BajaNomad

The one that got away

Osprey - 7-31-2008 at 08:35 AM

The One That Got Away


Some years ago a talented local palapero, who did an exemplary job on my patio and ramada, had a brief break in his work schedule that allowed him a day fishing in my panga. Most of these guys live in the mountains, some cut and haul, others rig structures, cut and deliver palms. He was very pleased to be invited and told me it was his first time fishing in a boat.

About an hour into the trip we came upon a surprise. A 30 pound dorado was seen swimming on the surface so I trolled near it – as I got close I saw that it had a large green and yellow lure hanging from its jaw. The lure and the line was weighing the fish down, slowing it so I guessed it was just worn out, laboring from that extra burden. To my amazement the fish did not sound but continued to stay on the surface as I motored close, grabbed the line, gaffed the fish and brought it aboard. It was very much alive but did not thrash about the way a fresh 30 pounder would. I put it on ice and we continued to troll.

It’s been a good ten years but if memory serves, my Mexican friend caught a couple of big jack cravelles and another, smaller dorado which we released. Back at the house we had a few beers, I cleaned the fish and gave the fresh filets to Jose for a nice mountain BBQ. Then I had a chance to look at the lure, the leader and the line. The lure looked brand new and I still have it. I think they are about $35 dollars at Minerva’s in Cabo. The leader was about 100 pound test and was slightly abraided. The bitter end of the line, and about 10 feet below it were very ragged. It looked like regular 50 pound test. I told Jose that it looked to me like the line got caught in the prop, the fish swam away with the lure and line from some unlucky angler probably earlier in the day.

I can’t remember losing a fish that way and wondered how come I’ve been so lucky? It was obvious the unlucky fishermen were trolling. If they had a nice panga, superpanga or tin boat they would have their top deployed because this trip was in August and hot as blazes. When my boat was kept on the beach I lost my shade to some thieves so my boat has been open and uncovered for 10 years now – no shade support posts or straps to impede the fight, change the way the fish is played, the line is kept away from rubbing on the boat, wrapping around the motor or the prop.

While I’m on the subject I wonder sometimes if I’m using the right line and leader for the fish I’m after – the very last thing I want to do is hook up a nice dorado, lose it like this one that got away, be the cause of its death. I don’t want to let my macho need to catch big fish on light line end in this way. Not that this rig was too light but I have heard lots of fishermen say they use 50 pound leader and 20 pound test for everything they troll for. I certainly could adjust the fight if and when I realized my gear was very light for the catch – use the boat to fight the fish, chase it, ease up on the gear, take my time, have success. The only thing wrong with that scenario is my fishing partners can only sit and watch, lose valuable time on the water without a chance at another fish. It happened once with my wife – 50 pound tuna, 18 pound test, ultralight, one mad, bored, hot lady fisherperson. Now she’ll only fish with me in the winter, for sierra.

Do saltwater big game flyfishermen wonder if they lose the hook/lure and a ton of line the fish might die? Circle hooks work well with bait but not too well with big plastic lures or when sight casting with a flyrod. What do other fishermen think? Do you have the same worries?

wsdunc - 7-31-2008 at 12:22 PM

Interesting question Osprey, I never thought about it much. But I have lost a lot of light lures (4-8 lb test from the beach) and don't know that I've ever found a washed up dead fish with a lure in its mouth. I've caught tuna with old hooks in their mouth, I think they were too mean and didn't notice them.
Years ago on a cattle boatout of San Diego during a wide open bite on small tuna I managed to loose a rod and reel overboard while hooked up. I was unhappy about this, it being a new rod and a new Newell reel, which at the time was a pretty trick reel. 10 or so minutes later someone on the boat brought up a tuna with a wrapped line, we proceeded to pull in the line and retrieve my rod and reel and catch the tuna (which I gave to the guy who brought in the wrapped fish). I still fish with this rod and reel today.

