Handlines are essential gear for every sailboat

Catching offshore fish can be an intimidating and frustrating prospect. Take a minute to read these simple tips to increase your chances:

What are the benefits of using a handline over conventional rod and reel?

• One of the key advantages to using a handle on a sailboat is that you do not need to alter course or slow down when you hook up on a fish. You simply maintain course and allow the rubber shock absorber to fight the fish until the fish starts skiing on the surface, allowing you to pull it to the boat swiftly.

• Handlines can be stored nearly anywhere, taking up about as much room as a water bottle.

• Minimal points of failure.

• Every component is at least 500 lb test.

• Very secure hooksets ensure that the fish stays on.

• ~$150 for a handline vs $1,000+ for a 50-wide conventional setup.

• Tangles are no problem with paracord. Tangles with mono or braid are a nightmare and often result in the angler having to cut the line.

• All Lance Lures handlines are commercial-grade, meaning that they are designed to catch thousands of fish throughout the product’s lifespan.

How do I use Lance Lures commercial-grade trolling handlines?

- Clip the 316 stainless carabiner to a cleat, u-bolt, or other very sturdy hardware. You may use the provided loop of 550 paradord to attach to hardware that the caribeaner cannot clip to. Ensure that the point that you choose to clip the carabiner to is at or below the level of the gunnel to avoid potential recoil. Unravel the paracord from the spool and ensure that the snap swivel end of the line is separated from the rest of the loose paracord at all times. This will prevent tangles.

- At this point, attach a leader to the snap swivel. Deploy the lure out of the back of the boat, with the boat moving forward.

-Loop a heavy-duty rubber band onto the paracord as close to the swivel as you can. Now loop the other end of the rubber band onto the carabiner. You may require multiple rubber bands based upon lure size and trolling speed. This will act as a low-intensity shock absorber and an audible strike indicator when the rubber band snaps.

• #105 rubber bands are for trolling at higher speeds with larger lures.

• #74 rubber bands are for slow trolling or live baiting.

-When a fish bites, the rubber band should make a loud “POP” to alert the angler.

-Allow the black rubber shock absorber to fight the fish until it is safe enough to grab the paracord with gloved hands, then bring the fish to the boat.

-You may adjust the paracord to a shorter length, but be aware that this may result in increased recoil. The recoil reduction mechanism relies upon friction braking from hydrostatic resistance of the water on the paracord.

Seabirds will forever be our most important fish-finder

Learning how to read what birds are doing and which birds are over what kind of fish can be a lifelong process. However, if you see a flock of birds, they are likely to be over fish, so steer toward them. The birds are there because larger predatory fish are forcing baitfish to the surface, allowing the birds to more easily catch them. Predatory fish are likely ready to bite when the birds are active.

If anything looks different, steer that way

Rips, weedlines, free-floating debris, color changes, and basically anything you see offshore is going to be more likely to hold fish than regular open water. Be aware that weedlines, and areas dense with debris will likely result in some getting stuck on your hook. Don’t make the mistake of thinking that the debris will fall off on its own. Take the time to pull in your line and check for debris regularly. Even one small strand of seaweed can deter fish from biting.

When you get a bite, mark the spot and try to come back around again; there could be a piece of flotsam that you didn’t see. photo: Pat Ford

Rig the right lure, properly

There are many considerations to take into account when selecting a lure and rig (monofilament leader, crimps, hooks).

-First, consider your speed. Use a lure that is designed to stay in the water at the maximum speed you will be moving. You can be sure that you will not catch anything if your lure is constantly skipping on the surface. Lures that stay subsurface, but come up every 3-5 seconds at the given top speed tend to be ideal. If you slow down, the lure may lose some action, but you can still get bites. Lures that remain subsurface are also ideal, and can sometimes be trolled at higher speeds. The Braid Marauder is a good example of a subsurface high-speed hard-body trolling lure. Our Plumbus lineup is a fantastic choice, with a lure for every speed and application. Trolling skirted lures also tends to increase your chances of a solid hookup vs hard-body lures. Avoid using any hardbody lures that use split rings rather than welded rings.

We recommend our 21 oz Plumbus HS (high speed) when traveling at speeds of up to 15 kts, but every Plumbus is a great choice up to 10 kts or as slow as you want to go.

-Next, consider size. Both the size of the baitfish you are seeing and the size of the fish you are targeting. When targeting smaller tuna and mahi-mahi in the 5-15 lb range, we recommend the Plumbus X 9.5 oz, and the Plumbus HS 10 oz. Rigging on lighter leader will increase your chances of getting a hookup, but it will also increase your risk of losing the fish and your lure. We recommend a minimum of 100 lb test monofilament or fluorocarbon. 300-400 lb test is recommended when rigging a larger lure, such as our Plumbus X 20.5 oz. The larger diameter monofilament will increase your chances of getting the fish into the boat, and it is much easier to grip with gloved hands.

In general, smaller lures will increase your chances of catching fish. There are typically more small fish around than big fish, so consider trolling a small lure on reasonably heavy line. Our Plumbus HS 10 oz, and Plumbus X 9.5 oz, rigged on 200 lb mono with a 6/0 heavy-duty trolling hook, is a great all-around choice.

-Finally, the color. A great place to start is to try to match both the size and color of the baitfish you are seeing. For flying fish, try blue and white. For small tunas, try black and purple.

Remember that we are trying to maximize the visibility of our lures. Use the sunlight on a bright sunny day to light up bright colors. On cloudier days or low light situations, use darker colors that will have a more bold profile when the fish are looking up at it against the sky. Also try using a trolling bird teaser, and attach your rig to the tail snap swivel. This will act as both a visual and vibrational fish attractor.

Other tried and true lures include cedar plugs, spoons, jet heads, and daisy chains.

Get a nice long gaff

I’ve never heard an angler say “I wish I had a shorter gaff”.

6-8 ft gaff is ideal for sailboats.

A benefit of using a commercial handline is that we can be fairly certain that you got a solid hookset, so you can typically just swing the fish into the boat. We regularly do this with mahi-mahi, tuna, and ono (wahoo) up to 25 lb.

SAFETY FIRST!

-Always wear quality gloves with good grip and abrasion resistance when using a handline.

-Never do a full wrap of paracord around your hand.

- Ensure that the stainless steel carabiner is attached at or below the level of the gunnel to minimize the potential for recoil that could result in injury.