Are You a Bully?

Don't worry, this is not another public service announcement about bullying.... Well not exactly at least. You see there are two ways to fish- bullying and playing. Bullying refers to the technique of using heavy tackle to reel the fish in as quick as possible. This technique has two major benefits. First, it increases your chance to land the fish. Simply put, you're using heavy tackle and you're reeling it in as fast as you can. Anglers who use this technique say "you can play with it after you land it. Second, it's healthier and safer for the fish because the fight is over quickly not allowing the fish to expel all its energy. Most times when you bully a fish it still has a lot of fight left in it so be sure to handle it safely and securely.

Playing or fighting your fish involves light tackle and the ride of your life- you feel every ounce of the fish's fight with light tackle. This technique has three main benefits. First, in my opinion it's a necessity for big fish. While you may be able to handle a pissed off 5 pound bass a 120 pound pissed off tarpon is a completely different story. Tarpon are known to jump and sometimes will strike boats causing damage and can even knock people unconscious. Plain and simple it's not safe to land a pissed off monster not to mention a shark or another toothy critter. Second, nothing beats the rush of catching a monster on light tackle. I landed a 120 pound tarpon on 20# mono after a 2 hour 15 fight and I felt like I was invincible. Third, light tackle will challenge you more- even the playing field. Giving the fish a fighting chance will give you a real sense of accomplishment. Finally, while there is a risk of injuring the fish, as long as you get it back in the water quickly risk is minimized. If the fish doesn't swim away you can always revive it. This almost always works when done correctly- I've never had a fish die on me! Just be careful of gators and sharks though!

While there are times for bullying a lunker- if you're in a tournament or trying to catch dinner- I personally prefer to give the fish a fighting chance and will revive it if necessary. Just remember, the bigger the fish the longer the fight, and the longer the fight the more tired the fish is. Use special caution when handling big tired fish, returning them to the water as quick as possible and remember any fish over 40" should NOT be removed from the water. In some states it is even illegal to remove certain fish from the water. For example, all Florida tarpon over 40" must remain in the water!

Fighting a 120 pound tarpon on 20 pound line with my trusty Dunamis Rod in Islamorada, FL

Take care and tight lines!