Q: When skippering a boat after hooking a smaller fish on the troll, is it better to turn and chase the fish down, collecting the belly of line as fast as possible, or to keep running straight and force the angler to fight the fish? And second: Is it better to use a light strike setting to avoid pulling hooks on the bite or a heavier drag for a more solid hook-set?

Mark Johnson,
Osprey, Florida

A: Thanks for two good questions that are a bit out of the ordinary. Most of the e-mails I get are more concerned with trying to catch big fish that have a real chance of escaping neophyte anglers and crew. As a charter-boat skipper in Hawaii, I never chased after a small fish. However, I would still initiate a turn to get the fish slightly off to one side while trying for another bite and then clear other lines as needed. If we hooked a wahoo, dolphin or small tuna, I kept the drag light during most of the fight. On smaller billfish we would also often use light drag settings and didn't always bother to give a big strong guy a harness or instructions on how to pump up the fish. First-time anglers appreciated a small marlin a lot more if they had to crank on it for a while. Leaving one engine in gear even helped a blue shark resist capture or release for a couple of minutes. Most skilled anglers would rather catch the fish quickly, but a long fight would often be the highlight of a beginner's vacation.

As for the second question, I enjoy a much better hookup ratio on light tackle than heavy tackle. For smaller fish I highly recommend a light drag setting, even when using heavy tackle. This is not really fighting a fish; it is playing with it.