Yesterday i went on my first deep sea fishing trip on a charter boat. We went out and i caught some sea bass and snapper, but at one point i hooked into the biggest fish ive ever fought. I battled it for a few minutes until it started going under the boat. I tried to pull it out but it was too strong. Of course the line broke. Later in the same spot another person hooked into a big one and landed a 3 foot long Dusky Shark. I think i may have had one twice the size but it got away like i said. I'm not sure if it bit through the line or cut it on the boat etc. But i think this is something good to learn since i plan on going on another charter soon. Also do you think this was a shark or what? (There were also remoras in the area so it was definetly a sharky place.)

From what I've seen about deep sea fishing the captain should move the boat to keep it from going under. Sometimes it's gonna happen though.

From what I've seen about deep sea fishing the captain should move the boat to keep it from going under. Sometimes it's gonna happen though.

Yeah ive heard that too but he just said, "Keep Reeling!"

If it's a party boat there are people fishing all around. You can even get your line caught on a line from the other side. I went on one of those. I was sick all day.

If it's a party boat there are people fishing all around. You can even get your line caught on a line from the other side. I went on one of those. I was sick all day.

Yeah there were like 30 people there fishing

There are plenty fish swimming around offshore that you simply will not stop...ya just hold on!

On a six-pack charter boat this can usually be avoided by backing away from the fish,

but on a big party boat this cannot be avoided. When fishing on the drift, the headboat captain

will typically expose both sides of the hull to an equal number of favorable and unfavorable drifts.

For example, he might make 3 consecutive drifts on the starboard beam, followed by

3 consecutive drifts on the port beam. In this manner, he's giving all fares an equal number of drifts

with their lines streaming away from the hull, and the the same number of drifts with their lines

wrapped underneath the hull. This is the reason why savvy headboat fares will board the boat early

then head straight to the bow pulpit  

 

Roger

If it's a party boat there are people fishing all around. You can even get your line caught on a line from the other side. I went on one of those. I was sick all day.

Ditto!

I'll never fish like that again!

Mike

X3!  I once went on one of those excursions out of Miami.  Those of us on the side-rails had lines baited with small dead shad, while our hosts on the fan-tail were using live bait, and did very well.  The only positive experience I had from that trip is that I didn't get sick.

 

Never again!

Enjoy the fact you hook the big bass and it's your jog to keep it under control as best as you can, they tend to go where they want.

Tom

Was the boat anchored? If so there is not much to be done. A party boat captain is not gonna lift the anchor and take all the other paying fares to see what ONE singular fare may have on. It's the chances you take. After working these types of boats in NJ for Fluke, strikers, blues and tuna my best advice is to fish the stern as most captains will angle the bow into the current so naturally the flow of water will pull fish away from the stern.

Enjoy the fact you hook the big bass and it's your jog to keep it under control as best as you can, they tend to go where they want.

Tom

I don't believe he was speaking of the fish in question as neither a sea bass nor freshwater bass. If so an upsize in equipment and line could have prevented his problem.

OP. What kind of fish do you believe this fish was? What size gear were you using? Line, rod, reel etc...

All you can do on a charter boat is control the fish by keeping it in front of you. When the fish runs you follow it.

The boat has rudders, props, usually a front anchor line, stay clear of all that stuff with the help of a good deckhand and tackle strong enough to control the fish.

With big tuna the deckhand may use a hoop pole to keep the circling fish and your line out of harms way.

Tom

We were using about a 7 foot baitcaster rod with at least 20 lb line and 8oz sinkers. And it was way stronger than any bass or anything else i've caught. i think it was a shark because someone else caught one there and it tried to go under the boat as well. There were also remoras in the area. My fish was probably twice the size of that shark.