FISHING THE PACIFIC 



Garey and I are inclined to prefer his original method. If two 

 14/0 hooks or two of any kind are used, they are put in 

 facing the tail and the bait sewn up. The leader comes out 

 at the tail and is tied to it, then brought up over the fish's 

 back, where it is tied to the line which has sewn up the bait's 

 mouth. Rigged thus, the fish swims head first when thrown 

 over and a broadbill almost always hits a bait at the head. 

 This cuts the line between the bait's mouth and the leader 

 and allows it to reverse itself. Then when the broadbill picks 

 up the bait he takes it head first and is not so much bothered 

 by the leader as the head is further removed from it. This 

 system works exceedingly well anywhere— particularly in 

 Peru. 



Lerner also ties the fish's mouth to the leader so that when 

 the bait goes over it is towed headfirst, remaining in that 

 position after the fish has struck. After the bait is in the water 

 enough line to keep it just below the surface is reeled off— 

 usually about 250 feet. Then Lerner takes the line in his 

 hand, rips off from 100 to 150 feet of slack. He usually stands 

 in the stern of the boat or goes up on top where he can watch 

 the fish, sometimes having the satisfaction of seeing him strike 

 under water. When the fish strikes he simply lets go the line, 

 gets into the chair, adjusts his harness and is ready to strike 

 the instant the line becomes taut— or if he wants to give 

 more line he can do so by free-spooling the reel, but he 

 almost always strikes as soon as the slack comes up taut. The 

 motor is then gunned, Lerner strikes as many times as he can 

 —and he can hit them harder than any man I ever saw. 



After he has made sure the fish is hooked he turns the boat, 

 recovers his line and from that minute until the battle is over 



22 



