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Sailboat fishing: expert tips on fishing from a sailboat

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Posted on Last updated: November 20, 2023

Many sailors don’t realize that sailboat fishing is really quite simple and can be a sustainable (and delicious!) way to supplement their diets.

This article explains how to fish from your sailboat (and dingy) and is an edited extract from The Hunter & The Gatherer, a cookbook and provisioning guide by Catherine Lawson and David Bristow.

Catherine and David are long-time, liveaboard sailors and are currently cruising with their 10-year-old daughter on their 40ft cat, Wild One . 

If the idea of harvesting your own seafood appeals to you, we recommend checking out their book The Hunter & The Gatherer, published by Exploring Eden Media . For every copy sold, one tree is planted! Check it out or order your copy here .

If you needed any more motivation to give sailboat fishing a try, Catherine and David have included a kickass recipe for Fijian Queenfish Kokoda (a conconut, lime, and chile infused ceviche) at the end of this post.

Waterborne is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Fishing from the back of your sailboat or yacht

Our boat Wild One really pulls its weight when we sail, and it’s a rare (or rough) day on the water when we don’t have at least one hand line out.

We regularly (fingers crossed) catch all kinds of tuna and mackerel, giant trevally, and maybe a mahi mahi (dolphinfish or dorado) or a wahoo this way.

I tend to keep the lines out longer than Catherine, but as long as we wind them in before sunset, we can usually avoid snaring sharks and the delicate mission of getting them off the line without harm.

Fishing tackle and equipment

On long, leisurely sails, we’ll often detour across sandy shoals or pinnacles where large pelagics (and the seabirds that give them away) tend to hunt.

We use large hand lines secured to the stern rails with bungy loops to take the shock load when a large pelagic bites down. Ours are wrapped with overpowered 350-500 pound mono to prevent big fish from snapping the lines.

I add a heavy-duty swivel, and trolling lures are crimped on for strength and to make the system more streamlined. I never tie knots, and we rarely lose a fish and never a lure (although they do get retired after too many bites).

My favorite lures are Halco’s deep diving, red-and-white ‘Qantas’ lures, but when big pelagics are around, I swap the standard treble hooks out for large singles.

There are a few reasons I choose hand lines over boat rods.

1. Hand lines are dirt cheap and available everywhere (we often beach comb them off the high tide mark).

2. They have no moving parts to break and are very quick to wind in when retrieving a catch, although you do need a bit of strength to wrangle in big fish.

Being on a catamaran, we can run out two lines without them fouling each other. But we do run them at different distances (one 25 meters, the other 40 meters) and with lures that swim at different depths.

Catching fish by boat is by no means a certainty, but it increases our chances of reaching an anchorage with protein ready to cook.

Dispatching your fish

I can’t stress enough how important it is to kill your catch swiftly and humanely, even when underway.

If the sailing conditions become too hectic to deal with a potential catch, I feel it’s better to pull the lines in rather than catch a fish that I can’t treat properly and respectfully.

There are lots of ways to bring large pelagics on board when underway, but here’s what I do aboard Wild One .

Once gaffed and safely on board, dispatch your catch humanely and swiftly by spiking its brain.

The brain is located in the middle of the fish’s head, just behind the eye, and you will know when you’ve hit it because your fish will spasm briefly, its fins will flare for a moment, and then the fish will then go limp.

Cleaning and fileting

To bleed the fish, lay it flat and cut behind the gills with your knife facing toward the fish’s head.

Slice from top to bottom until you see blood flow, then repeat on the other side.

Submerge or rinse the fish well in salt water, or if conditions permit, drag it by its tail for a minute or two to flush and clean it ready for filleting.

Slice off your fillets (don’t wet the fish again if you can help it), and place them in a large colander over a bowl (covered with a beeswax wrap or similar) to drain and rest in the fridge.

This resting helps drain the lactic acid that builds up in large, fighting pelagic fish. I usually drain fillets overnight, and whatever doesn’t get eaten while it’s fresh is bagged, labeled, and frozen.

Some sailors abhor the idea of sending fresh fish to the freezer, but when we’re cruising, especially in remote sailing grounds, fish provide an essential source of protein, and nothing is wasted.

Those species that are prolific and sustainably caught, prepared with respect, and fully utilized to reduce wastage, can help to feed you and your family when stores are a distant memory, and on all those days when the fish aren’t biting.

Shore Fishing

Boat life can get busy, but when I do have some downtime, you’ll find me holding the end of a rod while nursing something cold at day’s end.

When we jump into the dinghy to explore a new anchorage or to head ashore, I’ll always run a few lines out in the hope of snaring a fish before we hit the beach. If we have to use our fuel, we may as well turn every dinghy run into a fishing expedition.

When trolling in the tender along reefs, sand troughs, or mangrove-fringed shorelines, I use a scaled-down version of the hand reels on board or cast an overhead bait caster rod with smaller hard body lures or soft plastics.

This rod combo is extremely accurate when trying to land a lure into a tight location, or when chasing those ever-elusive barramundis, mangrove jack, and delicious varieties of cod.

These fighters demand patience and are all excellent eating, but if things don’t go your way, the mangroves are also great places to gather a feed of oysters at low tide.

In northern Australia, queenfish and trevally are regularly caught while dinghy trolling over sandbars, off river mouths, over inshore reefs, and sometimes by rod while standing on a beach with a beer.

Spearing reef fish

We spend a lot of time cruising in the tropics where coral reefs, and the trout, snapper, jobfish, and trevally they nurture, are generally abundant.

Anytime we can get in the water is an adventure, and while we are exploring a new reef, spearfishing provides a selective way to get dinner on board.

With a long enough breath-hold and plenty of patience, spearfishing can provide us with a meal in a manner that’s sustainable and respectful to the reefs.

This is really what got me into spearfishing because I can consciously choose a fish that is of suitable size and abundant in the places we drop anchor without harming any other fish in the process.

It’s also a great skill to learn, provides an excellent workout, and is one of the most authentic ways to take a fish.

I use a Rob Allen 1200 Sniper rail gun with dual bands and a 7mm carbon steel shaft. I find that the shaft stays true and is more accurate than other guns I’ve owned.

EDITOR’s Note: Some reef fish contain a toxin that causes a food-borne illness known as Ciguatera . It causes gastrointestinal and neurological symptoms and in very rare cases can be fatal. For this reason, many cruisers avoid eating reef fish altogether.

When you have to buy fish

Sometimes the fish just aren’t biting, and the reef fish are too skittish and too small to be speared. When we face a dry spell, we revert to our vegetarian ways, tucking into tempeh, beans, eggs, and lentils.

There’s always the option of buying fish as we go, from passing fishermen who visit our anchorages or in local markets where the daily catch comes with few food miles.

But bigger centers and supermarkets challenge conscious consumers who want to know just how sustainable their dinner really is. It can be difficult (and sometimes impossible) to know where and how a fish has been caught and whether a particular species is abundant in the location where it was taken.

These questions matter. 85% of global fish stocks are fully or over-exploited, depleted, or in recovery from exploitation . Thanks to our collective, growing hunger for seafood, all ocean ecosystems, including by-catch populations, are in peril.

The bulk of the guilt can be levied at large-scale fishing operations – trawlers, longliners, and gillnetters. But even at local levels, the stripping of coral reefs and continuing use of dynamite (blast) fishing has a devastating, irreversible impact.

When a blast went off in eastern Indonesia’s Kei Islands in late 2022, we thought our rigging had snapped and the mast was coming down.

We rushed out on deck, puzzled and perplexed, only to see a boatload of fishermen working with hand nets to scoop up fish. This desperate means to a meal is short-sighted at best, and the heartbreaking destruction of the reef and its minute and complex ecosystems will haunt these island populations for decades to come.

Fish farms or ‘sea ranches’ don’t always provide a better alternative and can be incredibly wasteful. Take, for example, Australia’s southern bluefin tuna.

This critically endangered species is caught from the wild and fattened in feedlots off the South Australian coast, primarily for export to foreign markets.

The Australian Marine Conservation Society (AMCS) reports that it takes up to 12 kilograms of wild-caught fish to grow one kilogram of southern bluefin tuna .

The maths just doesn’t add up, and wild-caught fish stocks used as tuna food are jeopardized further by the release of pollution from aquaculture farms back into the sea via uneaten fishmeal, antibiotics, and concentrated fish waste .

The good news is that you can wade through the confusion by downloading the Sustainable Seafood Guide app or check your choices at goodfish.org.au . In the USA, download the Seafood Watch Consumer Guide for a list of best buys wherever you live.

Recipe from The Hunter & The Gatherer

Queenfish kokoda.

Love it or hate it, raw fish gets a lot of people excited. When you land a beautiful fish (and it doesn’t have to be tuna), or someone gifts you a couple of fresh fillets after a day at sea, ceviche is a tasty, no-fuss way to get any meal started.

This Fijian-style ceviche, known as kokoda, balances out the raw fish perfectly and packs it with flavor.

To add crunch (and stretch the dish), stir through chopped tomato, cucumber, and fresh capsicum before serving, and dish it up in coconut shells, clams or, lettuce cups. Otherwise, savor it in its virgin state, slowly.

Ingredients

• 500g (1lb) queenfish (or any firm white fish)
• 1/4 tsp sea salt
• 2 finely chopped spring onions (scallion)(or 1/2 red onion or 4-5 shallots)
• 1/3 cup finely chopped coriander (cilantro) and mint
• 1 fresh red chili, finely chopped(or 1 tsp dried crushed chili)
• 1/3 cup coconut milk
• cracked black pepper
• extra fresh coriander sprigs to serve
• Optional: add 1 roughly chopped tomato, 1 small cucumber (diced), and ½ small capsicum (bell pepper), chopped

Instructions

• Trim and rinse the fish, pat dry, and cut into small cubes.
• Place in a mixing bowl and squeeze over 1 ½ limes.
• Season with salt, and toss to combine.
• Refrigerate for 2-3 hours until the fish turns opaque.
• When ready to eat, drain the fish, add the spring onion, chopped herbs, chilli, coconut milk, a generous pinch of black pepper, and any extra vegetables, and stir well.
• Serve with lime wedges and extra coriander sprigs.

Safety note: Citrus juice does not kill bacteria or parasites that may be in the fish. Always choose either commercially-frozen fish or high-quality sushi-grade fresh fish for ceviche. Avoid cod, swordfish, monkfish, and all freshwater fish as they are highly parasitic. When in doubt ask an experienced local angler or fisherman.

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Fishing From A Yacht: The Complete Guide

Want to know about fishing from a yacht? This article will give you everything you need to get started.

There’s nothing like catching your fish at sea and hearing the satisfying sizzle of the frying pan announcing your dinner. The real treat happens when you get to recount tales about the big fishes you snagged, the stubborn ones that got away, and the wily ones that never took the bait.

The best part of it all is this: It’s easier than you think.

The idea of fishing from a yacht calls for questions such as these: How exactly do I  go about fishing from a sailboat? What equipment and gear do I take along with me? What sot of fish should we expect to catch? Are there any techniques that are particularly useful for fishing while under sail? 

This article aims to be a complete guide to fishing from a yacht; including the basic essentials and tools needed to ensure everything goes well right from the start. Enjoy!

Basic List of Fishing Gear

You might be an experienced sailor, but if you’ve never been fishing before there might be a steep learning curve. If you’re a fishing beginner, getting the necessary fishing equipment might be daunting and overwhelming; simply because there are many options to pick from. We’ve put together a basic list of equipment, along with some specific recommendations, with the aim of making this process as easy as possible for you. 

1. Fishing rods

Fishing rods are poles used to hurl fishing lines into the water; at a deeper depth. Each rod is differentiated according to its toughness, power, and action. 

For fishing from a sailing yacht, we recommend the PLUSINNO Fishing Rod and Reel Combo

2. Fishing reels

These are gears that are attached to the rods to help retrieve baits by drawing in your catch and at selective speed.

3. Fishing lines

Fishing lines are specially crafted strings or cords for fishing. They come in varieties of strengths, elasticity, and visibility. The selection of a type of fishing line depends on the fish you’re aiming to reel in.

The Berkley Trilene XL Monofilament Fishing Line is a good all purpose fishing line.

These hooks could be single, double, treble, or circle. They are used for trapping the fishes by the mouth whenever they take a bite of the bait. The type of fishing hook you choose will depend on the type of fish you are hoping to catch, and where you are fishing (or sailing). 

5. Live baits

Baits are what you attach at the end of the hooks to tempt the fishes. There are options of live baits, e.g. worms or even leftover fish from your last endeavour.

Lures are artificial baits fashioned to look like real fishes, to attract predator fishes in the water. These are the most practical for fishing from a sailing boat, as it’s likely that you will be unable to pick up or store live bait easily.

Swivels prevent the problem of the fishing line twisting when the bait is spinning and moving around.

A pack such as the ReeMoo 200PCS Fishing Rolling Ball Bearing Barrel Swivel with Safety Snap Connector Fishing Accessories should give you everything you need. 

A sinker is essential in the process of stabilising the fishing line as the hook and baits submerge in the water.

9. Rod holders

Rod holders assure you that your rods are safe. The excitement of making a catch, coupled with the fishing line’s tugging, could yank the rod right out of the boat. Hence, a rod holder is essential.

These rod holders will attach right on to your guardrail. 

Other useful fishing gear includes:

1. filleting knife and board for preparing the fish, 2. fishing gloves for protection, 3. leaders for protecting the fishing lines against the sharp teeth of some fishes., 4. gaffs and nets for bringing large fishes on board.

5. You will probably already have one, but a boat hook can be really useful for pulling your catch aboard.

Also, you can take advice from the local tackle shops. That, coupled with the type of fish you’re hoping to catch and the area you’re fishing in, will streamline your options greatly.

Different techniques for fishing from a yacht

Now that you’ve bought your gear, you’re pumped and already set up. What next? There are three basic ways to fish from a sailboat. You could fish while towing a lure behind your boat while either under power or sail (also known as trolling ), or while drifting (also known as jigging ), or at anchor.

1. Trolling

This technique involves casting the hook with a ready bait behind a slow-moving boat. Ideally, you need to move at no more than 2 – 4 knots. Thus speed ensures that the lure appears realistic to the fishes.

The best way of fishing underway from a yacht is with some form of wind vane or autopilot system, so you can focus on fishing and keeping the lines clear. For this, you will definitely want some form of rod holder attached to your read guard rail to make sure that all the lines are kept clear of the lines and sails, and to free your hands to operate the yacht while underway. 

2. Fishing At Anchor

Fishing at the anchor is the simplest method of catching dinner. The simple rocking of the boat will cause the necessary disturbance needed to attract the fishes.

Fishing while under anchor means that you can give it your full attention, and is much like fishing from the shore. However, if using this technique, as opposed to trolling while under sail, you may need to cast your line and bring it in repeatedly in order to make your bait appeal ‘live’.  

What Is The Best Time For Fishing from a Yacht?

