| A good set of eyes are critical when
fishing offshore. The January 2005 issue of Marlin magazine has an
article by Captain Mike Hurt on stabilized binoculars: "Through the Looking
Glass", that is worth reading. It covers basic
construction and technology, pros and cons, some useful tricks for using them. Does
not have any side-by-side comparisons, or quantitative
reviews, but does list all of the major models available to consumers. Bottom
Line on stabilized binoculars: Useful? Yes; Expensive? Yes; Heavy?
Definitely; Worth It? For billfishing, definitely.
The January/February issue of Big Game Fishing Journal
had an interesting article by Tred Barta ("Barta vs. Tuna") describing
his views how to properly fight tuna. He uses the boat
to agressively manage the fight, which is nothing new, but his
technique does not depend on backing down on the fish. This means it will
be a useful technique for skiffs. The bottom line: use the boat to circle away
from the direction the fish is circling. Since tuna tend to circle to the
side that the hook is on, this manuver will place the line across the top
of the fish, pulling him over to one side. This will increase the amount of
work the tuna has to do to maintain balance, and ultimately tire out the fish
much more quickly.
Peter Pakula is a well known small-boat / big game fisherman from Australia. He
has released a multimedia DVD titled "Between the Lines" which
covers "Trolling Skirted Lures, Gamefishing and Sportfishing Techniques". We've
got a copy, look for an in-depth review sometime in the near future.
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