In most of the world's billfishing sports, we have long since come to understand that this technique would become the future of marlin fishing. If you take into consideration the advantages of the pitch bait, you can only come to the conclusion that it is the most valid, fun and adrenaline-filled way to make a catch.
Whether you want to call it pitch bait or switch and bait , the message is the same: the angler who actively takes part in the game to ensure that the bite is finalized... which implies direct contact between fish and fisherman. It also happens in other techniques, you will say... and it's true: for example, spinning, to name just one, also requires visual contact (if you fish in top water), and the fisherman witnesses the chase and the bite directly.
But the real turning point is right here, bringing a static technique like offshore fishing to convey emotions by trying to literally feed fish sometimes weighing over 300 kg just a few meters from the stern of the boat.
We absolutely do not want to belittle traditional deep sea trolling, an ancient and fascinating technique... in fact, pitch bait is nothing more than a variation: instead of hearing the reel sing suddenly, we will see the marlin bite 5 meters away from us .
Waiting without fishing
Well, we can't say that the story is different: you have cast the baits in the wake, you just have to grind out miles waiting for something to show up. In this case it almost seems like you're not fishing seriously, because you'll do nothing but cast the baits, without even a hook in the water. The fishing rods will be ready on board, armed with a circle hook on which a dead fish such as a mackerel, a small tunny, a ballyhoo, etc. will be baited .
As lures, mostly large kona are used , perhaps preceded by daisy chains , or dredge connected to powerful electric reels . Four lines in the water can be enough, considering that they will have to be recovered quickly as soon as a marlin starts to follow one.
Never get distracted
And if with traditional high-altitude fishing we are allowed, every now and then, a break from watching the wake (since we have the hooks on the baits to do the work for us), when fishing in pitch we will not be able to allow ourselves the luxury of taking our eyes off the lures , because the right moment could arrive at any moment, and if we are not quick to start fishing, the fish will go away and we will not even have noticed.
But it is precisely when we see the rostrum coming out of the water frantically in an attempt to hit one of the kona, that someone will shout “MARLIN” and everyone will jump to their feet: each one in their own role, the mates who will recover the lines, leaving in the water only the one chased by the marlin. At the same time the captain will slow down and put one of the engines, the one on the side of the fish, into neutral: in this way the boat will turn slightly and form a flat and clean wake in which to lower our natural bait. The mates will be recovering the kona chased by the marlin, until they bring the fish to a shorter distance than the bait cast by the angler, and with a sharp blow they will suddenly remove the artificial bait from the sight of the marlin, which will turn and try to attack the armed one. It could do this in different ways such as, for example, turning and opening its mouth wide to swallow , or continuing to strike with the rostrum . In both cases, the skill of the person holding the rod in his hands lies in perfectly understanding the moment when the fish has taken the bait in its mouth and releasing the thumb from the reel spool , strictly in freespoon , simultaneously lowering the rod so as not to let the fish feel the slightest traction. Moments of religious silence, with the line coming out quickly from the reel, imagining the right moment to slowly tighten the clutch to set the circle. You move the lever forward, you see the rod bending, you understand that the fish is there... the clutch starts even stronger than before, and in front of you, on the other end of the line, there is a marlin jumping like crazy.
It was a huge team effort, and you did everything right. These are emotions that will be hard to forget!
