One of the things we always tell our students when they come to Marlin University is that once you get a bite, always assume there are more fish back there — especially when targeting sails and both white and striped marlin. All three of these species like to hunt in packs, so if you get a bite, there’s probably another one lurking around back there as well. Also, nobody ever catches a doubleheader of blue marlin by reeling all of their lines in at the first sign of a hookup! Any mates clearing baits after a hookup — or just changing them out at the first signs of washout — need to make sure to fish the bait all the way to the boat without taking their eyes off it as it comes back. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen an overeager mate reeling a bait away from that second sail or marlin just because they are trying to clear the lines as quickly as possible. Slow down to get that doubleheader.