Generally, it’s advisable to fish at dawn or dusk. However, great fish can and are caught at all hours of the day, including at night. To be honest, sailing is fairly all-consuming at times, so you will probably have to fish at a time that’s dictated by the weather, your crew and your sailing itinerary. 

Safety Tips You Ought To Know

As harmless as it could appear at first glance, it is quite possible to sustain injuries while fishing from a yacht or sailboat. Here are a couple of tips to help keep you safe while fishing. 

• When reeling in a fish, don’t do so without wearing hand gloves.
• Don’t eat any fish you are unsure of. A fish identification chart could come in handy here.
• Don’t be in a rush to take the hook from the fish’s mouth.
• Do cover the gaff hook with a cork when not in use.
• Do attach a leader or swivel before placing the lure.
• Do select fishing lines that are strong enough to hold on to the fish you hope to catch.
• Do ask for advice from local fishers about what has worked for them.
• Do invest in quality equipment.
• Take extra care if you are sailing with children or dogs on board

It’s also very important to realise that sailing can be dangerous even when you don’t have the added complexities of fishing lies, hooks ad lures to deal with. The key to fishing safely from a sailing boat is to know your limitations, and to only do it when things on the yacht are firmly under control. 

And that ends the guide to fishing from a yacht. The best thing to do is seek directions from pros, practice, learn from mistakes, and of course, have fun. Enjoy!

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• Handline Fishing

Handline Fishing Tips for Offshore Sailors

Vegetarian boaters should read no further - this isn't for you.

But handline fishing is a skill that all other cruising sailors should acquaint themselves with.

Don't be put off by the word 'handline' - you don't have to hold it all the time. Just wait until a hooked fish announces its predicament, then haul it in.

We're not talking about sport fishing here - sailboat fishing is all about catching fish to eat.

And there's more good news...

You won't need any expensive rods and reels.

Handline fishing gear is simple, robust and inexpensive.

Once you've tasted your first handline-caught fish - whether caught while sailing offshore or at anchor - I'm pretty sure you'll agree that the investment was cheap indeed.

A Handline Fishing Rig for Sailing Offshore

Here's the basic gear, a simple handline fishing rig for trolling offshore...

Just 100 feet (30m) of 300lb main line, a snap swivel and a further 20 feet (7m) of 300lb leader attached to a skirted trolling lure.

You won't be able to tie secure knots in this heavy line; only crimped connections will hold under load.

Note that the trolling weight on the main line is optional - only use it if the lure skips along the surface and refuses to submerge. For best results the lure should 'swim' a few feet below the surface, but should break the surface every few seconds before submerging again.

Look for the bubble trail streaming out from the lure. This is the sign of a good, fish-catching lure as it's this that creates 'noise' in the water and attracts the fish to your lure.

Whatever type of trolling lure you use for handline fishing, remember to check it now and again to remove any flotsam it may have picked up, redeploy it and await the arrival of Neptune's bounty.

Use a Snubber Line for Handline Fishing

Artwork by Andrew Simpson

This is an essential addition to any trolling handline. The 'snubber' is the bungee cord; it acts as a shock absorber and will prevent the fish from tearing itself free of the hook when it first realises it's in a spot of bother. It also lets you know when you've got a fish. If it's fully extended, get pulling!

The eBook that contains everything you need to know about catching fish from a sailboat!

If you're serious about catching fish while underway, then you really should take a look at it.

Considering its true value, you'll be absolutely amazed at its price! In a nice way, of course...

Take a look at 'Secrets of Sailboat Fishing' Here!

Ocean fish are fast, powerful creatures and in their struggle to get free they will use every ounce of their considerable energy. So, a few safety rules when handline fishing:~

• Always use tough gloves when hauling in the fish and never, ever take a loop of line around your hand;
• When hauling in a fish, be careful not to step into the loops of line that will accumulate in the cockpit. OK, the fish on the end of the line may not be enormous but the one that grabs it just might be!
• Always have a sharp knife to hand, just in case;
• A large, hugely agitated freshly caught fish leaping around in the cockpit is at its most dangerous. Place a wet towel over it to calm it down, and pour some strong alcohol (not your best malt whisky - the cheapest firewater will do the trick) in its gills to accelerate its passing;
• Wait until the fish is dead before attempting to unhook it.

Double Your Chances!

Why not use two trolling handlines, one from each quarter? Make one around 100 feet long (30m) and the second one a little longer, say 120 feet (35m) and use a different type of lure. As soon as you get a strike on one, bring the other one in, as two fish on at once will almost certainly lead to a major tangle - and no fish at all.

The longer line should be on the leeward side, which will help to space them apart.

What will My Handline Fishing Rig Catch?

In warm ocean zones these handline fishing rigs will catch the fish that hunt their prey close to the surface - tuna, wahoo, dorado, kingfish, barracuda, mackerel, jacks etc.

And having caught your fish, you'll need to know  how to kill it humanely, clean it and prepare it for cooking.

Ideally, your catch will be around the size of the kingfish shown here, but now and again you may hook one of the oceans' great billfish, a sailfish or a marlin for example.

The odds are that you won't get it to the boat - nor would you want to, I'm guessing. But if you do, please unhook it and release it if you can, or cut the line close to the mouth of the fish and let it swim free if you can't.

Are you serious about putting together a robust handline for offshore trolling?

Do you want to know exactly what to buy, where to buy it online and how much to pay for it?

If so, take a look at Assembling Your Offshore Trolling Handline .

They're just too magnificent a creature to kill, and they're not the best tasting fish in the sea.

Although these huge fish will take a small lure, they're more likely to ignore it than they would a large one.

So unless you want to do battle with an ocean gamefish, it's a good idea when sailboat fishing to use lures that don't exceed 8 inches (200mm) or so in overall length.

Top Tip #1 - Try a Teaser!

Fish get very excited when they detect a shoal of baitfish splashing around on the surface. You can replicate this activity by towing a splashy object a few feet in front of your lure. A half-filled plastic bottle works well, as does a net bag full of wine bottle corks.

If you're using two trolling handlines, one from each quarter, tie the teaser line to the backstay and make sure that all the splashing takes place a few feet ahead of the lure that's closest to the boat. This deception is probably the most effective way of getting fish to take an interest in your lures.

Top Tip #2 - Rig Up a Daisy Chain!

And you can also create more noise with a daisy chain.

A low-cost version can be made up by positioning a few plastic squid skirts along the leader at around 3 foot intervals, each one separated from the other by an overhand knot (or better, a crimp) and a bead.

Only the lure at the end of the line sports a hook; the others are merely decoys.

But what are the  best saltwater trolling lures  for sailboat fishing?

Next ~ My Very Fishy Story...

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Sailboat Fishing Guide: How to Fish from a Sailboat

Do you know how to fish from a sailboat.

Sailboat fishing is one of my favorite activities during our boat trips. Fortunately, many of the most popular sailing destinations like the Bahamas and British Virgin Islands (check out my   BVI specific fishing tips   or   Exuma fishing guide ) are also excellent places to fish.

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Bluewater Sailing Techniques Part 12: Fishing from your boat

• August 13, 2015

Fishing from your boat is one of the many fun activities while long-distance cruising. Dan Bower's advice on catching a fish for your supper is the last in our series of Bluewater Sailing Techniques

Photo: Tor Johnson

Now there are as many fishing ‘golden rules’, guaranteed methods and fishy tales as there are fishermen. There are also some excellent books dedicated to the subject – these are rather large – so there is a lot to say. This is what works for us; it’s simple and we rarely go hungry.

Choosing your gear

There is a lot out there, racks of rods, reels and shelves of shiny, colourful lures of all shapes and sizes. The best thing is to seek advice from the shop and find out what works for the area you’re fishing in and what fish you’re looking to catch.

You don’t need a rod and reel set-up to land a fish, but it does make your life easier, and the bigger and stronger the equipment, the more it will cost, but the less work it will be to bring one in and the more ‘strikes’ you will land successfully.

On many of my early transatlantic deliveries our fishing kit consisted of some line and an empty 2lt water bottle to wrap it around. With this budget and easy-stow system we landed some fairly sizeable catch, but it required thick gloves, a bit of a fight and all three crewmembers pulling the line. We also lost a few, together with line and lures.

If you’re going for hand line, then it’s the thicker the better, without the clutch lessening the snatch, a bigger line is less likely to snap – it’s also much easier on the hands when pulling it in.

Aboard Skyelark we have a simple, short rod – Penn Tuna Stick with 345 GTI reel and 60lb line – mounted on a stanchion and tend to favour the squid-style surface lures in various colours as bait.

Before setting off on an ocean crossing we encourage our crewmembers to go off in search of their own favourite lucky lure and so we acquire an eclectic selection with all the bubble-blowers, rattlers and teasers that the salesman proffered, and to be fair most do quite well.

Blues, pinks, reds and whites are probably the winners in the tropics.

Line length

After selecting the lure and tying it on, it then comes down to line length, and you want the lure to be just beyond the effects of your wake. We usually go for around four boat lengths (60m), but the faster you are travelling the more line should go out. The boat’s wake causes a disturbance and intrigues the fish, they come up to take a look and, always peckish, they go for the lure.

If it’s too close to the boat the wake will hide it and too far out you may get fewer strikes. A good rule of thumb is 10x the boat speed to give metres – eg 5 knots = 50m, 6 knots = 60m.

We experiment by counting the number of passes of the line guide, as it’s hard to judge how far back a semi-sinking lure is. If you’re using a reel then you can set the break so it only lets out line when a fish strikes. If you’re not using a reel then you need something to take the ‘snatch’ – in this way the line doesn’t snap and the hook becomes more firmly embedded. A small piece of bungy works well.

Reeling it in

It’s called fishing, not catching . . . but hopefully before too long you will get a strike signalled by a satisfying clicking and the line running away. The first thing is to increase the drag (clutch) on the reel. You don’t want to stop the line going out completely as a strong fish will snap it, but you want to increase the drag to tire it out.

You can play the drag to exhaust the fish; however, the more you let out, the more you bring in, but it’s easier to bring in if it’s tired, hence the balance.

It’s also useful to slow the boat down at this stage – consider bearing away or furling the headsail. To wind in, set the drag on the reel so that the line will wind in, but not so tight that the fish can’t take some more if it is feeling particularly energetic.

Once the fish is surfing on the surface, you can make good progress; if it gains purchase and dives deep, the work will become slow. Be patient and if necessary allow out more line.

Getting your catch on board

Once you have the fish close to the boat, it’s time to consider how to get it aboard as quickly and cleanly as possible. It’s worth noting that under sport fishing rules ‘leader in hand’ counts as a catch so once you’re here, it’s as good as caught technically so even if it gets away it’s a victory.

The surest way of landing the fish is to gaff it. A gaff is a big sharp hook on a stick and allows you to hook into the meat before the fish is out of the water. Failing this, you can pull it up onto a sugar scoop or under a guardrail – but be mindful that during this stage a final flurry of rapid thrashing can set your meal free. A gaff is a good investment.

We once caught a beautiful white marlin, which was swimming beside the boat. Neither I nor my able mate was keen on the idea of simply hoiking a monstrous thrashing fish onto the deck and would have been quite happy to let it free, but surrounded by eager clients we had to try something.

The first attempt was to pass a loop of line over the fish and tighten it over its tail – the plan was to get a firm hold and pull one at each end. This wasn’t a success and neither was our hastily put together homemade gaff – the fish in this case jumped the hook and got away unharmed. After blogging our woes, a new gaff arrived for Christmas and the next marlin was landed.

Killing it!

Now comes the rather grisly bit: the fish does have to die, but how best to do it? Whacking it with something heavy – a winch handle is usually the instrument of choice – can be slow, bloody, inhumane and result in some chips in the glassfibre.

Our favoured method is to hold the fish head first in a bucket of water and cut into the gills with a sharp knife. This way the fish will pump its blood out into the bucket: no mess, no drama and it is better for the meat.

Another option is to inebriate it with hard spirits, straight into the gills, or knife in the back of the head/spinal column. Whatever method you use, it needs to be quick – this is kinder to the fish and better for the meat.

Fish supper

Next prepare for cooking. With a small oven-sized fish we would favour keeping it whole, so first it needs to be gutted – we do this in a bucket. For bigger fish this is not practical; even just cutting through the spine can require a cleaver and a mallet.

For these we fillet the fish there and then, running a sharp filleting knife down each side of the bone and removing the flesh. The fish doesn’t need to be gutted, and the head and carcass can be thrown back as part of the food chain. Watch how we do this in our online video.

Where to fish

We generally deploy a line whenever on passage, either across an ocean or just between islands. We don’t fish near reefs or in passes because of the distraction and the risk of ciguatera poisoning (see below). The best times are dawn and dusk, but there is no hard rule; you can strike any time.

We don’t fish at night for the practical reason of dealing with a catch in the dark, so our line goes out just before dawn and in after sunset – you have to be in it to win it!

A note on ciguatera poisoning

Ciguatera is a toxin that can accumulate in fish that feed off the algae on coral reefs (or eat the fish that do) and while it’s harmless to the fish it can be very unpleasant for humans. Although rarely fatal, symptoms occur within three to five hours, but can develop and worsen over four or five days and can last for weeks, months and even for years!

Tingling and numbness around the nose and mouth, vomiting, diarrhoea, aching joints and muscle pain, weak pulse, feeling cold and weak, shocks and burning sensations are all possible – and medical attention should be sought.

The toxin is generally limited to reef fish and their predators, so is more relevant to spear fishing or trolling around the reefs. The bigger the fish, the more likely that the toxin levels will be high – they have eaten a lot of little fish – so keeping to smaller fish lessens the risk. However, the toxin levels can also build up in humans before becoming dangerous, so if you regularly consume reef fish, you are at risk.

Usually anything caught offshore is not affected and pelagic fish are safe (tuna, mahi mahi, marlin, wahoo). The only sure way is to abstain from eating reef fish, but you’re fairly safe if you take advice – local fishermen will know. Ask them what is safe from which areas (this can change from reef to reef). Groupers, jacks, barracuda and the moray eel are particularly predatory fish and are the most at risk, so should be avoided.

Our approach aboard Skyelark is to eat anything caught offshore and we prefer to buy any reef fish from fishermen or eat them in a restaurant where the chances are you should be OK.

Do’s and don’ts

√ Do experiment with different coloured lures.

√ Do slow the boat down to help reel it in.

√ Do throw a line out when on passage.

√ Do buy the best rod and reel your budget allows.

√ Do take care with the hook as you bring the fish on board. One crewmember on an ARC yacht needed surgery to remove a fish hook from his arm.

√ Do seek advice from local sailors about what works for them.

x Don’t take any risks with eating a fish that may have ciguatera.

x Don’t be afraid to cut the line if you end up with a fish much larger than you are happy to try to land.

x Don’t try to pull a fish in on a handline without slowing the boat right down and wearing gloves.

x Don’t Don’t troll around reefs or passes if you’re not sure about ciguatera .

