InTheBite

The Young Guns of Sportfishing: Captain Chris Mowad

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by Charlie Levine

Raised in Pensacola, Florida, Chris Mowad, only ever wanted one job. “I was always an avid angler growing up, and the dad of one of my best friends was a private boat captain,” he says. “I thought that was the dream job.”

Chris started working on boats at 14 years old and just 13 years later, he’s running the Whoo Dat – a 58-foot Jarrett Bay owned by Keith Richardson. This is one operation that does not like to sit idly by. Mowad and company left the Gulf of Mexico in January and have been fishing in the Dominican Republic and St. Thomas ever since.

Mowad took the time for a phone call in St. Thomas just after the September moon and the bite’s been on. “We caught 23 in the last seven days,” he says of fishing on the North Drop. “We recently hired a new mate who fished the entire Gulf season and caught 11 fish. We doubled his whole season in a week. You can build a resume pretty quick spending time in hot spots, and the experience you gain is priceless.”

Mowad’s quick ascent to the captain’s chair began as a freelance captain and mate on a handful of boats. He also worked at Outcast Bait and Tackle, in Pensacola, from the ages of 17 to 21. It being a smaller shop, he had to know how to do a little bit of everything. Spool reels, rig lures, you name it. At 18, he got his six-pack license and started running more boats. “I met a lot of local guys who had private boats, and I worked as a captain-for-hire,” Mowad says. “That’s how I got a lot of experience. You learn a lot when you’re managing a different crew every weekend.”

While running the boat and finding fish is the more glamorous part of the job, Mowad is not afraid to get his hands dirty and do whatever it takes to make sure the boat is running properly. “I was always impressed by captains who maintained the boat themselves and if anything broke, they knew how to fix each system,” he says.

Capt. Myles Colley was one such captain that Chris Mowad looked up to. Colley, captain of the Born2Run, is from the same area as Mowad and also started running boats at a young age. “I wanted to kind of follow in his footsteps,” Mowad says. “The part I enjoy most now is that he’s gone from being a mentor to us being in competition, but we still have a good friendship.”

The Whoo Dat is the perfect platform for the kind of marlin fishing that keeps Mowad’s boss fired up. The 58-footer was built by Jarrett Bay in 2007 and when Richardson bought it in 2011, he installed a tuna tower, a second generator, new electronics and a fresh coat of paint. The 1,350-hp MTU 12V 2000s just rolled over 10,000 hours and keep the team on the bite. While the engines keep the team mobile, it’s really the owner of the boat, Keith Richardson, who keeps everyone on board fired up. “He keeps us all going,” Mowad says. “He wants to put up big numbers and is not afraid to fish extra hours. He’s really the hardest working guy I’ve ever worked for and a key part of our program. He’s willing to fish on a different schedule and follow the bite.”

Having the flexibility to move throughout the Caribbean, whether it’s fishing FADs in Casa de Campo, or pulling lures on the North Drop, gives Whoo Dat the ability to stay right on the marlin’s tail. Fishing out of St. Thomas this summer, Mowad and his crew were seeing 10 to 12 blue marlin a day during the peak moon phases in June, July, August and September. It’s been some of the best fishing there in a long time. Fishing alongside his mate of four years, Kevin Alexander, he says they’ve got a solid group of guys on the boat and camaraderie is high.

While they’ve been successful, Mowad is never afraid to ask for help from some of the more experienced skippers. “If you quit asking questions, you quit getting better,” he says. “There’s a group of guys here that have been really helpful.”

Mowad’s plan moving forward is to get boat work finished in October and November then head to Casa de Campo in December and fish there through next April. From the DR, the team is heading back to St. Thomas for the summer. The days can run together, but he’s certainly not complaining. “It wouldn’t be fair to say we work 24-hour days, but there are times it seems like it,” he says. “Keith doesn’t have a problem going for a 15-day stretch and the seas are rough the majority of the time. But you get to learn how maneuver the boat in rough water. If you can catch them when it’s rough, you’ll catch them when it’s calm.”

Charlie Levine is the publisher of FishTrack.com and the author of the book, “Sucked Dry: The Struggle is Reel,” available on Amazon.

Sailfish 2.0 — Modern Pro Tactics for Florida Sails

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by Dave Ferrell

Capt. Peter B. Wright, a guy that’s caught quite a lot of giant marlin, often says that the best fishing teams aren’t determined by how big a fish they catch…It’s how many they catch that matters. Wright’s logic says that you can’t determine the exact size of the fish that takes your bait, but you can control how many bites you get, and how many fish you successfully capture out of those bites.

Therefore, it is the team that can get a bite, catch a fish and then redeploy the baits quickly to get yet another bite that usually comes out on top in a numbers-based release event. It is for this reason that any team that places in the top five of an east Florida sailfish tournament can probably be plopped down in any of the world’s billfish hot spots and be kicking butt in no time at all. Fishing for sails in Florida is a numbers game. Those who play it seem to be getting faster and more efficient with every passing season.

Change is Good

 While it might not seem like it to those close to the sport, a lot of things have changed over the years for those targeting sails. Not too long ago, it was wire leaders and split-tailed mullet that caught all the sails from West Palm to Key West. These days its dredge fishing, circle hooks, 40-pound fluorocarbon leaders and live-bait kite fishing that dominates the scene. When the bite gets hot, usually during the winter months, double digit days become commonplace and good crews can really rack up the numbers. Catching double digit Florida sails is not as easy as many people think…Atlantic sails can be finicky on the bite and only a tight-lipped white marlin is harder to hook than a petite Palm Beach sail.

Two changes are perhaps the most profound. For one thing, we don’t keep them anymore. That leaves a lot more of them available for you to catch. “The first Miami Billfish Tournament was a one-point-per-pound event. The second year it was a hybrid with points for release and killed fish,” says Capt. Ray Rosher, owner the Miss Britt out of Miami, Florida. “Later on, we all complained bitterly when we were forced to use circle hooks in the tournaments. Now we would pay double to get to use them…sometimes, change is good.” Those two changes alone, the advent of the release ethic and the use of circle hooks, probably contribute as much, or more, to today’s double-digit numbers than any learned technique. Besides knowing how to kite fish, of course.

The practice of fishing live baits on circle hooks, dangling the baits just at, or below the water’s surface, is probably the most effective way to catch good numbers of sailfish, especially if they are concentrated in a certain area or depth. Capt. Bouncer Smith, who charter fishes his Bouncer’s Dusky, out of Miami, is an expert kite fisherman and has seen quite a few innovations in the game. “I had a customer one time that was watching me struggle with some helium balloons on a calm day. He decided he was going to help me out and invent a kite-shaped helium balloon,” said Bouncer. “He tinkered with the idea for a couple of years and tried to come up with a helium-filled kite that measured 36 x 36 x 4 inches. It had a lot of potential, but it never came to fruition.”

Capt. Bouncer Smith has been at the forefront of sailfish innovation for decades.

“Probably the two most notable things I’ve seen recently are the use of Mylar dredges in the kite spread and the use of underwater lights during the daytime,” says Bouncer. “They will take a dredge teaser, fill it with Mylar strips with ballyhoo or some other baitfish imprinted on them, and then hang it under a bullet float in between two kites.” Wave and wind action bobs the loaded dredge up and down and brings fish into sight range of the kite baits. “Guys are also strobing their underwater lights during the day to get fish’s attention as well,” says Bouncer.

“I usually use a sea anchor most of the time so that requires power fishing. This winter I plan on hanging one of those mylar dredges right underneath the center console. I think it will do well underneath the boat,” he says.

Not one to stay comfortable in the way he does things, Bouncer is willing to give anything a go if he thinks it might bring more action. “At one time, we put some underwater speakers out to see if they would attract sails and get them to come to the boat. We played the same noise that scientists use to call sharks [low frequency, pulsed, white noise], but it didn’t seem to work for us,” said Bouncer.

“I’m waiting for the day when a guy pulls his kites in and starts flying his lines out on a pair of drones! Can you imagine that? Not having to worry about the wind? Just two drones sitting out there at the perfect height…not even having to watch them? That would be the cat’s meow,” says Bouncer.

Game Changers

Good numbers only breed more innovation, as crews try to catch just one more fish than the guys in the next slip. Few work harder at trying to catch more fish, quickly and efficiently than Rosher. On top of his charter boat operations, Rosher also owns R&R Tackle – a company that manufactures all manner of innovative tackle and accessories. Most of the products he sells came about by trying to fulfill a need that he encountered on his daily outings.

Even so, he doesn’t make or sell either of his first two picks for recent great sailfish innovations. “One of the big changes,” says Rosher, “is the use of super-fast electric kite reels to retrieve the kites. Consequently, these reels have taught the guys the benefits of speed. We all have a basic understanding of how to take care of our baits, make the proper rigs, set up for a drift correctly etc. Now, it’s become a lot like NASCAR, where the quickest pit crews get the cars around faster. In fishing, the crew that gets the bites, and then redeploys quickly, catches more double and triples…and wins more tournaments,” says Rosher.

Rosher uses Hooker kite reels for several reasons. “I believe they are the fastest kite reels out there,” he says. “I don’t have experience with a lot of the other brands, but these are pretty fast reels. Guys used to be happy just having ANY electric reel, now we have these ultra-fast ones that can clear big marks. This allows you to put four clips on a kite line instead of three, which allows you to fish four lines on each side. And all four clips can fit on one kite reel.”

Rapidly retrieving, deploying and adjusting your kite baits can make all the difference in a tournament sailfish scenario. Rosher uses a Hooker Electric.

Even something so seemingly insignificant as a kite clip can become an item of intense scrutiny in Rosher’s quest for increased speed and efficiency. Rosher’s newly designed M2 clips are a fraction of the weight of traditional clips and excel on day’s with very light winds. “They work in all winds actually, but they really help on calm days. Even if you are using helium assist, kite lines will sag on calm days, and any added weight makes them sag even more. If your kite line is sagging and you get bit, a fish can burn through your other baits in an instant. Elevation is your friend in kite fishing. If your kite isn’t sagging you can lift the other baits out of the water and then get another bite. These clips allow you to fish more clips on very calm days.”

The additional clip also gives you the option of putting more baits out when one gets bit. “If the long gets bit, you can advance the other two baits and add another short. This puts a new bait right back into the spot where you got the first bite and results in a large number of doubles and triples,” says Rosher. “During a recent event we had some pretty tough fishing, but we got a bite on our right long – our shallowest bait. We backed up on it and caught it. I decided to put all of our stuff out a little shallower. By the time we had caught that one fish, all of our baits were up in our little tubes and I was moving an 1/8th of a mile back up in front of the pack. We ended up catching seven of them and doubled the next boat. I’m not trying to be some kind of braggart either, I’m just saying that good team work – speed and efficiency – wins tournaments.”

R and R Tackle makes an assortment of innovative clips for kites and outriggers.

