When a fish hits?

[vladirossi]

If you are trolling for stripers, do you reel in all the lines when one gets on? Or do you keep motoring and try to keep the fish away from the other lines?

[Nut@Rock]

I almost always keep moving. I sometimes for a big fish will slow to idle speed, but only if I have to. It's a lot of work to pull all of those lines back in and then reset them. Just watch where the fish is going and thread the rod under or over the other lines until you get the fish to the boat. Then you only need to reset one line. Meanwhile your other lines can still be running hopefully catching more fish. You have to keep the lines in the water to catch fish.

[rappahanockman]

I always try to keep the boat moving while reeling in the fish.
The size of the fish will determine whether to reel in your other lines.
The big ones will travel side to side and make quite a mess of your other lines.

[Cap't Steve]

Its real unusual for me to clear lines for a rockfish. I will, however, move the poles out of the way if they are in the way of the angler fighting the fish. When we are fishing for tuna or whites I'll clear the lines, especially for a large Wahoo. Once you get a large Rock hooked up they fight like a old tire, heading for the bottom. Rarely do you find one that wants to jump & run. They pull like the dickens but they aren't real acrobatic. Leave the other lines in place.

[LY2000]

If you are a beginer and use 5 rods or less, by all means stop the boat. Put it in neutral while the angler reels it in...if you see lines crossing, bump it into gear and make corrections.

This will get the fish in quicker and since there is a slot you will being releasing tired fish, better to get them in quicker...also, if your using lighter rigs, put her in neutral. As you progress, you'll learn how to keep moving and get em in in a reasonable amount of time.

[weaverama]

LY2000,

From all of us beginners, thanks for that advice.

[vladirossi]

I, too appreciate all the advice