Now, most of us will never stand on the bow of a boat in the waters off of San Diego and battle a 200-pound mako shark. But, if you fish long enough, you will get the opportunity to battle big fish, whether it’s a big smallmouth bass, a fat rainbow in a spring creek, a 40-inch pike in a Precambrian lake or a steelhead fresh from the ocean.
The rules are the same. Square up. Get your leverage. Shorten the fight.
Above, Capt. Conway Bowman demonstrates the proper fighting technique—and yes, he’s fighting a large mako. Just remember … regardless of the species, leverage makes all the difference. Making a fight with a big fish econimical for both you and the fish is the right thing to do.
— Chris Hunt