Advancements in kite design also allow you to spend more days on the water. “Kites have improved significantly,” says Rosher. “With both Lewis and SFE putting a lot of emphasis on light and heavy wind models. The ultralights really help if they can keep me from having to blow up a balloon with helium.”

As always, picking the right reel for the job is critical, especially when dealing with the long distances and light tackle commonly used when targeting sails with kites. “All of my reels are designed specifically for live bait sail fishing. Which means they have to have a high speed retrieve and very consistent drags. The reel I use is the Penn Fathom 40 NLDHS (Narrow Lever Drag High Speed). It retails for $249 and that’s very reasonable…I’m currently on my third season with the reels on my boat. There are others that do the same thing, but these are the ones I can talk about because I use them every day.”

Details Make a Difference

Nowhere was it more evident on how far Rosher will go to improve efficiency than when he talked about the design on his new rigging needles for live baits. “We like to bridle our live baits when kite fishing and we use a needle that we made to use with our specific bands,” he says. “Instead of a hole, it has a restrictor that lets you snap a band in place quickly and easily. It’s a synthetic needle [not metal] with soft edges so you can’t snag or damage a band. I tried to make them of metal, but I couldn’t make them as soft as I needed them to be. These are plenty strong enough to do the job, plus I can round the edges and flatten the sides to keep them from rolling around on a flat surface.”

“Our rigging bands come in two sizes, ½-inch and 1 3/8-inch, in either black or clear. They are made to our exact specifications because it’s really hard to get that sweet spot of being strong but not too strong. They need to hold the bait, but then let it go away on the hookup. You don’t want them to stay too well attached. I saw in Australia how those big baits tied on with 130-pound Dacron wouldn’t come off and the fish would come up shaking its head, throwing the whole thing away.”

It’s no secret that boats frequently placing near the top of most sailfish tournaments in south Florida use pen-raised live baits. Rosher, who does quite well in tournaments, is known as a master at raising and keeping live baits. “I put all of our focus on products that I needed…things I couldn’t find out in the marketplace. Our bait pens come with a food tray in them, and we even sell food…wet or dry. Our double fine mesh bait nets allow you to transfer large amounts of live baits very quickly, without damaging the slime layer. They even have a clear plastic bottom that holds water to keep them lubricated, but also fools the baits into swimming straight into the net instead of trying to avoid it.” Rosher even makes small bait tubes for pilchards and goggle eyes that feature adjustable, individual flow controls and that allow you to store bridled baits ready for deployment as soon as the boat stops.

Old School Too

Kite fishing might have inched ahead with more recent sail fishing innovations, and that’s just fine for traditional troll fisherman like Tony Huerta, owner of the Lo Que Sea. Huerta and crew are regular top five finishers in many of the most prestigious marlin and sailfish tournaments in south Florida and the Bahamas. Huerta chuckled when I asked him what, if anything, he’s been doing differently over the last few years that he thought might have improved his odds.

Success in modern sailfishing is a team effort that requires coordinated work, skill and the ability to keep fishing while hooked up.

“We are doing the exact same things. We might pull a bigger dredge on tournament days – triples or even quads, but nothing much is different. We’ve got a blue and white dredge on one side, and a blue and black on the other. We still pull green squids and a blue and white express with a mackerel in it. We prospect one side, all day long, even in sunny conditions. A lot of boats use high speed reels, but we still use TLD 20 two speeds. I think a lot of anglers pull the baits away from the fish with the high speeds. There’s really not much to it…run them over and hang on to the ones you see,” he says.

Oh, if it were just that easy.

Captain’s Wife-Approved Destinations

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by Alexandra Stark

One of the many charms of the sportfishing lifestyle is the travel to exotic places. By the very nature of the activity, just about every place from which you can catch a marlin or sailfish has a beach. Most also have marinas and a place to grab a bite to eat. For a captain’s wife, the chance to spend a vacation in a place where the boat is fishing can be a wonderful perk.

If you were setting up a travel plan, how could you select a location that combines great fishing with everything necessary for a special trip for your special lady? Get this wrong at your own peril – Ascension Island has world class blue marlin fishing, but how would she feel about “feeding bread to half-wild donkeys” as the headliner of her land-based itinerary? There are also many places with great night life and amenities that don’t hold up the fishing side of the equation.

There are places, however, that play host to great fishing and the types of amenities and activities that make them ideal for captains and their wives. We’ve selected the following locations by asking professional captains and their wives for their recommendations. The following is a profile of a few of the best, with an interview from a professional who describes the ins and outs of each location.

Andrea Angel, with her husband Captain BC, is a veteran of many fishing vacations.

Los Suenos Resort and Marina, Costa Rica

By now everyone in the world has heard of the great billfishing opportunities out of Los Suenos. The world class fishing is matched by a resort that overlooks no detail in providing an incredible atmosphere. It truly boasts of a whole gamut of activity – one that any captain’s wife would certainly enjoy.

Ashley Bretecher, Executive Director of Marketing and Communications has been with Los Sueños for 16 years. When she started it was to help during the high season only. Ashley left for a year to go to school and decided to come back to stay. Los Suenos is now home to Ashley and her daughter. Here is Ashley’s perspective:

  • What are some of the reasons most people choose to come to Los Suenos? While the reasons vary between guests, most come because they can enjoy the Costa Rican jungle and Pacific Ocean in 5-star luxury, with superior service and amenities. The marina and our fishery have and continue to be the primary driver of real estate sales, given the blue skies, flat calm waters, and supreme bill fishery. We are also known as a premium inshore fishing destination with plentiful roosterfish, cubera snapper, grouper, and amberjack.
  • What about Los Suenos is especially attractive to women? Los Sueños is especially attractive to women because they can enjoy all the same activities that their husbands enjoy, with the benefit of a 5-star resort. There is shopping, medical services, restaurants, chef services, cooking classes, full service spa, golf, fitness facilities, yoga, tennis, beach club, and plenty more. All this in a safe and secure environment. We hear it all the time – they can go out walking or jogging and feel completely safe at all times

Cabo San Lucas, Mexico

Cabo San Lucas is a place full of adventure and wonder. Its desert climate mean lots of sunshine and little rain. The waters surrounding it host a world class striped marlin fishery, with big blues and blacks mixed in. Aside from the fishing, Cabo offers an unmatched quality and diversity of accommodation and activity (dune buggy riding, parasailing, desert camel riding, spa days, drinking margaritas on the beach…you can even take pictures with baby lions!)

If you can’t figure out a good place to grab a cold drink in Cabo, you might have a serious problem. The Marina Cabo San Lucas is a great place to start. Photo courtesy Marina Cabo San Lucas

Darren “Diz” Carey is the General Manager of IGY’s Marina Cabo San Lucas, the 375-slip marina that plays host to sportfishers and megayachts – up to 380’ – from far and wide. A British ex-pat, Diz offers some wise perspective on what a companion/fishing vacation to Cabo might look like. His perspective is delivered charmingly with an understatement, thoughtfulness and wit.

  • What are some of the reasons most people choose to come to Cabo? There are many fishing tournaments in Cabo San Lucas, most notably the Bisbee’s Black and Blue Marlin tournament each October.
  • What about Cabo is especially attractive to women? “Cabo is especially attractive to everyone if you ask me. Cabo has it all –

 shopping from designer brands to the best fakes – you can buy a $10 Rolex or walk down a little ways and pay $25k for the real thing. There are health spas with a large spectrum of services and pricing, 19 luxurious golf courses, restaurants spanning from taco bars to Michelin star chefs,” Carey says. Carey recommends the organic farm to table restaurant “Flora Farms” for a great meal and a good time. Whale watching and turtle hatchling release are must sees if you are there in the right season. There are also secluded beaches with wild horses are in Cabo, yes, this actually exists and it’s free!  Carey reports that there are three stores in the marina that cater to women, even selling the latest in fishing gear.

One of Cabo’s many charms: You never know what you might see. Photo courtesy IGY Marinas

  • What is one thing about Cabo San Lucas that most people do not know? “Though many people are attracted to Cabo for the fishing and the partying, there is also a recent uprise in upscale and high-end restaurants that are getting national acclaim,” Carey reports. Baja has also recently opened its first and only craft brewery, El Toro Baja Brewery. Another surprising fact is that there are many family packages available when visiting Cabo so that the entire family, including the kids can have a wonderful time in this magical place.

The Abaco Islands, Bahamas

There is just so much to do in the Abacos, so many places to go – rent your own boat or grab a ferry and you can do most anything. Everything is right next to each other and you can do something new every day. The main hub is Marsh Harbour, but don’t miss Manowar Cay or Treasure Cay. The most popular spot is Guana where you can join the sportfishing crowd every Sunday at Nipper’s and Grabbers. Visit Pete’s Pub by boat while you’re at it.  You can swim with the pigs on Pig Beach in No Name Cay. The blue marlin fishing in the spring time is the high liner. The Abacos feature lots of canyons and bottom topography with plenty of coverage for tournament fleets.

Kevie Thomas, Rooms Division Director, Abaco Beach Resort & Boat Harbour Marina Marsh Harbour, Abaco, The Bahamas.

Kevie is a local and oh so proud of her Bahamian culture. She provides an insider’s perspective on what a trip to the Abacos, a group is islands and barrier cays in the northern Bahamas, might look like. “I was born and raised here, but I would not want to live anywhere else. Abaco is one big family, everyone knows everyone. It’s just a relaxing great place to live.”

“Don’t leave me on a beautiful beach with a waterfront resort!” said no wife ever. Photo courtesy Abaco Beach Resort

  • What are the reasons most people choose to come to the Abacos? “People choose to come to Abacos first and foremost because of the warm, friendly, kind and loving people. Abaco is also the destination of choice for the boaters because there is so much you can do. We have some of the best deep sea and bone fishing, diving, snorkeling and best beaches in the world. We are surrounded by little Cays each offering something different to explore. The Abacos are so protected that boating is still possible, even on windy days.”
  • What about the Abacos is especially appealing to women? Women like if they do not want to fish on that particular day they can go beaching, island hopping, shopping or visit a very nice restaurant for lunch or just relax by the pool.
  • What is one thing about the Abacos that most people do not know? Abaco has so many unexplored natural resources, like the blue holes, one of the amazing wonders of the world and this island is covered with them.

Key West, Florida

Want an island experience without the need for a passport? Key West provides an excellent fishery for everything from sailfish and wahoo to all manner of snapper and grouper exploits. It is also home to a vibrant hospitality scene, complete with a laid-back atmosphere, plenty of options for having a good time and eating something tasty.

The Oceans Edge Marina provides the fishing facilities necessary to compliment Key West’s full suite of good time attributes.

Brianna Birtles is the marketing director at Oceans Edge Marina in Key West.   “I have been in Key West for six years now, having moved from New York. I was sick of my NY commute and in need of a change. I visited Key West prior to and decided to (do as David Sloane’s book suggests) ‘Quit my job and moved to Key West.’  I had previously worked in both advertising and travel but looked to completely restart and build a career in hotels.” Just 90 miles from Cuba, Key West is the most Southern City in the United States.

