Party Boat Fishing: How to fish in this environment

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• Party Boat Fishing: How to fish in this environment.
• You will learn what to expect and learn many useful skills to successfully enjoy the Fishing Trip.
• You may have some experience, or no experience this presentation will help you get up to speed.

We will cover what to expect

• Proper Etiquette on the boat
• Proper fishing Techniques
• Team Work for a more rewarding experience  

• Big picture here is to have an enjoyable, successful fishing trip.
• Everything covered on this brief will help you reach that big picture.

  Glossary of terms YOU YELL 

• FISH ON: You just hooked up a fish and by yelling it out you have informed your team and the deck hands! 
• GOING OUT: You are casting your line by yelling out you are informing everyone around you that be careful and you are casting. 
• GAFF: You are ready for the deck hand to Gaff your fish and bring it onboard.  
• OVER YOU, UNDER YOU: instructions to your teammate that your line is either under there line or over there line, based on that you will be ready to either pass under them or go over them.  

•  Always listen and do what the Captain says and asks of you.
• Always use good judgment when retrieving your bait there will be only 17 on-board so there is no reason to fight for a favorite spot or cut people off to get your bait. Remember everyone on-board is your teammate help each other out.
• You are on a constantly moving surface accidents can occur more readily so you must stay alert.
• If you are sick do not go below deck to ride it out get to the upper deck get plenty of fresh air and try to stay out of the way of others who will be fishing, try to get to the front of the ship look at the horizon and ride it out, you can at this point take sea sickness medication. If you feel that you need to vomit try to not be in the wind when you need to do this if the boat is trolling go to the back or aft of the boat and vomit over the back with the wind to your back. Let the crew or deck hands know you are sick and they can also help.

• Tackle Prep, typically the night before:
• Have deckhand set the drag on your rod. Test the drag to know how it was set.

• When there is Trolling:
• You will be ask to troll by number if you don't want to say pass and crew hand will call out the next number in order.
• Man the trolling pole at all times
• Be ready to reel in when asked 
• Be ready with rod to bait up and put rod in water to catch a fish when boat stops after trolling.

• Fly Lining or Live Bait:
• Keep rod pointed towards water.
• Need to feel bait on line.
• Let bait swim freely with light pressure of thumb on reel.
• Every 10 seconds or so, spool line back onto reel with thumb to take the slack out of the line.
• Can use thumb or finger to hold line and feel for the bait.
• Change bait often. It will tire out or die after 2 – 4 minutes.
• If you keep line out too long… it will begin to act as an anchor, causing friction and just continue to take itself out in. It can loop around and just keep going and going and get tangled.

• Fly Lining or Live Bait: 
• Typically you will be Fly Lining with the other anglers in a line that moves around the stern of the boat. Some boats call this a “Chum Line”.
• You need to follow your bait around the boat as you let it out, but keep in mind to keep facing the wind.
• You may need to say (not yell) “Over You” or “Under You” to the angler next to you as your line may go over or under the line of the angler next to you. 
• You need to pay attention to what is happening around you- anticipate, be proactive and move over or under as the need arises. “Watch out for the other guy”.
• Going over or under is especially important because if you get a hook-up and your line is crossed over the line of the angler next to you, you increase your chances for a tangle and losing your fish and also prevent the other angler from catching and bringing in fish. 

• Setting the HOOK!
• Keep rod pointed towards the water.
• Count slowly to three  once the fish starts running.
• Click the bail.
• Start winding the reel and lift up the rod.
• Bringing in a Fish:
• After you have set the hook YELL OUT “FISH ON”
• Keep rod tip up
• Keep pressure on line with fish. Do not stop reeling in. Pull up on rod as you need to and reel in fish on down stroke (this is called ‘pumping’). Fish needs to know your presence / pressure.
• Follow fish up and down boat, over and under angler’s rods. Be vocal in letting people next to you know if you need to go over or under their rod.
• If you get caught in a tangle, let deckhand know you have a fish, 
• If fish goes for boat structure, i.e. prop or under the boat, keep rod tip up and away from boat. Reel in fish (vs pump) to prevent it from being caught in structure.