Landing fish

Landing is the act of taking a fish into possession once it has been played close to the angler. In a broader sense, landing also involves the act of setting the hook as well as playing or fighting a fish until it is able to be captured, but these actions are treated separately in this book (see: hooksetting; playing fish).

Landing is accomplished in a number of ways, the most common being hand-holding, netting, or gaffing. The circumstances, species, size of fish, type of terminal tackle used, strength of line or leader, and other considerations affect the decision to use one method or another. An especially important factor is whether the fish will be kept or released (see: catch-and-release).

Many fish are lost at, or close to, the boat because of the actions of the angler or the person attempting to land the fish. Sometimes, even when everything is done right, a fish manages to get free just when it is almost landed; this usually happens when the hook pulls out even though the angler has kept a tight line. However, in most cases, when fish are lost at or near the boat, either just prior to being landed or while in the act of landing, the cause is a mistake or series of mistakes.

Perhaps the greatest mistake made by inexperienced anglers is reeling a fish right up to the tip of the rod when a fish is at boatside—as if they were going to spear it with the tip of the rod. It’s better to leave a few feet of line between the rod tip and the fish so that you can direct the fish or lift/swing it onboard. A common mistake made by many people is applying too much pressure on an active fish that is near the boat, as if the game were a tug of war; finesse, not muscle, is the solution. To properly land fish, especially large, strong, and active specimens, the key is to employ common sense, anticipation, and finesse.

Many of the fish caught in freshwater are fairly small, being a pound or two at most in size. Few people have much trouble landing such fish on any type of equipment. Since the majority of all fish caught are small, most freshwater anglers do not often get to experience difficult fish-playing or fish-landing situations, and unfortunately they are ill-prepared to handle them when they do occur. That partially explains why some large freshwater fish are lost after being hooked. Salmon, large trout, steelhead, and large striped bass will fully test the average freshwater angler’s playing and landing skills, and anglers who frequently fish for these creatures learn to handle their tackle and use the proper methods to make landing more of a sure thing.

Fish that are caught in saltwater, on average, are larger than those in freshwater, in terms of both length and weight, and many are not as easily landed by hand as a result. Boats for saltwater use typically have a higher freeboard than those used in freshwater, so the distance to a fish in the water next to the boat is different and is more of a factor in how fish are landed. On the other hand, the tackle used in saltwater, especially for bottom fishing and weighted bait, is generally stout, so some fish can be lifted out in saltwater that could not be lifted out in freshwater or with lighter gear.

When a fish is close to the boat, you can take several actions that will greatly improve your chances of landing it, regardless of how it will actually be landed. Often, a fish that is fairly close to you is still energetic. This is a time to cautiously direct the fish. If you’re in a boat and the fish streaks toward it (perhaps to swim under it), you could be put at a disadvantage, particularly when using light tackle. You must reel as fast as possible to keep slack out. If the fish gets under the boat, stick the rod tip well into the water to keep the line away from objects and prevent it from being cut.

You should anticipate that a fish will rush the boat and should be prepared to head it around the stern or bow. In some cases a companion can manipulate the boat (especially with an electric motor or with a pushpole) to help swing the stern or bow away from the fish, which is a smart maneuver. If possible, go toward the bow or stern to better follow or control the fish. Whenever possible, fight the fish on the side that it wants to go; don’t try to make it come to the side you are on when it wants to go the other way. Also, when there is wind or current, try to get the boat below the fish, so that it is landed on the upstream or upcurrent side. Try to maneuver the fish around the boat at some point in the fight so that this happens. If it is on the wrong side of the boat prior to landing, it may try to dive under the boat and head upcurrent or upriver, and you will be in a terrible position.

The best tactic is usually to move with the fish around the boat according to what the fish is doing. Never hang back in a tug-of-war with a large, strong fish; use finesse rather than muscle.

When the fish swims around the boat, keep the rod tip up (sometimes out, too) and apply pressure to force its head up and to steer it clear of the outboard or electric motor and the propellers. (Sometimes it’s best to tilt motors out of the water.) At times it may be necessary to change the angle of pull on a strong and stubborn fish, perhaps to help steer it in a particular direction or away from some obstruction, or to make it fight a little differently. Apply side pressure then, bringing the rod down and holding it parallel to the water, and turning your body partially sideways to the fish. Fight it as you would if the rod were perpendicular to the water.