  • What are the reasons most people choose to come to Key West? People travel to Key West to enjoy the beautiful, surrounding waters, many water activities, fantastic fishing, the vibrant Cuban culture and many musical influences.
  • What about Key West is especially appealing to women? “Key West has many female fishing enthusiasts that travel here to Key West for tournaments like: That’s What She Shot. Additionally, women travel to Key West for our beautiful scenery, luxurious spas and resorts and lots of fun on Duval!  Key West also has a very close connection to the arts and history.”
  • What is one thing about Key West that most people do not know? Key West once declared war with and succeeded from the US. In the 19th century, Key West was one of the country’s most prosperous cities per capita thanks to its numerous shipwreck treasures. Key West is home to the only living coral barrier reef in the continental US. Last, but certainly not least, Key West is NOT known for our beaches. Due to the surrounding reef system we don’t naturally produce beach.

 

A Mate’s Guide to Social Media – The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

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by Capt. Jen Copeland

In many ways social media is defining the world around us. While skillfully maneuvering the Instagrams and Facebooks of the world can raise the professional profile of your career, posting things inappropriately can ruin your reputation, change the way people look at you, and even get you fired. Captain Jen Copeland provides a thoughtful, insightful breakdown of how sportfishing mates should approach the use of social media. It’s a good read for anyone, if you plan to make your career in sportfishing it is a must read.  – ITB

The Good

Social media provides a unique look inside the world of sportfishing and the many interesting men and women who make up the sportfishing industry. Social media post

s show us what is biting where and allow us to preview new products. Social media—and the information it provides—has dramatically shortened the time necessary to make decisions.

Many participants in the sportfishing industry – top teams, small lure makers, tournaments, and brokerages – capitalize on the “perceived free advertising” Instagram and Facebook provide. Top teams use it for a real-time fishing reports and to track the success of their competitors. What once took captains hours, or even days to hear via the coconut telegraph, now takes only minutes. Most everyone is connected by social media one way or another and it has proven to be a real asset.

“Staying in touch with family and friends while you’re travelling enables more people to be involved in the sport, and everyone gets excited to see fish being caught,” says Captain Jimmy Werling of the Plane Simple. Werling, whose team is a regular on tournament leaderboards, keeps a watchful eye on his competition through social media. “Although I may not be competing with so-and-so this week, I may be the next week. I’m able to track the teams I need to watch out for.”

Of all the professionals surveyed about the subject, not one of them said social media was “bad” for the fishing business itself. In fact, they all agreed it provides a wealth of knowledge and information that is both informative and instantly accessible. But, there must be a down side, right?

Capt. Jimmy Werling

The Bad

While there is no doubt the sportfishing industry has become “instafamous” in the past few years, let’s not forget the possible repercussions from your “professional” posts. What you post can impact your immediate situation and even follow you into the future. Just as social media had made information available at the touch of app, it can also wreak havoc on your career should it not be used responsibly.

Kona Captain Bryan Toney of Marlin Magic says he has only used social media on a professional level for the last year. “I don’t post anything personal, I’ve strayed from that,” Toney says. “It (SM) is a great way to get yourself out there. But if you’re looking to further your career, my advice is to keep it completely professional.” Solid advice from a man who says, “I learned it the hard way.”

Anytime you post, comment or like something, it is a direct reflection on you and your character. Though you may not realize it, this can affect the way people think about you. Six degrees of separation? Possibly. According to Captain Doug Covin of Hatteras team Copper Leader, “I have used several different mates over the last few years, so I’ve used social media many times to do a ’background check’ to see what type of fishing a mate is doing or to see who his friends are.” Covin continues by saying “if a mate posts a lot of pictures of himself at the sandbar, or drinking with his buddies, then that’s very telling.” Very telling, but not in a good, professional way.

Capt. Bryan Toney knows his way around grander blues and social media.

“It’s your resume you’re putting out there,” another captain points out. “Everyday out on the dock is a real-time interview to see how you carry yourself, how your boat looks. With social media, you don’t know who is watching you. It could be your captain, your owner, a future employer – one screw up could ruin your job, or your future – and that’s worth remembering.”

The Ugly

Living in the moment is one thing that makes the charm of sportfishing so alluring. If sportfishing is your chosen career, however, it’s wise to think of your future. In ten years, how do you want to be seen? Impressions do matter and no one is irreplaceable. As Captain Bryan Toney says, “Good mates don’t stay mates, they turn into responsible, respectable captains. And well, good mates with bad habits stay mates – if he’s lucky.”

The Bottom Line: “Could a mate’s indiscretions in social media content affect his career?”

Both Covin and Toney think it could, at least in the short term. Captain Jimmy Werling answered with a definitive, “100% yes.” He explains, “Once it’s out there, it’s always out there. To me, this means when you go to apply for another job, inappropriate posts will come back to haunt you,” he goes on to say. “If your social media profile makes you look like an idiot, then you are an idiot. It can define you, so be aware of what you put out there – it’s there to stay and for all to see.” Werling went on to tell me that his boss’ company has a very strict social media policy for the boat. If he goes to hire a new mate, the company will search the new hire’s social media profile(s) to help determine what type of person they are.

According to another top, competitive tournament captain (who prefers to remain anonymous), “Any future employer has the right to judge you on your social media habits. Most have been usually right when it comes to determining a personality based on your posts. It’s just another network. You must use common sense, and in this business, if you don’t have that, find another career.”

This estimation may sound harsh, but it is a harsh reality. The fact that others may make judgments on your skills or character by what you post on social media should not be a surprise. When it comes to your social media accounts, you put it there, so it’s an open invitation for anyone to “check you out” – private or public.

To  Post or Not to Post?

What is inappropriate? That is a personal decision and one a responsible, mature mate should be able to easily make. Off the high of a stellar fishing day, you may be tempted to post the highlights ASAP. But there are a few factors you may want to consider prior to clicking the share button:

  1. Respect the boss’s wishes and privacy: Having worked for the same family for over 13 years, I can tell you that on more than one occasion the boss has called me to express his annoyance with how my mate had posted our day’s activities. He simply does not want to the general public (i.e. his company employees) knowing his personal business, how he spends his off-time, and more importantly, his toy collection. This is understandable—many private owners want to be private, off the social media grid or incognito. Part of your job is to respect his privacy. Respect himand he will respect you. When in doubt, the man with the gold rules, so it’s best to ask first. Either way you look at it, it’s wise to get your owner’s take on the matter.
  2. Put yourself in your captain’s shoes: It’s hard enough to keep his secrets “secret.” Having his hard work plastered all over your page enlightening your 2,000 followers that all your blue marlin came up on the purple dredge or green squid chain isn’t helping and is hardly acceptable.  While many captains have their own social media agendas, they may prefer to make that decision on their own. Is it your place to make that decision for him? How do you want your mates sharing boat business when it’s time for you to make all the decisions? I thought so.
  3. The future of your career: Choose your posts wisely, with as much common sense as you can muster. Even a private account can easily be shared, so be advised. Posting your Saturday afternoon of dunk-a-roos or pre-tournament rounds of Fireball shots at 6:00am isn’t exactly making you look professional. Broadcasting such activities out there for the world to see certainly isn’t good for your resume. Remember, what happens on the boat, stays on the boat. Anything posted on the interwebs is there forever, and rest assured your next boss is going to have a look at your social media footprint and habits – he’d be a fool not to. Having any individual responsible for his multi-million-dollar operation, not to mention his friends and family, deserves a little past-delving…don’t you agree?

The bottom line is this, and top captains agree: thinking twice always makes you see things differently the second time. If you are committed to this fishing career of yours, regardless whether or not you are part of a private or charter program, it’s always best to err on the side of caution. The days of using social media to make yourself known and speak your mind are over. This “thing” has morphed into a permanent, real life window to your world, so be sure you are ready to have your current, or future employer peering into it.

Master Baiters: Knowing the Difference in Baits

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InTheBite Archives – Oct/Nov 2016 Issue Vol 15, Ed 7.

by Ric Burnley

“For the most part, the playing field is pretty even,” states pro skipper Captain Andy Kubiak, “the one difference is bait.” Dock talk and the internet spread new techniques and tackle like wildfire; secrets don’t stay secrets for long. Today’s professional crews are seasoned, synchronized and sober. So, victory or defeat are determined by the details. “Having the best bait can be difference between winning and losing,” Kubiak insists.

On the Tournament Trail

Captain Andy Kubiak is one of the original bait snobs; “We fished a lot of rigged mullet back in the seventies,” he recalls. At the time, mullet were prepared by removing the backbone and splitting the tail. “Those baits were good for hooked rigs because they were mostly skin without a lot of meat,” he explains.

When dredges hit the scene, Kubiak didn’t like the split tail mullet he was using. “I wanted something that would move better, so I started cutting my own bait.” To insure he was using the best bait available, he manages every step from the time the bait is pulled from the water until it goes into his spread. “Either I catch the bait myself or I rely on a trusted source,” he says. The bait is handled gently and immediately placed into a brine to preserve color and texture. Kubiak looks for bright colors and strong contrasts. “Mullet should have a dark black tail,” he insists, “and ballyhoo should keep the bright yellow tail.” He looks for all the scales in place and clear eyes. “There shouldn’t be a lot of blood or poop in the bag,” he adds.

When it comes time to thaw the bait, he keeps it in the package that he places in a bucket of saltwater. “Never let the bait touch freshwater,” he stresses. Fresh water will suck any salt out of the bait and leave it mushy and dull. Once the bait is thawed, Kubiak places special attention on how it is rigged. “Be sure that the mullet heads are tied up tight with the mouth shut and the bait secured to the rig.” Properly rigged, a mullet should last all day on a dredge. Crews are rigging 200 to 300 mullet and as many ballyhoo for a weekend tournament. “The true test is when I see a half-dozen billfish on my dredge,” he says.

Keep baits on a bait tray with a liberal coat of kosher salt.

Captain Kevin Paul has been a bait snob since birth; he grew up in a high-end seafood market and came to age on a South Florida charter boat. “I knew what it takes to produce the best-quality seafood,” he recalls, “and I expected the same out of my bait.”

Paul controls all stages of the bait process. “Everything matters,” he insists. That includes where the bait is caught. “I demand our mullet come from sandy bottom not muddy bottom,” he points out. He even tracks what time the fish are eating and how long they eat. “Sometimes they eat all day, sometimes they don’t start to feed until 10 am.” This year, he has personally caught all of the Spanish mackerel that he sells. “I’m real proud of my mackerel,” he says, “you’re not going to find better baits.”

Quality bait should have bright color and whole fins. Look for slightly clouded eyes that are free of blood.

