Fish stories

[Steve G.]

Sailfish by sail!

As a fishing AND sailing fanatic, I am often conflicted over which is my goal for the day. Running to the atlantic canyons has become too expensive for me, and I am spending more time on my sailboat these days. Some years ago, I was off the South Jersey coast in a small sailboat, and decided to exercise both of my passions. I was delivering the boat with a friend from North Jersey to OC Maryland and passed near many schools of birds diving and feeding on baitfish. As the trip had become a little monotonous, I grabbed a spinning rod and reel that was on board and fashioned a makeshift lure from old brush bristles, a wine cork and some miscellaneous tackle that was on board. After sevearal hours of trolling, I noticed a weedline off the bow about a half mile from our position. We altered course a bit and sailed quietly back and forth through the weedline. I had several hits from what appeared to be schooly dolphin, and finally a solid hit that took my makeshift lure. My crew continued sailing on our course as I casually took in and released line to tire out my catch. As I applied more tension, the catch surfaced and spread it's dorsal fins, showing itself as about a fifty or sixty pound sailfish! At seeing this, our excitement peaked and we focused more on fighting the fish. Unfortunately our tackle was not up to the challenge and the increased tension on the line. As the sailfish got with a few yards of the boat, the line gave way and the fight was over. All that was left was an incredible tale to reflect on, that I share with you today. Do I fish under sail you ask? Anytime I get the chance! I have found that the silent approach of sailing upon a school or weedline allows me to get to fish that I would never encounter in a powerboat. I suggest you give it a try!

 

[Mike]

Why not?

I take a lot of razzing about being a rag bagger from my stinkpotter friends in the marina. I love boats! I love sailboats! But I cannot imagine being so hidebound that I wouldn't allow fishing from my 30' Pearson Coaster. Yes, I fish from my boat, both under sail and under power. It is an excellent exercise of ones sailing abilities to maintain a certain course at a constant, low speed while under sail. Try it sometime, you might like it.Mike

 

[u. e. chapa]

red or black

I fish from my sloop, always --in fact over the coming Easter week-end my brother and i will cruise 2 days hoping to catch a few red or black drum.it's great to drop the hook and fish all night under a full moon with clear skies from the foredeck (i've rigged temp lights off the shrouds besides my foredeck light to attract our live bait).i can't 'rooster-tail' to our favorite reef with a hull speed of 6 knots but it's ok 'cause we enjoy our 3-hr trek to get there (and not spook the fish in doing so...)

 

[Bruce Bates]

sail fishing

We always troll from our boat when undersail. especially in the Caribbean.It's a great way to catch fish. We also spin cast from our boat when the fish are at the surface in quiet harbors.By the way shell fishing is also a favorite of ours with mussels , clams & scallops (in Season)available in some harbors on the east coast.

 

[Robert9885]

New Sailors

Our first time out with canvass raised. We threw out a line with a slab (TExas lure). Did not think we would really catch anything. Got this big fat stripper and a catfish. Surprise.

 

[Cleat]

Non issue

There is no debate here. Sooner or later if you sail you will find yourself dragging a lure, fishing at anchor or going out in the dinghy to fish. As a fisherman long before I was a sailor I can only tell you that fishing is an enhancement to sailing. Being close to the Sea of Cortez and the incredible variety of fish there is enough inducement for most sailors to try their hand at it.It's as much a part of cruising to fish as all the other amusements you bring along. Using a hand line and no special equipment makes it even more interesting!!A really good opener when you come into an anchorage is to be able to say, "Hey, we've got fish to share!!" It jump starts the party on the beach or visiting the other boats and vise versa. Fresh fish has been a road to meeting some great folks along the way. ;D

 

[Bert Neville]

If it floats, I'll fish from it

When I'm in my 26X on the Texas coast, it's to use it as the mother ship for fishing. I anchor off the barrier islands in the bay and wadefish, kayak, or fish from the sailboat itself. There is nothing that beats a fresh redfish dinner in the cockpit while the sun sets and all the poor motorboats beat feet back to the marina to take out. We eat, hang the dirty dishes over the side in a mesh bag to wash in the a.m., and turn in. Can't beat it!

 

[Bert Neville]

You mean a "striper"?

I'm smiling because if I caught a STRIPPER I don't think my wife would let me bring "it" on board. And if she did, she surely wouldn't let me keep it no matter how much I begged. Only kidding.....