• Reels can take a lot of punishment and it is worth buying some spare parts if you are away on a long trip.
• A gaff is a really useful piece of kit for getting the fish on board – it can be a big struggle without one.
• Two hours after sunrise or before sunset is the best time to fish.
• Make sure you have attached a swivel and leader before the lure.
• Use line thick enough and strong enough for the fish you hope to catch.
• Try making your own lures out of rubber gloves.
• Rig flying fish for bait.

There is a ciguatera test kit – see www.cigua.com

Baked fish (mahi mahi)

1 oven-sized whole mahi mahi, or fillets

2 onions, sliced

Garlic cloves to taste.

Splash of lemon juice or white wine

Cover fillets or stuff whole fish with onions, lemons and garlic, place in tin foil, splash over wine and bake for 20mins or until cooked. Serve with a bit of butter and sides.

Dan and Em Bower

Dan and Em Bower, both in their thirties, are lifelong sailors. Six years ago they bought Skyelark of London , a Skye 51 by American designer Rob Ladd, built in Taiwan in 1986, and have been sailing and chartering her ever since, making some 12 transatlantic crossings and covering around 60,000 miles.

See videos for all the parts here

12-part series in association with pantaenius. look out for our next series on catamaran sailing techniques.

Fishing From a Yacht: Secrets of Sailboat Fishing

Aside from the luxury, comfort, and style that virtually every type of yacht can provide, one of the first questions that enter the minds of boat enthusiasts, new and old alike, is whether or not a particular vessel is generally good for fishing. Fishing from a yacht is not a novel idea, but it is a question that we encounter quite a number of times.

So, is the fun of fishing doable aboard a yacht? Take the bait and read on to find out!

Can You Fish From a Yacht?

Yes, you can absolutely fish from a yacht, whether it be sport fishing , anchored fishing, bottom fishing, spinning, jigging, trolling, bait fishing, or any other unique form of fishing. Yachts may have been designed with a premium design and quality finish, but beneath the surface of a wonderful-looking boat, you have a very capable and practical vessel for catching fish. This includes the more common, relatively lighter-weight species such as the smallmouth bass and largemouth bass, all the way to huge and powerful fish species such as the bluefin tuna and yellowfin tuna.

We freely suggest that both beginners and experienced sailors take on fishing aboard a yacht, even just for that one-time experience. The combination of safety, comfort, style, and the patience and skill required for fishing really takes your head away from all the problems you may be experiencing in the world.

What Fish Can You Catch from a Yacht?

If you have watched (or heard of) Wicked Tuna or Deadliest Catch, then you're aware that when it comes to acquiring fish, any fish species is fair game (within reason, of course). As mentioned earlier, anything from bass to tuna is viable across the ocean or sea aboard a decent-sized yacht with a decent-quality fishing rod.

Whether for fun and casual activities or big game sport fishing, here is a quick list of the most popular fish species you can generally catch aboard a yacht:

• Walleye fish

The Different Fishing Techniques That Can Be Used Aboard a Yacht

There are several methods of fishing aboard a yacht. Although techniques or approaches largely depend on a sailor's skill level, cruising speed (or anchor status), type of lure, type of gear (hook, reel, rod), the classification or type of boat also comes into consideration. Fortunately, for yachts, a lot of different fish species can be caught in the ocean and served up for dinner for guests to eat in a fancy evening party aboard the boat.

Here is a list of fishing methods that can be done on a yacht:

A method of fish catching that involves setting a long fish line angled downward (or vertically) with a series of hooks along the line.

There is no rod holder required for this one. Hand line fishing is a method of fish catching that does not utilize a traditional fishing rod, but rather a simple fish line that is baited with lures or bait fish such as mackerel.

A method that is used primarily for different varieties of bass fish. This method departs from a traditional fish rod and fish line and utilizes a relatively short and heavy line to catch fish.

A popular means of fish catching that utilizes a jig, which is a type of fish lure that has a soft texture and can move in a jerking motion.

Another means that simulates bait fish movement (such as mackerel) by repeatedly dropping and raising a flat lure through a school of fish in the hopes of catching multiple fish.

Trolling is an approach that utilizes slow and steady movement from the vessel (or drifting) through depths of water in order to lay down multiple baits (such as mackerel) or fish trolling lures across the water through a certain distance. These baits or fish trolling lures will then experience drag across the water while sailing.

As opposed to droplining, trotlining relies on the horizontal alignment of smaller fish bait (such as mackerel) and lures, attracting fish near and far with several baits and lures behind one another.

Ideal for either freshwater or marine ecosystems, spinning is a way of securing smaller fish in still bodies of water that have minimal current. It allows sailors to cover large areas of water quickly.

Pitching involves a lot of skill as it requires the fisherman to toss the lure, tackle, or live bait (like mackerel) across a wide distance, eventually landing and creating a big, loud splash to entice certain fish to go for the hooks.

Involves the use of a tenkara rod (made of graphite and telescopic) to catch freshwater fish such as trout and char.

Fly Fishing

A relatively less accessible but really popular means, fly fishing involves the use of unique fish bait or tackle, namely artificial flies. The tackle or gear used in a fly fish catch involves specialized equipment that is designed specifically for this purpose.

Float Tubing

In tandem with the fly catch, the float tube catch is introduced by using floating devices or tubes in order to reach greater depths with minimal weight and attention. This is not ideal for big game fish but small to medium-sized fish are a highly probable hook and catch. Unique sea creatures such as squid and prawns may also be caught.

One of the most traditional ways of securing fish, whether big game or small, is casting. Casting simply entails the act of swinging rods back and then forward in a swift motion to reach a significant distance. This is also considered to be the official sports counterpart of actual fishing.

Bottom Fishing

There are many ways to describe this, but simply put, this way entails sending the tackle, bait, or live lure (such as mackerel) down to the bottom-most portions of the ocean. This is also a good way to catch squid.

Anchor Fishing

This way is pretty self-explanatory and can be done near the shore or off-shore, deep into saltwater or freshwater territories.

Remote Control Fishing

For those who would like to splurge a bit more and explore what technology has to offer when it comes to the fish catch while on a boat, nothing is as good as combining remote control fishing with sailing. Ditch the rod and grab onto your RC rig and get into the depth of the sea with unique lures and tackles attached to a rig that is controlled remotely. Be careful with wind conditions, however, as your investment might just end up a flop.

Drone Fishing

If you want to take things one step further with the hook, then take a look at one of the latest and greatest innovations in the field of boating. With the use of specialized drones, you can now catch fish from the comfort of your boat without having to worry about trolling or jigging techniques, or even the weight of the actual fish.

This approach is loads of fun and is a definite head-turner for both casuals and veteran boaters. Similar to the entry above, be sure to take special note of wind conditions to ensure proper drone operation.

The Different Gear and Equipment Needed to Fish on a Yacht

The secrets of sailboat fishing are not found in your boat, nor are they found in your gear or equipment. The secrets are not based on the fish you have caught in the past either.

The key to becoming a leader in fishing, whether it be trolling, jigging, near the shore, anchored, or while your vessel is drifting, is to actually have a good sense of your capabilities and align them with the capacity of your boat, your reels, the depth of the ocean, and essentially everything else. Once you realize that every little thing can contribute to how good or bad you are as a leader in this field, at the snap of a finger, you will be able to dedicate your time and efforts to actually growing as a fisherman and becoming a better person overall.

Now that we have dispensed with the philosophical depth of boating and fish life, let's rise to the surface and talk about the quality of the boat and the pieces needed, from lures, rods, knots, and reels, to the gaff, hook, and swivel mechanisms of your fish hunt repertoire.

We shall now take a look at each, broken down into different sections:

1. Gaff - Telescopic Fish Gaff with Stainless Sea Fishing Spear Hook by Sanlike

With its retractable mechanism and portability, the Telescopic Fish Gaff by Sanlike is a worthwhile investment. It is made of durable material and its compact size provides for great packing and storage aboard the boat.

2. Line - Calamus Bastion Braided Fishing Line

Modern fishing lines are deceptively tough and durable, but the Calamus Bastion Braided Line is one of the best and most cost-efficient offers in the market today. It is thin, strong, and extremely abrasion resistant which makes it a good piece for both freshwater and saltwater trips.

If you have experienced a line snap with low-quality lines, there would not be much to worry about with this product because this line is built for big game, too. Its braided design also lends to its flexibility in creating knots, from the bimini twist all the way to the perfection loop, anything is possible. As long as you know how to tie, then you could never go wrong with this item, whether getting fish while drifting (such as trolling) or going for an anchor catch.

The thin construction also allows it to be compatible with a lot of reel products, so there should be no worry when customizing or custom building your rod.

3. Swivel - Amysports High Strength Fishing Snap Swivel

Made with copper and finished with nickel, the Amysports High Strength Snap Swivel is something you should have a lot of, especially when going out on drawn-out fishing trips. As a result of the stainless steel material, expect to be able to use it in any type of water, namely saltwater and freshwater.

4. Reels - KastKing Summer and Centron Spinning Reels

If you are looking for absolute value for money in a reel, the KastKing Summer and Centron Spinning Reel is a great pick. Constructed to be lightweight and durable (due to its graphite build), this reel is going to serve you well. In terms of reel drag, this product offers the brand's patented Superior Drag System, providing stopping power up to a reported 17.5 pounds.

5. Hooks - Anmuka Fishing Worm Hooks

It's not always about the size! Well, it is in this case, and it is also about the sharp tips, which there are plenty of when it comes to the 2,000-piece Anmuka Worm Hook Set. Pack a box or two of these on board your boat before leaving anchored status and you will be more than set to catch any shape and size of aquatic creature.

Built with high-grade carbon steel and unbelievably pinpoint-sharp tips, expect better-than-average performance in both freshwater and saltwater regions. Tie this up with all of the other recommended products (reel, swivel, line, and gaff) and you will definitely have a killer setup.

Catch and Release vs Keep and Kill

There are several practices that talk about catch and release as opposed to keep and kill (or eat). The former is a sustainable approach essentially because returning fish to their habitat ensures the maintenance of the fish population without having to skip the fun of fishing. The latter is usually acceptable for either commercial purposes or personal consumption (in other words, dinner).

Here are a few recommendations and general rules to follow:

• If your trip is meant primarily for sports purposes, it would be better to observe catch and release.
• If you secured a relatively young or small fish, observe catch and release.
• If your trip is for leisure and relaxation, it would be best to go with catch and release.
• If the area where you are sailing is known for fish that are suffering from toxins or diseases that could affect humans (such as ciguatera), it would be prudent to practice catch and release. Take note that ciguatera can still affect humans even if the fish meat is thoroughly cooked. There is also no way of identifying ciguatera through physical signs of the fish so be extra mindful.
• If you are looking to consume the fish you catch, then feel free to keep and kill.
• If you find a particularly large or heavy fish, then we would advise keeping and killing.
• If you are in the fish-selling business, then keep and kill is acceptable, especially if you are having a slow day and are behind on your daily catch.
• If you still have space to board more fish and are near the end of your trip, then feel free to keep and kill.
• If the town or region highly supports securing certain fish when sailing in their waters, then go ahead and keep and kill whatever you catch.

Fishing from a yacht definitely has its advantages. As for disadvantages, we honestly do not see a lot. So if you have the time and the money to invest in and use a yacht, then feel free to do so!

Related Posts

Why are Superyachts So Expensive? [The Costs Explained]

Benefits of Joining a Yacht Club: Why Join – Are They Worth It?

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The 10 Best Sailing Movies of All Time

S/V Violet Hour

Sailing adventures in the pacific northwest.

How We Learned to Fish From a Sailboat in Southeast Alaska – Techniques, Lures and Gear

Fishing from a sailboat isn’t quite as simple as on boats purpose-built for fishing. Yet, it can be really rewarding and we found it’s amazingly fun in Alaska, where fish are plentiful. In 2 of our 6 seasons cruising WA and BC we fished occasionally but never caught anything. It took coming to Alaska to finally learn how to fish.

From April thru August 2021, we caught 47 fish over the course of about 50 days with active fishing effort. Some days we’d spend a couple hours out in the dinghy, catching nothing. Other days we’d go out and catch something within 15 minutes.

• 13 Halibut (all 18-25” except for one 51” monster!)
• 21 Salmon (13 silvers, 7 pink, and 1 sockeye)
• 6 Pacific cod
• 7 Rock fish
• 28 Dungeness crab (we stopped crabbing around July when we switched to focusing on fish)

Fishing requires knowledge, patience and skill. It can be very frustrating at times (like when sitting in the cold rain not catching anything, or when we lost gear to the bottom). Yet it can be rewarding – other than being vegetarian, I think catching your own protein is one of the most sustainable ways to live in a remote area.

Catching our own food gave us a much deeper appreciation for the sacrifice made, motivating us to respect every fish caught – safely releasing ones we didn’t keep and carefully filleting the ones we did keep to maximize use. Meat (and groceries in general) is quite expensive in Alaska, especially in the small remote villages we visit when cruising by boat. Many of the small towns get their groceries by barge just once a week, and most of their meat is frozen – we found frozen beef with “packed on” dates from over a year ago!

Buying groceries in the store means lots of fuel was burned to ship it there (container ship, barge and truck) and refrigerate it. When catching fish we could be sure that it was as fresh as it could possibly be and processed in the most optimal way. Fish is also extremely healthy, packed with healthy omega-3 fatty acids.

The first salmon I ever filleted (a sockeye). An imperfect filleting job, but I got better after this.

We had a lot of fish tacos and also numerous other delicious preparations.

Fishing Advice

A few caveats – we’re not experts and there are certainly people that know a lot more! (like all the sport charter fishing guides and commercial fisher-people). Fishing isn’t a science and sometimes stuff that should work doesn’t (or vice versa). Fishing is very seasonal and I’m not going to cover that or other things you can easily learn from existing online resources.

Also worth noting – in the fishing world many people are protective about their fishing spots and can be secretive or even hostile towards newbies. This is quite a contrast to the sailing / boating world where there’s a culture of helpfulness, especially towards newcomers. Certainly not everyone takes this position (we met very helpful people too!) but some people who fish believe that additional people fishing will “steal” their fish or deplete the prime spots.

I don’t buy this argument because beginners who are truly interested in learning fishing will learn to do it whether you help them or oppose them. So it seems much better to me to be helpful and sharing of information. In the modern era of Internet and social media, there are no truly “secret” spots anymore anyway.

And for those who think an additional sport fisherman is going to deplete the availability of fish for themselves, they should consider that industrial-scale commercial fishing operations are harvesting far more fish than a sport fisherman, well before it gets to their preferred spots, with a lot of bycatch (unintentionally caught fish which are often wasted).

The Dungeness crabs can be very big in Alaska – often 8-9″. (Note: I have a proper crab ruler but it doesn’t go this high – that’s why I pulled out the tape measure).

Sailboat Fishing vs Traditional Sport Fishing

Fishing while cruising on a sailboat has a few unique aspects to it.