Time of year and water conditions also affect the quality of the bait. He adds, “If it is the mating season and the fish are full of roe that can affect how they perform.” For ballyhoo, he looks at how the fish are caught and handled on the boat. “How are the fish dumped and brined on the boat?” he asks.

While he wouldn’t divulge all of his secrets, Paul did let go his brine recipe. He starts with a 150-quart cooler filled with water and adds 80 pounds of Kosher salt and 10 to 15 pounds of baking soda. “The baking soda preserves the color and locks in the scales,” he explains.

Water temperature also affects the bait quality. “Winter baits are great because the fish don’t eat as much in winter,” he admits, “but a really cold winter and the fish will suffer malnutrition.” This results in skinny baits that don’t swim as well. When it comes to ballyhoo and mackerel, he avoids fish that are eating and spawning. “Those fish are pretty much junk,” he laughs.

“Never let bait touch freshwater,” stresses bait aficionado Capt. Andy Kubiak. Freshwater will suck any salt out of the bait and leave it mushy and dull.

From the boat, the bait is packaged, vacuum sealed and flash frozen. Paul distributes the baits to specialty suppliers and discerning crews. “There are only a few bait shops that have a freezer with low enough temperature to keep the bait,” he adds.

Paul suggests keeping mullet frozen through the dredge rigging process. “Take them out of the package and put them in the bait box,” he starts. Handling the bait will soften it enough for rigging.

Once the bait is rigged, it goes back on the bait tray and out of the sun. “If I’m trolling fast for blue marlin, I salt the be-Jesus out of it,” he says. For a slower troll, he uses less salt. “I sprinkle as much salt as I would use on my mashed potatoes,” he says. If his dredge mullets are in good shape, he will reuse them. “Cover them with salt and store on ice,” he suggests. However, if there is any compromise in the bait, he will replace it. “No matter how much salt you can use, you can’t turn chicken shit into chicken salad,” he jokes.

Keep baits cold, out of the sun, and coated with salt before deploying into the spread.

The Northeast Perspective

 While ballyhoo and mullet are just beginning to hit the docks along the Northeast, New England anglers have taken prepping chunk baits to an art form. The center of the action is J and B Bait and Tackle in Niantic, Connecticut where owner Kyle Douton is a bait snob since birth. “When I was in elementary school my dad and I would drive to the distributors and load the pick up with bait,” he reminisces.

Bait snobs know, success depends on the best bait.

Now, Douton gets his bait delivered to the shop, but he’s been known to go the extra mile. During a hot tuna bite last year, a butterfish shortage had him on the road. “We would drive to Manhattan and buy food-quality butterfish,” he says.

When Douton picks up a flat of bunker he looks for bright colors, intact fins, clear eyes and a light coating of frost. On spring tuna trips, he’ll take two or three flats, but by the early fall he’s up to 10 flats of bait. “The water temperature is higher and the night is longer,” he explains, “so we need more bait.” If the day-time chunking bite is hot, he’ll take more flats. He warns, “Some guys are getting bait directly from draggers, but if it isn’t flash frozen it will turn out mushy.” Recently, he’s been adding herring and even sardines to his chunk menu.

When it comes to squid, Douton says the best bet is to catch fresh squid on the fishing grounds. “Use a squid jig or a long-handled, fine-meshed squid net to catch squid that come to the light,” he suggests. Adding a little stream of menhaden chum will bring more squid to the lights. Douton says some crews have even figured out how to catch squid and keep it alive between trips. For swordfish baits, he looks for nine-inch squid that are flash frozen and vacuum-sealed. “Keep the squid frozen until you’re ready to fish,” he suggests, “squid thaws fast because it freezes at a lower temperature.”

The night before the trip, Douton will stack flats of bait on the boat to thaw. “I pull a few of the best looking baits off the top of each flat to rig for hook baits,” he explains. Those premium baits are placed in a freezer bag with a good coating of kosher salt. “I’ve even started keeping the rigged baits in a salty brine to toughen them up,” he adds. From there, the baits go on a bait tray over ice. He stresses, “You want to treat these baits right because you will be handling them.”

The rest of the bait is prepared for chunking. He says that some guys have invested in a meat-grade band saw to cut the frozen flats into manageable sizes. Otherwise, he recommends cutting the 1.5-inch chunks with a mandolin knife. “If I’m fishing for big bluefin, I’ll make bigger chunks and baits,” he adds. He says that it is important that the chunks match the size of the bait, especially when yo-yoing with unweighted chunks.

To distribute the chunks, he recommends a motorized Chum Chucker. “It keeps a steady stream going even when the crew is busy or asleep,” he explains. Other crews use a scoop to launch chunks upstream from the boat. Frozen chunks don’t sink. “I want the chunks to sink at the same rate as the baits,” he explains.

Douton admits handling and prepping bait for chunking is pretty simple. “But it is a big part of the game,” he adds, “so you have to consider how you will store and handle it.” He points out that the best local skippers make the best bait a priority.

Not much debate…

When it comes to bait, only the best will do. Bait snobs know that the best preparation and the most expensive gear won’t make up for bad bait at the end of the line. Captain Kevin Paul puts it this way: “If the bait is right, the crew did their work, and the boss opened his wallet, then there is no excuse for a bad day except bad luck.”

 

Tipping: The Dockmaster’s Viewpoint

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From The Archives

by Jan Fogt

We ran a story on “Tipping While Traveling” and interviewed four well traveled captains to provide their insight on tipping. In response to the article we had several dock attendants and dockmasters comment on the subject and think its fitting to follow up with some of their responses on the subject.

Barbara Roderick, American Yacht Harbor Marina, St Thomas USVI

Dockmaster Barbara Roderick has done it all at the famed American Yacht Harbor marina on St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands, from working the fuel docks to running the store.  One of the busiest marinas in the Caribbean, she was happy to express her own ideas on tips and tipping.

Tom Farlow, Pirate’s Cove Marina Manteo, NC

Tom Farlow oversees one of the most professional marinas in North America – if not the world.  The 195-slip Pirate’s Cove Marina is one of the few marinas with an on site, 24-hour a day dockmaster.  In addition, guests are offered personal business cards with cell numbers from anyone and everyone who takes care of them, from the guy who delivers ice to the attendant helping them fuel.  The marina also offers a concierge service for off site needs and has an offsite marine repair facility to take care of pretty much anything that can befall a boat.  “Our goal is to try and provide anything and everything our guests might need,” says Farlow.

Yvonne Shults, Orange Beach Marina, AL

With 165 slips for boats to 100 or more feet, the Orange Beach (AL) Marina is one of the largest on the Gulf Coast.  Store manager Yvonne Shults however has a way of making boaters and fishermen feel welcome, like they are special guests, which might explain why she too often receives tips.

Q:  Under what circumstances is a tip expected from a captain and or owner? What sorts of tips are customary?

Roderick:  Sometimes I feel like we’re the red-headed stepchild here at Red Hook. I don’t know what it is but for whatever reason, some guys think tipping is not necessary when they come here.  Where do I think it is appropriate?  The fuel dock for sure because those guys are always having to do a lot of running back and forth, delivering carts so the guys can unload their gear, or passing them water and fuel hoses.  In the office, the girls that work really hard for our guests, arranging for rental cars, helping them get reservations, checking on flights and a hundred other tasks and hardly ever get a thank you much less a tip, which would be very nice to see because they always provide good service with a friendly smile.  I’m not saying it has to be a big tip, just something to say we appreciate what you do for us.  As for amounts, for the guys at the fuel dock I’d say something like $5 to $20 is a nice tip for helping with the lines and getting people on and off the boat, or delivering a cart and helping them fuel. It kind of depends how much they do.  And for the guys who deliver heavy batteries and help during oil changes, I don’t think $20 is too much because those are services that are not part of their job description, yet are things they cheerfully do for our guests.

Farlow:  I would estimate the average tip for helping a boat tie up and refuel and to guide them through the paperwork we require – for the first time – is about $20.  Every time an attendant assists a guest it is not usual for them to receive a $5 to $10 tip. For the week, our attendants might receive about $100 in tips. During tournaments, however, the tips would be more because the level of service increases. For instance, it is not unusual for our guys to be delivering ice, newspapers, coffee and biscuit sandwiches at 4 a.m.  And when the boats get in, they are there to wash the boats and tackle and help refuel and do whatever it takes to make sure that boat is on the water fishing the next day.  So normally the tips are bigger, usually in the range of a $100 a day per boat during tournaments.

Shults:  I like to think our guests always tip the dock attendants and employees whenever they go the extra mile like running bags of ice across the marina or staying late to weigh a fish or to fuel a boat.  Those are things we’re always doing.  Even so, tips are not what I would call expected.  It’s always up to the discretion of the customer to do what they think is appropriate.  As to various amounts, I’d say a $1 is a nice gesture if the guys deliver ice.

Q:  Do these circumstances vary between a very large boat of say 70-90 feet and a smaller vessel of 40-55 feet?   Would it be different for someone who had permanent dockage versus a transient?

Roderick:  Not really, although I have to say, we sometimes do get transients in who have no idea how to dock a boat, so the guys end up with hooks and lines maneuvering the boat into the slip because the guy doesn’t know how to.  And while permanent guys usually don’t tip on a day-to-day basis, most of them do try to offer something around Christmas time like a bottle of wine for me, money for the girls in the office or money for the dock guys.

Farlow:  The circumstances don’t vary at our marina between overnight boats and permanent boats, however most of the charter boats at our docks do not routinely tip for services by our staff. I think they probably should, but they don’t as a rule.

Shults:  Size doesn’t really matter. However transients do seem to tip more easily than our permanent guys, I guess because tipping is part of travel.  My experience as store manager is that I don’t really get many tips.  However, sometimes at the end of the year or maybe once or twice a year permanent guests will give a very generous tip for some special service.  For instance, just the other day I stayed late to weigh a 180-pound tuna for one of our fishermen and he gave me a $50 tip for staying an extra hour.  It was a surprise and much appreciated.  Our regulars don’t tip all the time but every now and then they’ll do something totally unexpected like that.

Q:  If a captain or owner fails to offer a tip for extraordinary service, is that something that might come back to haunt them?

Roderick:  Not really. Our guys work really hard and take a lot of pride in offering the people in our marina good service.

Farlow:  Our employees are well trained.  They understand that tips are something that’s a bonus, which is discretionary. They understand service is what is important.  And, that if anyone were to see them acting like they are owed a tip for some service they performed for a customer, they would be disciplined.

Shults:  Not to the extent anyone would ever say anything to a customer.  But I suspect people being human; they might be a little less joyful about providing services you normally would receive a tip for.

Q:  What would you think if someone gave you a T-shirt and hat? 

 Roderick:  T-shirts and hats are a real good one.  Some of our guys even collect them.

Farlow:  T-shirts, hats, sweatshirts and sometimes fish are always well received by our staff.

