On 6/5/13 8:58 PM, Wayne B wrote:

Back to fishing. It has become painfully clear (literally), that I
am not equipped properly, and/or not experienced enough, to boat a
really big fish. We've had our chances but something always breaks
before I can get the fish under control. The last demonstration of
this ineptitude was several days ago. I was trolling one rod, a
heavy duty model with low friction carbon fiber guides. The reel was
a mid-sized Penn-Senator salt water reel spooled up with several
hundred yards of hi tech Spectra braid rated at something like 200
pounds of breaking strength. The "Wahoo Magnet" lure was rigged with
a heavy duty braided wire leader and double hook.

We were trolling the north side of Little Inagua Island in the late
afternoon, just off shore in about 900 feet of water. The fish
struck really hard and screamed off about 100 yards of line in no time
at all while I was throttling back and shifting to neutral. I got to
the rod seconds later and started tightening the star drag as firmly
as I could get it. The fish paused for a few seconds and I briefly
thought that I had a chance of turning him, but almost immediately it
started spooling more line off the screaming reel. You could
literally smell the drag clutch burning and the reel was almost too
hot to touch. I made one more attempt to tighten the drag when
something broke inside the reel and it started free spooling. Within
seconds the remaining line was gone, and the rod which had been bent
at a 90 degree angle, snapped back and clipped me just above the eyes,
leaving a nasty little cut on my forehead. I never even had a look at
the darned fish but it was obviously big and powerful. Unfortunately
it is yet another fish story about the one that got away.

At any rate I need some advice on equipment and technique. What kind
of reel is appropriate for a big, powerful fish? What kind of drag
tension is needed/appropriate with 200# line? How much line do I need
on the reel? What is the right strategy? Are there any good internet
forums for this kind of information? Etc, etc.


I don't recall the specifics, since it is been many years since I owned
a Penn Senator, but I don't recall any of them rated for line with much
more than 100# breaking strength.

For starters, you were using line beyond the abilities of your reel.

Second, Spectra doesn't stretch, so all the tension is on your rod and
reel. Easy to snap the line or break your rod.

Third, just what would you do if you hooked a really large fish, say
something 200 pounds or more? If it were an edible fish, you'd have a
very difficult time getting it aboard your boat, and, if it were a
predatory fish with big teeth and it were flapping around on your deck,
there's no telling what might happen to you or your wife.

Fourth, if the fish were not really edible, are you going to lean over
as far as it would take to remove the hook from the fish's mouth? You
know how dangerous that could be.

Fifth, it doesn't take 200# line to catch a really large fish. I've
caught 100# to 250# pelagics on 20#-30# test line on a Shimano TLD.

Sixth, if you want to go after the big ones, get yourself a large
capacity lever drag reel and suitable rod, but you are going to end up
paying $500 or more for a new reel, and those are prices from my
memories of years ago. Maybe you need a two speed reel. Even so, 200#
line is way over the top.

Seventh, find out who is the best sportfishing captain for pelagics on
one of those islands you frequent, and charter out for the day with one
who is willing to teach you the tricks of the trade.