PUBLICATION MAGAZINE VOLUME ONE final magazine siap | Page 23

BEST BAIT AND LURES FOR BLUE MARLIN
After all the gear has been accounted for, it’s “the spread”
that gets the crew’s attention. The spread is the arrange-
ment of lures and bait that trail behind the boat when
trolling. Outriggers extending from the side of the boat
are used to “spread” the lures out even further in order
to cover more water and keep the lines from getting tan-
gled. Within a blue marlin trolling spread, a combination
of hookless teasers, artificial lures, and live bait are used
to attract marlin from the depths below and entice a bite.
HOW TO REEL IN A MARLIN
The captain will continue driving the boat forward as the crew reels in extra lures and teasers. Then, the angler
seated in the fighting chair is handed the rod and strapped in for battle. Reeling in a blue marlin is an art form unto
itself. Constant pressure must be kept on the fish or else a shake of its head will send the hook flying. To accomplish
this, a technique called “short stroking” is employed. To perform a short stroke, the rod is raised about 15 degrees,
applying pressure on the fish. Then, the reel is cranked a full rotation as the rod is lowered back down 15 degrees.
This is repeated over and over while keeping the line tight. As the angler gains the upper hand, the captain will
throw the boat into reverse to allow the angler to quickly recover the bulk of the line. The fight ends when the “wire-
man” grabs the leader and the blue marlin is safely released. It’s high fives all around, and maybe a cold, celebratory
beer before the spread is sent back out and another blue marlin brought in for a shot.
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