Shults:  The guys absolutely love it when an owner or captain gives them a logo shirt, hat or jacket.

 Q:  Does your staff appreciate fresh fish as a gratuity? 

Roderick:  We do get a lot of fish and appreciate it.  But a lot of us don’t have freezers and it spoils.

Farlow:  Yes and no.  Fish are plentiful here. Most of our dock attendants fish on their own boats, and consequently, catch fish to eat.

Shults:  Fresh fish is nice.

Q:  What is the best advice you can give someone about making a good impression with your staff at your marina in terms of behavior, treatment, etc.?

 Roderick:  We try our darnedest to treat our boaters and fishermen like good friends and valued customers.  So whenever I see my guys going the extra mile, hauling heavy marine batteries, helping captains with maintenance issues or rolling 5-gallon drums of used oil down the dock, I just think they should be compensated with a nice tip without me having to mention it because the captain didn’t think of it first.

Farlow:  We hand out business cards and welcome packets to everyone who ties up at our marina.  In those packets we try to instill one idea—don’t be shy about asking the dock crew questions or telling them what you need.  Basically we are here to serve and to make our customers feel like welcome guests.

Shults:  More than anything, being courteous is important. Of course tipping is gratefully appreciated if the customer feels they have received exceptional service.  At the same time, when the service is bad, as a manager that’s something I appreciate knowing so we can improve.

So, what have we learned from these interviews?  That no matter what the culture is, tipping is always appreciated and it is of course, always a discretionary act.  So if you do not think a tip is necessary for certain services, don’t tip.  But if you feel like people have taken good care of you, it’s okay to be generous.  It might just come back to haunt you – in a very good way.

The Art of Negotiating a Raise

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From The Archives

By Jan Fogt

After talking to owners and captains about the best way to ask for a raise, we came away with this startling conclusion: most captains rely on their boss’s goodwill to provide cost of living and merit raises even though such raises usually are negotiated upfront in the business world.

Considering the majority of big game captains today manage hard assets costing well over a million dollars we think being licensed sportfishing captain should be considered a professional occupation. Yet few captains and owners see the owner-crew relationship quite that way.

Let me paint you a picture and see if it fits.

You’ve been working on the boat for six years, spending five months out of 12 traveling and fishing tournaments from New Jersey to Mexico.  The boss, well, he seems happy enough.  In the past five years he’s won about $200,000 tournament fishing, which to his credit, he shared with the crew.  But what he hasn’t done is offer a raise. Sure, the tournament money could be considered a bonus and no doubt that’s what the boss is thinking.  But raises are about a job well done. Wouldn’t it be nice to get that feedback along with incremental salary increases?

Since he has had several high profile, big money tournament wins in the five plus years he’s been associated with his current owner, Captain X, as we will call him, pretty much fits the above scenario.“I work for a good guy but because we were in a situation where I did share in tournament winnings, I didn’t get a raise for three years, not until I said something. When I was hired, my boss was one of two partners in the boat. When they split he took sole ownership and the scenario changed from us doing strictly fishing tournaments to more fun fishing with clients and his family and the occasional tournament. Because the potential for my earning extra money fishing the tournaments changed, I did ask for another raise and he agreed.”

While Captain X is grateful his boss agreed, “it bothered me to have to ask. I’ve worked on the boat six years.”  The 19-year-veteran said some owners, he thinks, do take advantage of their crews. “I think they assume that because we love what we do, the job is fun and games and not a serious profession. But if my boss had an employee in his business who worked 12-hours days for months at a time while he was away from home, don’t you think that guy would get a raise.”

With 35 years in the business, Capt. Billy Borer has always received regular pay increases without having to ask, he said. Working for the late Jim Edmiston on the El Zorro he did have one  instance where he renegotiated his pay. “I was hired as the sportfishing captain but after a few months I was also running the mother ship operation so I asked to renegotiate my salary.  After that, Jim was good about jumping me up every year and a half or two but that was more his call than mine, which has been true of the jobs (all of which have lasted five years or more) I’ve had since.”

Then there is the question of what do you do when you are at the top tier of the profession and raises don’t come often, or at all.

Owners of course, have a little different take on the subject.

I try to do right by my crew, said M. Brooks Smith, owner of the 60-foot Bayliss, Uno Mas.  “I not only pay them well, I feed and travel them and pay for their phones and health insurance and I make sure they get their fair share of any prize money we win in tournaments,” he adds.  “Recently, I gave them 100 percent of the prize money we won without me taking out what it cost to fish the tournament and enter the Calcutta. That was my way of giving them a bonus, telling them they did a great job.”

Tournaments are a way for them to supplement their income, said Smith. “Good crews often   will double down their salary with tournament winnings,” he said.

Then there are the intangibles. “Recently one of our crew had a death in his family and I paid for him to fly back to Florida to attend the funeral.  In the meantime I had to hire a fill-in man to fish the tournament.  This was something I offered to do at no loss of pay to him because I don’t see our relationship as employer and employee.  With the closeness of the quarters we share when I’m aboard and the teamwork that goes into catching billfish, it’s almost like an extended family which I guess is why I took my time hiring a captain. You have to find the right people to share your passion and free time with.”

To Smith a bigger issue that annual pay raises should be captains negotiating a severance package should the owner sells the boat.  “Currently, that’s something you only see happening with better owners.”

Frankly, I don’t like it when my captain or crew comes to me asking for a raise, said Adrien Stella.  The real estate developer whose new 68-foot F&S Magic Touch  is based at Club Nautico de San Juan in Puerto Rico, said crew salaries there are somewhat standardized by boat size and the captain’s experience.

Stella has a different way of handling merit raises. “The way I work is like this.  When I hire a captain and crew, I lay it out for them. They know the first six months is a trial period.  After that they are hired at a certain base salary. After two years, if I am happy with their work, they will get a year end bonus based on their performance. In addition, if they are doing a lot of traveling and having to spend time away from home, I reward them accordingly. I also give my crews 20 percent of any tournament winnings. I have a similar type arrangement with the employees in my business,” he adds, “where the bonus system is based on performance. To me, it’s a win win for both of us. The crew has an incentive to work hard because they know there will be a generous reward and I get the best possible service.”  He also provides health care and cost of living raises yet over time, he said, “salaries can only go so high.  After that, it’s all about the bonuses.”

With our program, we do a little bit of everything from entertaining clients on the boat to fun fishing with the family and hard core tournament fishing.

“Trees don’t grow in the clouds,” said Smith. “Just like in business, there is a ceiling.”  I can see an argument for cost of living raises, he said, especially for crews that aren’t fishing and winning tournament money. Smith said while he doesn’t currently have a plan in place for such raises, “we are building a 76-foot Bayliss that should be ready in a year or so.  Because my guys salaries are based on the size and type of the boat, that should take care of the question of them getting a good raise next year.”

How often should you see a pay raise?

Asked how often is often enough for a raise, most of captains we talked to suggested two years as good rule of thumb.

Hawaiian sportfishing captain Jared Dow, 34, started out in the charter boat industry in Kona, where most mates work for a day rate that’s pretty well set in stone, he said.  Even captain’s salaries are pretty much standard, he adds.  Four years ago he relocated to Florida to get some Atlantic fishing experience and to work on bigger boats.  “I’ve had three jobs since I’ve been here, my latest being a one and a half year assignment on the Sierra Hotel, a 63-foot sportfisherman owned by F-15 Top Gun pilot and motivational speaker Jim Murphy.  Although he is satisfied with his present salary, Dow says after two years he will ask for a raise if one is not offered. “The way I see it is the first year is kind of a trial period for the captain and mate and for the owner too. We are all getting used to one another and as a captain, I’m learning the ropes. But after two years if you’re doing a good job, the captain deserves a raise.”  Depending on what they have been earning compared to other crews on comparable size boats, the raise might even be a substantial raise, he adds. “After that, I would think less substantial cost of living raises would be fair on an annual basis,” he adds.

Negotiating Regular Raises

Most including Capt. Billy Borer say they have never negotiated pay or cost of living raises as part of their employment package, however a second Florida-based captain who we’ll call Captain Y, who runs a 68-foot custom sportfisher, said he did successfully negotiate pay raises on his previous assignment.  “After a few years of being on that boat, I sat down with my boss and told him I had a three year plan that outlined my salary goals at the end of that time. I had a written presentation I gave him that justified my salary goals and that resulted in my getting annual raises thereafter. Granted you can reach a ceiling where you aren’t getting 20 or 30 percent raises, but if you are doing a good job and going beyond the call of duty, most owners are going to provide at least cost of living raises.

Similarly, Captain X says although he’s currently is in situation where he has to hope his boss gives him a raise, since he did not discuss cost of living raises going in, “the next time I start a new job I will negotiate a  raise schedule.”  Asked how that might work, he said, “If you have worked for someone two or more years, I think you should get annual raises.”

Laying the Groundwork

Capt. Y says his current boss of five years has been giving him annual bonuses which he attributes to the written updates he sends. “It’s not as self serving as it seems. My boss appreciates me keeping him informed of what’s going on with the boat. My quarterly report includes a list of the jobs we need to do on the boat with an explanation of what jobs my mate and I will do and which ones we need outside services to do. I also provide monthly expense reports. My last job lasted 15 years, which I attribute to the trust and appreciation my boss had for what I do on the boat.”

While I don’t keep records about how or what I do on the boat nor how much money I’m saving the boss doing stuff on the boat, I do keep a maintenance log with notations on who performs the work, what it cost and I also keep a boat calendar of our travel, said Billy Borer. Yet for captains who don’t get regular pay raises, I can see that keeping a log and sending the boss quarterly reports that includes time you spend traveling, is important.  Bottom line, being away from home is a lot more demanding than staying in one place and fishing all the time. And that should be reflected in your salary, he adds.

To Evaluate or Not?

Most captains and owners say they do not do evaluations however Capt. Jared Dow says his boss did sit down and do a person to person evaluation of his work after their first year together that he found very beneficial. “He talked about what he liked about my work and what he thought needed some improvement.  For me it was good to know what he was thinking.”  Another thing his boss does that he finds helpful are morning briefings. “It comes from his military background. We talk about what we’re going to be doing every morning before we go fishing, what everyone’s job is so there is no second guessing. I’m gonna do this on every boat I work on.”

M. Brooks Smith, CEO of inComm, the company that helped pioneer prepaid phone cards and other technologies, says even though employee evaluations are an important management tool for large corporations, I’ve never used the evaluation process in the small businesses I ran. Another reason I’ve not thought of doing an evaluation with my crew is because until recently, I ran my own boat. Having fulltime crew is new to me, said Smith, who seven months ago hired a crew to help him maintain and campaign the Uno Mas.  I will say this, I do try to complement and praise my guys for their hard work because even though we fish together like buddies, they work their butts off.

