Guatemala Offers Frequent Double & Triple Sail fish Hookups: Video of how not to fight a pacific sail fish.
Double and Triple sail fish hookups are frequent on Guatemala deep sea fishing trips. This video is a good demonstration of how not to fight billfish. Notice the anglers are exhausted and out of control reeling and reeling against the fish. Proper technique is to pull the rod up to a 45-60 degree angle while not reeling. Then lower the rod while reeling in the line maintaining some tension (no slack in the line). It is key when you raise the rod tip to gain on the fish that you keep your left arm straight and left hand positioned well forward of the reel to give you a leverage advantage. Then flex at the knees and lean backward to lift the rod tip keeping the left arm straight. This billfishing technique prevents early strain on the biceps and prevents back fatigue. It also importantly stops the endless reeling that little to no gain in line retrieval.
Folks on the Mad Marlin are quickly taught this techniques and have the strength to fight the many fish that we release on our trips without becoming so fatigued from the billfish battles that they want to come to the dock early and rest. Our professional crew can teach you this simple technique in a short time and you will be grateful if you have not fished this way before on your billfish adventures.
We have taught 8-10 year-old kids to land huge fish this way. Notice in the video how exhausted these big men are.
