Put the Fun Back in Fishing
by Mark Sosin
A marvelous thing happens when the first cold fronts of the year take their toll on summer water temperatures. Squadrons of small jack crevalle swarm into the canal behind our house searching for pods of baitfish seeking sanctuary. As pugnacious as all-pro cornerbacks and scrappier than their size might indicate, these ill-tempered predators exhibit the bravado of a pack of piranha.
Attract their attention with carefully orchestrated surface commotion and the slashing attack, complete with authoritative swirls, becomes memorable instantly.
Many of these miniature exterminators weigh less than a pound, but they are fun to catch and worthy of the challenge provided the tackle matches the task. In this case, it does. The lure of choice is a tiny, wooden darter weighing less than a quarter ounce that was handmade by Bob White. The points on the single treble hook have been honed carefully and the barbs filed down for easy penetration as well as subsequent release of the quarry.
Curbing the bulldog surges and impetuous behavior of those juvenile delinquents demands concentration on 4-pound test line. The rod has a softness in the tip to cast that featherweight plug across the canal from the seawall. Consider that a tradeoff, since the stretch in the monofilament coupled with the soft tip make it difficult to set the hook. The most effective technique is to simply reel fast when you see the strike. If the fish missed the offering, the artificial remains in the vicinity and is usually clobbered a second time. That hook setting method works equally well with larger lures and heavier lines.
Emphasis on competitive fishing has fixed the focus on the quantity of the catch and the glory of oversized individual specimens. The yardstick my father used differed considerably from those considered standard equipment today. Somewhere on his scale one could find measurements for fun fishing. No species was unworthy of this honor and no critter too small to be recognized. If it tugged and pulled at the end of the line, that was reason enough to catch it on light tackle and then release it none the worse for the experience.
Along parts of the coastline, anglers fill fishboxes with bluefish or dolphin or some other species, relying on husky gear to hurry a fish boatside with tug-of-war finesse. The desire to catch "just one more" turns into an insatiable addiction until the last fish has been eliminated or the remnants of the school recognize the need to escape the onslaught.
It makes a lot more sense to subdue a reasonable number on standard tackle and then switch to lighter equipment. Finer diameter lines won't cure the need to catch another and another, but they will make each encounter a much more meaningful experience with an increased level of satisfaction. At the same time, smaller denizens take on larger dimensions when measured in terms of fun.
If you do choose to carry a lighter outfit, select the tackle carefully. Start with the line. Once you have settled on its breaking strength, match it with a rod engineered for that line weight. The rod should have adequate backbone to put pressure on your quarry without the tip collapsing like a buggy whip. Remember that the stretch in monofilament line makes it more than forgiving.
A reel must possess a smooth drag and adequate line capacity. If you plan to tangle with species noted for their marathon runs, use a slightly larger reel. The complete outfit (line, rod, and reel) has to work as a unit. If the reel is outsized, it will be too heavy and cumbersome for the rest of the tackle.
It is well-documented that finer diameter line results in a greater number of strikes, because the bait or lure appears to have a more natural action in the water. When you choose a hook or artificial, opt for smaller sizes than you would usually use. Hooks made from thinner wire and sharpened carefully penetrate more effectively. You'll also find that you can fish with lighter weight lures. That, too, makes a difference.
Featherweight gear leaves less margin for error. Knots must be tied carefully and the reel drag set with precision. An erratic drag that hesitates briefly or one set too tight for the line can cause the line to break at the first surge.
Light tackle proves to be a much more powerful tool than most anglers imagine when fished with skill and understanding. Smoothness holds the key from hookset to the end of the battle. It is the sudden stress to the line when yanking on the rod to set the hook or in trying to snub short an escaping fish that causes problems.
Bill Riesenfeld has amassed an amazing string of catches on 4-pound and 8-pound test line. That's the only tackle with which he fishes even if he is deep jigging in over 100-feet of water. Watching him in action quickly becomes a valuable lesson for anyone who wants to learn to fish successfully with light lines.
"If there is a secret, it's patience, patience, and more patience," he confided recently. "You really have to apply maximum pressure at the same time. If this sounds contradictory, it isn't meant to be. You simply take advantage of each opportunity without forcing the issue. Wait for the right moment and then act."
"The final stages are the most dangerous," he continued. "At times, I try not to look at the fish, because there is a tendency to depart from the game plan and make a fatal mistake. You get anxious and want to end the battle right now. And you might do just that by pulling a tad too hard and breaking the line."
Those warnings are just as valid with a pan-sized fish as they are with a trophy. If you think about Bill's statements, they hold true when one uses standard tackle. Fishing light line is no different from any other phase of the sport. It merely requires a bit more time to land your quarry, but the methods and principles are the same.
A featherweight outfit expands fishing opportunities by making smaller denizens more important and worth catching. It also increases one's pleasure when tangling with heavyweight critters. A fish that might be termed average on traditional gear becomes an outstanding achievement when landed on finer diameter line.
There is a third aspect. On those difficult days when you can't buy a strike, light line may turn defeat into victory. As recently as a few years ago, the lightest line carried by tournament anglers pursuing largemouth bass was 20-pound test. Many veterans spoke glowingly of using 30-pound test line "to wrestle them hawgs out of cover."
If you showed up with 10-pound test line or even 12-pound test, you were looked upon as a person who did not understand bass fishing. Today, you would be hard pressed to find a serious bass fisherman in any tournament (including the prestigious Bass Masters Classic) who didn't have at least one 6-pound outfit within arm's reach. You might ask yourself what they learned in the last couple of years.
Meaningful equipment and a positive mental attitude combine to put the fun back in fishing. Every species is worthy of your attention and no creature is too small if you tailor the tackle to the task.