What is Big-Game Fishing?
Big-Game Fishing, also known as offshore sport fishing, offshore game fishing or blue water fishing, is usually done in a large body of water such as the ocean. tuna, which fishermen see as sport. It is a form of recreational fishing where large fish such as and marlin are targeted.
It is based on the principle of carrying the team called twitch or ridge, left from a moving boat, around the hunting area. It can be made in two ways, with natural or artificial bait.This technique is generally applied to fish that are aggressive and predatory, such as tuna, swordfish, tuna, and sea bass. The basic principles are generally the same, but applications may differ depending on the circumstances.
Big Game Fishing History
Big game fishing was established as a sport in 1898 by marine biologist Charles Frederick Holder after the invention of the motorboat. Boats for big game fishing appeared in the early 20th century.
Types of Big Game Fishing
Billfish (swordfish, marlin and sailfish), large tuna (bluefin, yellowfin and bigeye) and sharks (mako, bull, great-white, tiger, hammerhead etc. large species) are species known as big game fish. Many fishermen also consider Atlantic tarpon to be big catch.
Smaller fish such as dolphin and wahoo, albacore and skijack tuna, and smaller species such as barracuda are often caught bycatch or may be deliberately caught for bait.
Tackle Used in Big Game Fishing
It is created by taking into account the characteristics of the target prey such as weight and resistance. What should be taken into consideration here is that the body pull value should be at most 2/3 of the rod or fishing rod pull value in terms of complete equipment and life safety. For example, if the reed draw value is less than the fishing rod draw value, the body draw value should be created by taking into consideration the draw value of the rod. In the face of the strong resistance of the fish or in times of negativity, it becomes easier for the body to be separated from the fishing line and sad events are prevented. If a plunger or pincher will be used when creating the mechanism, the body length should be increased in proportion to their strength (speed/depth) or weight. The aim here is to prevent the adverse effect on the prey and the scaring of the prey due to the reaction of the auxiliary vehicle during skidding.Big game fishing tackles are known as heavy tackles and their mechanisms are prepared accordingly. Basic big game materials are modern main materials consisting of rods with high roller guides, spinning reels, braided (spectra or dacron) fishing lines, ball swivels, fluorocarbon and steel wire bodies and baits. As auxiliary material; We can also add divers, a harpoon attached to the buoy with a strong rope, and a gator.
Big Game Fishing Application Technique
In the open seas, fish in the middle or near the surface are fast fish. For this reason, the boat must be able to easily reach a speed of at least 10 knots per hour. The initial movement speed should be at the lowest level and the team should be slowly released into the sea. While lowering the tackle into the sea, the movements of the bait should be observed and after making sure that it is standing correctly, the fishing line should be released 50 m from the back of the boat. For safety, the rope should never be touched and should be waited without intervening. In addition, care should be taken to ensure that the tension setting of the spinning machine used is at a level that will allow the predatory fish to discharge as soon as it hits. After lowering the bait to a depth of 2 to 5 meters, it is sufficient to start with 2 knots and increase the boat's speed to 3 or 4 knots.
The following information should be taken into consideration while hunting.
1– Always start with small feed and increase the size of the feed according to the situation.
2– Choose the color and brightness of the fake bait according to the environment.
3– As the boat speed and the size of the bait increases, the prey fish will also grow.
4– If there is no effect in a steady course for a long time, the bait is enlarged, dropped deeper and the speed is increased.
5– Seagulls can show where the fish is before the fish finder.
6– If the fish is caught, rushing to get it onto the boat may cause it to escape. In this case, it is necessary to turn the boat towards the fish and take up the slack by winding the fishing line. When the fish wants to travel, the fish can be released up to a certain point. Play with the fish, enjoy the hunt and tire it out. Otherwise, the tackle may break and your fishing equipment may go with the fish.
If we cannot handle the fish but do not want to miss it, we can drop the harpoon into the sea with its buoy, which we stuck between the eye of the prey and its dorsal fin, and cut the fishing line. Once the prey is tired we can safely retrieve it. The gaff is a tool needed to float a big fish and pull it onto the boat easily.
Where to do Big Game Fishing?
Big game fishing, which was mostly done close to the shore in the past due to the range of the boats of that period, can now also be done in areas farther from the shore. As the boats used for sport fishing become larger, faster and longer range, large game species can be caught in lands 60 - 70 miles away from the shore.
Today, big game fishing is carried out from almost all ports on tropical and temperate coasts in the world.
Big Game Fishing Boats
Big game fishing requires a boat with adequate equipment and range to transport the crew to and from the hunting area. For this reason, it is an extremely expensive hobby generally preferred by the rich.
This is mostly done by renting experienced captains and appropriately equipped boats. In a suitable boat, electronic equipment, tackle, fuel and other consumables, insurance, mooring fee and maintenance can be very important.
Classic Big Game Boats
Most of these boats were gradually improved between the 1920s and 1930s and adapted for fishing with auxiliary equipment. While these boats may seem simple by modern standards, many pioneers hunted big game. Throughout the 1930s and 1940s, innovation and improvements continued by sport fishermen including John Rybovich and Ernest Hemingway. As big game anglers sought to search for prey in more remote areas, greater range and speed were needed. This led to the development of larger boats with larger engines. But the basic layout of big game fishing boats has remained largely the same from the late 1940s to the present.
Small Sport Fishing Boats
The development of retrofit engines enabled many big game hunting areas to be used by smaller boats in the 18 to 25 foot range. Although these boats have different designs, in recent years center console boats have become popular due to their ability to fish from all sides.
Electronic Equipment
Many electronic technologies developed for commercial fishing are also used by amateur fishermen today. For many anglers, fish finders have become commonplace. Other technologies that make searching for fish easier today include radar, forward or side-scan sonar, water temperature sensors, and satellite images of sea surface temperature.
Big Game Fishing Techniques
Trolling
In this technique, fish are lured with artificial baits that resemble squid or other bait fish, or baits at the back of the boat. Often with multiple lines, outriggers are designed to spread the lines more widely. Outrigger lines place baits in clearer water away from the wake. This makes it easier for fish to target the bait.
Chumming or Shredding
It is the practice of throwing bait made of fish parts into the sea to attract larger fish. This technique is called berley in Australia.
Kite fishing
Thanks to kites, Big Game fishing has turned into a sport that can be done with light fishing gear in many regions. Using a fishing kite is effective on Sailfish, Tuna, Dolphinfish (Mahi Mahi), Shark, Marlin, Swordfish and all other big game fish. The idea behind the kite is that a smaller live bait can be placed on the surface away from the boat with lighter tackle. In this technique, the baitfish fight to escape or go deeper, but the kite holds the bait in place. The flutters and stress of the bait attract the attention of large game fish and enable them to attack.
How to Predict Predatory Fish• The tuna fish hits the bait violently and begins to take it to the depths rapidly.• Swordfish move quickly left and right horizontally near the sea surface. It shows more resistance as it approaches the boat.• A shark is like a heavy load being pulled through the sea.
