guaranteed to meet up with your lure sooner or later.
Personally I prefer upright holders in the boat which don’t get in your way and are easier to access. Tucked away beside the cabin they are also protected from the salt spray. You often see boats heading to sea loaded with dozens of rods poking out in all directions. There is no possible way they could use all those rods so in effect they are simply taking up valuable room. Over the years I have culled my rods and now only take what I need to target specific fish, but the improvements in spin reels has suddenly allowed me to become multi-purpose.
These days with the dramatic improvements in spin reels I am finding I am using my Saltigas far more than my game reels. Looking back over the past marlin season I caught more marlin on spin tackle than overheads. The great thing about these reels is that I also use them for everything from inshore live bait to jigging, so in fact they are multi-purpose. They are so good that I have even sold off some of my game tackle. Reducing the number of rods I load on board has suddenly cleared up the deck, giving us a whole lot room to work with.

Beating big fish

Many anglers feel that small boats are disadvantaged when it comes to battling big fish. Big game boats may have twin screws and can spin around with ease, but you are still pushing a massive amount of weight around. A trailer-boat is light and nimble and can move around quickly with a good skipper at the wheel.
I fight different fish in different ways, but the boat is vital when chasing the likes of marlin or kings in shallow water. In the case of marlin, after the hook up we position the angler in the back corner on the driver's side where he can support himself against the coaming or bait board. With the angler comfortable, the skipper has a clear view of the line while he chases the fish. If the fish does something he can react.
The key is not to allow the fish to take too much line so as soon as the fish runs, set off after it driving at a speed where the angler is still capable of retrieving line. High speed spin reels are ideal for this job being lighter and easier to use. There is an old analogy in fishing to drive away from fish, however this is totally illogical because you are there to catch it, not prolong the fight. On the same note, don’t be a cowboy and always play it safe - if you don’t have the confidence to take an early shot at a ‘green’ fish, then don’t.
Even with species like tuna I have found myself using the boat more and more to shorten the fight and get the fish fast. The key is to get the angler and skipper to communicate and work together to predict the fish’s behaviour as opposed to reacting to it. Being one step ahead will mean you will get that fish fast, sometimes even quicker than the big boats. Who said trailer-boats are disadvantaged?

Wind-on advantages

The first advantage of wind-on leaders is to remove the need to trace the fish. There are a number of problems involved with tracing a fish from a trailer boat. The lack of space means you can’t all go to the same side of the boat to leader the fish. The best way around this problem is to employ wind-on leaders. Winding the leader directly onto the reel immediately removes the need for a trace man and suddenly things are looking a lot more balanced.
Another big advantage wind-ons offer is that the amount of pressure put on the fish doesn’t change during the final stages the fight. When a trace man takes the leader he immediately applies additional pressure. The sudden increase in weight nearly always causes the fish to react, which is when dangerous situations arise. By using wind-ons the angler maintains steady pressure and as a result the fish is more relaxed and minimises the chance of it suddenly going berserk.

Play it safe

1. Always carry an Epirb and keep it handy. 2. Know your own ability as well as your vessel's. 3. Understand your engine's fuel consumption and how it varies in different conditions. 4. Always watch the weather and let someone know where you're fishing. 5. No fishing trip is worth your life.

Source: http://www.fishing.net.nz/index.cfm/pageid/56/view/yes/editorialID/...
More News: http://gofishtalk.com/forum/topics/catching-big-fish-from-little-boats

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