Solo Fishing

[GLF]

For those that fish alone. I am not a solo fisherman, but there are other members that are.

1. How do you control your boat while you are setting lines, fighting a fish?

2. How do you net the fish? If you are running a wire line dipsey, spinner and fly, there is a lot of line out from the end of the rod. Do you put the rod in a rod holder?

Any tips/tricks for everyone that you have is very much appreciated.

[Catfishhoge]

I have not fished alone in a while since I found some good peoples via the internet who carry the same interest in the sport as I do. It use to be a regular event to see me by myself out on lake Michigan chasing down salmon and the likes.

Actually, the things you ask are relatively easy, if you are set up for it! I have a Lund 1775 PRO V Deluxe, single counsol. I run 2 electric riggers and would have dipsy out as well. That may change as the fish determine!

Boat control is easy, position your boat in such a way the wind, waves and current will keep it on a strait heading. If your steering should be "loose" you can use a bungy cord, I like to call it a poor mans auto pilot, and hold it steady. This will help you to get your lines set.

Once they are all in, I would turn my seat to face the back and watch rods! The close proximity of everything in a boat of this size is great for solo trips. Cruise around looking for some action untill you hit a fish!

When a rod pops, first you jump on it! Then as your fighting this fish you determine what you need to do based on the fight he gives you. Most of the time you can decide right away. If a smaller fish is on you can pretty much bring it in with no problem. However, a bigger fish is where you need to take action. Try and get your boat in the same position as when you set lines. Let the water help you to control your boat.

Now you need to get this big fish in a net! He will do everything possible to screw it up for you!

I will take a little more time getting it to the boat, this helps to wear it out and make things a little easier. There would usually be one side of the boat that is open. No rods out. That is where I want to net the fish. Along side. I have a longer handle on my net, with the rod in my left hand and the net in my right, I lay the handle on the gunnal for leverage. When the fish gets close enough I slip it under the fish and raise the net to get him in it. Then I will put the rod in a holder or lay it down to hoist the fish in the boat!

With my set ups spinnies and flies on dipsies are no problem while netting. I keep my leaders between the dipsy and spinnie at 4 feet in length, with the fly being a couple feet behind the spinnie that only leaves you with 7 feet or so of line left out of the rod tip.

There are some little things that you may adapt to your boat and style of fishing but this is what I have done in the past and had little problems.

Fishing solo on big water for big fish is not as complicated as some may think. And some days it can be just what the sole needed!

Good fishing!

Rick

[Midway97]

I have not fished alone in a while since I found some good peoples via the internet who carry the same interest in the sport as I do. It use to be a regular event to see me by myself out on lake Michigan chasing down salmon and the likes.

Actually, the things you ask are relatively easy, if you are set up for it! I have a Lund 1775 PRO V Deluxe, single counsol. I run 2 electric riggers and would have dipsy out as well. That may change as the fish determine!

Boat control is easy, position your boat in such a way the wind, waves and current will keep it on a strait heading. If your steering should be "loose" you can use a bungy cord, I like to call it a poor mans auto pilot, and hold it steady. This will help you to get your lines set.

Once they are all in, I would turn my seat to face the back and watch rods! The close proximity of everything in a boat of this size is great for solo trips. Cruise around looking for some action untill you hit a fish!

When a rod pops, first you jump on it! Then as your fighting this fish you determine what you need to do based on the fight he gives you. Most of the time you can decide right away. If a smaller fish is on you can pretty much bring it in with no problem. However, a bigger fish is where you need to take action. Try and get your boat in the same position as when you set lines. Let the water help you to control your boat.

Now you need to get this big fish in a net! He will do everything possible to screw it up for you!

I will take a little more time getting it to the boat, this helps to wear it out and make things a little easier. There would usually be one side of the boat that is open. No rods out. That is where I want to net the fish. Along side. I have a longer handle on my net, with the rod in my left hand and the net in my right, I lay the handle on the gunnal for leverage. When the fish gets close enough I slip it under the fish and raise the net to get him in it. Then I will put the rod in a holder or lay it down to hoist the fish in the boat!

