07-31-2001, 12:56 AM
Deep sea fishing is a game of angles, especially for light tackle fishermen. It's important to get over your quarry as soon as possible. How you do it is another story.<br>One of my friends who fishes off-shore tournaments hooked into a nice marlin earlier this year on new 80lb. test.<br>The fish took off like a freight train and leaped clear of the water off the port side of the boat. The captain made an immediate bee line for the fish and the line snapped like thread. The line was new, the drag was set at the proper tension, what happened was that the captain made a belly in the line by going straight for the fish, the drag on the line was too much, causing it to burst.<br>What he should have done was follow the line through the water, thus eliminating the belly in the line and thereby reducing tension.<br>Captains should give their anglers a fighting chance, follow the line closely through the water, but not too quickly as to create slack in the line as the fish will spit that hook so fast you won't know what will happen.<br>i admit that it taks a lot of self control not to head for a fish leaping clear of the water, but after a few occasions you will see the benefits.<br>If I left out anything, please fill in -MJB, Capt. Dan and Thor.<br><br>