When you hook into a decent fish (20# +), just hold on for the first run and then try to gain some line, don't horse the fish but try to gain some line. When this fish feels you gaining line, that is when the second run will come. After the second run, the fish is really tired because you forced the two runs in a very short period of time. Now, and only now, can you really try to bring it in, don't force it but the fish should move.
When you sight the fish
and it is close to shore, their will be a point when a fish can feel the bottom or know that he is in the breakers. They will always, always, make a dying effort to spit the hook.
The trick here is when the fish enters the breakers is to loosen up the drag slightly as to avoiding the fish from creating slack.
Most big fish are lost in the breakers!!! If the fish makes a run, its OK keep the pressure on and don't let the fish go to far
Remember if you are catching and releasing, the longer the fight the less the survival rate. This may be different on rocky bottoms where fish lay down in holes (RI). I fish NJ (IBSP) and LI (Moriches, Shinnecock and Montauk). This method was taught to me by a very successful surfcaster after I lost a very decent fish about 15 years ago (you never forget those lessons as a young boy
). I have many 30's and a few 40's, I think I may have hooked a 50 a couple of years back, I am still waiting for the first run to stop, In about two weeks it should hit Portugal.
I tend to think most nice fish are lost because of unmaintained hooks, weakly tied knots and frayed line, rather than fighting the fish.
I have witnessed some people beach a cow of 52# in the surf in about 15 minutes, with this method, so if you can't bring them in in 15 minutes you will know that you are doing something wrong or you definetly have a 50# fish or better and it is a battle where you will need some luck to bring the fish to the scales.
Anyone have success with this method in RI, or is it different with the rocky drop off bottoms.
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