 

[Steve]

For those who said no

What do you think some of the first sailboats were for? Do you think they caught cod in the 1800’s off of a 42’ novi with a 350 hp Detroit diesel and mono gill nets? Was the old man and the sea about a great battle between a guy on his boston whaler and a giant swordfish? Fishing off your sailboat is not some breach in the delicate balance between power boats and sailboats… Sailboats have much, much more roots in fishing. If you want to put a line over do it. If your afraid of the fish well then don’t do it but by god if you got the rod and the fish are there…. Catch em b/c there is nothing better then a fresh striper on you plate an hour after it was plucked from the sea. Mmmm mmmmm… could you pass the butter please ~_/)~

 

[Thom Hoffman]

Got Lobsta'?

Never done any intentional fishing, but been know to snag and relocate a few lobster traps over the years; usually drag them a ways before I get free of them. I usually injure myself pretty easily when on board, so not real keen on adding knives, hooks, rods or other things to the list of hardware causing me to lose blood.

 

[Ron Wolff]

Fishing

we fish from our sail boat. Same as from any other boat if we use the motor.

 

[Matt]

MY two sons always fish

Our son Christopher is putting a line in as soon as the fenders are coming up the good news is he nearly always get s a few. At an over nighter he'll drop the pots in for crabs and nets prawns. We live in a great part of the world, in fact we will be doing it on Friday

 

[Tim]

Well. there's 2 I won't crew for

I always fish when I charter, but seldom fish at home because I don't eat much fish. The only ones I WILL eat though, are the ones I know have only been dead a couple of hours. A real sailor always rinses out the gore and any spilled drinks with a bucket of seawater, so stink is a non issue

 

[Tim Andel]

Fishin' for Sure

Off the old MacGregor we do throw out a line once in a while for walleye which is great fun with alone or with my two young girls trying to both sail, reel, and net but worth the trouble. Nothing better than sailing into a school of perch, dropping the anchor and scarring several powerboaters wonderin' just how that sailboat will manouver and stop!

 

[Scott]

Fishing, you bet

My girl friend would go sailing with me if I didn't let her fish! Like alot of you have said there's nothing better than fresh fish.

 

[Bad Mojo]

Salt Fish, Please

While I sold my 272 last year, she and I did some good trolling in the five years that I had her. I am a retired school teacher/ charter boat operator who has only sailed in the last five years, so it was only natural to put the lines out when I crossed the inlet. As my sailing buddies also like to fish we got to spin many yarns beween bites, which I will have to admit were less plentiful than with my diesel powered 25 footer. Most of our catch was schoolie blues, Spanish Mackerel, and the occasional king. The problem with trolling on the middle coast of North Carolina is that the sailing wind does not come up much before nine or so in the morning, which is a little late for the serious fisherman. But patience allows us to accept that and if we are rewarded with the occasional fish, then so much the better. I pull mostly small spoons, a feather and strip and ofter a big drone spoon on a heavy planer. I also sometimes use the planer as a downrigger for a rod and reel rig (feather/ strip bait) using a paperclip and rubberband release. Works good, but you really have to have the lines staggered just right when you tack because the turning radius is so much more accute than with a power boat.Ben in Beaufort

 

[Ernest F. Brodie, Sr.]

Slow going makes great fishing

When the wind is moving my boat along at only 2 knots, I will try to troll to liven things up a bit. The last time I did this, however, we landed a blue fish that was so large, it would not fit in my ice box and took up too much room in the cockpit to keep it. By the time we threw it overboard, we had blood everywhere. I may rethink this idea of trolling while sailing in the future.

 

[Phil Friday]

trolling

I troll quite often and usually ONLY under sail in Lake michigan for Salmon. I have some manual downriggers I can clamp to the stern rail, My main hint is to have a really long extendable handle on your net for sailboat use. My main credo is if it's good sailing then sail if not then fish-the main object is to not come back-it's better out there!

 

[Dylan Ross]

Atlantic Blue Crabs

We haven't done much fishing from our H27, although I intend to this year. We have gone crabbing a number of times, and it is a great solution to many of the common objections to fishing.1. No room for fishing tackle? Crabbing equipment is basic and easily stowed. All you need is some line, a weight and a small net. Bait is readily available (if you'll eat it, so will a crab). If you don't have room for a net, try using a dish pan tied to your swim ladder with a bungee.2. Its clean. No fish blood on the cockpit cushions. And unlike fish, you clean crabs after you cook them.3. No hooks means no holes in sails, no pulls in lines, and no people blood on the cockpit cushions.Crabs taste good too!

 

[jchere20783]

Crabs for dinner

We have trolled while under way but no luck, but after dropping the hook, have had good luck with crabs and prawns.