We spend a lot of time focusing on how to get fish to bite, but don’t talk as much about what happens afterward. If you peruse WaterLine back issues, you’ll find hundreds of columns that talk about different methods and techniques for getting fish to eat, and only a handful discussing how to actually get that fish to the boat.
But I don’t think you’ll find a single one that is all about what happens when that fish is whipped and it’s time to land it. And it’s a real shame that we have overlooked that, because a lot of fish are lost right at the boat. It’s almost always a lack of preparation that leads to these boatside escapees. No more excuses — let’s do this!
For a fish that you are absolutely 100 percent sure is going to go in the fishbox, gaffing is a pretty good way to bring it aboard. A gaff is just a sharp hook on a pole (or, in the case of a flying gaff, on a line attached to a pole). It seems so simple: You swing the pole, the hook connects, and you pull the fish aboard.
Well, it’s not so simple. When you go swinging about, there’s a real good chance you’re going to miss the fish. Worse, you might catch the line and accidentally dehook the fish. (I saw a mate do this with a huge blackfin tuna on an offshore boat. The captain was not happy, and neither was the angler.)
Gaffing needs to be done with confidence and a fair bit of speed. Ideally, you want to get the fish in the back, just behind the head. Follow through with your swing; it’s also the beginning of bringing the fish into the boat. Once the fish is on the gaff, pull the gaff straight up. Practice this with smaller fish such as Spanish mackerel first. With truly huge fish (like that 90-pound cobia you’ve been dreaming about since 1973), you may need another pair of hands to bring it aboard.
As mentioned at the beginning, this method is strictly for fish you are keeping. “Gaff and release” is generally a death sentence, and under both state and federal laws, a gaffed fish is a harvested fish. This also goes for so-called bridge gaffs, which are just large weighted treble hooks. Once you put that gaff point into a fish, consider it yours.
I like landing nets better than gaffs for a couple reasons. First, it’s easy to release a netted fish with no or minimal added harm. Second, guiding a hooked fish into the mouth of a big landing net is easier than trying to hold it still for a gaffer.
Third — and this matters — I trust an excited guy with a net in his more than one holding a gaff. Ask anyone who has spent a lifetime on offshore sportfishing boats to show you his gaff scars; betcha he’s got a few.
Choosing a net is paramount. Most nets are way too small. That’s because nets are a hassle to store. I’ve got a big Frabill Hiber-Net. It’s got a 29-inch hoop with a net 40 inches deep, and a 72-inch handle. It will take on a big gag or black drum with no problem. In a standard net, this size would be impossible to carry on most boats. But the Hiber-Net stores in its own handle, out of the way. Of all my fishing toys, it’s my hands-down favorite.
Netting works best if you work as a team. The netter lowers the net into the water and the angler guides it in headfirst. This will work most of the time. The main reason it fails is the net isn’t low enough or not held perpendicular to the water. If you’re swinging, you’re doing it wrong. Other problems with nets include getting hooks stuck in them (common if you’re using a lure with trebles) and spooking the fish (common if you’re not holding the net still).
As with the gaff, once the fish is netted, the end of the handle should point skyward and you lift straight up. A net is not a lever. With big fish, you can bend or break the handle (and hurt your back, which you may not notice if you’re all adrenalined up).
We all want to catch monsters that require gaffs or nets, but most of the fish we actually catch are smaller. With little fish, all you may need to do is take hold of the line and swing them into the boat.
Now, read that again. It doesn’t say, “Lift the fish up with the rod and swing it into the boat.” There’s a reason it doesn’t say that. Using the rod to lift fish is one of the major causes of snapped rods. It’s fine for really little fish, like lane snapper. But beware of getting into the habit.
Before swinging a fish, check to see how well it’s hooked. If it’s just in the lip membrane, use the net (unless you don’t really care whether the fish falls off). As soon as you lift it out of the water, 100 percent of the fish’s weight is now at the point where the hook is inserted.
Because of that, this is also not the best method for catch-and-release with fish that weigh more than a pound or so. The strain of their own weight will often make the hook injury worse, sometimes fatally so.
Lip-grip it
The BogaGrip and its many imitators made of both metal and plastic have made handling toothy fish much safer. But these tools can be used for landing, not just grip-and-grin photos. I’m not a big fan, because I’ve seen too many fish lost when anglers try repeatedly to get those little metal jaws clamped onto the fish’s bottom lip.
The manufacturer of the BogaGrip says you can push it in place without opening it. That’s true, if the fish’s lip is just the right size. Mostly, though, it’s just trouble. I love my Boga, but not as a landing tool.
I grew up bass fishing out of a jon boat. For us, there was only one way to get a fish out of the water: Stick your hand down there and grab hold of its lower lip. It worked then, and it works now — but with a few caveats.
Unlike bass, most saltwater fish have teeth, and many will bite. Hard. Most folks realize they don’t really want to thumb a shark or Spanish mackerel, but there are some that take people by surprise: Grouper, snapper (although it’s right in the name) and even redfish will give you a painful chomp and possibly leave you bleeding. This is why lip-grippers are so popular.
There’s an alternative to putting your hands in the mouth, and that’s gripping the side of the face using the maxilla bone (basically, the visible upper lip) as a handle. You can also use the gill cover, but be very careful if you plan to release the fish. The gills themselves are delicate tissue and very easy to injure. Either way, practice. Ladyfish that you’re keeping for bait are idea practice fish, since they have no teeth and can’t hurt you.
Once you’ve got one hand on it, put the other under the belly and lift. This two-hand method is better for the fish, since the weight is distributed across two points instead of just one, and also much more secure — with two hands on the fish, it’s easier to control and you’re less likely to fumble it.
Other than training the fish to just jump into the boat, I think we’ve pretty well covered the options. You can lose fish with any of them, so practice with fish you care less about. Yes, you look like a goob out there netting half-pound jacks or gaffing ladyfish, but who cares. If you see someone staring, just smile and wave (more than one finger, please).
As the Fish Coach, Capt. Josh Olive offers personalized instruction on how and where to fish in Southwest Florida. Whether you’re a complete beginner or just looking to refine your techniques, he can help you get past the frustration and start catching more fish. Lessons can be held on your boat, on local piers or even in your backyard. To book your session or for more information, go to FishCoach.net, email Josh@FishCoach.net or call 941-276-9657.
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December 17, 2020 at 06:00AM
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How to land a fish | Waterline - yoursun.com
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