• Sailboats have limited space for fishing rods and filleting tables.
• High freeboard means it can be hard to reach down to the water to net a fish.
• Sailboats go slow and usually don’t have trolling motors (you can use the diesel for this but it’s not ideal).
• Storage / freezing – a sport fishing boat usually returns to a land home where they have a large freezer to store the catch in. Cruising sailboats have to eat all their catch relatively quickly or have a way to preserve it.
• Cruising boats have more range for getting to the best fishing spots. Areas close to major cities (Juneau, Wrangell, etc) get heavily fished by the locals in trailerable boats – very few of those boats can go 2 weeks from port.
• You can fish while sailing, using no fuel at all!
• Flexible modes for different ways of fishing

The 4′ 3″ (~64 lbs) halibut I caught from the dinghy (quite a challenge – had to do a beach landing) and filleted at anchor on the foredeck.

Fishing from the dinghy. This was my preferred mode about 80% of the time. Photo credit: SV Tulli

• a) while sailing
• b) while drifting – no sails up or heaved to; wind or current will increase rate of drift.
• c) while motoring (engine on, trolling)
• 2) Fish from the dinghy (sailboat at anchor)
• 3) Fish from the sailboat at anchor

One of the biggest challenges was figuring out which mode we prefer, and how to make it easier. In past years in BC we haven’t fished very much (and never successfully) partly because we don’t like fishing while underway. Since there’s limited time (and energy) in the day, it competes with sailing time. Sailing is our #1 priority, and often with light wind it takes up a very large amount of time.

Fishing on a Sailboat Underway:

Fishing while underway often means running the diesel at idle for quite a while – not only is this not great for a diesel engine, our engine is very loud and takes away the peacefulness of being out on the water. Alternatively, we can fish underway while sailing, but this is pretty difficult in the PNW. Tack/jibe lines take us across straits, and the middle of a strait isn’t the best place to find salmon. Plus you can’t be moving faster than 3 kts or so or you’ll probably be too fast for trolling – if more wind shows up, it can mess up your fishing.

To fish for bottomfish you need to be not moving (much). So one technique we’ve used while enroute to our next anchorage is drift fishing. Ideally, with little wind and no current you may not move at all, so the trick is to just stop in a good fishing spot and turn off the engine. However, positioning the boat in current, near rocky shorelines and headlands can be tricky and requires vigilant situational awareness.

Fishing from the Dinghy:

This is the method I grew to prefer. Once anchored, I could pretty quickly put the outboard on our Portabote and zoom out of the anchorage planing at 10 kts with our 6hp 4-stroke outboard. While we could go perhaps 6 nm this way, a range of 2 nm was preferable because going fast in the Portabote isn’t very comfortable. I wouldn’t go far out into major straits where dangerous waves can build quickly, and if the wind comes up it can be a cold, wet ride.

But the advantage is a dinghy can be moved easily and quickly to try new fishing spots, it can easily troll at 2-3 kts for salmon fishing, landing a fish is easier because you’re closer to the water line, and it confines the mess (scales and blood) to your dinghy instead of the entire boat deck or cockpit.

One downside is a dinghy is less comfortable – our seats with no back support are pretty killer after an hour, and we don’t have all the at-home comforts of the sailboat (heating, wind/rain protection, a galley, etc).

Fishing at Anchor

This was our least used mode, since it’s less common for an anchorage to have lots of fish in it (fish congregate out in the straits, near points or bottom features that bring them food sources on the current). But, halibut sometimes do head into anchorages and we caught one at anchor that way (the great thing about fishing at anchor is you can leave the bait in for hours, just checking it occasionally). You can also cast artificial lures or jig at anchor, which we saw some boats doing but we haven’t yet caught anything that way.

In some anchorages, salmon were literally jumping around our boat while at anchor.

Fishing Gear

Fishing gear is overwhelmingly confusing because there are thousands of variants, and many of them aren’t labeled or documented well. To make matters worse, the costs can add up quickly (since there are so many little things to buy) and the big ticket items (rod, reel) can range from budget priced to sky high.

All of our items are on the budget side of things. Our initial approach, from past experience not catching any fish in BC, was that we wanted to justify our gear expenditure by catching enough fish to equal the gear value, compared to buying the fish in the grocery store ($12-22/lb for salmon or halibut).

Also my opinion is that very expensive gear doesn’t catch fish that much quicker. It may provide some minor edge and conveniences, but we found pretty basic gear was sufficient in Southeast Alaska. I think being in the right place at the right time, and being skilled at the right fishing techniques, is usually more important than having the latest and greatest technology.

Must Haves:

• License , regulations pamphlet , Harvest Record card , and fish identification guides ( rockfish , salmon , bottomfish ).
• Southeast Fishing Atlas: Salmon Holes and Halibut Hills (free PDF)
• 6’ rod – Penn Mariner II Boat rod  – I used this because around 6’ is recommended for halibut. This worked fine for salmon, rockfish and cod too.
• or Okuma Cold Water 303d line counter reel – we’ve now upgraded to these (more expensive, but well worth it if you’re doing a lot of fishing)
• around 60-80lb test is good in case you get a big halibut, braided line is better than monofilament because it’s thinner and will have less drag in current, and you want about 450’ in length because halibut fishing can be as deep as 200-300’.
• 80lb line is overkill for salmon and other fish (only need 20-30lb) but we found this worked fine for them all. Having one rod/reel saved money and space.
• Fishing line leader, 20-30 lb – for connecting things, lures, salmon flashers, divers, etc.
• Multitool for cutting line, prepping hooks, removing hook, etc.
• Fillet knife – we typically have a bait knife for fish cleaning, bleeding and bait prep and a fillet knife (like Rapala 6″ or 7.5″ ) for the actual filleting.
• Descender – mandatory in Alaska (see regulations) for descending non-retention rockfish. (Or a  Fancy version )
• Connecting hardware such as swivels .

Fish identification can be tough. Our first fish caught was a large cabezon / sculpin / “bullhead”. We usually release these because they’re usually small, but some people like to keep them (good in stews or fried+breaded – the meat is a bit more chewy / dense than other fish).

Halibut fishing / Bottomfishing:

• Double circle hook leader for fishing with herring. (This same setup often works for Pacific Cod too). I used mainly size 8/0 or 9/0 hooks.

• Leadhead jig with a rubber lure like the Berkley Gulp line .
• Buzzbombs – good for jigging for smaller fish like rockfish. I haven’t caught a halibut with one.
• Gaff hook or spear/harpoon
• Club (or use the handle end of the gaff hook – carefully).

Herring on a double circle hook setup. I made some improvements to the hookup later (losing herring is a nuisance inherent to fishing with bait) and many people have their own favorite technique.

Salmon Fishing:

• Deep Six Planing Diver – helps get the lure deeper while trolling. Sport fishing boats use downriggers, but those are expensive and take up room on deck for mounting (although some sailboats do mount them). Note there are different sizes to this – I like to have a big one (5″ / 5oz) for deeper salmon trolling from the dinghy and a smaller one (3.5″) for trolling while sailing.
• Net – salmon are acrobatic fighters (especially Coho/silvers) and a net helps get them onboard before they can spit the hook. For bottomfishing I found a net to be unnecessary but it may help in some cases. Nets, unfortunately, are expensive! Get a good one and don’t lose it.

• Spoons like the Silver Horde line
• Hoochies (plastic squid lures) with a one or two hook leader (3/0 or 4/0 hooks)

• Casting lure like the Blue Fox Pixee Spoon
• Note: you can fish for salmon with bait (herring) too but we never had much luck with that. Might be more critical for king salmon. We found silvers and pinks will bite anything, as long as it has a color and motion to attract them.

A beautiful sockeye caught trolling a Buzzbomb on a diver (without a flasher) in late July. Pure luck (sockeye are hard to catch in open water – this one was in Chatham Strait off Waterfall cove) – the only sockeye we caught.

• Tackle box – we used a Tuperware container for a while but a tacklebox is nice.
• Alaska Fishing (3rd ed) by René Limeres and Gunmar Pedersen. I found this book in the Juneau library after our summer of fishing (and wish I had known about it beforehand because it would’ve answered a lot of questions!). This is like the bible of Alaska fishing, so I highly recommend it if you can find it (not always in print but you could buy used or find it in a library in Alaska).
• Fishing rod holders
• Herring jig – we used these on a couple occasions to catch herring for bait. If you can find a herring ball it’s a lot of fun (watch out for humpbacks though)!
• Fish Filleting/Cleaning Board – a lot of other boats had these mounted. We relied on just an old plastic cutting board placed in the cockpit. This makes a mess and more cleanup work.
• A portable seat (with back) for our dinghy would make dinghy fishing a lot more comfortable.

Smoking pink salmon. Later on when we started catching a lot of silvers (coho) we smoked some of that too.

It should go without saying, but Southeast Alaska is rainy and chilly, even for much of the summer. Having the right clothing is important for being comfortable and being able to stay out as long as you want to. Shorts + t-shirts fishing was rare.

• Waterproof outer layer:  Helly Hansen Impertech Deluxe Rain Jacket For sailing I often use a DWR coated (Goretex) jacket ( Marmot 3-in-1 jacket ). Different brands have various trade names but they’re all essentially fabric with a water repellant coating on top, and with all of them that coating wears away or degrades with time. You can re-treat the coating , but even then I’ve found it doesn’t stay dry with 1-2 hours in the rain. Fishing in Alaska I found myself sitting outside in the rain for longer than I would be in the rain while sailing (because we have rain protection in our cockpit). This Helly Hansen jacket is more like a plastic rain slicker (it uses a polyurethane coating). An impermeable layer is much quicker to dry out when you get back to the boat. And I haven’t found breathability to be a problem.
• Would-be-nice: Waterproof phone case and mount for the dinghy. I use my phone for navigation (Navionics) in the dinghy, but fishing means I use it even more – checking our drift rate and position over depth contours and bottom features. A RAM mount would’ve been handy (since your hands are already occupied with a pole and tackle) and a waterproof case (my phone survived being rained on a lot, but I was pretty diligent about drying it off afterwards).

[This post contains Amazon affiliate links which help fund this site – the prices to you are the same and if you make a purchase within 24 hours of clicking a product we recommended, we’ll get a small referral bonus].

4 thoughts on “ How We Learned to Fish From a Sailboat in Southeast Alaska – Techniques, Lures and Gear ”

I am enjoying looking at your postings. Newby sailor. Thanks, Kevin

I like what you said about using a rain slicker. I need to get a new fishing pole. I’ll have to consider getting new bait as well.

Great article Patrick!

Excellent details with good references to external resources.

This is the fishing primer those planning to visit the NNE Pacific need to read.

Cheers! Bill

Thank you for the detailed article. Well written and thorough, like the rest of your website. Cheers, Lisa on SV Raven

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Better Sailing

Trolling From A Sailboat: How To

Trolling is the fishing technique in which at least one fishing line is drawn through the water. This can be behind moving a sailboat or any other boat for that matter. It is utilized in catching pelagic fish like mackerel, mahi-mahi, tuna, swordfish, and other big game fish. Speed, location, weather conditions, and of course, equipment will have a significant impact on the kind of fish you are going to catch.

Sometimes, people mistake trolling with trawling, which is a different technique of fishing in which the net is drawn through the water rather than fishing lines. This requires a special fishing boat and cannot be done with a sailboat.

Out in open water, chances of getting larger fish are high. In the open sea, trolling speeds must be higher. Somewhere between five and seven knots. Be prepared if you want to go to the islands. You will definitely require heavy gear for trolling, especially when sailing. At least thirty-pound test line and if you are going for bigger game fish you have to have much more than that.

When sailing, you can not always halt the boat. If you want to hook large fish, you will definitely require gear that is heavy enough to actually pull fish while you’re trying to slow the sailboat down. If you’re motoring, it would not be difficult since you can stop whenever you want, but that is not the case on long trips or passages so when sailing is the only option. You could troll with a fifteen-pound test line is the latter was the case.

When it is completely wound in then, gradually let bare line pull out again during still sailing, to make sure you do not get twisted up areas of line come overboard. If possible, let out for a bit more line than the point when it became twisted. While having nothing on end of the line and water moving beside the line, twists will eliminate themselves in no time. Now, let’s start with the basics and the fun part: 

Rod or Hand-line?

Personally, I will pick a rod over a hand-line every day for a couple of reasons. First of all, I have experienced more bites and have caught more and bigger fish with a rod and reel. I am not sure why though. 

Maybe it’s because the rod is swinging up and down more when sailing and that gives the lures more action. One more season to love the rod and reel combo is the noise it makes when you hook a fish. When a fish is hooked, and the reel starts screaming, you know it’s game on!

This trolling fishing rod from Amazon is one of the best for its price.

A strong fishing line is essential when trolling (duh!). Especially when sailing since you can’t just stop your boat on a second’s notice. Personally, I use monofilament line on the top and braided line on the bottom of the spool. That is because a big fish will take a lot of line from your spool and you will have to let the fish run before you start reeling it in. Braid line is compact and spools really well while mono is flexible, so the fish can’t easily break away. With a set up like this, you will never run out of line; especially if you opt for a large boat reel.

This set up also makes it easy and less expensive to replace the top mono line that degrades faster because of the heavier exposure to water and sunlight. Make sure to rinse your spool after fishing every time since that will help them last longer.

Do get a good quality ball bearing swivel for trolling. They are more costly than regular swivels, but they work exceptionally even under heavy load. When trolling, the bait or lure is continuously pulling on the swivel, so the regular swivel may not turn. This means that your lure will be spinning and if you are lucky, then it will just put hundreds of twists instead of thousands in the line, which would be a nightmare for you.

You may not notice it at first during trolling, however the second you try to reel your line you will understand what I am talking about. First of all, check if slack is positioned on the line because it will turn up severely. If your links twist, you need to get the twists out by just carefully reeling in the turned line, take necessary precautions to avoid the line getting any further slack during reel.

You should at least go for a 30-pound test line when trolling from a sailboat. Personally, I always go for something like an 80-pound test line because I always try being optimistic. 

After the Fish Is Hooked

After the fish is on your hook, you should try to slow down the boat. This is not a problem when you are running the engine but if you are on sail things become a little trickier. First of all, you should furl your genoa. Then, if the fish is big, you should drop the main sail as well. This will make reeling the fish easier. This is really a two-person job, but it can be done singlehanded as well. 

When you pull the fish onboard

First of all, you need a gaff to “stab” the fish and bring it onboard. You can bet something more expensive but a cheap gaff from Amazon will do its job just fine. A “gaff” is a pole with a large hook on the one end that is especially useful to bring larger fish on the boat. Alternatively, for smaller fish, you can use a hand net, but I personally prefer the gaff. That is because when you are about to bring this fish onboard, the hook may fall off or the line can break when pulling the fish on the boat. Keep in mind that the fish will try to swim underneath the boat, and that is a problem because the kneel could cut the line. If that happens, be prepared to move yourself in either direction to avoid this. 

Before pulling the fish onboard, make sure to water the deck.  This will make it much easier to clean up. That is especially true if you have a teak deck and you are reeling a tuna in. Tuna will bleed heavily on your boat, and if the teak is dry will absorb the blood, making it difficult to clean. 

