[| Contents | ]
Date: Flat Lining
Title: July Report
Date: 15 Jun 2004
Time: 07:23:40 -0400
“Flat Lining” The title has nothing to do with a medical panic situation; the title has to do with what I refer to as the ‘Kodak’ pole propped up in the stern rod holder while you busy yourself bottom fishing. When on the big hook (the anchor), most folks occupy themselves with getting their baits on the bottom focusing on grouper, grunts or black sea bass. The fish are on the bottom. The fish are on the bottom. The fish are on the bottom. They forget about the other 99.9% of the water column. Fish swim there too. Believe it or not. The fish that swim in the water column are either big enough and/or fast enough not to require cover for their survival. Think about that for a moment. The fish are big and fast. Are you listening? I like big and fast fish. They make my reel sing. They make my heart race. They put a smile on everybody’s face. They can turn an ordinary day offshore into a day that weaves a memory so vivid in your mind that when anybody brings up the subject of fishing you can’t wait to tell them about that day. What kind of fish am I talking about? Kingfish, cobia, dolphin, blackfin tuna, amberjack, Spanish mackerel, barracuda, tarpon, bonita and shark are the candidates most likely to scream the drag. “Oh, I don’t like to eat kingfish or Spanish because they’re too fishy.” Answer: You have to eat them fresh, nonfrozen, on the grill. That means only harvest enough for you and friends to enjoy within the next couple of days; release the excess fish. “Blackfin tuna and dolphin aren’t very prevalent in our waters so I don’t even bother trying for them.” Answer: Don’t be a lazy fishermen. The reward of a tuna steak or broiled dolphin is worth the effort. Besides, it’s nice to bring in something different and I like to try new technics. I would get bored fishing the same way day in and day out. Maybe it’s just me? “The cobia and amberjack fight too hard.” Answer: Sissy. “I don’t eat barracuda, bonita or shark so I don’t want to fish for them.” Answer: Those three can bend a pole over flat so fast and so violently with an energy level so intense I can’t imagine someone so close minded that they’d not even give themselves the opportunity to battle a fish of that caliber because they’re ‘thinking’ with their stomach. If you can afford to go offshore fishing, I don’t believe you’re worried about your next meal anyway. From another perspective, those ‘non-edible fish’ (each is edible by the way) provide an excellent opportunity to hone your angling talents and not worry about the results. I’d much rather work out the kinks in my angling skill on a tail walking barracuda, accelerated deep diving bonita, or powerful shark than find out what I lack when paying for an expensive tuna or billfish charter. The real point is...having a fish take charge of your life for ten, twenty minutes or longer ain’t nothing but intense fun. This Friday, I had a fish tear the entire rod holder out of the gunnel before the line snapped. That’s intense. Hopefully I’ve peaked your interest, so let’s get to the nuts and bolts of flat lining. The rigging is simple, you just have to put out the effort to set the rig out while bottom fishing. In most cases, a heavy duty spinning outfit with plenty of line capacity is what I use. The main line is 20-30# test because the lighter lines are smaller in diameter which increases your line capacity considerably. To the end of the main line secure a three foot section 60-100# test mono using a uni-knot or number three to five wire using an Albright knot, if you expect something with eat (other than a large shark). Tie or haywire twist a single or treble hook, of appropriate size, to the end of the leader. Appropriate size? If you are using small baits use a small hook, if your using a large bait use a large hook. For example, if I’m thinking kingfish, dolphin, tuna or barracuda and have a supply of freshly caught scaled sardines, I’ll use a 4X strong #4 treble hook on the bait. If I’m thinking cobia and amber jack and have live grunts, porgies, or sea bass, I’ll use a Mustad 9174 single 8/0 hook. The hook size should be such that it does not interfere with the natural movement of the bait. For best results, the bait has to respond instinctively to the presence of the predator, not just hang there on the hook looking sickly. Men respond quicker to women who took the time to get ‘decked out’ as opposed to those that came as they are. Fish prefer hot baits; they’re not looking for the long term relationships. Make sure you you present the fish with a ‘hottie’ bait. Fresh bait makes all the difference in the world. At times a float is necessary to keep the bait off the bottom. The addition of a float turns the flat line rig into a float rig which is just a bit of semantics. The point is, you want the live bait swimming around in the open water, unprotected, behaving naturally in an unnatural situation to draw the most attention. That one rod stuck on the stern can lead to some fantastic fish stories. But it can’t do it if it isn’t used. I find myself forgetting to set the rod out at times. Sometimes I forget, sometimes I’m lazy. In either case, I’m missing an opportunity. So now I place the rod in the stern rod holder to remind me to put it out. There have been some banner days of bottom fishing but the fish in the photo came off the unattended Kodak pole. Flat lining is just an addition to your fishing arsenal. Give it a try; you’ll be glad you did. Take care of yourself and your tackle. Capt B.