The rush of adrenaline as a big marlin breaks the surface, the sight of a powerful sailfish dancing across the waves, the explosive burst of speed as a big tuna strips line off your reel—these are moments that etch themselves into anglers' souls. If you have never experienced the excitement of deep sea fishing, read this introduction to the fishing techniques and gear needed for an angling excursion into the blue.
- Deep Sea Fishing Defined
- Trolling
- Deep Drop Fishing
- Bottom Fishing
- Kite Fishing
- Nets and Gaffs
- Rods and Reels
- Do you need a fighting chair?
- Catch and Release and Circle Hooks
- Safety
- Other Gear
- Conclusion
Deep Sea Fishing Defined
Deep sea fishing refers to angling in the open ocean, typically in deeper waters, with the aim of catching large pelagic fish or species found at depth. Deep sea anglers employ a variety of techniques, which vary according to the target species. Examples of deep sea fishing techniques include trolling, bottom fishing, deep drop fishing, and kite fishing.
Trolling
Trolling is a widely employed fishing technique which entails dragging baits or lures behind a moving boat, thereby enticing fish to strike. Depending on the targeted species, outriggers or in some cases downriggrs are employed.
Trolling for pelagics with outriggers.
Outriggers: Outriggers offer multiple advantages when fishing near the water's surface for pelagic species like marlin, sailfish and tuna. First, they are used to create a "spread" of up to four (sometimes more) baits, which greatly increases the chance of enticing a strike. In addition, outriggers place lures or baits away from the boat and its shadow, which can spook a fish. Finally, with outriggers, anglers can deploy multiple lines at different distances from the boat, which increases the chances of multiple, simultaneous hookups. West Marine offers everything you need to set up an outrigger fishing system on your boat. Offerings include outrigger mounts and bases, outrigger poles, and outrigger rigging kits. Respected brands include Taco Marine and Tigress.
Downriggers are used to precisely control the trolling depth.
Downriggers: Downriggrs are commonly used by East and West Coast anglers for trolling at pre-determined depths for fish like salmon, cod, haddock, pollock, and tuna. West Marine offers manual and electric downriggers by Cannon and Scotty—both respected brands. Downriggers consist of a spool of cable or wire attached to a heavy weight. Depending on the speed of the boat, different weights are substituted to control the trolling depth. The fishing line is connected to the cable using a line release mechanism, which maintains tension on the line. Downriggers enable precise depth control and presentation of baits or lures while trolling or drifting.
Deep Drop Fishing
Electric reels are preferred for deep drop fishing.
Deep drop fishing refers to angling in very deep waters, often exceed hundreds or even a thousand feet. Anglers employ specialized equipment, such as electric reels and heavy lines, to reach these extreme depths. The focus of deep drop fishing is to target fish species that reside in the lower part of the water column or near the ocean floor. Examples of deep drop fish species include tilefish, snapper, grouper, and swordfish. Baits are typically presented close to the ocean floor, and the technique requires patience and precise control to entice bites from these deep-dwelling creatures. When deep drop fishing, hand cranking a conventional reel can become tedious and exhausting at best. For this reason, many anglers choose the convenience and efficiency of electric fishing reels, which include a line counter that enables precise depth control. Rods used for deep drop fishing are heavy action and include roller guides and a roller tip to reduce line friction.
Bottom Fishing
Compared to deep drop fishing, bottom fishing involves angling in shallower offshore areas where the ocean floor includes structures like reefs, wrecks, or rocky formations. Anglers deploy specialized terminal tackle rigs, often with multiple baited hooks, with the intention of enticing fish that inhabit the bottom or near-bottom areas. Bottom fishing targets a wide range of species, including snapper, grouper, cod, halibut, and various other bottom-dwelling fish. While heavy spinning tackle can be used, anglers generally prefer heavy-action rods, often with roller guides and a roller tip, mated to conventional reels to handle powerful strikes from these structure-oriented species.
Kite Fishing
Launching a fishing kite.
Since its introduction in South Florida by fishing icon Bob Lewis, kite fishing has become a popular technique for catching billfish and other surface feeding game fish. Bob figured out the advantages of using a kite—keeping the wiggly live bait swimming invitingly just below the surface with the heavier leader line hanging vertically above the bait and out of the water, less likely to spook wary predators. Experienced anglers multiply their chances of catching fish by flying up to three kites—each with up to three baits suspended beneath it—for a total of up to nine baits in the water. West Marine offers kite fishing gear from R&R Tackle, Rupp Marine, Taco Marine and Tigress. In addition to your preferred bill fishing rods and reels, a typical kite fishing setup consists of a kite, a kite rod and reel, a kite rod holder, one or more kit line release clips, and other components. For more on kite fishing see our West Advisor article Kite-Fishing.
