Big Game Fishing In Fiji: 5 Secrets To Catching Your Prey
There’s an art to sport fishing. And most of it is learned through experience.
You can read about basic fishing techniques like popping, jigging and trolling, and still misunderstand how and in what circumstances they’re best put to use. You can read about the differences between light and heavy tackle, but not fully grasp when the use of each is appropriate.
When it comes to big game fishing in Fiji, experience is the best instructor.
Whether you’re a novice learning the ropes, or a long time angler with years of sportfishing adventures under your belt, there’s always room to improve. Following are 5 simple tips for increasing your odds of landing your trophy-sized quarry.
#1 – Don’t Let Your Prey Rest
Some fish species are aggressive fighters. They’ll pull the line immediately after getting hooked, sometimes diving, sometimes leaping and other times zipping left to right and back again.
A common mistake is to allow them to catch their breath. If the fish you’ve hooked isn’t pulling out line, you should be reeling it in. It’s okay to give a little and take a little. Just make sure the line is always moving – either out or in.
#2 – Commit To The Fight
One of the reasons anglers love big game fishing in Fiji is the challenge. It’s not usual to hook a large fish that takes half an hour to reel in.
Thirty minutes may not seem like a lot of time. But when you’re on the boat in the warm sun, fighting every second to pull in your prey, it can be exhausting.
Prepare yourself for the fight ahead of time. Get yourself into the right frame of mind. Remind yourself that it’s a marathon, not a sprint.
#3 – Use Lively Bait
If you’re using live bait, make sure it’s active. The more animated it is in the water, the more attention it will attract from the fish you’re trying to catch.
#4 – Test The Size Of Your Lures
If you’re using lures, consider their size. It plays a big role in whether or not fish bite.
Test different sizes for the fish species you’re targeting. The size that works on wahoo will be different than the size that attracts giant trevally. The size that appeals to mahi mahi will differ from the one that works on black marlin and dogtooth tuna.
Most people spend too much time selecting the perfect colours for their lures. Colour is important. But size is even more so.
#5 – Avoid “High Sticking”
Fishing rods are designed to be flexible. They bend when force is applied to them. That flexibility prevents them from snapping when a monster fish pulls on the line. But they have their stress limits.
A lot of novice anglers forget that fact and do something called “high sticking.” They pull back on the rod to the point that a lesser-than-90° angle forms between the rod and the line. If you hook a fighter that pulls aggressively on the line, you could end up snapping your rod.
Although fishing rods are flexible, they’re not indestructible.
When it comes to big game fishing in Fiji, no one is born an expert. Proficiency comes from experience. The good news is that you can smooth the learning curve and quickly become adept by using the simple tips outlined above.
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