After The Fish Is Onboard

First of all, be a sportsman and don’t let the fish suffer. There are a couple of ways to do this. The first is to take a cutting board, place it beneath the fish, and make a deep cut/stab on the top of the spine or into the brain. The fish will bleed a lot, especially if it’s a tuna or other large game fish. A good idea is to have a bucket and place its head until it bleeds out to protect your deck, especially if it’s teak. Another option is to pour alcohol straight on the gills, that will kill it fast as well.

Now, you can fillet the fish and depending on the size and how long it will take you to consume all of it you can place the fillets on smaller bags and place it your freezer or cooler.

You can read my article about grilling or cooking fish on a sailboat, but if you like sushi you can eat it raw as well. To be honest, I do enjoy my tuna raw, especially when it is that fresh with some rice.

>>Also Read: How To Cook On a Sailboat

Trolling Lures

It is optimal to have many trolling lines behind your boat with different types and sizes to target different species and different fish sizes. You can buy your lures from your local angling shop or straight from Amazon . A good tip is to buy a variety pack so you can try a wide variety of lures.

Other Essentials

Fishing Rod Holder:  Most sailboats don’t have fishing rod holders built-in but don’t worry, they are pretty cheap and very easy to install. If you do not want to drill holes in your boat then these mounts from Amazon are your best option.

Trolling Dodgers and Flashers:   This is a flat-like object that attaches to your fishing line and serves two objectives. One, it shines into the water, and that attracts fish and the other, makes a noise similar to other fish swimming; that attracts other fish as well.

Trolling Divers:  Some fish don’t bite very close to the surface, and if you are hunting for those species you will need a trolling diver . This takes the lure down to the strike zone and multiples the chances of you bagging your dream fish.

Reels:  Get a large boat reel that you can spool a lot of line into. I always prefer reels with a line counter, which means you are always aware of how much line you got behind your boat. Go with brands like Penn , Shimano (High-end Options), Okuma (Middle and VFM Option), KastKing , Sougayilang (Value Options).

Fishing Rod Belt:  This is especially useful when you are trying to reel larger fish. Because of the functionality of the belt, you will be able to use your own body’s weight to pull on the fish. A cheap belt like this one will make all the difference in the world when reeling a fish in.

Now, let’s take a look at the more technical side of things: 

The cruising speed of a sailboat is actually ideal for most species targeted when trolling. Some others require higher speeds but what can you do? (Nothing) 

While trolling most people have enough information to calculate the speed which is suitable for fish they are targeting, rarely some people know to take environmental factors into account, which causes drift. 

Drift is very important, particularly where you will have to deal with major currents because it alternates speed of lures as they travel through water. If basic navigation is known to you, then you have already a basic idea about the difference between water and overground speed. In trolling, you will need to take into account the speed through water because fish are apprehensive with this speed, and it is the speed that directs the action of the bait or lure.

For many people, while trolling, this means that using paddlewheel speedo rather than the Global Positioning System to establish their speed while they start trolling. These speedometers are infamously unreliable. A tiny thing like kelp or a small twig of seaweed may toss them off, even the finest paddlewheels require continuous calibration.

How will you be able to discover the trolling speed that is needed? 

The answer to this question is hidden in your baits. While trolling some people get the speed to the point they think it is right, then they grab one of the lures and observe it “swim” through water? When it seems to be actually swimming, then you have found the accurate speed.

If someone changes course, then the tide also changes simultaneously, you enter a part with a different current, the wind changes significantly, and because of that, you will be going in the incorrect speed again. This is not a one-time set and then forget the speed proposition. You will require to continuously pay attention, even when you do not believe that anything has recently changed, recheck action of the baits at least every hour or by holding a lure next to the boat and keep observing it.

There is one extra thing you will require to be familiar with the speed: when your outcome is uninspiring, change it. Many people have put along, just waiting for the lure to be picked up or tide to face variation, when a small change in speed may make all the change in the world. So if the fishing is not fast, try to crank the speed a little bit up. Or try slowing them a little down. A slight modification in speed may work, and you can begin catching.

One more variable many people forget while trolling is to check the depth of the lures. They may try to let out more line than they have to when they see a fish down in-depth on the fish finder, or they pull lines up a bit when fish start to seem to be in shallow waters. But this makes about as far sense as aiming a gun in the same direction of a target, pulling the trigger, then somehow supposing to hit bull’s eye mysteriously. 

Unluckily, a list of features affecting depth where lures should swim is lengthy and varied: lure, line diameter, current, weight, lure size and shape, and many more.

Well, there is a common thumb rule you may utilize to get a feel for wherever those baits are swimming. It is also known as “the Rule of Fives”. While trolling at five miles per hour with five ounces in weight and fifty feet line out, the bait will be approximately five feet below the surface. Of course, you will rarely be going precisely five miles per hour, using exactly five ounces, and letting out exactly fifty feet line. This is something that depends on the resign of the lure as well and this rule applies to simple lures that are not designed to go up or down on the water.

However, by using “the Rule of Fives”, you can perform some basic math to approximate the depth of the lures. If all these baits are precisely at the same depth, then you have just dishonored one of the “cardinal rules of trolling” i.e., always set some lines at different depths. It will not only help you catch fish while they are dispersed throughout the water column, but it will definitely help you hook larger fish. 

Trolling From A Sailboat – Conclusion

It doesn’t matter where you want to fish and what you want to fish for, there are high chances that you will have to use trolling techniques. The main question is, how effective are these techniques? Well, trolling while sailing may seem straightforward, you just have to drag baits or lures behind your sailboat. But, you also have to make these lures look alive, and many more countless details that isolate the “pros” from the amateurs. I hope that I was able to help you with this article enough to for you to start with trolling and start bagging some big fish.

Peter is the editor of Better Sailing. He has sailed for countless hours and has maintained his own boats and sailboats for years. After years of trial and error, he decided to start this website to share the knowledge.

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FISHING FROM SAILBOATS: For Whom The Bait Trolls

A LOT OF BLUEWATER SAILORS I know complain that they never catch fish while on passage. I once had this problem, too, but since perfecting my technique I’ve never once been skunked on a passage during which I have tried to catch fish. It’s really not very hard and is a great way to vary your diet at sea.

Some hardcore “veggie-lantes” I know do like to argue that it is immoral to catch and eat fish. But the way I see it you have to look at things from the fish’s perspective. A fish that is bigger than you normally will not hesitate to eat you if it is hungry. But it also probably won’t kill you for sport and prominently display your remains in its home. Thus, rule number one in my guide to ethical fishing: never kill a fish for fun.

As far as the actual catching of fish goes, the experience from their point-of-view must seem supernatural. The closest equivalent, in our terms, would go something like this: you’re walking down the street minding your own business when suddenly a delicious cheeseburger appears in front of you. You succumb to the temptation, grab the burger, and take a bite. Next thing you know, you are suddenly yanked into another spatial dimension you never knew existed, then are butchered and eaten by aliens. There is no way to make this a pleasant experience, so there is no point in prolonging it. Hence, rule number two: do not “play” a fish on a line, but land it and kill it as quickly as possible.

People who kill fish for sport, besides driving boats that burn way too much fuel, are often obsessed with gear. Therefore, as a matter of principle, I also believe ethical fishing sailors should use as little gear as possible. This is both more convenient and more effective. Rods and reels, after all, are a real pain to store on a sailboat. Plus, near as I can tell, they don’t really help increase the number of fish you catch.

The one time I went head-to-head with a real gear freak fishing off a sailboat–his fancy rod and reel and amazingly expensive lures versus my ratty old handlines–I totally smoked him. This was on a passage from Massachusetts to Bermuda aboard a 47-foot cutter. We agreed beforehand we’d each have one corner of the transom to fish from, and while he fiddled with his lures on an almost hourly basis, I just plunked my handline in the water and forgot about it. I soon caught two nice tuna, then put away my line for fear of snagging more than we could eat. I urged my shipmate to do the same (citing rule number one above), but he refused, as his pride by now was sorely offended. Fortunately, there was nothing for me (or the fish) to worry about. His pride remained offended, and the only thing he ever caught was a bird that persisted in diving on his lure.

To achieve such results, the first important trick I’ve learned is to put multiple lures in the water and show the fish a real meal instead of just a snack. Instead of trailing just one lure on a single line, I now routinely trail four lures on two lines (that is, two lures in series on each line) and almost always catch something. The lures I use are cheap rubber squids, which look tasty to both tuna and dorado. My lines are 200-pound test monofilament. Using such heavy line is more humane, in that you can land a fish very quickly (see rule two above), and, again, is more effective, as 200-pound test line is very unlikely to break under load. I find, too, it is tough enough that you needn’t put a steel leader in front of the hook.

I store my lines on plastic yo-yos and set them up with bungee cords and metal clips at the end. When deploying a line, I simply clip the end of the bungee cord to a lifeline or stanchion base. I then gather the bungee cord in a loose bight and fasten the end of the monofilament line to a lifeline with a clothespin. This serves two purposes. First, the clothespin popping off the lifeline alerts you to the fact that you have a fish on the line. Second, the slack bight of bungee cord, combined with the cord’s great elasticity, act as an excellent shock absorber when a fish first hits your lure and prevents it from being ripped from the fish’s mouth.

Another important trick: keep your lines short. This may seem counterintuitive, as many assume fish won’t hit a lure near a boat. In fact, however, fish in the open ocean are often attracted to boats, as long as they don’t hear engines running. The best technique is to let out just enough line that your lures don’t sink too far into the water and occasionally skip on the surface. This sort of action is highly attractive to ocean predators.

Having short lines also makes it much easier to land a fish once you’ve hooked it. You won’t need to slow down the boat to get your catch aboard, as the lack of scope in the line, combined with the speed at which it is being trailed, will keep the fish bouncing along on or near the surface. This prevents it from getting under the water where it can get its tail working and put up a fight. How short is short? Probably shorter than you think. The lines I currently use, which have worked very well for me, are only about 50 feet long.

As for killing a fish once it’s aboard, conventional wisdom has it that pouring alcohol down its gills is the fastest and least painful method. Whenever I try this, however, I am never impressed with the results. First, it seems a horrible waste of a valuable resource. Second, in my experience, the fish goes absolutely crazy as soon as the alcohol touches its gills and flails around frantically like a possessed demon for several minutes. To me it does not look painless. Another popular alternative is to bludgeon the fish with a winch handle, which is quick, but messy. My preferred method is to simply let the poor creature “drown” in the atmosphere. It takes little time and causes little fuss.

Culinary Imperatives

Once you have mastered these techniques, your only problem will be deciding how to prepare your fish for dinner. I’d love to suggest this, too, is a moral issue, but really it is only a matter of taste. That said, I do feel it is almost a crime against nature to do anything other than eat your catch raw. To this end, I always carry some wasabi, ginger, and soy sauce whenever I sail offshore. And when I do catch a fish I usually compel my crew to at least sample it au naturel. They often complain about this beforehand, but never afterwards. I’ve found there’s nothing like a meal of truly fresh sashimi to help philistines open their minds to the more sublime aspects of bluewater sailing.

Developing a taste for sashimi does have other benefits. For one thing, if you ever end up in a survival drift aboard a liferaft, you won’t have any trouble getting used to the cuisine. Also, if a cheeseburger from another dimension does suddenly appear in front of you someday, you’ll be less likely to take a bite out of it.

Preferred Targets

The fish you are most likely to catch sailing to and from the tropics in the North Atlantic are tuna and dorado. Both are very good to eat (raw or cooked) and are fast swimmers that like to feed near the surface of the water. This makes them excellent prey for bluewater sailors itching to trail lines behind their boats while on passage. Trolling lures at speeds from five to eight knots usually works well for both species.

There are several different species of tuna. Lesser tuna such as albacore and skipjack generally never grow longer than four feet, while bluefin, the most prized species, can reach nine feet in length and weigh over 1,000 pounds. Tuna are unique among fish in that they are warm-blooded and have very oxygen-rich blood. The ability to generate body heat not only allows them to swim in a wide range of water temperatures, but also helps make them very powerful swimmers. Described as having a “perfect” hydrodynamic body form, they can hit speeds of 40 mph over short distances. They grow rapidly and are relatively long-lived and, unlike dorado, will also feed in deep water as far down as 1,600 feet.

The species of tuna you will most likely encounter fishing from your sailboat is the yellowfin, so-called because its second dorsal and anal fins are both bright yellow. Yellowfin generally grow to a maximum length of six feet. They love to form schools, whether with their own kind or other species of the same size, and are especially attracted to floating objects in the water.

Because tuna have such a large quantity of rich red blood in their bodies, you should first drain away the blood before cleaning the fish. After the fish is dead, make deep incisions with a sharp knife behind its gills, then drag the fish in the water by its tail behind your boat for 30 minutes or so. This way you’ll make much less of mess when butchering the animal, and its meat will be sweeter.

Dorado, also known as mahi-mahi, or dolphin, don’t live nearly as long as tuna and grow to a maximize size of about five feet. Most are smaller and on average weigh 15 to 25 pounds. They are distinguished by their brilliant coloration—an array of vivid yellows, blues, and greens. These colors change rapidly when the fish is landed and fade to a dull yellowish-grey by the time it is dead.

Dorado often travel in mated pairs. The males are easily identified by their bulbous foreheads, which grow more and more prominent as they mature. The fish are surprisingly loyal to their mates—if you catch one, the other will continue to follow your boat in mourning, and you will likely catch it, too. On one memorable occasion, I snagged both a male and female simultaneously on the same line and came within an inch of landing the pair together.

One thing a dorado is very apt to do once hooked is put up a fight. If you fail to follow my advice about short lines and allow a dorado enough scope to manuever freely, you may be treated to an exciting display of aerial acrobatics before you land your dinner.

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What a great article Charlie. I fish too, mackerel in Ireland, cod in Iceland, tuna in Azores. The dorado got away. Totally with you on sashimi. Marinated & ate the seabirds that got hooked – very good. Most sailors don’t fish. I never understood that.. why? I forage as well. picked about 10 different wild greens in Iceland alone – handy given that veggies can’t commercially be grown there & must be shipped in. Nice n fresh.

@ Nick: Seriously? You eat seabirds? That never ever occurred to me. I always thought they must taste terrible. I may have try one now! charlie

Had jellyfish in Chinatown, delicious, haven’t tried that at sea yet..

Great article, Charlie. So you use all hand lines (no rods/reels)? Do you retrieve with a gloves? And is that a young Charles Doane on your Alberg in the first picture?

@SailFar: Thanks, mate. All handlines is definitely the way to go on a sailboat, IMHO. I don’t need gloves to reel them in. I wrap the line on to the yo-yo turn by turn, and the heavy monofilament presents no problems re hand abuse. That is not me in the first photo, but it is my old Alberg 35. That was shot en route from the Cape Verdes to Antigua; the guy landing the fish is my old buddy Mike Csenger. The shot of me is the one further down where I’m licking raw tuna on a scoop transom. charlie

Charlie you should get paid for this stuff 🙂 Nice article! Denny S/V Aleta

@Denny: Thanks, mate! I’ve been thinking the same thing. If I put up a PayPal button, would you hit it? Or just think I was begging? charlie

charlie sounds like a trick question.

