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Sometimes big
fish seem destined to get away. The angler and crew do everything
right, and bad luck can still rear its nasty head to deprive them of
a great prize.
But more
often, "luck" is made when the fisherman commits some error. He may
not even recognize the mistake that costs the catch of the day — or
a lifetime. Chances are, however, an experienced charter skipper
will; he's likely seen it all before, probably far too many times. |
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No doubt
novices cause the most ulcers for skippers, but fishermen who live
in glass bait houses shouldn't throw stones: Even an experienced
angler will screw up at some time when a good fish is at stake —
most of us have.
And isn't it
one of Mr. Murphy's many corollaries that states that the
bigger/more prized your fish, the more likely you are to make that
amateurish blunder?
One way to
avoid committing any of these deadly sins is to know them — to
recognize, understand, remember them. I decided to get a handle on
which fish-expropriating goofs are the most common and egregious. So
I asked 18 top captains, near and far, who fish everything from
seatrout to black marlin, "What mistake(s) do your anglers most
often make that cost them trophy fish?" Or, I added, put another
way: "What inevitably runs through your head when you see an angler
hooked up to a great fish, and you think, Now, I just hope he/she
doesn't ____________"?
The results
are described below. Read 'em and heed 'em. Remembering these
actions, especially in the heat of battle, can help you steer clear
of showing your expertise at losing a trophy catch.
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Let Your Line Go Slack
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Let Your Line Get Tip-Wrapped
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Don't Keep Steady Pressure on the Fish
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Don't Follow Your Fish
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Be Unprepared or Ineffective at the Strike
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Fail to Rely on your reel's Drag or use it improperly
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Using Your Own Rigs/Tackle When that's Not up to the Job
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Screw Around with a Rod Belt or Harness Midfight
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Horse Your Trophy When It's Near the Boat
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Don't Stay Focused on the Fight
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