Fishing on a yacht. How do they do it?

Fishing is a very common leisure activity, and not only among men. It relaxes and pacifies. If you have good luck and nibble, excitement appears like in sports. You will not be bored fishing on a yacht, that’s for sure. Such a variety, size and quantity of fish cannot be found in rivers. With the right approach, you can catch fish with the size of a small elephant :). Besides, freshly caught fish can be cooked right there onboard. This is an interesting and original experience.

We do understand that fishing is an art. And we do not pretend to be a guru in this issue. But we can tell you about the basics of the process. So, let’s begin!

You can fish on the yacht in three different ways. You can fish with a towed hook tackle near the islands. Fish in deep water you can catch quite large ones. Or you can use a spinning rod for shallower sites. You can catch fish some small species from a boat, while anchored.

Catching a big fish

What do you need for that? To catch a really large fish, you will need a sturdy rod and a large trolling reel. Use a very strong line. A fish of 100 kg weight can easily break a regular line for river species. Also, you will need a very sturdy leash so that even sharp teeth cannot break it, swivels, and bait clips, and you will also need pliers for quick tackle repair. Typically all these you can find on a yacht and their rental is included in the basic price.

It is not so important how exactly you tie the bait to the end of the line but it must hold tight to support the weight of a larger fish. A worthy fish can swim both close to the surface and at a depth of several meters. You will also need a pair of gloves, a knife, and a hook for large prey. To increase your chances of success, you attach a fishing rod to the side of the yacht.

Technics. You can start casting the line when you have sailed to the first destination point. Start fishing when you dropped an anchor, or even on a short run. To begin with, you can choose a bright bait, press the swivel to the leash, and the bait to the swivel. When throwing bait into the water, be sure to tie the fishing rod to the boat so that you do not lose it during nibble. Then you can release the rod and wait for your catch.

Here’s a quick tip for casting a bait. Adjust the length of the line so that a bait follows the boat in 4x boat length at low speed (about 3 knots), thus you get ideal trolling conditions. The wake of the yacht disturbs the water, scaring away small fishes, they scatter in different directions, and larger predatory fishes, your potential prey will attack them there. In order not to miss a bite, put on the ratchet to make sure that your “client is on the hook.”

Another small tip

When you see a seagull or gannet or cormorant diving into the water, you can be sure there is some fish there.

Nibble. There is nothing precise and definite about fishing. You can feel a bite immediately after casting a bait. Wait an hour or more for your luck. If you feel a fish peck, tug the line a little. If you feel the resistance of your prey, increase the resistance of the line. This helps to prevent the fish from swimming to depth. But do not overdo it so as not to break a line. If you got a really big fish, be prepared for a protracted struggle. You will need to pull the line a little bit. This struggle is what fishermen love best of all.

During fishing, you have to slow down the boat as much as possible. You can even stop a boat, if possible. Make it easier for you to pull the fish to the surface. One of the most difficult tasks is getting a big fish out of the water and lifting it aboard. The help of a friend will come in handy when the time comes, fishing on a yacht is a team game. Ask your friend to help you with the landing net. If you do everything right and you are lucky enough, you will catch a fresh seafood dinner for you and other people aboard.

Spinning for smaller fish

What do you need for that? There is plenty of smaller fish in the sea. Spinning will help you catch them. The rod must be long and flexible. The reel must be shorter than that for a large fish. As for a fishing technique with spinning everything is very similar to that in a river or a lake. Just throw and drag a bit over the surface over and over again. Do it when you are anchored or drifting in the open sea.

Technics. It is best to try your best in the early morning or late evening. During the day, when it is hot outside, fish bites worse. Fishing in the lagoon will be easier than in the open sea as the waters are quieter there. Cast the bait directly from the yacht if you see fish somewhere in the water. As a rule, fishes like to gather at the location where the bottom topography changes. A rocky island is a great place to hang out for a wide variety of fish species, and if you drop there, you will almost certainly be in luck.

Nibble. In contrast to the fight with a big fish, everything is easy and fast in case of spinning. With its help, you can catch a small fish up to 1-2 kg. This can be, a sea bass that likes to sit in ambush and rush to a small fish. In this case, this is your bait that sweeps in front of it. To get the fish out and off the hook, you will also need pliers and gloves to hold the wriggling prey in place. With the right approach, you can easily catch dozens of these. A good dinner for the whole crew.

Fising on a yacht – bottom fishing and jigging.

What do you need? To catch fish from the side of a boat, you don’t need a fishing rod or spinning at all, you can just use a hand line – a strong reel with a strong line, to which a sinker, swivel, and hook are attached. Any leftover fish and seafood, or even bread, can be used as bait.

Technics. It is incredibly simple. Although you need some skills not to injure your hands winding the line. At shallow depths, you can use the jigging technique. You can do by raising and lowering the bait at the bottom a couple of times. This will quickly grab the attention of the small fish.

Nibble. With this technique, you will have a small fish pecking. It is not difficult to pull out, even for a child. You can use your pliers to easily remove the prey from the hook.

Fishing on a yacht on the high seas can be an interesting activity. It is great for both a beginner and a more experienced hobbyist. It is available anytime, anywhere. Have a little free time and thinking of what to do? Try casting the line.