With very large fish that get near the boat but are still energetic, or with big fish that stay very deep below the boat and can’t be budged, the boat may need to be quickly moved a fair distance away so that line peels off the drag. This changes the angle of pull on the fish and usually helps bring it up from the depths. This situation is common in saltwater but does not happen very much in freshwater, except occasionally with big salmon and big striped bass.

In current, a big fish that gets downriver and through rapids where you are unable to follow, may return upriver if you release line from your reel and allow slack line to drift below the fish. The line below the fish acts as a pulling force from downstream (instead of ahead) and may cause the fish to head upstream again.

With some species of jumping fish (Atlantic salmon, for example), and when using fly fishing tackle, you may have to slacken the tension when the fish jumps by bowing the rod toward it so that the jumper cannot use taut line as leverage for pulling free of the hook. Sometimes you can stop a fish from jumping by putting your rod tip in the water and keeping a tight line, which change the angle of pull and may stop a fish from clearing the surface. These and other aspects of fish playing are discussed in more detail in that section (see: playing fish).

Eventually the fish is next to you and may be ready for landing. Most fish, especially large ones, will make at least one final effort at freedom, and this will be a crucial moment. Because of the short distance between you and the fish, there will be a lot of stress on your tackle. You must act swiftly when the fish makes its last bolt for freedom. As it surges away, don’t pressure it. Let it go. Point the rod at the fish at the critical moment so there is little or (preferably) no rod pressure. A large fish will peel line off the drag, which, if set properly (and if it does not stick), will keep tension on the fish within the tolerance of the line’s strength and provide the least amount of pressure possible. As the surge tapers, lift up the rod and work the fish back.

Now it’s time to land the fish. But first, a decision has to be made: Are you keeping it or not? If the answer is not, then consider not landing it at all but unhooking it in the water to minimize injury to the fish. You can do this by holding the line with one hand or gripping the fish around the lower jaw with a jaw-gripping tool and using a pair of pliers, a hook gripper, or a hook puller to get the hook out; then let the fish go immediately. In this manner, the fish is never or minimally touched and is least likely to be injured.

However, whenever a fish is on the surface or its head is removed from the water, there is the danger that it will flip, spin, thrash, lunge, or take other action to escape, and this may result in injury to you or the fish or result in a fish that escapes. You have to be very careful when you lift a fish to unhook it, and you should remember that when landing a fish, by whatever means, you should leave the head of the fish in the water to minimize problems (although when you net a fish, it’s best to get the head up to the surface). Many fish react instinctively when their heads are lifted and the buoyancy of being supported by water is gone; they’ll use their tails to take some type of action. If you keep its head in the water, a fish may be less inclined to do this; and if you can grab it by the tail, its main source of power is gone and it usually can’t take action.

Hand-landing

Wading anglers may need to pin a large, strong, or frisky fish to their wet legs, as shown, to land and unhook the fish.

When you grab or hold a fish with your hands, you may potentially harm yourself or the fish, so do it carefully. If a fish is going to be released, handling should be reduced to a minimum (see: catch-and-release) to avoid external damage to the fish or damage to internal organs or to the protective mucus coating (the loss of which increases the possibility of infection). If the fish will be kept, then it doesn’t have to be handled as carefully, the major concern then being to avoid personal injury. The sharp fin rays, gill covers, and teeth of some fish, as well as the barbels and pectoral spines on others, can easily cause a cut or stab wound that is likely to be very sore for a while and may become infected.

In addition, the landing of fish that are still green, or fresh, or that are very powerful has the potential for causing more serious bodily harm, as well as for damage to equipment. Large saltwater species, for example, if brought into a boat without being subdued properly, can writhe and thrash and do extensive damage. A big fish that flops around in a boat is capable of knocking equipment loose; in a worst-case scenario, it could throw itself against the boat’s occupants or get hooked in the tail by loose lures and lash against those in the boat, causing a life-threatening situation. This is extreme, but it has happened. Being careful is mandatory whenever you are handling a fish, especially one that is hooked.

Grasping

The largemouth bass is one species that can be easily grabbed by the lower lip, but be careful to avoid hooks.

There are several locations on a fish that should be avoided if you are going to release them but that make good holding spots if you are keeping them. The foremost location is under the lower edge of the gill; this is a secure, but deadly, place to grasp a fish. A specimen that is tired and on its side may be grabbed under the lower gill cover for landing, and this location usually keeps your hands away from the hooks in a fish’s mouth.

