Pacemaker Fishing Forum

In a few months, Shawn is coming out with a book on Chesapeake Bay fishing. He will be speaking at the May 11 NoVA CCA meeting.

Here are some of his thought:

I don’t know a single fishermen who hasn’t lost the biggest fish of their life. Everyone knows the big one always gets away, right? Nevertheless, anglers are eternal optimists. Most of us aren’t out to catch another fish the same size as the last one we landed.  We expect the next one to be a lot bigger. I don’t know about you, but I’m absolutely certain the world record is waiting to swallow my lure on my next cast. Since that’s what keeps us going, I guess we should plan for it. Here are eight tips to make sure that fish-of-a-life-time gets away. I’ve tested each one so I can guarantee they work!

Tip #1 – Don’t retie after a big fish.  It’s a waste of time.  Just pat yourself on the back and cast again because it’s a sure bet that your next strike will be from a fish twice as big.  After all, there’s nothing more satisfying than standing on the bow with a slack line watching your world record swim off into the sunset.

Tip #2 – Choke up on the rod for better leverage.  That always works.  Just reach up and grab that custom-made G. Loomis blank about halfway up the shaft and give her a good yank.  You’ll remember the snap you hear for years to come.

Tip #3 – Ignore your drag.  We all know reels have a mind of their own and each drag resets itself to where it’s most comfortable.  Hopefully it’ll be so loose that the fish laughs while it spools you, or so tight that your line breaks on the first head shake.

Tip #4 – Don’t check your back-cast area.  It’s funny to see your buddies’ caps go sailing through the air, and even more hilarious when it’s a piece of their ear.

Tip #5 – Set the hook like Roland Martin.  When you feel that tell-tale tap-tap, make sure you rare back hard and bend that rod like a pretzel.  Hopefully someone has a camera so you can be a YouTube star when you fall over backwards out of the boat.

Tip #6 – Use the cheapest hooks you can find.  After all, they only cost .10 cents a piece, right?  A straightened hook is a sure sign there are giants out there.  Just tie on another cheap one and keep on casting!

Tip #7 – Lift a big fish out of the water with the leader.  If you’re using a 50-pound-test leader and it breaks, then you know you had a 50-pound fish, right?

Tip #8 – Lift a big fish with the leader again.  This time maybe the hook will fly free and embed itself in the side of your nose. Good thing you didn’t mash the barb, otherwise you wouldn’t get to spend the next four hours telling the nurses in the emergency room about the world record you almost caught.

Got any tips of your own to add?