Nets and Gaffs
Fishing gaff in use.
West Marine offers a complete selection of landing nets. For offshore use, large nets are preferable, however when it comes to billfish, large tuna and other big fish, landing nets are typically too small. Instead, gaff hooks become necessary. Fishing gaffs consist of a pole with a sharp hook attached to the end that is used to grab and pull a fish out of the water and into the boat.
For very large fish, a different type of gaff, called a flying gaff is used. Flying gaffs consist of a very sharp detachable hook (usually made of stainless steel) that is affixed to the end of a pole. A line is attached to the hook. Using a flying gaff involves bringing the fish (frequently a large marlin or other billfish) alongside the boat at which point the hook is set into the fish. After setting the hook, the “gaff person” jerks the hook free of the pole and the line (which remains attached to the hook) is made fast to a cleat. West Marine offers a variety of conventional and flying gaffs by manufacturers such as Blacktip, AFTCO, Cuda, Bubba Blade, and others.
Rods and Reels
Example of a heavy conventional reel and heavy-action fighting rod.
Deep sea fishing has traditionally relied upon heavy-action rods and powerful conventional reels that can withstand the strength and weight of large fish. For those who prefer this type of gear, West Marine offers heavy-action conventional rod and reel combos. There is however a trend toward heavy spinning gear. If this is your preference, West Marine offers an excellent selection of heavy-action spinning rod and reel combos which are ideal for catching a wide variety of big, hard-fighting fish. If you are not sure what tackle to choose, we suggest you consult with a West Marine crew member at a store near you, who will give you the inside scoop on the rods, reels and terminal tackle that other anglers are using in your area.
Do you need a fighting chair?
Fighting belt with rod harness and back support.
Old school billfish angling often called for the use of a fighting chair, with the angler strapped into the chair and with the butt of the fishing rod stuck into a gimbal. Examples of fighting chairs include Springfield’s line of tournament fighting seats which are offered alone or as a package that includes a base. While fighting chairs are still used for very large fish, many anglers (at least those who are in good shape!) opt to wear a fighting belt and battle large fish using the “stand-up” method. In this exciting (and athletic) technique, anglers fight their fish aided only by the fighting belt and the strength of their backs. To add to the challenge, some anglers forego the use of heavy-action fighting rods and conventional reels in favor of lighter spinning tackle. To be sure, if you are really out to land a leviathan, it is a good idea to use conventional tackle and to have a fighting chair ready for use.
Catch and Release and Circle Hooks
West Marine is a strong proponent of catch and release. Catch and release, aided by the use of circle hooks (which reduce the chance of a “gut hooking” a fish) is having a positive impact on game fish stocks.
In an interview with West Marine, Scott Walker, co-star of the hit fishing show “Into the Blue” points out that, “With the advent of circle hook fishing, fishing for sailfish in the Florida Keys in the 35 years I have been here is as good today if not better.” In regard to how to properly release a fish, he advises, “Don't take ’em out of the water. The science is there. I understand both sides of the case. Light tackle records are great, but the longer you fight the fish, the more exhausted it’s going to be. Catch ’em quick and use the appropriate tackle for the size fish you are after.”
Safety
Every boat that ventures offshore should be equipped with an EPIRB.
In this article, we have assumed that you have an offshore-capable boat that meets all USCG equipment requirements—which include having a full complement of USCG-approved life jackets, one for yourself and every member of your crew. Regardless of the status of cell phone service, standard equipment on most every boat should include a VHF radio, which in the event of an emergency, you can use to make a mayday call. Offshore safety equipment should also include a medical kit, an EPIRB or at least a PLB.
Other Gear
There is a lot of “must have” gear that we have not touched on. For example, along with a fishfinder, fishfinder/chartplotter combo, or a multi-function display, a well outfitted offshore fishing boat will include one or more large coolers or kill bags to keep the catch fresh, a bait tank, fillet or bait table, fishing rod holders and a well-organized tackle bag that contains the terminal tackle that you will need.
Conclusion
In reading this article, we hope you have gained some perspective on the different types of deep sea fishing and the gear employed. Due to the general nature of this article, and because there is no substitute for local knowledge, we encourage you to seek the advice of West Marine crew members at a store near you who can help you gear up for your adventure into the blue.
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