While I never had a written evaluation per se, said Billy Borer, on the El Zorro we used to have informal meetings every few months to talk about what was working and what could be done better in terms of our procedures and jobs.  In such a close environment, those exchanges were invaluable.  It allowed people to speak freely, which avoided a lot of problems.

When the Raise Doesn’t Come

After a year working as a mate on a private boat in Hawaii, Jared Dow went to the captain and asked for a raise only to be turned down. “After that things got a little awkward between us and I took another job.  If that were to happen to me again and it was a job I really liked I think I would try to talk to my boss about working out an arrangement where in three years time I could get to where I want to be financially. That way it’s not as much of a hardship on him and it is doing right by me.”

Child’s Play: An Expert’s Approach to Fishing with Kids

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Photos and interview conducted by Scott Kerrigan

For those passionate about fishing, ensuring that your kids enjoy time on the water is a very important (some might say life altering) consideration. For those who make a living as charter or private boat captains, creating a kid-friendly fishing environment is that much more important. The difference between creating a lifelong angler and a kid that will never fish again can be something as simple as making sure that the tackle and the target species are age appropriate.

Perhaps no one understands the importance of kid-friendly fishing modifications than Captain Fin Gaddy. Gaddy is not only a full-time charter captain (he runs the Qualifier, a 57-foot Paul Mann based in Manteo, North Carolina), but he is also the father of twin nine-year-old boys, Charles and Brown. Described independently as “the best nine-year-old marlin fishermen in the world,” the twins have benefited from Gaddy’s scientific approach to tackle modification and the never-ceasing quest to create the perfect kid fishing experience.

Beyond the many fish that Charles and Brown have caught in North Carolina and Mexico, the trio traveled to Casa Vieja Lodge to fish on the Rum Line with Captain Chris Sheeder. What follows is an in-depth description of the Gaddy family’s approach along with Sheeder’s steps to helping young anglers learn how to hook and fight their own sailfish. The lessons are applicable to anyone and may be applied to your unique fishing scenario.  – ITB

Where did you get the idea for the tackle modifications for the boys? Can you describe the process of how it has evolved?

Fin Gaddy – “The first time we took the kids offshore, we used our general standup gear that we traditionally use for white marlin fishing, and we did well. We were using a full-sized chair and a Melton Hawaiian sling “youth” bucket harness. We put a cooler and milk crate on the footrest so that their feet would touch.

We quickly found that if a fish went down, the standup rods didn’t offer the length that we needed to clear the corners and stern of the boat. I talked with Drew at Rods By Drew and he made us a batch of 7’ rods with a faster tip so that we had the length to clear the wash boards. Then we had extra notches cut in the hockey sticks of the legs of the chair to be able to bring that footrest closer in.

My wife Nancy was scared about the kids getting pulled out of the boat at their young age, and so was I. If the leader got wrapped around the tip of the rod like what happened with Stewart Campbell, it would be terrible. You know a 45lb kid doesn’t have much resistance to getting yanked out of the boat. The Melton sling also offers a safety loop that we initially tied down tight to the chair. We eventually loosened up the loop as the kids got more comfortable with the weight and the drag being transferred from the reel and the harness. They also needed to be comfortable using their legs.

In Mexico with the rough water, we go for the release by touching the leader and then we put the reel in full and try and go for the tag. It was at that point the Charles learned how to straight leg a fish in the chair with his butt up and off the chair.  This let him work a fish just like the heavy tackle anglers do.

Last year we came down to Guatemala and fished with David Salazar on the Finest Kind. His boat had short 4’6” kids’ standup rods built by Crowder for us to use. This worked out great since the kids tried stand-up our previous winter in Mexico and were now over the chair. These rods were built for kids and were a big improvement over any typical standup rod we had yet tried.

When I got back home I purchased a spread of those rods. These rods turned them into great anglers because the reel is right where it needs to be (approximately 13” from the tip of the reel seat to the butt), the grips are perfect, and this was a huge advantage to my son Brown when he caught two blue marlin standing up un-assisted during the Pirates Cove Billfish Tournament.  I feel he could not have done that had we had those fish on any other type of tackle.”

Can you describe how the tackle modifications help the boys’ fishing, especially as it relates to fighting large fish?

Fin Gaddy – “The reel positioning is key to my kids’ comfort. Butt length is critical, even though they are not clipping into a shoulder harness. It’s all about leverage – if you consider the rod belt as the fulcrum, the longer the rod the more leverage the fish has on you. By decreasing that length, it gets your hand closer to the tip of the rod, giving the angler a mechanical advantage.  We also went with a smaller reel because the kids’ hands are a lot smaller. By using braid, we’re able to use a reel that holds almost 500 yards of 25-pound test in a small package. This makes kids feel comfortable being able to fight larger class fish.”

What are the most important considerations for scaling tackle for youth anglers?

Fin Gaddy – “The biggest thing I’ve noticed is that a lot of times you think that kids can use the tackle that you already have. When not matched properly, tackle really is almost detrimental to their enjoyment. A big rod that is not measured properly for a kid can turn things into an epic struggle. It’s not a matter of simply grabbing the shortest rod in the rod rack either.

There are several dimensions to consider. I tried a couple of rods from another manufacturer that were “youth style” and within one minute my son Brown said the grip is not long enough.  He couldn’t get his hand to where he needed to have it to get comfortable.  We work these things out at home in my man cave and get comfortable applying pressure to simulate the fighting of a fish.

The results of this research were proven recently while fishing at home. Brown caught a yellowfin and pushed the reel to full drag, catching a 45-pound tuna in no time. It was quite impressive on a fish that had 175-yards of line out on the first run. He made short work of that fish—that would make some adults crumble– using properly fitting tackle.

One thing to consider about these kids’ stand up rods is how they fit in the standard rod holder in the covering board of a boat. These are too deep for these rods so the reel ends up landing on the washboard. Using a gimbal lifter/spacer, whether it is from Melton or Solo Marine, enables the reel to ride up off the washboard. Not only is this set up more convenient for the mate, but we can to use the equipment without tearing things up.”

Are there any modifications that are not on the market, that you would like to be able to do?

Fin Gaddy – “Right now, I’m looking at the youth spinning rods I have. While watching my sons fight a fish, I feel like the reel is a little further away from the gimbal than I would like. Even though I think it is a great set up, I feel like cutting it down to shorten the butt and lower the reel.  Then again, at this age they are growing so rapidly that I might cut it down, and turn around and find that they just outgrew what I modified.  I’m very happy with the Crowder rods as an over the counter choice since they seem to be a quality rod and are relatively inexpensive at around $140 per rod.”

When describing their experience in Guatemala, Gaddy raved about the laidback, thorough approach of Captain Chris Sheeder. Beyond the fact that Sheeder is genuinely a hell of a nice guy and that his laid-back nature belies the fact that he grew up in Hawaii, Sheeder is really, really good at his craft. Beyond the importance of catching fish, there is no substitute for a patient captain and crew. When fishing with youngsters, teaching is important and there is no place for yelling about missed fish.

What do you do on the Rum Line to help junior anglers catch fish and enjoy the experience?

Captain Chris Sheeder – “Some of the obvious stuff, like Fin is using, is the shorter rod.  This creates less leverage along with 16-pound test line lets us fish lighter drag. Both of these make it easier for the kids. Almost every youngster that comes on board wants to learn how to bait and switch. To help teach them, we will take all the bait out of the water. By just pulling teasers, we end up with less fish behind the boat. However, the fish that we do tease in will be a much more aggressive fish.

I’ll slow the boat down, we tease the fish to the boat. We let the kids hook the fish ten feet behind the transom. This makes it much more of a visual game for them. They actually get to see the bite, see what the fish does, and see the fish swim off with their bait.  The kids get much more of an idea of what goes on during that bite so that later on, when we do things at full speed, and they play with one using just feel while knowing exactly what’s going on.  If we do this 20 or 30 times, they are ahead of the game and the progression is much quicker.”

Fin provides a bit more context to the benefits of Sheeder’s approach, “Another advantage to slowing the boat down is that there will be less prop wash. This allows the fish to see the bait better, creating a slower, less aggressive bite. All of this creates an easier drop back for the kids,”

No Kidding…

 Whether for charter guests or sportfishing professionals, creating an environment that helps kids enjoy fishing is important. Fin Gaddy provides context, “Fishing has always been my comfort zone. So taking the kids fishing, for me, has always been a huge part of my life. It’s what my father did with me and I want to be able to do it with them as much as possible. They seem to enjoy it and it’s what works for us, giving me the chance to spend time with my kids.” Quality family time while fishing, it is possible.

 

Swinging The Steel– Time To Take The Shot

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by Jarad “Dingo” Boshammer

Modern sportfishing places an incredible emphasis on catch and release. While this is great for the sport and for the future of the oceans, it results in a lack of experience when it comes to boating big fish. The lack of experience wrangling sea monsters is problematic for crews, especially those fishing big money, big fish tournaments. Few people in the world have more expertise in this department than Jarad “Dingo” Boshammer. Dingo’s approach is both thorough and analytical, a must read for any captain or mate.

Even for the most experienced crew, taking a big fish is a challenge. For those lacking experience this is a daunting situation. More fish are lost boat side due to lack of experience than anywhere else. Losing fish can result from tackle failure, lack of preparation, buck fever, poor communication or bad driving. As it can be difficult to gain the experience needed to secure a giant fish boat side without practice, the following is an account of the approach, techniques and materials needed to harvest a large marlin.

There are so many stories of an inexperienced gaff man freezing at the sight of a huge fish. Even for the experienced fisherman, there are situations never seen or heard of before. Consider this: recently a very large fish was lost even after being stuck with four 10” flying gaffs. Two were straightened, the other two tore out. It’s hard to imagine losing a fish with four 10” re-enforced gaffs, but this illustrates two things: the expertise needed to subdue large marlin and the power of the animals involved.

There are many variables that come into play when it is time to swing the steel. Many things must go right. Pictured are Bo Jennins on the leader with Jason Holt wielding the gaff aboard the Allure captained by Darren “Biggles” Haden. (Photo courtesy Dean Butler)

Gaff Layout and Design

I prefer to use half-inch rope spliced to the gaff with the bitter end tied in a bowline to the chair stanchion. It is best to avoid shackles. If you must use them, use the largest shackles possible and change them every year. I’ve heard too many stories of giant fish lost because of shackles exploding. Worse than fish lost are the tales of crewmen nearly being decapitated as the remains fly past. The fewer connections and less hardware used eliminate much potential risk.

As for the gaff itself, conical-shaped points are ideal. Avoid gaffs with a cutting edge on the inside of the point. Barbs are very important. A flapper barb that will lay flat when penetrating, but has enough flare to open when the gaff is in is ideal. The shape of a gaff head is critical. There should be recurve and the tip can open out a little, creating the appropriate angle for initial contact.

