Sooner or later every fisherman faces the task of landing a
truly large fish. There are a few
things that I learned over the years that may help you deal with this
situation.
First on my list is knowing your
equipment. I mean how much pressure
you can apply via the drag or by palming the reel before you break off. If your rigging is put together with the
right knots you should know exactly how far you can
push it. The objective is to apply
as much tension and leverage as possible during the fight.
When the fish runs point the rod in his direction holding it
above the fish. Do not hold the
high and vertically over your head – a great way to loose control.
Stay as close to the fish as you can. The more line he takes the higher the
risk of a break off and it reduces the amount of leverage you can exert on the
fish. The sooner you can move him
into shallow water the better.
I’ll increase my leverage by holding the rod at a 45 degree angles.
In this position I will constantly try to steer the fish into a landing
position. I won’t force the
situation but I won’t let him get his head down.
Landing the fish is a crucial point. Next to the initial hookup this is where
most fish are lost. If he detect you or the net your certain to get a final burst. Do not try to net a fish that is still
“hot”. It’s a recipe for
disaster. When he’s ready net him head first.
Depending on the circumstances it may be easier to beach a fish. Some years ago I was fishing with a
friend in a lake when he hooked an absolutely huge rainbow. Although he was carrying a good size net
the fish was simply too big for it (he ultimately measured 28”). He finely landed it in the net just as
the tippet broke – a very lucky guy.
