This is all fishing techno stuff, so skip it if it isn't your thing, please don't read on and come back and say it's boring!
This is the tackle that caught the Mediterranean Marlin. The same or similar tackle catches tuna, dorado, jack, & barracuda.
A 20lb (9Kg) class “Star” rod with ring guides. I use these in the rearmost side rodholders. The Butt has a cross cut in it and engages on the bar at the bottom of the rodholder to prevent rotation. The rodholder tube is lined with neoprene and (in this case) the rod butt also. This provides friction to stop the rod sliding out of the holder. From the tip guide the line is taken backwards, upwards and outwards through the outermost outrigger clip. This holds the line 15ft out from the side of the boat. Some rods have roller guides instead of rings to reduce friction. Roller guides are not designed for the line to be taken backwards because it may chafe on the cage. When a fish takes the lure, the outrigger clip pops open and as the fish runs and the boat moves forward the line quickly tightens up back to the rod tip. I use the roller guide rods on the foremost side rodholders where the backwards element is a lot less. These rods have a soft tip which bends to the last three guides before the tip. The butt section and the lower part provide the stiff lever.
The reel is a single gear, lever drag, Penn 20lb (9Kg) class multiplier.
The line is 20lb (9Kg) breaking strain.
The drag on the reel is set to 6lb (about 1/3) and can be moved to the maximum and still be within the 20lb limit. The clip is set to pop at about 4lb.
I use an Aussie plait (As opposed to a Bimini twist) to produce a double line at the end and I add on a 50/60lb wind-on shock leader (home made!) this ends with a swivel clip.
Next comes a bird chain on 100lb leader. There are 5 Moldcraft mini birds, made of soft rubber, free to revolve on the leader. They are held in place by a crimp on the line and a couple of beads behind the head and concealed in the skirt. These birds are “teasers” (there are no hooks in them). They splash and thrash on the surface giving the impression of a shoal of baitfish.
Finally a Williamson mini jethead (sadly no longer made). This one is a much used, faded and re-leadered one. You will note the gaffer tape under the skirt. I was having trouble with the birds causing snatching when they got caught in the waves and the resultant jerk tended to cause the hook to flip back and catch on the leader. The tape made a stiff join between the hook and the leader. I have now managed to create a neater arrangement! The head of the lure is perforated with holes that create turbulance around the skirt; hence jethead.
The spread was 6 rods four 20lb class on the inner & outer outrigger clips and two 30lb class rods in the centre. They go in the transom rodholders that you can see on the photograph. This makes a diamond or oval pattern spread of lures with the centre rods in the closest and furthest position. As the boat turns the lures are arranged so that they do not tangle with each other. However tight turns are not recommended!
Out trolling speed was about 6 knots. This means that the birds are on the surface; you can see the spread and adjust it. The lures are just under the surface and should pop (brush the surface) about every 3 seconds.
The Huki is an alternative to a but pad and has a bar to take the cross cut on the butt of the rod to prevent rotation. These rods with multiplier reels are always used with the reel on top of the rod as shown. The butt is braced against the body, the left hand is holding the rod above the reel and the right hand turns the handle clockwise. The spool is geared to the handle and turns anticlockwise while the left hand thumb moves backwards and forwards to lay the line on the reel so that it is flat (Like a cotton reel). The clutch allows the spool to revolve clockwise at its slipping point. The handle can never turn backwards.
With a fish on the boat is slowed to tickover and the rod lifted from the rodholder. This requires it to be pulled back against the strain of the fish so that it is in line with the tube before it can be lifted out. If this were not so the fish would pull the rod out of the holder!
To bring the fish in the rod is pulled smoothly back with the left hand and then brought slowly forward while reeling in; repeatedly!. The rod must always face the strain on the line and not be stressed sideways.
You cannot just winch the fish in! It does require a modicum of co-ordination and sometimes a lot of effort.
End of Sportfishing Fishing 101!
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