Denny Ray S/V Aleta

Is the end of mono-filament tied to the bungee? It’s not clear from the article…

Also, which knots do you use to assemble dual lure rig with 200 lbs mono?

Just loved this. Tried on passage between Tortola & St Croix– 6-8 hour reaches each way at 6ish kts, no joy! Any ideas on how to fine tune it? (We were towing a dinghy, could that be a problem?)

@Ted: Sorry to hear that! The dinghy might be an issue, I don’t know. Personally I wouldn’t troll lines while towing a dinghy just for fear of them getting tangled up with each other. If you feel you have to do it that way maybe letting out more line would be a good idea. Also, that’s not that much time with lures in the water. I do this over multi-day passages. I catch fish every passage, but not every day. Keep trying! charlie

Charlie, thanks for your very quick reply. I’ll keep at it!

Re: Nick Kats. Years ago in my old hunting grounds I came across a bunch of Hippies who had set up a summer camp in an old disused cabin near a secluded ocean beach and they routinely roasted Seagulls as if they were Chickens. I passed on their invitation to sample the Gull and proceeded onward to hunt my ducks and geese.

I suppose one can eat anything that is edible, and to be honest the difference between eating Duck, Pelican, Goose Chicken or Gull is one of degree and not one of kind.

How to you secure the end of the line specifically?

I am going to be living on a 43 foot dufour, I have no idea how to sail it yet but I spent a winter fishing in Key West. I too also thought it was such a waste not to get fish while on a sailboat. My idea was to just spear fish, but I will definitely add this technique for travel days. I do something similar as a canoe guide, fish while traveling. Very grateful for this article. Can you give more detail like a shopping list and I’ll echo the thoughts of others on how do you connect the elastic to the mono or is it done by connecting both to the yoyo? Please excuse my ignorance, just learned the words “tack” & “jibe” today. Great article. Miles

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BVI Fishing Tips: Here’s Where to Find the Fish

Who is this bvi fishing guide for.

• BVI fishing license & registration
• Fishing regulations
• BVI fishing techniques

Where to fish in the British Virgin Islands?

 BVI fishing license & registration

• Individuals (18+ or older) that intend to fish MUST each obtain a BVI fishing license
• The vessel you are going to fish from MUST be a BVI registered fishing vessel

How to obtain a BVI fishing license

• Fill out the BVI Form 20a (application)
• Fill out the credit card authorization
• Obtain a copy of your identification - they recommend a scan of your passport
• Submit all three items to [email protected] for approval 
• It costs $45/person (as of Sep-2023)
• It is also referred to as a Pleasure Fishing License or Fishing Permit
• Plan for at least a 2 week turnaround for approval - so don't wait until right before you leave for your trip
• The license will be good for 30 days - you get to choose the start date
• Here's the most current guidance from BVI

How to make sure you are sailing on a registered fishing vessel

• Charter with a company that registers all of their vessels for fishing
• Check with your charter company if the vessel you are booked on is registered. If it is, you are all set!
• Ask to be switched to a boat that is registered
• Switch to a different charter company
• Appeal to your charter company that you would be willing to pay the fee if they could handle filing the paperwork (around $100). Start this process early, weeks before your trip. Assume this will not be a priority for them

BVI fishing regulations

• Using a speargun is illegal at all times - stick to fishing rods
• Goliath grouper and turtles are off limits at all times
• There are no specific size limits (that I have been able to find)
• Conch, whelk, and lobster may not be taken at all by visitors

 BVI fishing techniques

Bvi diving lures, bvi surface lures.

• On your way to Anegada, instead of a straight shot, head NE from Virgin Gorda and around Horseshoe Reef to the drop. Continue counter clockwise around Anegada trolling the drop. This will be a longer day on the water, so get an early start (~50 nautical miles). This is best done in settled weather.
• Head straight to Anegada and spend two nights at Setting Point. On your second day, leave the anchorage for some North Drop fishing in the morning. Return back to Setting Point in the afternoon.

Shelf or inshore fishing areas

North of tortola, including between anegada and jost van dyke, south of norman and peter islands, sir francis drake channel, explore these related articles from the yacht warriors.

Top BVI Webcams to Check in on the Action

Check out these 8 BVI webcams from some of the most popular BVI bars, restaurants, and hotels such as the Soggy Dollar Bar and Quito's.

The BVI Beach Top 10 List

I built the BVI Beach Top 10 List after years of visiting the British Virgin Islands on charter trips. Grab a sundowner and let's dive in.

What is a Motu?

What is a motu? They are mall, sandy islands in volcanic lagoons. Explore their beauty, unique ecosystems, and role in Polynesian culture.

When is your next yacht charter? Consider booking with the Yacht Warriors.

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• Especially for Sailboaters
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Enjoy Sailboat Cruising? Then Here's How to Catch Some Very Tasty Fish!

Sailboat Cruising and not trolling a line astern is a missed opportunity - in my humble opinion anyway. But some sailboaters just don't bother with any kind of fishing under sail at all, with "it's a waste of time" often quoted as the reason for not doing so - and so it will be if you don't know what you're doing ...

Aboard our sailboat ' Alacazam'  the lines are out more often than not, both underway and at anchor.

Even when going ashore in the dinghy, I've usually got a collapsible fishing rod and a few hooks and lures with me, 'just in case'.

All the usual boat fishing techniques - like jig fishing, bottom fishing and baitcasting - are available to us, but it's trolling a line astern that complements sailboat cruising perfectly.

on this page...

The Inshore Trolling Line

Trolling Weights

Mackerel Lures

Using a Reel (inshore handline)

Increasing Lure Depth

The Offshore Trolling Line

The Essential Snubber

Using a Reel (offshore handline)

Offshore Lures

Using a Rod and Reel

We usually deploy two lines - one from each side of the cockpit. One is about 15m (50 feet) long and the other about 30m (100 feet) long. We have a different lure on each one - the larger one on the shorter line - and they are different types of lure. One will be of a kind that fishes close to the surface and the other will fish at a greater depth.

This way you've covered various options, one of which we hope, will appeal to the fish.

Sailboat fishing with a trolling line around the coast of the UK is primarily a summer activity, as this is the time when mackerel and bass are in the relatively shallow waters of the continental shelf, feeding on the shoals of brit.

Mackerel are easy to catch on a trolling line, but bass take a little more know-how.

Both are absolutely delicious so it's worth making the effort.

And you don't need expensive gear - a simple handline will get the job done just fine.

Trolling Handlines for Sailboat Cruising

On passage, we cruisers are usually sailing along at the ideal trolling speed and trolling a line astern can be a low-cost and almost passive activity, with a free fish coming as an attractive bonus.

Increasingly, offshore sailboat cruisers recognise that fresh protein gained from trolling a line astern makes a valuable contribution to the dietary needs of their crew.

Plus, they benefit from the omega 3 fatty acids contained within the flesh of oily fish like tuna and mackerel, which are believed to greatly reduce the chance of heart disease.

Many of the crews participating in the annual 'Atlantic Rally for Cruisers'  (the 'ARC', a thinly disguised race across the Atlantic from the Canary Islands to the West Indies) proudly boast of having regularly feasted on fresh tuna and dorado during their ocean crossing, using nothing more sophisticated than a simple handline trolled astern.

And if there's anything tastier than a grilled slab of freshly caught dorado, I've yet to find it.

But whilst it's probably true that if you troll any old lure for far enough and long enough when sailboat cruising you'll catch something eventually, you'll be far more richly rewarded if you apply some serious thought to the matter. 

So, let's think about what sort of set-up we need for sailboat cruising, starting with... 

A Trolling Handline for Panfish

This is a light trolling line for small fish like mackerel, and is suitable for use in inshore waters where you're unlikely to find the larger ocean-going predators. Of course not all such fish understand the rules of fair play - in which case you'll wish you'd rigged an offshore trolling line as described further down this page.

All you need is around 30m of 80lb to 100lb breaking strain nylon fishing line , a trolling sinker, a swivel and a suitable lure on a leader of lighter line (around 20lb or so), assembled as shown here.

The Uni-Knot is the one to use, both at the swivel and the lure connections.

Trolling Sinkers

Trolling sinkers can be either:~

• threaded on the line through a drilled hole, as with the barrel lead.

This type is free to slide down the line but stopped some distance short of the lure by a swivel.

• tied directly into the line at the appropriate point.

These traditional trolling sinkers are asymmetric, a design which resists any tendency to spin and put twists in the line.

• wound into the line at the appropriate point, as with a spiral lead

These can be positioned anywhere on your main line by wrapping the line around it in the grooves, and locating it at each end within the wire coil. The benefit of spiral leads is that they can be changed without having to dismantle your gear.

Whichever type of trolling sinker you go for, don't fix it too close to the lure or it will spook the fish - the distance between them should be at least 3m (10 feet).

If your leader is shorter than this, then clearly if you're using a sliding barrel sinker, using the swivel to stop it isn't going to work.

In this case, use a matchstick, or a cocktail stick, to jam the line in the sinker to position the lead as far up the main line as you like.

For convenience and ease of deployment, stow the whole shebang on a plastic Yo-Yo.

Incidentally, don't be tempted to use the new generation, very low stretch, small diameter braid line as handlines as they can cut, even through gloves. These hi-tech lines should only be used for trolling with a high-spec rod and reel trolling outfit. Nylon monofilament line is fine for the job, and it's much cheaper too.

Trolling Lures for Mackerel

Any small silver or gold spinner or spoon that flashes brightly as it's drawn through the water will catch mackerel.

Apart from the ubiquitous mackerel spinner, you could try a Mepps spinner, a small Clarkes spoon, a Toby lure, a small Dexter Wedge or an Abu Krill - but there're lots more that will do the job.

Mackerel are normally found in shoals so with a multi-lured rig you're likely to pick up several at a time as you troll through the shoal.

If this prospect appeals to you, replace the single lure with a string of mackerel feathers - or better, small hokkai or similar lures - and tie on a small spinner at the end of the string.

Using a Reel

Rather than storing your handline on a yo-yo, you could instead use a fishing reel bolted securely to the stern rail. A size 4/0 or 6/0 multiplier reel, or a drum reel like one of the smaller Alvey reels would be ideal.

With a longer length of line now available to you, you can vary the distance aft of your lure as necessary, and you won't have to deal with a tangled mess of line in the cockpit when you retrieve your catch.

Another benefit is that you can set the clutch on the reel such that it's only just resisting the drag of the line. With the ratchet set to 'on' you'll know immediately when you've got a fish.

Getting Down Deeper

If the fish aren't being particularly obliging, it may be that they're hanging out further below the surface. If the trolling sinker isn't getting your lure down deep enough to reach them there are a number of things you can do - slow down, let out more line or use a heavier trolling sinker.

Or perhaps a better solution ... Use a Plastic Paravane or a Stainless Steel Downrigger Planer! .

Trolling Lures for Bass

A small spinner or spoon will be fine for mackerel, but as mentioned earlier you may have to try a bit harder for bass. Here we're talking about the European Seabass - the much larger Striped Bass ('Stripers') on the other side of the Atlantic are a different kettle of fish altogether.

There are a large number of inshore trolling lures of different types that will do the job.

My choice would be ether a plug, a leadhead or an artificial sandeel as illustrated here. Whichever lure you use, troll it slowly - 2 to 3knots or so is about right - and on a long trace of at least 4m (13 feet). This gear will be perfectly adequate for the fish you're likely to catch by trolling on the Continental Shelf - primarily mackerel, garfish, bass and pollack. But when sailboat cruising offshore you'll soon be off soundings and be sharing the hunting grounds of the large pelagic predators of the open ocean.

Maybe crossing Biscay on passage for Northern Spain, Cape St. Vincent and onwards to the Mediterranean? Perhaps the to Azores, Madeira, the Canaries, the Cape Verdes and an Atlantic crossing.

Now your inshore handline is woefully inadequate; you need to beef it up a bit for an offshore version.

A Trolling Handline for Offshore Sailboat Cruising

For the sailor, whose crew isn't entirely made up entirely of vegetarians, this is the way to catch great tasting fish when sailboat cruising.

The main line itself will be about 35m (120 feet) of 300lb breaking strain nylon line.

It terminates at the boat end in a Flemish Eye (or a reinforced crimped loop) - for attaching the snubber - and will have a ball-bearing snap swivel at the other for attaching the leader.

The leader should be of 250lb nylon line and no less than 5m (16 foot) long. It too should be made up with a small Flemish Eye (or a reinforced crimped loop) - for attaching to the link swivel - and your lure will be attached to the other. In lines of this diameter, all connections will have to be crimped - you'll find it insufficiently flexible to tie reliable knots.

Click Here for everything you need to know about Offshore Trolling Handlines

As you're now more likely to hook up with much larger fish which would have the power to rip themselves free of the hook, a shock absorber (the snubber) needs to be built into the system.

This is effectively a large elastic band between the end of the handline and the boat. I favour using a loop of bungee cord, but surgical tubing can be used, as can an old cycle tyre inner tube.

Rigging it with a length of rope (I use 8mm braid-on-braid shock cord) as shown in the illustration serves two purposes:~

• It provides a safety loop if the bungee breaks. To minimise the risk of this happening, make sure that the loop tightens just before the bungee is stretched to breaking point. The other end is tied to a strong point on the boat.
• The snubber brings with it a side benefit - its constant stretching and relaxing adds life to the lure, causing it to dart around a little as would a live fish.

Also note the use of a heavy shock leader , which is there to withstand abrasion from the fish itself, and the boat when you get your catch close to the transom.

Usually a simple handline such as this will be fine for offshore sailboat cruising. Only when you find yourself with a very large fish on the end of it are you likely to have a problem - and it's mainly one of safety.

With the fish brought halfway to the cockpit you'll have coils of loose line in the cockpit. If the fish suddenly takes line again, (even if it's a small one, a larger one may grab it) and you're unfortunate enough to have your foot in a coil of it, you'll need to act fast. So always have a knife to hand.

The last thing you need when sailboat cruising far offshore is any kind of accident. The way to avoid those dangerous coils is to use a large reel securely bolted to the taffrail.

These reels incorporate a slipping clutch and a ratchet, so with the clutch set (by turning the star drag) to give line when a fish hits the lure, a snubber is no longer required. And with the ratchet set to 'on' you'll be in no doubt as to when the action starts.

On ' Alacazam ' we use a multiplier reel - a Penn Senator 12/0 loaded with 120lb nylon monofilament fishing line.

Trolling Lures for Sailboat Cruising Offshore

Predictably perhaps, trolling lures for offshore sailboat cruising - being for larger fish tend to be larger than those for inshore use.

There are four main types - skirted lures, spoons, plugs and soft plastic lures.