So long as the gaff is composed of tempered, re-enforced stainless steel, there is no need for any gaff head with a gap greater than 10-inches (a 12” gaff head is too heavy). Gaff size should match the fish. Below 500-pounds, 8-inch heads are fine (a six-inch head may even be sufficient). Otherwise you run the risk of the gaff being too large passing all the way through the fish. A fish thrashing next to the boat with an exposed gaff head can wreak havoc, destroying the side of your boat. Small-gapped gaffs also come in handy for tail shots where a larger gap would only cradle the fish and slide off.

Flying Gaff Set Up:

The eye of the gaff head should be on the same side of the pole as the point. Aligning the direction of pull with the gaff point avoids tearing and increases penetration. Lubrication (grease or Vaseline) is important for where the gaff head mounts to the pole. Corrosion or a sticky connection prevent smooth deployment.

Skateboard grip tape—similar to 80-grit sandpaper— provides grip for the pole. Electrical tape or zip-ties are ideal for rope-to-pole connection by the handle. Test this connection to know how much pressure is required to break the rope free. Pull the rope as tightly as possible, removing stretch—before attaching it. The gaff head should only disengage from the pole when the connections are broken. After gaffing the fish, the wire man should manually break the connections to release the pole. The connection needs to be strong enough to keep the head in place during the gaffing, not so strong that it cannot be manually broken once the fish is gaffed.

The Blue Dog record fishes extensively. From heavy tackle to fly, they are ready for any situation. Pictured is a display of some, but not all, of their gaff arsenal. (Photo courtesy Dean Butler)

The poles on flying gaffs are designed to break free, allowing you to cleat the gaff line to cleat effectively and prevent crew from being beaten by a thrashing fish. The gaff head sits in a slot at the top of the pole. It is the strength of the gaff rope’s attachment to the pole that determines the force necessary for the head to depart from the pole.

To ensure that the head does not fall out prematurely, you should stretch the rope as tightly as possible down the length of the pole. At the base of the pole, there is an indentation. Run the rope through this groove and up the other side. This should be done as tightly as possible, as taut as a bow string. Then use a zip tie or electrical tape to set the connection.

You can test the breaking strength by pulling the rope. Applying additional zip ties or more tape increases the strength of the connection. You need to know how much force is necessary to break the connection. The gaff needs to be attached firmly enough not to disengage prematurely, but you should be able to break the connection to release the pole once the fish is gaffed.

Tying the rope to the gaff pole or adding too many ties/tape connections can prevent you from being able to break the gaff rope from the pole. The poles should float and be painted in a bright visible color (white or yellow work well) so they can be found in the ocean after boating the fish.

Measuring and Securing the Line:

IGFA rules state that the gaff should not exceed the length of eight-feet. The maximum allowance for rope is a length of 30-feet. Does this mean that more rope is better? Absolutely not! Rather than keeping 30-feet of tether, it is much better to use as little rope as necessary to get the job done. Keeping a short leash also decreases the chance of standing in a loop of rope!

The rope should be just long enough to permit the gaff man full reach in all four corners of the cockpit. To measure the distance, lay the rope in a straight line along the deck to the hull sides and then up. Leave a bit of a belly in the rope when measuring to the furthest possible gaff scenarios, but not enough to leave a loop on the deck. Once the gaff is deployed, this measurement leaves enough rope to be taken to the cleat, but not enough for the fish to get its head down in the blue water.

Captain Dave Cassar illustrates the proper method for setting up and measuring the flying gaff aboard his Bermagui, Australia-based Slammer. The gaff head of the flyer must be attached to the gaff pole firmly enough so that it does not deploy prematurely. (Photo courtesy Josh McCue)

The less rope you deploy, the sooner the fish’s head can be cleared from the water. It is truly amazing how much power a big marlin has when it gets its head. With an eye full of bluewater fish seem to have much more confidence and drive to get away. A fish cleated short can still thrash but has far less traction. Short ropes also ease the deployment more gaffs.

The chair or rocket launcher stanchion in the middle of the cockpit is the safest place to secure the gaff rope to. It is very dangerous to secure the gaff line to a cleat on the hull sides because body parts are far too easily trapped between the rope and gunwales. This is a dangerous proposition.

Cockpit Layout and the Tools of the Trade

The gaff man needs to be ready for the battle to go down anywhere. Gaff, meat hook or bat should ideally be within reach from either side of the cockpit. I generally have at least four gaffs to suit any scenario, two meat hooks with enough rope to reach the cleat and two solid bats.

Hollow alloy bats don’t have enough weight to finish the job quickly, but solid wood is a good option. Meat hooks should have rope just enough to reach the cleats or block and tackle. They should be hung on the arm rest either side of the chair or someplace similar.

Within arm’s reach away is always the best scenario – you should never have to go searching after the fact. Gaffs should be laid on the deck unless you are in rough conditions with lots of water. During the fight, it may be best to hang them from the tower legs or bridge rail if they are at risk of washing around. Know what works before getting in a situation with poor organization.

(Photo courtesy Josh McCue)

Boat Handling: Setting Up the Shot

Blue marlin have a tendency to swim with the boat, making switch back moves across the transom. Avoid letting the fish swim up the side of the boat, past square of the transom – anticipate moves like these. Once a fish has been beaten, slide it up the side on a short leash and break the head from the water.

Black marlin have a tendency to swim away from the boat and generally be taken in reverse. Driving past the fish, putting it off the corner, can set up an ideal shot. The captain should then keep the boat in gear until the gaff goes in, utilizing tactical driving to relieve some gaff pressure without letting the fish get its head down. Use the outside engine and some wheel to avoid propping the fish.

Some aggressive captains will nearly runover a hot fish to get close enough for the shot. Often, as the gap closes, the fish will make a move into the sea. The chase then becomes an aggressive charge into the ocean taking waves. Never remove sunglasses and make sure there is nothing loose on the deck in these situations. Be mindful, however, that large seas and wind can wash the boat over the fish.

(Photo courtesy Josh McCue)

Tactical driving – putting the boat up sea of a fish that wants to go away from the boat trying to get it to swim down sea – is a good move. A fish leading with the boat going down sea is ideal. The boat will tend to coast down sea on a large swell. This may cause the wireman to get stretched out until the swell has passed.

Gaffing: Techniques and General Rules

Ideally the gaff man should stand behind and to the side of a wire man. When reaching for a gaff shot, avoid going over the leader. Be positioned on the tail side of the leader.

The ideal target for gaff placement is the shoulder. A shoulder gaff shot should be close enough to the head to gain control and lead a fish. The years I’ve spent flyfishing for world records with stick gaffs have illustrated that the tail is also a great spot if this is your only shot. A shot aft of the anal fin can restrict locomotion, allowing you to lift the tail out of the water. This removes propulsion so long as you can survive the beating and the gaff has enough penetration to hold and not tear off.

As the fish comes into range, the gaff man should slide into the corner for greatest reach. Even once the fish has been gaffed, the wireman should never let go of the leader. The leader is a useful tool for gaining control and lifting the fish – especially if the gaff tears out.

Once the first gaff finds its mark, the gaff man should manually break the connections that hold the rope to the gaff pole. Once the pole is detached, he should cleat the rope immediately and reach for the next gaff. When cleating the fish, if it is too dangerous to figure eight, take the rope in a circle around the cleat three times or more. If the fish comes super tight on the end of a gaff rope before it is cleated, sitting on the rope can help add some spring and also help lifting the fish. Otherwise there is great risk of tearing the gaff out with little stretch and forgiveness.

If you’ve got the fish stuck with one gaff and the leader breaks or the hook pulls, the wire man should pick up another gaff and join in. Where necessary the captain can drive the boat and relieve pressure from the gaff lines.

Taking the Shot and Dispatching the Beast

The approaches to tagging and gaffing fish are monumentally different. Getting close enough to a large fish for a gaff shot requires tactical driving and communication with the wireman as to what is happening. When the shot presents itself, the gaff man has to be ready and able to anticipate the fish’s next move.

Sometimes the best approach involves waiting just a moment longer for the right shot to materialize. Be careful, however, if you wait too long and the hook pulls the blame for lost fish is usually awarded to the gaff man – especially if the fish could have been gaffed. There are several indicators that aid in anticipating your quarry’s next move. Use the angle of the leader to indicate where the fish is for a deep shot or where the fish will pop up. Captains need to avoid the center of the transom, putting the fish off the corner for a good shot.

When preparing for the shot, be mindful of which side the side of the gaff line you stand on. Once the gaff goes in, the rope can come tight awfully fast. Getting caught in a loose loop of rope is extremely dangerous.

When taking the shot, the wire man must avoid getting straight-armed. Timing the swells with the boat and leader is crucial for the shot. Swinging the gaff like an axe is not the best approach, nor is awkwardly turning the gaff upside down and trying to snag the fish from underneath.

Captain Corey Hard and the Mauna Lea pictured with a brute of a fish jumping boat side after being struck with the flying gaff. This fish escaped capture. Even for experienced crews with all of the right equipment, the end game on a big fish is far from certain. (Photo courtesy Dean Butler)

When the time comes, look for your blue patch. Maintain eye contact on the exact location you wish to engage with the gaff in the same way you’d keep your eye on the ball in baseball or football. Taking into account the drag and water resistance, envision the angle the gaff needs to be for the moment of contact. Allow for water pressure, reach over the fish and pull the gaff until it comes tight. Make sure the point penetrates past the barb. If the head is not tight enough to the pole this is where it can detach prematurely.

Once the head deploys, go for the cleat. When the beast is cleated as short as possible, take a meat hook and drive it in the soft tissue of the lower jaw from outside in. Take a half hitch on the bill, cleat the rope off short.

Next crack the fish directly between the eyes. One blow is all that is necessary if done correctly. Cracking the fish on the side of the head is not efficient and can cause it to get pissed off. Gaffs can cause the fish to roll over and not allow correct angle for a good blow. Re-cleat if necessary and try for a better angle. Long bats are dangerous and can take out fellow crew with careless swings.

Once the fish is finished remove one rope at a time and pass through the door. Often gaff heads get caught when coming through the door. Pay attention and slide the fish in. Tape the jaw closed so that it won’t dump its stomach contents when being weighed.

Conclusion

When it’s time to seal the deal, keep it real and swing the steel! That said, there’s more to it than meets the eye. Safety is paramount – never underestimate the strength of a large fish, especially when it is boat side and angry. Approaching the end game undermanned, under gunned or ill-prepared can cost you a million-dollar fish or much worse.

Setting Up and Using Game Chairs

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Setting Up and Using Game Chairs: An InTheBite Archive –
by Captain Geoff Lamond, New Zealand Gamefishing

This article first appeared in our July/August 2016 issue Volume 15 Edition 4 of InTheBite The Professionals’ Sportfishing Magazine.

Any time I have a new angler or guest on board I always have them measured up and made familiar with correct chair fishing techniques. Setting up and using game or fighting chairs correctly can make a huge difference to the angler’s comfort, efficiency and overall enjoyment when tackling larger gamefish.

