Viking - Montauk
September 12-14, 1998
Tips and more tips, new shiny hooks and high tech toys are all well and good...but it's the fight of a large fish and how you handle your rod that's important. I've seen many large tuna and swordfish lost to bad judgement calls, time and time again. Do you know how to turn a monster from a steam roller and know how much pressure is the right pressure on your reel? Having the right rod and mostly the right reel are very important. A 9.0 Senator can take down a 250 pounder if fought correctly. For instance your reel is screaming bloody murder...of course you can't just put the breaks on full unless you want to hear a "bang"...good bye monster! To turn the fish you need to pull hard to the right and then to the left and then back in the direction that you want to stear him.
Set your rod ahead of time with a buddy. See how much pressure you can handle with out the machismo calculation added on. Put a mark on your drag, so that you know how far you can push it. Of course this will be effected greatly by what pound test fishing line you're using. Now you can fight your fish with confidence, get into it and enjoy the fight. I know I love it when I get my shot. Play the fish out short and quick, when you turn his torpedo head reel like crazy in short strokes and put the pressure on him. Of course there are many a time when there's nothing that you can do but pray. But don't hesitate to put your rod onto another reel to send it out...that's right, clip it on with heavy duty test and send it out, what else was that rod made for, carpet cleaning?
When setting a hook on a tuna have your stand up gear on...don't go screaming for it while you're fighting a fish...make sure that you have it right by your side or better yet, wrapped around your waste! It could make the difference between catching or losing your fish. Enjoy the fight this is what you came for...get into it! Don't lock your rod up or you'll surely lose your fish. Always have fresh line when you go...a knick in the line becomes the weakest point of disaster. Andy line will always do just fine, you can pull a Buick in with it. Trilene clear is also great, I'm supersticious about colored line...I have faith in clear line.
This has been "Monster Fishing 101"...there's more to come as the season progresses.
The Viking long range trips are always a good shot at monster tuna and swordfish. Experience is 90% about locating the fish. Taking chances in making a move to other grounds and researching before leaving. The Viking captains have the experience and history to boot. Steve is one of my favorite captains. The three day trips are time well spent. Fishing the canyons is hard work. Water temp, bait abundance or lack of current and how hard it's running...all have major affects on the fishing...and let us not forget mother nature...she can change her mind in a heartbeat. These are just some of the things a captain has to deal with. So extra time out is a definate plus.
This 200 pound, monster, big eye was caught on the Viking. Pete, one of the hard core fishermen, played this tuna like a fine instrument and brought him in clean. On this trip, yellowfin came in from 20 pounds to 100 pounds. There were some hot rod burn offs on the boat. Freight trains that could not be stopped. I tore my heart out with my good friend Pete trying to stop a fish on a torpedo run...all rules went out the door. We even used leather gloves to try and stop this beast. But we got some line in and he shot under the boat and broke right through the line. Broke my heart, no sooner than that happened when another rod was singing "God Bless America". The customer did not want to put his rod on another, so we gave the sub the brakes with 20 feet left on the reel...Pop goes the weasel! It was a trying trip...many large fish were lost because of unreadiness. But to see that one fight that Peter had was electrifying...you gotta love it!
This sea turtle was one of the many visitors that we had while out on the canyon.
Steve trips are filling fast and I see the fishing getting better and better. All the signs are out there...tons of bait and warm water. Don't be left on the dock saying, "maybe next year I'll get my friends together and get a monster." Live today, sign up and get out of the house your getting to sound like my father! I hope to get on another trip out of Montauk with Steve, it's always a pleasure. Thanks Steve!
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