IGFA RULE CHANGE?

[Linwood]

Iwould like to see the IGFA allow longer lines on flying gaffs.Thirty feet is just not enough to slow a large fish down.Many fish are lost when the gaff tears out.As long as the anglers hook remains in the fish I see no problem with a hundred feet of line behind the gaff hook.The pole is already limited to 8 feet unless you are further above the water.What do you say?

[Cventure]

First of all, the longer the gaff line is the greater the chance of the gaff being ripped out of the fish, most likely killing it. Not to mention that the increased danger to everyone in the cockpit with all of the excess line laying on the deck. The only safe manner to attach the gaff line is to the pedestal of the chair, with the maximum length to equal the distance that you can reach with the gaff pole.

[dicky]

ALWAYS have the shortest possible length of rope for your flying gaff. And if you're not ready to stick a gaff in a large fish, dont do it. You have to know what you're doing in those situations because that is when people get hurt. Tagging is the way to go anyway.

[Linwood]

Longer lengths of line can safely be stored in any number of ways.A cleat or even a couple of wraps around a solid pipe can supply enough resistance to act like the drag of a reel.Or does the line have to be attended solely by hand? I`ve seen some pretty hairy footage of people entangled by leaders and gaff line and getting dragged overboard.Whenever you have loose line on deck and you wrestle with a big fish,some very bad things can happen.I saw some film of a mate getting the flying gaff line wrapped around his leg and jerked overboard by a big Marlin.It made me think of Captain Ahab tangled in harpoon line and dragged to a watery grave.Where is the best place to set the gaff hook on a big fish anyway?

[matty]

When you are talking about gaffing large marlin, you should gaff over the area just before the shoulder of the fish and try to make sure the gaff is embedded under the spine of the fish. This reduces the chance of the fish ripping away from the gaff, because the flesh is far more likely to rip than the spine. I saw footage of a very big black of about 1100 pounds get gaffed using the same method as above. however, the fish took off (the line was as short) and the shackle holding the flying gaff line to the base of the game chair snapped. In slow motion you can see the shackle travel past the deckhand's head, missing him by a couple of inches. When dealing with big marlin, you dont know what is going to happen and you can have all the knowledge and experience in the world - things still go wrong.

[Linwood]

I hear that loud and clear.The loss of such a fish after delivering a death blow is excruciating to all who experience it.I just can`t help but feel that once the fish is caught i.e,touching the leader,more efficient/lethal methods should be allowed by IGFA.If you kill it,bring it aboard.

[Johan_Pettersson]

If you use a shorter rope the fish wont get as much speed and momentum as it would have with a long rope. If the rope is long and it goes slack and then tight when the fish is trying to escape you will have a short and very powerful pull which will: 1. rip the gaff out. 2. Break the gaff. 3. bust the rope 4. rip your cleat out. 5. stop the fish.....