Recently I was offshore trolling for tuna and billfish, when a close call reminded me how important safety is when you’re battling big fish with stand-up gear. After a drag-screaming strike a teenage angler grabbed the rod, planted it into his fighting belt, and began clipping on to the reel. As he did so the fish surged, he lost his balance, and stumbled towards the back of the boat with his father in hot pursuit. The dad grabbed his belt and hauled back at the very moment his knees hit the transom and his feet left the deck. As he fell onto the reel the drag lever was somehow shoved forward, but the fish didn’t slow down one bit and the line snapped with a bang. Whew – for once, we were glad a fish broke off. The next time someone clips into stand-up gear with a large pelagic on the line, remember:
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