Many fish can also be grasped one-handed under the upper gill cover by the back; place the thumb under the upper edge of the gill cover and place the tip of the middle finger under the edge of the opposite gill cover. Another secure but fatal grasping spot for small and medium-size fish is by the upper edge of the eye sockets.

Grabbing by the jaw is a possibility with some fish; the characteristics of their mouths, lack of teeth on the jaws, and size make them quite easy to grasp in this manner. Such species as largemouth bass, panfish, and small stripers can be landed by grasping the lower lip, provided the fish is well tired before the attempt is made.

Simply insert the thumb inside the lower jaw and pinch the jaw against the bent forefinger, which is outside and pressing against the lower jaw. If you’ll be landing a lot of fish, you can wear a leather thumb guard to keep from raking your thumb and the skin in the crease between thumb and forefinger. This method of grasping immobilizes the fish and is good for unhooking as well as landing, and has no adverse effect on releasing a fish. It may, however, be hard to accomplish when the mouth opening is covered with one or two treble hooks from the lure.

Larger and stronger fish that lack teeth on the jaws can also be held by the jaw in reverse fashion. For such fish, keep the thumb outside and below the jaw, and put the other four fingers inside the jaw—preferably you are wearing a wet glove when you do this. Gloves, especially versions with a sure-grip surface, aid you in grasping the fish and holding it for unhooking. Wet cotton gloves are best for fish that will be released.

Most fish cannot be held by hand in the mouth, usually because of teeth. One way to hand-land and hand-hold species by the mouth is with a jaw-gripping tool. These clamp over the lower jaw to secure the fish and do not require that you touch the jaws by hand; these tools don’t harm the fish, although many models work best on smaller fish.

Some small fish can be gently lifted with a hand placed under the belly. This may be a good alternative when a fish has been caught on a lure with multiple hooks; however, it is really a technique for small fish. Proper balance cannot be supplied to larger fish this way, a lot of pressure can be placed on internal organs, and a lot can go wrong if the fish squirms and escapes your grasp. Some fish can be calmed by turning them over and holding them upside down. This technique is more useful for a fish that will be unhooked and released than for a fish that will be kept.

A lot of fish, especially small- to medium-size specimens in freshwater, and smaller specimens in saltwater, are hand-grasped behind the mouth and the head in the “neck” or nape area. Holding too tightly here can damage internal organs if the fish is to be released, but bigger fish, with more meat in this area, can be held firmly without problem. Fish with prickly spiny rays may be a problem to land this way; instead, run your hand from head to tail with thumb on top and other fingers on the belly. Depress the dorsal fins with the thumb; now you can safely hold the fish around the middle of the body.

Catfish must be held properly to avoid a puncture from their sharp pectoral fins. The best way to do this is to grab behind, and at the base of, the pectoral fins in order to keep them pointed sideways.

Lifting and swinging

An easy way to boat small fish that are well hooked is simply to lift them aboard with your rod. This method is practical only for small- to medium-size fish caught on sturdy tackle. Bass anglers often bring a fish into the boat by swinging it in because the fish is small and the line and tackle are heavy enough to handle this. Fish under 3 pounds are the usual candidates. Landing is best accomplished by working the fish to the surface and leading it toward the boat; when the head clears the surface near the boat, continue the momentum and lift the fish up, swinging it in. Small fish that are swung into a boat then have to be grabbed by hand, and obviously they may wind up flopping on the floor. Such treatment is not conducive to proper handling and release but is probably all right for fish that are to be kept.

In saltwater, many fish that are taken from party boats, as well as some of the smaller ones caught on other craft, are lifted right out of the water and over the gunwale onto the floor of the boat. Most of these fish are being kept. Lifting and swinging are suitable when fish are well hooked and when a rod and line of appropriate strength are used.

Billing

To secure a billfish for unhooking and releasing, grab the bill close to the mouth, using one or two hands, depending on the size of the fish.

The long bills of sailfish and small marlin provide a good handle for landing, or at least for holding while the fish is unhooked. That bill is used as a weapon when the fish chases prey, and it can become a weapon used against you if you’re not careful enough. To avoid this, try to grab the bill with both hands when it’s just below the surface. On small boats, billfish are usually landed on the starboard side so that the operator can see what is happening, but on larger boats they may be landed on either side or at the stern.

