The Art of Landing Trophy Fish

(Blake Russell photo

Landing smaller fish happens to be quite a bit easier than getting larger fish into the boat. A trophy fish is larger, meaning they have more leverage to throw a hook or break your line. This all may seem like a no-brainer, but in the heat of the moment, it can be easy to forget what we've learned.
Quality Line/Quality Knot
You never know when that fish of a lifetime will come around. Every cast will require you to be prepared. To prevent line breakage while fighting a trophy, making sure you have new, high-quality line on your reel and a quality knot tied will help you elimination one area of potential weakness. Get in the habit of checking for line nicks, and retying often.
Have Your Drag Set Correctly
We've all been in the situation where we've lost a big fish because our drag was too tight. Make sure you have your drag set in such a way that it allows for a good hook set but also will allow for a bigger fish to take line when they go on a run.
Stay Calm; Don’t Get Too Excited
Trust me, I know a big fish on the end of your line gets you excited. Perhaps the most important thing to do is stay calm and let the fish do what it's going to do. If you have a quality knot, quality line, and your drag is set properly, the odds of landing the fish are good. Getting too excited often results in rushing things, which usually results in heartbreak.