Heavy Fish Wiring

[Sailfish34]

Anyone know a someone or omewher that i can find good instructions on wiring big fish? I mean huge swords or Big blue and black marlin. Iwant to know how to be safe yet good and know what im doing? Any thoughts?

[Broadbill-Pro]

Couple simple rules:

1. Keep the leader from getting around your feet.

2. Never take a wrap that you can not release.

3. Know where the slack is at all times.

Get these things correct and the rest will come easy. Be Safe first.


If your looking for a book, Peter Wright probably has written something on it.


Skip the chapter about double wrapping, it's dangerous and unnecessary.

[JT]

Originally Posted by Broadbill-Pro

Couple simple rules:

1. Keep the leader from getting around your feet.

2. Never take a wrap that you can not release.

3. Know where the slack is at all times.

Get these things correct and the rest will come easy. Be Safe first.


If your looking for a book, Peter Wright probably has written something on it.


Skip the chapter about double wrapping, it's dangerous and unnecessary.

All good tips. I would add...
4. Never take your eyes off the fish.
Charles Perry is maybe the best ever. Look for articles by him.

[Disco Lady]

:

Originally Posted by JT

All good tips. I would add...
4. Never take your eyes off the fish.
Charles Perry is maybe the best ever. Look for articles by him.

and with a good captain on the helm life should be good.

[JahMussa]

If safety is your main concern, stop by and I'll show you how to build a windon leader

Another thought... make sure your angler has the swivel tight to the rod tip once you start leadering. If it's not, the line will surely wrap around the rod tip. If you need to release the leader at that point, say goodbye to your rod tip or better yet... your angler.

Check out the Cockpit Chaos video and watch the Angler get yanked out of the boat!

Truth is that most inexperinced guys are usually ok. Form is less than ideal but they get the job done. It's usually the "expert" that doubles or trip wraps a smaller fish that ends up in trouble. Always treat each fish likes it's a biggest fish of your life.... respect!

And if the worst happens, always remember to take the biggest breath of your life just before getting sucked under for the ride of your life. Relax.... smile.... and try to enjoy it as it might just be your last

[tunaman81]

Originally Posted by Broadbill-Pro

Couple simple rules:

1. Keep the leader from getting around your feet.

2. Never take a wrap that you can not release.

3. Know where the slack is at all times.

Get these things correct and the rest will come easy. Be Safe first.


If your looking for a book, Peter Wright probably has written something on it.


Skip the chapter about double wrapping, it's dangerous and unnecessary.

Excellent points. I also carry a release tool (a plastic tool with a razor blade) on a lanyard when I wire big fish in case I was to get into trouble.

[JahMussa]

From guys I know that have been pulled over.....
Question.... where is your knife or release tool located. Some say the best place would be near your chest area. But the guys I know say this.... they could not reach the tool.

Try this.... take a tripple wrap on either hand. Hold your release tool in the other hand so you are ready at any second to cut the line. Now have your buddy tie the leader off to the boat cleat leaving 15 ft of line between you and the boat. Jump in the water and have the jump on plane. NOW as you are going 20mph, try and cut the line.

Aint' going to happen. Moral of the story, if you get wrapped up, do all you can to stay in the boat cuz once you go over, the knife most likey will never be found by your free hand. But if you are still in the boat holding on for dear life, your capt or another mate will be the one to cut you free. In the water, they can only hope you pop up by the grace of god.

[Harry Klauber]

Originally Posted by Sailfish34

Anyone know a someone or omewher that i can find good instructions on wiring big fish? I mean huge swords or Big blue and black marlin. Iwant to know how to be safe yet good and know what im doing? Any thoughts?

No one becomes really good at something overnight especially a job that many consider only few in the world to really be great at. You have to watch it being done, get alot of years of practice, and then maybe you will have the confidence to feel good at it. Remember even the best have had mis-haps and you must use caution as safety is first and foremost.

Did you ever see the video where I believe it was Colin Campbell (world renowned big game angler) had fought a huge balck marlin to the boat and the mate was leadering the fish? Campbell, with decades of experience and thousands of big fish under his belt, was sitting in the fighting chair with the drag backed off as he should be while the mate was on the leader. In an instant the line became wrapped around the tip without the angler seeing it, the fish took a surge and the mate had to let go of the leader, and the angler flew over the side like he had been shot from a gun while strapped to the rod and reel. The story had a happy ending for the angler but it's an example of how fast bad things can happen. Harry

[quack quack]

Originally Posted by JahMussa

If safety is your main concern, stop by and I'll show you how to build a windon leader

Another thought... make sure your angler has the swivel tight to the rod tip once you start leadering. If it's not, the line will surely wrap around the rod tip. If you need to release the leader at that point, say goodbye to your rod tip or better yet... your angler.

Check out the Cockpit Chaos video and watch the Angler get yanked out of the boat!

Truth is that most inexperinced guys are usually ok. Form is less than ideal but they get the job done. It's usually the "expert" that doubles or trip wraps a smaller fish that ends up in trouble. Always treat each fish likes it's a biggest fish of your life.... respect!

And if the worst happens, always remember to take the biggest breath of your life just before getting sucked under for the ride of your life. Relax.... smile.... and try to enjoy it as it might just be your last

I was one of those experts that got yanked over!! I had been wiring giants for a few years along with a few blues over 500. I was a stud that would put a foot on the covering board to get a little extra lift to the gaff. Well one day we got a little 250lb blue that we had next to the boat on a 80 in about 10min. It was a very snotty day as well. I grabbed the leader wrapped it up good to see how hard this little blue would pull. Well it went down under one corner on the transom and in half a sec had come up and jumped off the other corner. Well the boat rolled I hung on and the next thing I knew I was in the air over the water!! Thank god I was able to release while in the air. I landed in the water but was able to grab the covering board as the boat rolled back. I threw myself back in to the boat. Now the angler his dad and myself are all standing there with our jaws open. Then the Capt says what happen? He had turned around for a split sec and missed the whole thing!! So like Tek said it is when you get cocky you get killed. The sad thing is a year later Chris Bouy got killed on the Trophy Box off NC. He did the same thing I did but was not able to release in time.

[e-money]

I like this topic, and have had the oppty to wire some decent size fish.
(Marlin and swords to 300lbs or so)

The challenge that I have is in knowing exactly how much pressure one can exert, w/o pulling the hook,or worse yet, breaking fish off. I agree with what was posted above about keeping any loose coils away from feet.

One day I was wiring a big hoo (62lbs) in a little 16' Sea Strike. Got the fish to the transom and Jack moved rod to forward holder so I could grab leader. Fish dives to the right and rips rod holder out! As this occurred there was enough tension to open a 150lb snap. Amazingly, i grabbed the leader just in time. So now I have a hot wahoo on the leader & she is no longer attached to the rod. I got a couple wraps and looked down (oops leader is wrapped around my foot.) Fish tried to sound, and it was all I could do to get myself untangled, and boat the fish.

The lesson I learned is to back off the drag a bit when leadering just in case. Tek's suggestion about having the swivel snug against the tip makes sense to prevent wraps.

Now If I can just figure out how to deal with fish that like to sulk just out of harpoon range...