In any case, grab the bill with both hands, with your thumbs facing each other but slightly apart. Be prepared to push away from the bill and head if the fish suddenly lunges up and ready to hold on if the fish thrashes moderately.

Tailing

The tails of some fish are rigid enough to permit you to grab them by placing your hand over the caudal peduncle just ahead of the tail fin. You can grab a jack or a tuna this way, and you can grab large salmon and pike by the tail. Smaller fish usually can’t be grabbed by the tail, and the tails of many bigger fish are not rigid enough. You can’t grab a big largemouth bass securely enough by the tail, nor can you grab most trout (except really large ones) this way. But for some fish, the tail provides a good handle for landing, and it is far enough from teeth or hooks to be an attractive gripping point.

When you do grab a fish by the tail, you can do it either by hand for fish that will be released, or with a tailer for fish that will be kept. A tailer, also called a tail rope or loop, is a nooselike device that slips over the fish and cinches down on the caudal peduncle (the stem just forward of the tail fin). A tailer is best for fish with a stiff rather than flexible caudal peduncle.

If the boat is moving, as is the case when trolling or fishing in open waters for offshore species, a fish can be tailed pretty easily while it is alongside and moving with you. If the boat is drifting or is anchored, or if you are wading and playing a fish to you, then you have to pick the moment to grab the tail. Usually a fish will try to bolt when touched, so you want to get the first try right; otherwise, the fish may sprint off and lengthen the fight, possibly getting free. When the fish is tired and just lying by you, you can grab it easily. If it is still moving a little, bring it around in a circular manner if possible and grab the tail when the fish is headed away from you. When using a tailer, you have to get the noose partway up the body and then quickly draw it tight; after the tail is secured, you have to lift it out of the water or you may have a tiger by the tail. Once the fish’s tail is raised out of the water, its powerful leveraging agent is gone.

Netting

The three rules of netting should be to avoid netting if you plan to release the fish, or if the net is a standard hoop-style, or if the fish has been caught on a multihooked lure. Fish that have been hooked with a multihooked lure and then netted may be easily damaged. The hooks inevitably grab the webbing of the net, and the fish thrashes and rips itself while pulling violently against the embedded hooks. If the fish rolls in the net with treble hooks, untangling becomes a real problem; a lot of time is lost before the fish can be unhooked, and the fish’s skin, jaws, or eyes may be damaged.

Obviously the decision to release a fish has to be made before the fish is in the net. Cotton mesh nets are softer and don’t seem to hurt the fish as much, but hooks are harder to get out, and the cotton nets are not as widely available as nylon or rubber nets.

Fish that are netted usually can be released alive if they have not been handled excessively and have not spent too much time out of water. One way to facilitate the release of netted fish is to keep the net in the water while unhooking the fish. Those who wade, such as stream trout anglers who use flies or single-hook lures, can do this quite easily. Once the hook has been removed, the net can be turned over and the fish gently jiggled out. Obviously, to release the fish alive, you have to be careful how you do this, so that damage is minimized.

How to net

The angler has to keep the head of a big, strong fish up and guide it toward the net, and the netter shouldn’t stab at or chase the fish.

Proper netting technique is as much a matter of knowing what not to do as it is knowing what to do. Under most circumstances, you shouldn’t put the net in the water and wait for the fish to come close. Nor should you wave the net overhead where a fish might see it. A net lying in the water or moving above it is foreign and alarming to fish. Moreover, a net in the water cannot be turned or moved swiftly. It’s best to keep the net solidly in hand and at the ready, either motionless or out of sight, until a fish is almost within reach.

Don’t attempt to net a fish unless it is within reach, and don’t try to net it if it is going away from you or appears to be able to go away from you. Ideally, the fish should be heading toward you so that it must continue moving forward, or so that you can move the net in front of it if it turns. As a rule, don’t try to net a fish unless its head is on the surface or is just breaking to the surface. A fish that is on the surface has little mobility and cannot be as active as one that has its entire body in the water.

Don’t try to net a fish from behind. If a fish is completely exhausted, you may be able to net it from the side, but the most desirable position is from the front. And don’t touch the fish with the rim of the net until it is well into the net. Touching fish, particularly if they are still lively, often initiates wild behavior. If the fish acts wild, it could roll on your line and break the line or simply snap the line from the force of its getaway rush. Therefore, resist taking a stab at a fish that may be technically within reach of your extended net but is not in the best position for capture.

Snagging a multihooked lure on the net webbing is a major problem when anglers try to net a fish that is in a poor position or when the fish doesn’t come squarely into the middle of the net. Snagging like this is one of the surest ways to lose fish, particularly those that are heavy and cannot be readily hoisted into the boat or scooped up in the now-tangled net.

You can help the netter by making an effort to get the fish’s head up so that it is near or on the surface and not deep in the water. When the fish comes up and is being worked toward the net, you should back up in the boat, put more pressure on the fish to gain line, raise the rod high to keep the fish’s head up, and tell the netter that the time is right, attempting to lead the fish closer as the netter goes into action. Be prepared for miscues. When a strong fish, and especially a green one, is brought to the net, try to back off a bit on the reel drag, or perhaps open the bail of the reel or put it into freespool, keeping a finger on the line to maintain tension. If the fish flops out, runs through the net (it happens with lousy nets), or charges away, there may be a lot of pressure on your tackle, so anticipate this possibility and let the fish go in the manner noted previously. When it stops, reengage the reel and work the fish back. Don’t count the fish as caught until it is solidly in hand.

Netting a fish by yourself is often a tricky chore, made more difficult by the influence of current, wind, and tide. Bringing a fish to net or boat as quickly as possible may not be feasible when you are alone and have a large fish, and often you must play the fish out thoroughly before you can slip the net under it. Try to get the fish to within several feet of the tip of the rod; then raise the rod high over and behind your head while you reach for the fish with net extended in your other hand. Keep the line taut, and don’t let your rod hand come down to create slack.

Netting efforts are sometimes more arduous in fast-moving waters because fish are usually below you, and it is hard to get big fish back upcurrent and positioned for proper netting. Another problem is that when you don’t gain on fish in current, they rest momentarily and recoup enough strength to prolong the battle or give that last extra kick just when you think you have them. For this reason, those who are netting a big fish for someone else in swift water should usually be a reasonable distance downriver, in a position to land a tired fish as it wallows near the bank, still resisting the angler but unable to swim off with vigor.

If landing the fish isn’t feasible—because the net is too small or because you are without a net—you always have the option of landing it by hand or beaching it. In either case, the fish must be thoroughly whipped and under your control before you can do so.

Release cradling

Perhaps the best method of netting a fish that will be released is to use a type of net called a cradle, or release cradle. This is not a net in the traditional handle-and-dipping sense, but it has similarities and is a benign way of landing and subduing a large or long fish that will be unhooked and released. The most popular release cradles have two long narrow wood boards connected by 1/4-inch soft-mesh knotless netting that is closed at the ends; the netting droops into the water to envelop the fish. The cradle is laid alongside a boat, and the netting droops into a trough below. The angler leads a captured fish alongside the boat and over the netting, and the net is folded up like a purse to enclose the fish, which remains full-length and in the water. Perhaps most important, the cradle supports the full body of the fish in a horizontal position. Another version, usually homemade and intended for shorter fish, is smaller, with open ends and open-grip handle. In both cases, the fish stays relaxed in the net while the hook is removed and can be released without having to be handled. Moreover, you can rig up the cradle for weighing, keeping the fish in the cradle and providing excellent horizontal support for the fish. A cradle is difficult to use when fishing by yourself; in that case, it is better to avoid a cradle or net altogether and try to unhook the fish while it is in the water.

Gaffing

A hand gaff can be used on some fish that will be released, especially those having large mouths (top); the best place to gaff small- and intermediate-size fish that will be kept is in the upper back, as shown (bottom).

In these photos, a big dolphin is skillfully gaffed and brought aboard a large sportfishing boat. Note how the mate uses one leg to brace himself as he extends far out, sticks the gaff hook into the fish and instantly grabs it with two hands as the fish starts to thrash, begins to lift up as the fish is under control, and then swiftly lifts the fish over the high gunwale.

Gaffing is a fish-landing option that is primarily used in saltwater and, with one exception, is not recommended for fish that are to be released. That exception is when a fish is gaffed in the mouth through the lower jaw.

Like netting, gaffing isn’t terribly difficult, although anglers sometimes have trouble executing a proper gaff. In essence, you gaff a fish by getting the point of the gaff in the water beneath the fish and then strike upward sharply. Being too excited or being careless can cause problems. When gaffers flail wildly, they often miss the fish, strike it in a spot that makes control and lifting difficult, or, worse, strike and break the angler’s line. Poking the fish with the gaff instead of ******* it home is likely to make the fish act wild, perhaps causing it to surge enough to break free.

The location where you gaff a fish is not critical if you plan to keep the fish, but the gaff is often in the upper back muscle of the midsection of the fish. This may damage some meat, but it is a good secure spot. Gaffing a fish in the belly may cause the fish to react violently and either shake free, pry the gaff out of your hand, or break the gaff. It also contributes to a heavily bleeding fish that makes a mess in the boat or in a fish box.

Gaff the fish with a firm, sure motion and follow through with the upward motion by lifting the fish out of the water if it is small enough to lift; otherwise, a second gaff (or tail rope) or two people hauling will be necessary to get the fish in. To gaff a fish when a boat is moving and the fish is swimming or is being towed alongside the boat, reach across the back with the hook down and pointed at the side of the fish facing away from you. When the handle is close to the back of the fish, smoothly and sharply drive the point all the way to the bend and keep the gaff coming to you.

The technical procedure is the same when gaffing from a boat that is at anchor or drifting, the difference being that your target is moving and you have to plan the strike well. Try to plant the gaff hook when the fish has just turned and is facing away from the boat rather than when it is headed toward the boat; if you miss, the fish will probably steam away from you rather than go underneath.

Flying gaffs and bridge gaffs are used in big-game and bridge fishing, respectively. The procedure is similar, although a bridge gaff is used more like a snagging tool and is less precise.

Fish to be released can be gaffed in the lower jaw with a hand gaff, preferably by driving the point through the inside of the mouth and out the lower jaw (rather than coming from outside to inside). This is done when the fish is thoroughly played out.

Obviously, the point of the gaff must be razor sharp to do the most effective job. The point should be covered when the gaff is not in use.

What the angler can do

When a flying gaff is used on big-game species, the pole detaches from the hook, and the rope is left attached to the gaff hook in the fish.

It is worth reaffirming the role of the angler in the fish-landing process, especially during the acts of netting, gaffing, cradling, and tailing.

The angler can do a lot to help the person who is actually landing the fish, or the angler can make those efforts much more difficult. An inexperienced angler can be talked through the process by the person doing the landing. A good mate or captain on a charter boat will tell the angler what to do when the moment of truth draws near. On the other hand, a good angler can play a big fish and still get a successful landing effort out of a totally inexperienced lander if the angler tells the person what to do and when to do it.

Generally, however, when the fish is near, the angler can help a lot by keeping up the fish’s head so that it is near or on the surface and not deep in the water. When the fish is coming in close, the angler should put more pressure on the fish to gain line by continuing to pump and reel; as the fish is about to be landed, the angler should raise the rod high (keeping it there and not allowing slack), forcing the fish’s head to stay up. If a long leader is used, or if there is a lot of hardware on the terminal end (like a dodger and a 6-foot leader to the lure), the angler may need to step back in the boat so that the fish can be reached for landing. If that is not the case, then the angler should remain close to the gunwale in order to see what the fish does and react accordingly.

An angler should be prepared for miscues and ready to lower the rod tip and point the rod at a fish if it streaks away after being touched by a net or gaff or hand. Even if battling the fish of a lifetime, a good angler stays calm and doesn’t try to force the results. If the fish is not landed on the first attempt or if something goes wrong in the landing process, the angler stays with the fish and keeps the line away from obstructions. An experienced angler anticipates a problem and prepares to counter it without applying tug-of-war force and thus is often able to bring the fish back for another landing attempt.

Unusual measures

Some situations in saltwater fishing call for more unusual measures for landing fish. Monster-size Pacific halibut and big sharks, for example, can be dangerous fish if they are not killed before being brought into the boat; a knock on the head, which is used to dispatch most fish once they are landed, or hanging from a gin pole, does not do it for these creatures.

Shooting and harpooning are sometimes used by charter boat captains to dispatch a fish before it is actually brought into the boat. A shotgun loaded with bird shot and aimed at the head, and a harpoon whose metal tip is attached to a buoy, are the instruments used for halibut; sometimes, heavy-duty gaff hooks, attached by rope to a cleat, are also used. In the past, large sharks were shot with rifles, shotguns, and pistols, but the wisdom of doing this and concerns for firearms safety have more or less relegated this method to yesteryear status. However, some captains do keep a handgun available for emergencies, including the dispatching of a large shark; others use a 12-gauge bang stick for killing a shark, a device that has to be treated with extreme caution.

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