For offshore handlines I would recommend sticking with skirted lures, which are cheaper than the others types and consequently don't hurt the pocket so much when you lose one.

Trolling with a Rod and Reel

Of course if you're a 'proper' fisherman rather than just an sailboat cruising skipper after a free meal, you'll probably want to use a rod and reel for trolling. Now you'll be able to play the fish as it struggles to free itself, and will have far more control over it when you get it close to the boat.

But fishing rods and reels intended for offshore trolling require additional items of equipment - trolling rod holders, a butt pad and possibly a harness.

A word of warning about harnesses - if you're wearing one of these and got your rod hooked up to it, you're directly connected to the fish.

If it pulls harder than you can and the reel jams, you'll find yourself sharing his environment - and in big trouble.

And just one thing about trolling rods - keep them short. Not just because it's a lever and you're on one end of it, but also for reasons of convenience.

If your sailboat is anything like mine you'll find yourself operating in a small rectangle bounded by the transom, the backstay and the gantry. Sometimes a multihull makes a lot of sense for sailboat cruising - and fishing!

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7-year-old found safe after boat capsizes on fishing trip; her 2 grandfathers found dead

A 7-year-old girl was found safe while her grandfather and great-grandfather died after their boat capsized during a fishing trip at a park in Illinois.

The two men from Indiana were fishing with their 7-year-old granddaughter at the LaSalle Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area, about an hour and a half from Chicago, when their boat, a 17-foot Crestliner, capsized, the Illinois Department of Natural Resources said in a news release Monday. The girl was wearing a life jacket while the two men were not, police said.

Children shot: 4 children, ages 11-14, shot while driving around in stolen car in Minneapolis, police say

'Distressed boater'

Authorities received a 911 call "about a distressed boater at the 2,000-acre lake near Marseilles" shortly after noon Sunday, the news release said. They arrived at the scene to find a capsized vessel and the little girl on the shore with park visitors who came to her aid. The visitors also helped in contacting her mother and grandmother.

First responders from multiple agencies assisted in searching for the two men who fell into the water. They were recovered in the evening around 7:45 p.m. and were pronounced dead on scene by the LaSalle County coroner, the department said.

While the identities of the two men were not released, the news release said the girl's grandfather from Merrillville, Indiana was 53 and her great-grandfather from Gary, Indiana was 80.

An investigation into the incident and what caused the vessel to capsize is ongoing.

Saman Shafiq is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at [email protected] and follow her on X and Instagram @saman_shafiq7.

More From Forbes

How china’s illegal fishing hurts your dinner and your rights.

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ZHOUSHAN, CHINA - APRIL 29: Fishing boats berth at Shenjiamen Port as the annual summer fishing ban ... [+] will begin on April 29, 2024 in Zhoushan, Zhejiang Province of China. China imposes this fishing ban to project geopolitical power. (Photo by VCG/VCG via Getty Images)

Houthi attacks on Red Sea shipping are disrupting global trade and making headlines—but they are not the number one global maritime security threat. According to the US Coast Guard , that distinction belongs to Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated Fishing—a longer-term threat to global food security and international security. An estimated 3.3 billion people—nearly half of the world’s population—rely on fish for 20% of their protein. 93 percent of global fish stocks are exploited, overexploited, or significantly depleted. If this were not bad enough, IUU Fishing is linked to a host of international crimes—and to insidious military aims of the People’s Republic of China. Governments typically address IUU Fishing as an environmental problem—missing the boat. The US and the international community must address the key legal, criminal, social, and geopolitical aspects of the problem.

IUU Fishing is big business—and big trouble. IUU Fishing is linked to transnational criminal organizations, human trafficking, labor violations, human slavery, terrorism, corruption, money laundering, tax evasion, fraud, bribery, and a continuing parade of horribles. These organizations, and the tens of billions of dollars they cost states and legal fishermen every year, threaten economic stability and disrupt law enforcement efforts against transnational crime. At their worst, criminal organizations can undermine legitimate governments and state sovereignty.

The PRC compounds these threats by using IUU Fishing to advance its military and geopolitical strategy. The PRC boasts the world’s largest Distant-Water Fishing Fleet, which overlaps significantly with its maritime militia. The maritime militia is comprised largely of civilian fishing vessels who are on the PRC’s military payroll part-time. Estimates of the size of the militia vary dramatically, from several hundred to 700,000 ships. Militia vessels have military capabilities like intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance functions. All are known to habitually turn off the Automatic Identification Signals required by international law at strategic times.

Maritime militia vessels train with and support the PRC Navy and Coast Guard and have played a prominent role in recent confrontations with the Philippines over the Second Thomas Shoal and Japan over the Senkaku Islands. They are used to enter contested oil and gas fields and harass Vietnam and Malaysia. In 2020, 300 vessels were spotted fishing off the Galapagos islands with their AIS signals off. The PRC uses these vessels occasionally to fish but always to project power, threatening other states’ rights in their Exclusive Economic Zones and undermining international stability. The PRC’s erosion of the distinction between civilian and military vessels also undermines the principles of the law of war.

The PRC has also advanced its IUU Fishing enterprise by buying flags of other countries, a process known as “flagging in.” Each vessel must fly the flag of a state, and that flag state is then responsible for that vessel’s compliance with international law and the standards set by the International Maritime Organization. Buying another state’s flag is often a legal process, usually achieved through foreign business partnerships, such as with the Chinese National Fishing Corporation. Recognizing this, the PRC has made it part of an explicit strategy to quietly permeate other states’ waters—to win without fighting. Recent reporting by the Outlaw Ocean Project found 250 PRC-owned vessels that were flagged to other states; senior foreign officials have suggested others to me directly. These vessels are flagged all over the world, from Argentina to Ghana, Kenya, Morocco, Russia, Iran, and elsewhere. At least 50 of these vessels have been involved in transnational crime.

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To counter the threat from IUU Fishing and associated activities, states must attack the business model of the transnational criminal organizations and other organizations involved in illegal fishing. The strategic use of law, or “ lawfare ,” will be critical for attacking the root of the problem—on land. IUU Fishing organizations are involved in an array of transnational crimes that can be prosecuted in US courts or the domestic courts of other countries. Attacking the organizations that support and benefit from IUU Fishing is also much cheaper and less dangerous than having the military board and sweep vessels, and then impound them to safeguard evidence for trials. States must also address the food insecurity at the root of IUU Fishing by introducing alternative sources of protein and/or encouraging a shift toward vegetarian diets.

The PRC’s military aims should be addressed via transparency , highlighting the PRC’s malign and illegal efforts and rallying a coalition of support to help other nations to understand and enforce their maritime rights and uphold the rules-based international order. When diplomatic, legal, and law enforcement solutions fail, Involvement by US and partner and ally militaries may be necessary to protect sovereign rights and conserve fishing stocks.

The US must push for stronger enforcement of the UN Convention on Transnational Organized Crime, the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, and more. Members of the public can be trained to know their rights, recognize legal violations, and report them, contributing to a whole-of-society approach to fighting the problem.

IUU Fishing cannot be solved by conservation alone. A holistic look at the problem reveals the necessity of a whole-of-society approach. Without bringing a full array of legal, law enforcement, and societal tools to bear on the problem, a lucrative fishy business is sure to continue. Individuals must work with states to protect both fish and sovereignty.

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Indonesian repeat illegal fishing offenders jailed in Darwin amid a surge in overseas boats

By Dunja Karagic

ABC Kimberley

Topic: Illegal Fishing

Australian personnel located four fishing vessels in Kuri Bay mangroves earlier in August. ( Supplied: Peter Tucker )

Two repeat offenders have been jailed after being caught illegally fishing in northern Australian waters on August 6.

A further seven illegal fishing vessels have been intercepted in northern Australia since August 18, with two of those detections in Western Australia's Kimberley region.

What's next? 

Authorities says they will continue hold public information campaigns in Indonesia to inform communities about the risks of illegal fishing.

It's been revealed two "repeat offenders" from Indonesia have been jailed after being caught fishing illegally in far-north Western Australia earlier this month.

It comes as the Australian Border Force (ABF) reports a "massive surge" in illegal fishing across northern Australia in recent weeks, with two more vessels intercepted in the Kimberley Marine Park.

The jailed men were among 20 illegal fishers sentenced in a Darwin court  last week, after authorities intercepted four vessels in Kuri Bay , about 370 kilometres north-west of Broome on August 6. 

An Australian Fisheries Management Authority (AFMA) spokesperson confirmed on Wednesday afternoon that several of those fishers "were identified as having a previous history of fishing illegally in Australian waters". 

Of that group, two men were found by Northern Territory Police, the Australian Federal Police and the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions to have had outstanding warrants issued against them for similar offending.

AFMA said the warrants were executed after the pair's court appearance on Friday afternoon, with the men fined $4,000 and sentenced to 15 days and 75 days in jail respectively.

Maritime authorities apprehended a number of fishermen on board four illegal fishing vessels at Kuri Bay on August 6. ( Supplied: Australian Border Force )

The other 18 illegal fishermen were fined and handed recognisance orders, similar to good behaviour bonds.

The group will be returned to Indonesia by the ABF.

More boats detected

ABF Assistant Commissioner Chris Waters told ABC Perth Radio on Tuesday that since August 18, authorities had detected seven more illegal fishing vessels in waters off northern Australia, from the Timor Sea to the Kimberley.

Australian Border Force Assistant Commissioner Chris Waters says authorities have intercepted seven boats since the August 18. ( ABC News: Che Chorley )

In total authorities seized over 4,500 kilograms of fish, more than 1,100kg of sea cucumber and 2,000kg of salt used to preserve the catch from the vessels.

"That's nearly one [boat discovered] a day, so that's really telling us the problem is significant and ongoing," Mr Waters said.

Four Indonesian fishing vessels were intercepted in Kuri Bay in the Kimberley earlier this month.  ( Supplied: Peter Tucker )

AMFA fisheries operations general manager Justin Bathurst told ABC Radio National on Wednesday that financial gain was a driving factor behind the surge.

"I suppose the risk of being caught is potentially lower than potential gain financially … as a result of illegal fishing," Mr Bathurst said.

Locals concerned

On Saturday, Kimberley tourism operator Peter Tucker said he spotted another fishing vessel hidden in the mangroves in Kuri Bay. 

He said he helped authorities search for the boat, but claimed the search was called off shortly afterwards due to the heat.

"I just shook my head, couldn't believe it," he said.

"We were already there and ready to go into that bay, they only had to wait 30 minutes."

Kimberley tour operator Peter Tuckers says authorities did not adequately respond to his report. ( ABC Kimberley )

Mr Waters said he could not comment on specific operational matters, and wouldn't second guess decisions of commanding officers.

The ABF would not confirm whether the boat reported by Mr Tucker had been intercepted.

Call for more resources

WA Premier Roger Cook said on Tuesday he wanted to see increased patrols in the region.

"My government maintains that we should have more grey ships on our coast, we should have greater aerial surveillance as well, but I'll leave that up to the federal government," he said.

"Our north west is home to some of the biggest pieces of economic infrastructure in the country, so obviously we will always welcome a higher presence of federal government resources to protect that coastline."

Federal Shadow Home Affairs Minister James Paterson said the number of foreign fishing vessels was a national security and biosecurity risk. 

"If illegal fishing boats can get this close and stay this long, it won't take long before people smugglers work out that they can do the same," he said.

James Paterson says the government needs to increase aerial surveillance to reduce the number of illegal fishers.  ( ABC News )

Senator Paterson said there also needed to be more transparency on operational matters, "unless there are very good operational reasons".

"I think the Australian people have a right to know what's happening, what is failing and why it's not working," he said. 

Mr Waters said authorities were well-resourced to monitor the coastline.

"The area of operation we're talking about is twice the size of Victoria," he said.

"We have seen a massive surge in illegal foreign fishing so we're doing the best we can."

Authorities said they would continue hold public information campaigns in Indonesia to inform communities about the risks of illegal fishing.

The federal Department of Home Affairs has been contacted for comment.

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Workers 'treated like slaves' on Scottish fishing boats

Dozens of workers from around the world may have been trafficked into the UK to work for a small family-owned Scottish fishing firm, a BBC investigation has revealed.

Thirty-five men from the Philippines, Ghana, India and Sri Lanka were recognised as victims of modern slavery by the Home Office after being referred to it between 2012 and 2020.

The workers were employed by TN Trawlers and its sister companies, owned by the Nicholson family, based in the small town of Annan on the southern coast of Scotland.

The TN Group denied any allegation of modern slavery or human trafficking and said its workers were well treated and well paid.

The company was the focus of two long-running criminal investigations but no cases of human trafficking or modern slavery have come to trial, although some of the men waited years to give evidence.

While TN Trawlers’ lead director, Thomas Nicholson, was under active investigation, TN Group companies continued recruiting new employees from across the world.

Experienced fisherman Joel Quince was 28 when he landed at Heathrow Airport in 2012, thrilled to have secured a job as a deckhand with TN trawlers.

Joel had a young family back home in the Philippines, thousands of miles away. He had been expecting to earn a good income working in the UK. He was to be paid $1,012 (£660) a month for a 48-hour week.

He caught a bus from London to Carlisle, where, he says, he was picked up by the owner’s son, Tom Nicholson Jr.

“On our way to go to the boat he told us: 'You have to give me your documents' - so without hesitation I gave all my documents to them,” he said.

Joel says he was then taken straight to the fishing ground to start working.

But he was surprised to find that his boat was the Philomena rather than the Mattanja, which was the only vessel he was authorised to work on under the terms of his visa. “This was already something fishy for me,” he said

He claims that instead of the 48-hour week he had been told about, he was working 18 hours a day, seven days a week while the Philomena was out fishing.

On his monthly wage of £660, it meant Joel was earning less than the UK minimum wage – although at that time there was no legal requirement to pay it to fishermen like him.

Joel was one of about 30 seafarers who arrived in the UK to join TN Trawlers between 2011 and 2013, mostly from the Philippines. They joined dredgers trawling for scallops along the UK coastline.

These dredgers, built in the 1970s and 80s, work by towing metal nets along the seabed. They scrape up shellfish, as well as stones and bycatch – the other marine life which gets caught in the nets. Deckhands throw back the stones and pack the scallops in ice below deck.

Several of the men the BBC spoke to had little or no fishing experience. All describe working shift patterns as gruelling as Joel’s or worse.

Joel said he struggled to get up to go to work because he was so exhausted – but he didn’t complain because his colleagues were also suffering.

“If I stop working, there’s three people suffering, not getting their rest, because the operation keeps continuing. They won’t stop.”

He said there was not enough drinking water on board the vessels, and the crew were reduced to eating tomatoes from the stores to wet their throats. He also said that on one occasion a skipper threw an empty Coke can at the crew.

All the men the BBC spoke to described shortages of proper clothing, food and water.

Jaype Rubi was a young Filipino when he worked on board the TN dredger Sea Lady in 2012.

“Picking up and throwing out rocks is really tiring,” he said.