With my set ups spinnies and flies on dipsies are no problem while netting. I keep my leaders between the dipsy and spinnie at 4 feet in length, with the fly being a couple feet behind the spinnie that only leaves you with 7 feet or so of line left out of the rod tip.

There are some little things that you may adapt to your boat and style of fishing but this is what I have done in the past and had little problems.

Fishing solo on big water for big fish is not as complicated as some may think. And some days it can be just what the sole needed!

Good fishing!

Rick

I agree with Rick on everything he's said. I used to fish my Islander by myself out of Waukegan/Great lakes area. Only thing I would have to add is I stayed well away form the crowds and would only go out in lite wind/wave conditions. Meant less trips but I still got out fishing.

[GLF]

Boat control is easy, position your boat in such a way the wind, waves and current will keep it on a strait heading. If your steering should be "loose" you can use a bungy cord, I like to call it a poor mans auto pilot, and hold it steady. This will help you to get your lines set.

I assume you are talking about having the boat heading down wind and with the waves?

Thanks Rick

[Butch]

I fish solo quite often, and I'll agree with Catfishhoge. I'll just add or reiterate a couple things. For setting lines, making program changes, and (when possible) landing fish, head downwind. I plan my program changes ahead, to make this easier.

When I'm fishing around other boats and it's breezy or wavy, whenever I'm not fishing downwind it's almost second nature for me to have a plan for how to get away from the nearby boats and turn downwind, even before a fish bites.

If it's rough or windy, I try to fight fish while standing close to the steering wheel so I can easily make minor course corrections.

Don't oversteer.

When I'm standing on the port or starboard side, the boat will track that way a little bit, so I plan on this when setting my steering while setting rods or netting fish.

For netting fish, I usually loosen my drag a bit just before, in case the fish tries some last ditch manuever while my hands are full. For big fish, to avoid them bleeding out line from the loose drag I use my thumb for extra drag, then just let it go if the fish goes crazy. I net the fish by holding the net handle under my arm for leverage, and control the net with my free hand. I prefer to hold the rod in my right hand, and the net in my left, so I usually try to net over the stern or on the port side. If I net on the starboard side, I switch hands. I prefer to net big fish over the gunwhale, and I go against most advice about netting in that I often net them from the tail, scooping up at the same time I let the rod tip drop back so the fish drops back into the net. This way, if you mistime the net job and the fish surges, it will surge out of the net without catching the hooks in the net, and you can just line things up for another try. If you net from the head end and miss, it's easy to catch a hook in the mesh, and watch the fish twist free.

[Catfishhoge]

Down wind is a primary direction however on some days it will be easier to set a heading that would be almost perpendicular to the wind due to the type and size of waves. Set rods and then adjust your course.

Matt has added a small detail when netting. I also position the end of the net under my net arm as the handle lays on the gunnal waiting for the appropriate time! This is one of the things that may be prefferential to your style and settup.

[DangerDan]

The few times I've been out alone I've let the wind & currents steer my course for me for a while then continue that heading while setting lines and just troll in that direction. On the right days I can usually set lines and fight fish with very little attention to the helm.

Midway was out with me one evening recently when it was like that. a great eve for night fishing. We really should have stayed later considering the following days events...

[Mark]

I fished by myself many times last year and wished I had a better netting technique. I lost several fish trying to net it but it was pretty entertaining/comical for the nearby boaters.

After that I just started slinging them in. Most of the fish I caught were less than 15# and on 20#Maxima, I would bring the fish in hot, use their momentum, and pop them up and over the transom. I broke only one fish off and that was due to a bounce off the rigger wire. The bigger fish you had to net. I would strip 10' off and retie and reset. Timing was key.

I did use a glove and get one good wrap before I popped them in. A line cut on the hand is brutal to say the least.

I would definitely recommend netting it over handlining it, but in a pinch or a double or a triple, it was effective for me.

[GLF]

If I ever get out by myself, I know where to start. Thanks for all of the Great information!

[Priority1]

I quit fishing alone about 10 yrs ago. It wasn't about landing fish or boat control, safety was my concern. Fall overboard while the boat is moving @ even the slowest trolling speed and U R SCREWED.