Challenge: Landing a Really Big Fish

[barnakiel]

The best procedure is not to land. Just let it go and get a smaller fish. I hate Mahi because they do not fight. So what I get afterwards is just pangs of consciousness for exhausting, hurting and frightening such a beautiful animal.

BTW - what is the best procedure to un-hook a fish with minimal damage (to the fish)? Should I just cut of the nylon?

b.

[zeehag]

Originally Posted by barnakiel

The best procedure is not to land. Just let it go and get a smaller fish. I hate Mahi because they do not fight. So what I get afterwards is just pangs of consciousness for exhausting, hurting and frightening such a beautiful animal.

BTW - what is the best procedure to un-hook a fish with minimal damage (to the fish)? Should I just cut of the nylon?

b.

dorado dont fight but they plane nicely and taste awesome lol.they are beautiful arent they!!!.....i love fishing off the sailboat--trolling rocks......makes for wonderful dinners

[hellosailor]

Well, a bang stick will kill it and tenderize it all in one shot. Any dive shop should carry them. A 6-8 foot long pole with a 10/12g shotgun shell blank at the business end, designed to concuss a shark. Doesn't shoot any bullets or slugs--just hits with concussion on contact.

Then there's the old two-buck machete, one chop behind the head should be able to reach and severe the spine on most fish, if you don't mind having a sharp object near your legs.

Either way, I've always believed in a quick clean kill as being an obligation.

[barnakiel]

Originally Posted by hellosailor

1) ... a 6-8 foot long pole with a 10/12g shotgun shell blank at the business end, designed to concuss a shark...

2) ... either way, I've always believed in a quick clean kill as being an obligation...

1) Why sharks? I have sailed and seen very few! Where do you live/sail that you need such radical 'weapons' against them?

2) OK. As long as we fish for food, not for fun.

b.

[hellosailor]

A bangstick is standard protection for commercial divers who plan to operate in shark-infested waters. Optional for sport divers who really don't care to play "Trust me?" with anything that has bigger teeth than they do.

Hey, you're either predator or prey. While PETA might argue otherwise, they're just prey. Google "Sea kittens" for a good laugh.

[SurferShane]

Awesome post!

This morning I re-spooled my Daiwa lever drag with 15 kg hoping I might hook up on something similar in the near future.

From my experience the best way to deal with such fish is once the hook is set, let them have line so they exhaust themselves. That is, use light/moderate drag and just let them run till they have had enough. I even do the same spearfishing and let the fish run around while keeping an eye out for sharks. The last thing you want to do is use force prematurely and have the spear tear out.

I have never caught Mahi Mahi, but find this works with most other species. In some cases if you lock the drag up, some fish like the athletic specimen in question will actually fight a lot harder and even get dirty heading for snags etc. (I.E. – don’t panic). The only fish I have found it difficult to exhaust are sharks.

The problem with this technique is you don’t want to be using your smallest reel as you will get more than a bit anxious as all your line disappears out to sea. This is also why game fishing reels hold up to 1000 m of the class of line.

Another thing is to just practise your gaffing. Again, don’t try to bring the fish on board “green”. Instead, let it go for the last couple of death runs. If you really wanted to get serious you could invest in a flying gaff, which is one with a detachable head connected to some serious rope. In my experience though, you don’t need that big a gaff to land the size of fish you describe. In fact, one of my most embarrassing experiences was trying to use a gaff that was far too big.


Once you get a fish onboard best move is to spike it through the brain – just behind the eye. This is also a technique for stopping the flesh tensing. Some bloody/meaty fish will eat better if you also cut their throats. Not much you can do about the blood except maybe join Greenpeace and become a vego.


Now all I have to do is heed my own advice and get the BBQ primed!

[Curmudgeon]

I won't eat Mahi Mahi because they are one of the few fishes whose fat is bad for you-- high in bad cholesterol. It's worse than eating beef or pork.

[Canibul]

I won't eat Mahi mahi because it doesn't exist here. I sure like the rainbow dolphin, though.