Cypress - 7-31-2008 at 12:31 PM

In some areas, hooks that will degrade(rust/dissolve) in a short time are required.:) Not a bad idea.:D All fisherman have caught fish with hooks from previous fisherman imbedded in their mouths etc.

vandenberg - 7-31-2008 at 12:45 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Cypress
All fisherman have caught fish with hooks from previous fisherman imbedded in their mouths etc.


Shows to go you that fish ain't too "Brainy":biggrin:

Cypress - 7-31-2008 at 12:53 PM

vandenberg, You're right on that count.:) Have seen some pretty smart "dog snapper"' wouldn't touch a bait with any steel showing or line that didn't match the water color.:)

Cardon Man - 7-31-2008 at 05:27 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Osprey

Do saltwater big game flyfishermen wonder if they lose the hook/lure and a ton of line the fish might die? Circle hooks work well with bait but not too well with big plastic lures or when sight casting with a flyrod. What do other fishermen think? Do you have the same worries?


Regarding loosing flies to big game blue water fish...the thing to consider is that most fly fishing leaders are of much less pound test than the fly line itself. The result is that most any break-offs occur in the leader which is not typically more than a few feet in length for blue water fly fishing. A break off would leave a fish with only a few feet of monofilament and a fly in it's mouth. In the case of marlin and dorado I don't personally believe that hook and line would cause the death of the fish. I have indeed caught dorado with bait hooks and leaders from a previous hook up.

This being said, I believe the use of IGFA standard fly fishing leaders of no more than 20lb test class tippet is not good for fish in that it can result in more break offs and prolonged fights for all the but the most experienced fly anglers. For marlin fish 30lb and a long, heavy bite tippet to aid in the quick release. If you're not after records why fish so light?

[Edited on 8-1-2008 by Cardon Man]

woody with a view - 7-31-2008 at 07:23 PM

FISHING-LURE HORROR
By TODD VENEZIA and GINGER ADAMS OTIS

Last updated: 6:40 am
July 31, 2008
Posted: 3:31 am
July 31, 2008

A Long Island fisherman has died after a freak accident in which a weighted lure hit him in the eye and lodged in his brain.

Jaime Chicas, 21, was angling on some rocks at Jones Beach at about 8 p.m. Friday when his line snapped back and a 3-ounce sinker recoiled violently, penetrating his eye socket and hitting his brain.

Chicas' brother-in-law Jose Gonzalez, was about 30 feet away when he heard Chicas groaning.

"We were just sitting there. It was pretty tranquil, kind of getting dark," Gonzalez told The Post. "We didn't see anything, but then my cousin and I both heard him groaning. We ran to him and he was down, lying on the rocks."

"There was so much blood. We could see something had gone in his eye."

Chicas was pronounced brain dead Tuesday at Nassau University Medical Center.

He leaves behind a baby and a 19-year-old wife in El Salvador. He had come to the United States illegally about a year ago and was looking for work in Long Island.

http://www.nypost.com/seven/07312008/news/regionalnews/fishi...

Cypress - 8-1-2008 at 06:42 AM

Cardon Man, Agree with your "light line" thoughts. The longer a fish fights, the more energy it expends. The more energy a fish expends, the more stressed it is upon release. It's recovery and survival chances are lower. :no: And there's always some light line fisherman onboard that takes an hour to land fish that are normally landed in 5 minutes.:lol:

Osprey - 8-1-2008 at 07:04 AM

Cypress, exactly why I wrote this piece. If you're going to keep the fish if you can catch it, if you intend to eat it (for example, sierra or dorado or tuna) any good fisherman using light line could argue the fish and the fisherman each have a sporting chance. If you know you're going to release the fish (a big jack for example), the lighter the line the more stress on the fish even if you use the boat to fight the fish. Not always but down here, most of the time you can outfit for what you know to be in the area you're going to troll in -- this all assumes strictly trolling with lures .... more and more bait fishermen are using circle hooks now and that's a whole other kettle of ......

Cypress - 8-1-2008 at 07:31 AM

Osprey, Circle hooks will hook a fish around the edge of the mouth. If it's made of that quick-to-corrode metal, it's gonna drop out pretty quick.:bounce: