Jake Jordan is the man who figured it out – how to catch billfish on a fly; consistently. Here he has a nice Guatemalan sail on a fly ready for release. The rod is a 16-weight TFO and that’s a $2,200 Mako Reel. Visit Jake’s world renown Billfish Fly Fishing School.
I don’t know what they should be called, but users of deep drop electric reels are not sport fishers. You can call them what you want to
By Skip Clement, publisher emeritus
[dropcap]O[/dropcap]ffshore sports fishers are a class of men and women who relish a stand-up fight and safely tag or release their game fish. The offshore antithesis is an individual who refuses to stand up and fight – instead pushes a button on an electric deep drop reel and dares label oneself an “angler” when merely a modern-day four-flusher.
Is there a place for electric reels? Many, of course, think there is. Others think users are Woose.
My goodness, those poor rod holders are taking such a beating
Catching one or two swordfish will fill your freezer and make you some new friends back at the dock. But then to go back the next weekend and do it again?
Then others catch a bunch of wahoos. The rod never leaves the rod holder, and the boat doesn’t slow down to let ‘someone’ actually fight the fish.”
–— Capt. Skip Smith – From October Marlin Magazine in “What Happened to the Anglers?”
This guy is exhausted from thumb setting his deep drop electric reel. He’ll need medical assistance if he continues in this rough and tumble line of offshore sport fishing. Screenshot image.
Plugging in and powering up your fishing rod
Electric fishing reels are designed to reduce the heavy work out of fishing to make it fun for everyone [Hey, it’s no fun fishing – we should send a surrogate out]. Digital readouts and programming specific depths of the water body through these reels is a blessing, a heaven-sent instrument [Hey, this is why I’m thinking about church, synagogue or mosque all the time]… Electric fishing reels can be plugged directly into your boat’s power system or can also run off a stand-alone 12 volt or a 24-volt battery.”
— Blogger reviewing electric reels
If there were a pyramid for sport fishers, those that fly fish for billfish adhering to the International Game Fish Association [IGFA] rules of engagement and rigging sit alone at the top. Then all tackle fishers that fish for Granders and abide by IGFA rules are seated next, and so it goes to the base of the pyramid, but nowhere is there a spot for those who push buttons and call it sport fishing.
Join the IGFA and stay on top of all things sport fishing . . .
Photo taken by Capt. Keven Nakamaru aboard Northern Lights February 2019. IGFA world record shortbill spearfish caught by Wanda Hair Taylor. Mates to the left and right of Taylor are Dave and Kyle – far right is Jake Jordan.