I find many anglers seem to become a little intimidated by game chairs, especially when the heavier 130-pound tackle is introduced for the more serious New Zealand gamefish such as swordfish and the west coast bluefin. In my view, a game chair is an essential tool if you’re serious about catching these bigger fish. Sure, stand-up fishing has its place amongst good anglers and it can also be a lot of fun, but if you’re serious about taking on these bigger fish, a decent game chair is a must – especially at night or in rough sea conditions.

I’ve seen a few chairs around the New Zealand game fishing scene that certainly don’t look to functional and I can only begin to imagine what an uncomfortable and unenjoyable experience it would be for any angler fighting a decent fish. A game chair’s positioning, variation in settings and overall strength will obviously have a major influence on fish fighting effectiveness. Faults in the game chair setup can cause anything from prolonged fighting times, unnecessarily wearing out anglers or worse still losing a fish of a lifetime.

The major advantage of well setup game chairs over standup techniques is that it allows better use of all major muscle groups in fishing a fish, especially the strongest muscle group – the leg muscles. Also, with a well-balanced technique and good bucket harness, there will be less fatigue on the angler during prolonged fights. It is important, however, to understand that your chair needs to be set up and used correctly from the start.

This photo illustrates the proper foot placement on the footrest, hand positioning on the reel, and the use of the bucket harness to create the torque necessary for exerting force on a fish.

Positioning and Mounting the Chair

Firstly, all game chairs need to be situated in the center of the cockpit. Some game chairs around the New Zealand game fishing scene are situated off center, situated to one side of the cockpit. This is basically some bright spark’s idea to get the game chair and angler closer to the covering board or cockpit corner on more “beamier” boats. This all sounds great in theory until a fish needs to be fought in the opposite corner or “run down” on the side where the chair is furthest from.

From a driving perspective, you can usually get away with this on striped marlin or medium to small fish. But with the larger game fish such blue or black marlin, bluefin tuna and swordfish, who can all have deep fighting characteristics, your chair needs to be situated in the center of the cockpit to enable the rod tip and line to clear all corners, covering boards and rigger halyards at any time during the fight.

On more “beamier” boats, where it can be difficult for the line to clear the cockpit corners and covering boards during deep fights, an apparatus known as “goose-neck” or offset stanchion can be utilized rather than the conventional straight stanchion. This “goose-neck” allows the chair to be swiveled closer to the side or corner where the fish is situated and keep the line clear at all times during the fight.

In 2005 a mechanical stanchion was devised and approved by the IGFA that also allowed the chair to be maneuvered or swiveled to the corners. This is a pretty expensive option that may not be practical for too many New Zealanders, but it’s just another example of ensuring the line is clear of the corners at all times.

Having the rod tip and the line clear of the corners at all times can certainly make driving on fish substantially easier and reduce fishing times by up to 25% on deep fighting fish. Not only that but it can also substantially reduce the likelihood of breaking off a fish of a lifetime in the side of the boat…enough said.

When correctly fitted into the fighting chair, the angler should feel balanced and comfortable. “I generally like to teach people to ‘stand up’ with straight legs in the chair while fighting fish,” says Capt. Geoff Lamond.

A game chair’s strength is something that needs to be attended to or considered especially when heavier 130-pound tackle is used. We’ve all heard, and some unlucky ones have experienced, hard luck stories involving chairs that haven’t stood up to the rigors of a prolonged fight. In some cases these little episodes have caused anything form an inconvenience to disqualification of tournament or record fish through to worst case scenario…losing the fish altogether.

The ideal situation and strongest link is to have the chairs stanchion go right through the deck, connected to the vessel’s hull rather than just through-bolted onto the cockpit’s deck. Sound excessive? Well, it’s certainly a must if your using heavy tackle consistently and it’s one of the first things professional captains look at (in the cockpit) in heavy tackle fisheries overseas.

There’s a huge amount of weight and leverage applied from big chair rods. If the chair’s foundation isn’t secure, wear and tear will certainly occur over time. Breakages usually occur when you need the chair the most. This may not be practical for some New Zealand vessels, especially trailer boats. But having a strong base for our chair’s stanchion is something that needs special attention if you’re serious about taking on big fish on heavy tackle.

Other pressure points on the chair include the top of the stanchion and base of the chair, the footrest and the gimbal. Without getting into too much detail, it’s just important to ensure that all the pins, welds, nuts and bolts and base plates are more than adequate for the job intended – preferably before you hook that fish of a lifetime! Any weak points on your chair system will certainly show themselves over time.

Adjusting the Chair to the Angler

Having the ability to alter the gimbal height and the footrest height and length is vitally important to the overall effectiveness of your chair. Anglers have different proportions, rods have differing butt lengths and of course settings will alter depending on the size of the tackle you prefer. It’s important to be able to alter the settings to suit tackle ranging 50- to 130-pound and to suit anglers from a child through to a front row forward (offensive tackle). If your chair is set up correctly, all anglers should feel balanced and comfortable with any sized tackle they choose.

In my opinion many of the New Zealand-constructed chairs don’t have enough variance in the height of the footrest. The footrest is the most important part of the whole chair system, as this is where anglers gain their strength. The height or angle of the footrest will depend on size of the tackle used, angling technique preferred and the overall fitness of the angler.

Here you can see the bucket harness situated correctly under the late Don Tyson’s backside.

I generally like to teach people to ‘stand up’ with straight legs in the chair while fishing fish. It’s important to be able drop the footrest right down, making it easier for the angler to stand-up. Obviously this may alter with the heavier tackle you use, as there’s more leverage from 130-pound tackle than 50-pound. It’s important to find a height where the angler feels most comfortable and balanced— and no this doesn’t mean sitting flat on their backside.

If the footrest height is too high the angler will never ‘stand up’ in the chair in a hundred years: basically wearing themselves out twice as quickly. If it’s too low the angler may feel like they’re over balancing and getting pulled out of the boat. It’s important to find the happy medium.

Generally I like to keep the footrest as low as comfortably possible and have the anglers ‘stand up’ and remain balanced. This way they can use their body weight to exert ‘pull’ through the rod tip. This technique is much better than sitting on their backsides, pulling with their arms while wasting valuable energy.

As far as the footrest length is concerned, it’s pretty straightforward and the same rule is generally used for all anglers and all tackle sizes. Generally I like to have the top of the angler’s calf resting on the chairs leading edge. It doesn’t matter how big or small the angler is, this length generally provides a good pivoting length.

Some chairs seem to have sharp leading edges that can at times dig into the angler’s calf muscles, especially during prolonged fights. Ideally chairs with rounded edges are preferred for this reason. If discomfort occurs during a long fight, sometimes a towel or some sort of padding can help the situation, but generally the better chairs on the market will have their leading edges smoothed or rounded off.

As far as the gimbal height is concerned, this is basically dependent on size of tackle and length of the rod butt. Obviously, the reel and handle needs to clear the angler’s thighs, but not so high that is compromises any leverage and the ability for the angler to ‘stand up’ on the footrest.

When the angler is in the standing position and the reel handle is at the bottom of the urn, the angler should never feel like they are reaching or dipping every time they rotate the handle. Obviously this will once again waste precious energy during long fights. The correct gimbal height is where the angler can rotate the handle comfortable, without reaching or dipping while ‘standing up’ on the footrest.

Harnesses

There are plenty of differing harnesses around the New Zealand game fishing scene – some good and some not so good for chair fishing. Harnesses from the old classic over the shoulder trick through to kidney belts and even stand-up harnesses seem to get used on occasions. Generally none of these are that suitable for using a chair effectively, and anglers certainly struggle with standing up on the footrest.

Catch and release, pitch baiting and lighter tackle have all contributed to the increase in “stand up” fishing. Several harnesses and fishing belts are available for stand up applications. Here’s a mid to lower body harness.

The most suitable harness for chair fishing is the bucket harness. The bucket harness sits under the angler’s backside and gives them the opportunity to stand in the chair and use their own body weight and leg muscles to pull back on the rod tip. This is obviously more energy efficient rather than pulling on the rod and rest with your arms and upper body. Purchasing a decent bucket harness is maybe something fishermen should consider if they’re serious about fishing fish from a chair.

Technique

A big no-no many anglers seem to consistently do is have their left hand on the rod’s fore grip. Correct chair fishing technique is having your left hand resting on top of the reel. Having the angler rest their hand on top of the reel keeps their shoulders square and body weight more balanced rather than reaching too far forward, especially while in the ‘standing’ position. Placing your left hand on top of the reel also lets the angler guide the line back onto the reel and on the rare occasions when the main line breaks under stress, the reel won’t come back and hit the angler in the chest. This is especially important on heavy tackle such as 130-pound when drag settings are much higher.

Another chair fishing technique is the ‘sliding’ technique that differs slightly from the ‘standing’ technique. Basically, rather than standing and gathering line and using your body wait to pull back on the rod tip, the angler bends his knees and slides forward in the chair to gather line and then pushes back with their legs to pull back on the rod tip. Sometimes liquid soap can help the angler slide easier and make the whole process smoother.

Here’s an example of a shoulder harness. We recommend trying different types of harnesses until finding the one that is most comfortable.

As I’ve already mentioned, I generally prefer anglers to use the standing technique, but good anglers will integrate the two as both techniques have advantages at different stages of a long fight, i.e. gathering line quickly or putting plenty of weight over the rod tip. Whatever technique you prefer, it’s important to remain balanced, comfortable and use your legs rather than your upper body to fight the fish.

The positioning of the angler’s feet on the footrest is something that is very subtle but probably the most important aspect for increasing pull or weight through the rod tip. The angler should also have his feet spread on the footrest to provide a good base. If the angler can raise or lower his feet on the footrest it can make a huge difference in the amount of leverage through the rod tip. Subtle changes of a couple of inches can make all the differences at times. Good anglers will be constantly raising or lowering their feet positioning to compensate the angle of pull.

Basically, if the angler feels as if they’re over-balancing they should lift their feet up a touch and if they feel as if they can’t stand in the chair they should drop their feet positioning slightly. Remembering subtle movements are all that is required but the angler should always be trying to find the right pivot or balance point.

Conclusion

There are currently a wide variety of game chairs available on the market today. As with a lot of products you certainly get what you pay for. Some of the cheaper options available seem to become more of a hindrance rather than aide for catching bigger fish. More expensive overseas designed options such as Murray Brothers and Reelax chairs certainly spring to mind as popular options used in many of the world’s fishing hotspots.

As long as a good quality chair is set up correctly and good technique is used, your game chair can be become an essential, enjoyable and useful tool. This is especially true for the larger New Zealand species of blues, blacks, swordfish and the west coast bluefin tuna. Anyone and everyone should be able to fish 80 to 130 pound effectively from a chair if it’s set up right from the start.

Have you seen our latest DOCK TALK With Tom Ackle, President of BlueWater Chairs? 

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