“The boat had CCTV, so the skipper could watch us. If we stop, he'd pull down the window and say: ‘Why are you resting’?”

Jaype said it was “super cold” and there was not enough food.

When he spoke to his mum on the phone, he started crying. “I said: 'I want to go home because it's a nightmare working on that boat'.”

Jaype said he was subjected to verbal abuse and was treated “like a slave".

Other men said that, despite arriving in the UK on 48-hour transit visa, they were told to work onshore in the TN yard at Annan, in breach of their visa entitlement.

One man, Jovito Abiero, told the BBC he was sometimes sent to the home of the company owner Tom Nicholson to do gardening.

On 22 August 2012, Joel was aboard the Philomena off the coast of Northern Ireland during rough weather.

He was fixing a broken link in the metal nets when the towing bar swung up. He leapt out of the way - but fell and hit his head on the deck.

His crew mates estimated he was unconscious for up to 15 minutes.

When Joel woke up with a bandage on his head, he asked his skipper - Tom Nicholson Jr – if they were going to hospital.

“He said: 'No, we're not going to the hospital. We continue fishing',” said Joel.

Joel was given paracetamol by the skipper and his head was bandaged. The Philomena didn’t turn around and head for the port of Troon in Ayrshire until 11 hours after the accident.

Joel got off the Philomena, never to return. He found support at the Fishermen’s Mission, a harbourside charity that supports seafarers.

At that time the mission was run by two sisters, Paula Daly and Karen Burston, who helped Joel get medical help. They had been hearing rumours about TN boats for some time.

“In 2012, it became really quite abundantly clear that we were getting the same message from quite a few different crew,” said Paula.

“There were so many things that were so wrong,” added Karen.

Operation Alto

Police forces on several UK coasts had long been aware of allegations about TN Trawlers.

The company had been prosecuted in 2007 for illegal catches worth hundreds of thousands of pounds. Tom Nicholson and TN Trawlers were ordered to pay £473,000 under proceeds of crime laws.

They were also ordered to pay almost £150,000 in fines and costs after the Maritime and Coastguard Agency found a string of defects and safety breaches on vessels between 2009 and 2011.

A 2012 police briefing, seen by the BBC, also noted six Filipino fishermen swam ashore from TN boats and complained of mistreatment.

That year, police in Dumfries and Galloway launched Operation Alto, an investigation into human trafficking and labour abuse at TN Trawlers.

Eighteen former TN Trawlers employees – including Joel – passed into the Home Office’s National Referral Mechanism, a system which identifies and supports victims of human trafficking.

File on 4: Invisible Souls

Fishermen from the Philippines, Ghana and Sri Lanka speak out for the first time about how badly they say they were treated by a Scottish fishing company.

Listen on BBC Radio 4 at 20:00 on Tuesday 20 August or on BBC Sounds .

Modern slavery is a term that can encompass human trafficking and slavery, servitude and forced or compulsory labour.

The Home Office defines the essence of human trafficking as a situation where a person is “coerced or deceived into a situation where they are exploited”.

Under this guidance, the men were all given recognition by the Home Office that they had been trafficked.

They were taken to a safe house somewhere in Scotland, then police asked them to stay in the UK to help with further enquiries and act as witnesses when the case came to court.

TN Trawlers continued to recruit, switching its main recruitment operation from East Asia to West Africa.

In June 2013, Gideon Mensah from Ghana signed up to work on the TN scalop dredger Noordzee. He said he soon found himself in the same situation as the Filipinos – overworked and undernourished.

Gideon told the BBC his wages were diverted to his recruitment agent back home, leaving him with £50 cash in hand each month – just £1.66 per day.

He was later recognised as a victim of modern slavery by the Home Office and spent several years on file as a witness for forthcoming prosecutions.

In 2017, five years after Joel Quince stepped off the Philomena at Troon harbour, 25-year old Vishal Sharma left India and arrived in London on a transit visa.

He’d signed a contract with a different company to work in the engine room of a Belgian tanker for 15 months.

But his agent in India then told him to travel to a different meeting point in the south of England, and he was taken to the Noordzee.

“I asked: ‘Why am I working there? It’s not my ship… I am not a fisherman'.”

Vishal claims he was threatened with deportation if he didn’t comply.

He spent three weeks on the trawler and says he was never paid.

He claims he worked 22-hour days, had little food, and that his boots began to fall apart in the seawater.

Men continued to arrive from Ghana, including Augustus Mensah and Gershon Norvivor. They both described being put to work in the Nicholsons’ compound before being shipped out, and both ended up working on a vessel called on the Sea Lady.

The BBC has seen payment schedules given to both men upon employment. Both were to earn £850 per month, with an additional cash payment of £50.

Based on a 48-hour working week, they would receive £4.68 an hour.

The conditions they alleged were similar to those described to the BBC by the workers from 2012.

“We were short of food and short of water,” says Gershon.

He claimed deckhands would drink washing water from the ship’s rusty tank. When the tank was empty, they’d melt the ice used to pack the scallops.

“We went to the fish room with a bucket or a sack and you put an ice block in… you put it on the stove… and the guys would make coffee with it.”

On 6 December 2017, a dredge net full of scallops swung and crashed into Augustus’ head and knocked him out. Gershon did what he could to help his friend, rinsing away the blood.

The crew managed to get word to the police onshore in Portsmouth.

“When we were rescued by the police we were very happy,” said Augustus.

Augustus, Gershon and Vishal, along with six other crew members from Ghana, India and Sri Lanka, were taken into the National Referral Mechanism system and recognised by the Home Office as victims of modern slavery. They were asked to stay in the UK as potential witnesses in the ongoing investigation into Thomas Nicholson Snr and TN Trawlers.

After a five-year wait, the case was dropped after some of the men failed to identify suspects during an identity parade.

In a letter from the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) this year, Vishal was told that, while prosecutors said there was evidence a crime had been committed, there was not enough evidence to prove the identity of the perpetrator.

Disclosure: Slavery at Sea

A three-year investigation uncovers allegations of modern slavery aboard UK fishing vessels.

Watch on BBC iPlayer or on BBC Scotland at 21:00 on Monday.

The Filipinos’ case finally reached Hamilton Sheriff Court in October 2022, some 10 years after the men were removed from the boats.

Thomas Nicholson Snr and TN Trawlers pleaded guilty to failing to get adequate care for Joel Quince. The Crown accepted his not guilty plea to withholding some of the Filipino crewmen’s passports without reasonable excuse.

Despite the Home Office’s conclusion that the men were trafficking victims, the case did not involve charges of trafficking or modern slavery.

Thomas Nicholson Snr was fined £13,500 and ordered to pay Joel £3,000 in compensation.

Text message exchanges between Nicholson Snr and the vessel’s skipper Tom Nicholson Jr on the day of the accident were read out in court, in which the father instructed his son not to take Joel ashore for medical treatment.

After hearing the messages, Joel told the BBC: “He was a devil with a human image. He doesn’t see me as a person... he doesn’t see us.”

Thomas Nicholson Snr was the director of TN Trawlers, TN Enterprises, Sea Lady Trawlers, and Olivia Jean. The companies owned at least six scallop dredgers.

A spokesman for TN Group said it disputed suggestions that workers were mistreated.

It said it always provided food and accommodation to workers and that they were “always free to come and go when ashore”.

He said: “The overwhelming experience of our workers was that they were well treated and well remunerated. We dispute many of the accounts put to us, in some cases over a decade on.

“We absolutely refute any allegation of modern slavery or human trafficking and our many testimonials and long-term employees are testament to that."

He said the company regretted the delay in bringing Joel Quince ashore for medical treatment.

“We fell short on that occasion. We have accepted responsibility, compensated and we apologise to that individual,” said the spokesman.

“Working conditions on the high seas, sometimes in dangerous waters and in a confined environment, are extremely difficult."

The Crown Office said it was fully committed to tackling human trafficking.

“We recognise that the time taken in dealing with these complex and challenging matters has been difficult for those affected,” said a spokesperson.

“COPFS deal with every case on its own individual facts and circumstances and takes action where it assesses there is sufficient admissible evidence that a crime has been committed and it is in the public interest to do so.”

Life after TN Trawlers has seen mixed fortunes for its former crewmen.

Many of those involved in Operation Alto have had their permission to remain in the UK extended, some indefinitely. This enables them to work in the UK and support their families – something they had always wanted.

The men from Ghana interviewed by the BBC have seen their leave to remain expire, meaning they face the possibility of leaving the UK.

However, all the men spoke of their bitterness at working for the company – and their experience of the justice system in the UK.

Joel Quince said his eyes had been opened.

“I see now how it works,” he said.

“This is how your UK law is done... You favour the wealthy people, and you don’t care about the poor.”

Additional reporting by Rachel Coburn and Anton Ferrie

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Commercial Fishing Licenses - Fees and Descriptions

Fish and Game Code Section 70 defines 'Resident' as any person who has resided continuously in the State of California for six months or more immediately prior to the date of their application for a license or permit, any person on active military duty with the Armed Forces of the United States or auxiliary branch thereof, or any person enrolled in the Job Corps established pursuant to Section 2883 of Title 29 of the United States Code.

Fish and Game Code Section 86 defines 'Take' as hunt, pursue, catch, capture, or kill, or attempt to hunt, pursue, catch, capture or kill.

Fees include a nonrefundable three percent (3%) application fee, not to exceed $7.50 per item. ( California Code of Regulations , Title 14 , Section 700.4). Items purchased from Online License Sales and Services will include five percent (5%) nonrefundable license agent handling fee.

Valid April 1, 2024 through March 31, 2025

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Nonrestrictive Permits

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License and Revenue Branch P.O. Box 944209, Sacramento, CA 94244-2090 | Sales Offices (916) 928-5805 | [email protected]

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They're in! Fast schools of false albacore blitz the coast, supercharge fishing

It's late August, and like clockwork the false albacore are in.

It would be hard to pinpoint their exact arrival but on Wednesday, like the flick of a switch, albie reports starting coming in from boat captains. It's probably a combination of the change in wind direction and the late summer build up of bait that has the speedsters darting over the inshore lumps and coming into the nearshore water. It's making for some electric fishing.

Greg Cudnik at Fisherman's Headquarters in Ship Bottom was on his way to drift a couple of small wrecks off the north end of Island Beach State Park for fluke when a small school of albies popped up in front of his boat. On board with him was Carey Harmon, Ian Harmon and James DeMatteis. They followed the fish to the north, jigging the schools, and when the quick flurry died down they had boated eight fish. Cudnik said the albies came in as shallow as 25 to 30 feet of water.

More: Frenzied bonito bite after ocean settles from Hurricane Ernesto's swells

Capt. Howard Bogan on the Jamaica party fishing boat had shots of false albacore between 6 and 12 miles from Manasquan Inlet. The biggest one landed was 8 pounds. His fare also reeled in a bunch of bluefish and bonito. Bogan said his high hooks had 30 fish. The fish were caught on bait and jigs, but small metals were certainly drew the most attention from the fish. Bogan said most everyone tied up with Epxoy jigs or AVA jigs size 017 and 027.

The albies had not yet come with casting reach of surf and jetty hoppers, but the bonito and blues have. Both fish are coming in on the tides for the bait schools schooling at the mouth of the inlets. Grumpy's Bait and Tackle reported a bonito catch of the off the north jetty of Manasquan Inlet on Thursday morning.

More: What is this bug-eyed fish showing up in Jersey Shore waters? Biologists have an answer

Before he left, Cudnik said they stayed in Barnegat Inlet for a couple of hours jigging tons of 4 to 8 pound bluefish. Cudnik said some bigger bluefish have moved in because before Wednesday he had been catching the smaller, cocktail size variety. Cudnik said the bay and inlet were loaded with peanut bunker, spearing and rainfish, or anchovies as they're also called.

Capt. Dave DeGennaro on the Hi Flier charter boat is catching weakfish in Barnegat Bay. He took a party of anglers out and chummed with grass shrimp to get the weakfish in the slick. He said they used light, 6-pound tackle and had a lot of bites. Three of the weakfish they reeled in were legal size limit of 13 inches. They also dropped another one by the boat that would be have been a keeper.

The fishing was pretty non-stop as his party also caught fluke, snapper blues, perch, spot and sand sharks as the bay fishery is peaking.

When Jersey Shore native Dan Radel is not reporting the news, you can find him in a college classroom where he is a history professor. Reach him @danielradelapp; 732-643-4072; [email protected].

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RurAL CAP connects small businesses — including fishing boats — with federal energy dollars

Federal dollars are available to help Alaska businesses in rural areas make improvements in energy efficiency.

The  Rural Energy for America Program  – or REAP – is a program of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. A statewide nonprofit organization called  RurAL CAP  is providing technical assistance for anyone interested in diving into the application process.

Shae Bowman is an energy development specialist with RurAL CAP, who discussed the program with the Sitka Chamber of Commerce earlier this month.

She said that the Rural Energy for America Program  is often associated with developing renewable energy – typically solar panels. And while solar isn’t out of the question for rainy Southeast Alaska anymore, there are other opportunities for making energy improvements that could be more practical.

“So that could be upgrading appliances or installing heat pumps, or upgrading your lighting to be LED lighting,” Bowman said. “It could be adding better insulation to your business, or if your business is being heated by, for example, diesel fuel, maybe it’s the switch over to heat pumps if your community has a hydroelectric plant.”

Bowman said some of the most attractive businesses for energy funding are actually commercial fishing boats. There are significant opportunities for energy upgrades that aren’t necessarily obvious.

“Some of those projects have been getting solar panels on the boat, increasing the capacity of the fish hold, or insulating the fish hold,” she said. “It could be kind of hard to see how these would be connected to your energy efficiency, but if you increase the capacity of your fish hold when you’re a commercial fishermen, that would mean you’re potentially making less trips to the tender, so you’re burning less diesel fuel. If you have a better-insulated hold, then you’re not expending as much energy to keep your fish cold.”

Bowman says that REAP covers 50% of the costs of these projects, which can be a huge help, but the application process can be daunting. An energy assessment or audit will be needed depending on the size of the project, as well as other logistical challenges. But, that’s what she’s there for: Helping to guide applicants through the process and connect them with the funding.

And sometimes it’s about  not  encouraging people to proceed with a lengthy application.

“And a lot of times, you know, people will sign up for technical assistance, and we’ll talk through a project, and they’ll be like, ‘Okay, I don’t know if this is a right fit, or it’s a lot more work than I was initially anticipating,’ and so they might just decide to fund the project, like out of pocket,” said Bowman. “Versus sometimes we get together and we talk about a project, and they’re like, ‘Okay, I think this is really going to be worth my time,’ and then we know how we can move forward.”

Bowman’s program was part of the Sitka Chamber of Commerce’s Summer Speaker Series.

The next presenter in the Chamber’s series will be Rep. Rebecca Himschoot with a legislative update, at noon on Wednesday.

Robert Woolsey, KCAW - Sitka

Robert Woolsey is the news director at KCAW in Sitka.

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