Envision this classic scene: The captain faces aft on the flybridge, each hand clenching a throttle lever; angler and crew in the cockpit battle a big fish off the stern, as white water careens over the transom amid a haze of black smoke belching from revving diesels. Captains of large sport-fishers have been pulling this off for decades — chasing speedy pelagic game species such as marlin and sailfish by driving the boat in reverse. It works, especially when fishing with relatively light tackle and/or competing in tournaments, where gathering line fast, getting to the leader quickly and tagging the fish proves critical in amassing as many official releases as possible. Yet, “backing down,” as the technique is known, can be dicey. Do it right, and you get to the leader swiftly and safely. Do it wrong, and you’ll swamp. In a worst-case ...Image may be NSFW.
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