On large boats, the usual practice is to fight the fish while driving in reverse ("backing down"). This is done because on large boats, the angler must stay in the cockpit, which faces to the rear. More rarely, the boat will fight the fish off one side and with the boat running forward. 

On small boats, backing down can have disastrous consequences. It is more effective to have the person in the bow, or next to the captain, and move the boat forward towards the fish while fighting it.

Since most small boats do not have any kind of fighting chair, standup tackle is the norm. In small boats, anglers with heavy standup tackle have to be especially cautious when strapped into a harness. One slip, and you could end up being towed to the bottom (see Part II of our article on Safety). This is less of an issue with large boats, or skiffs with deep cockpits and/or high railing.

courtesy Rupp Marine

In some cases, people have mounted regular fighting chairs to the front casting decks of skiffs. The main problem with this approach is getting the fisherman to the chair safely. If the person is trying to hold a rod with 10 - 20 pounds of drag while moving around a rocking boat, lots of bad things can happen.

Another alternative to a fighting chair is the Pole-Setter from Rupp Marine. Originally conceived as a way to allow the angler to set the hook without removing the rod from the holder, some anglers found that the rod holder can also be used to fight fish in lieu of a harness. Ths is not IGFA legal, but can get the job done in some cases without requiring the angler to have to pick up the rod.