NOAA Technical Memorandum NMF 

DECEMBER 198

FISHING METHODS AND EQUIPMENT 

OF THE U.S. WEST COAST ALBACORE FLEET 

Ronald C. Dotson 

N OA A- TM - N M FS - S W FC - 8 

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 

National Marine Fisheries Service 

Southwest Fisheries Center 
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NOAA Technical Memorandum NMFS 

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r ', ~~~ 

FISHING METHODS AND EQUIPMENT 

OF THE U.S. WEST COAST ALBACORE FLEET 

Ronald C. Dotson 

National Marine Fisheries Service 

Southwest Fisheries Center 

La Jolla, California 92038 

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

Philip M. Klutznick, Secretary 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administrat ion 

Richard A. Frank, Adrninisirator 

National Marine Fisheries Service 

Terry L Leitzell, Assistant Administrator for Fisheries 
2 

INTRODUCTION 

North Pacific albacore, Thunnus alalunga, support an important U.S. 

commercial fishery on the west coast of North America as well as a substantial 

sport fishery. The fishery is seasonal, beginning in mid to late June when 

albacore migrate into the coastal waters and extending through November when 

most of the fish leave the coast. 

jigging) and live bait fishing account for almost the entire landings of 

albacore by the U.S. west coast albacore fleet (Clemens and Craig 1965). 

small quantity of a1 bacore, usually mixed with bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus) , 

is usually caught each year by purse seiners fishing for the bluefin tuna. The 

nucleus of the fleet is composed of approximately 1200-1400 jigboats and 70 

baitboats. 

occasionally during the season. 

Trolling (also called jig fishing or 

A 

Many of the jigboats have the capacity to fish bait and do 

An additional^ 700-900 boats may jig for 

albacore when the fish are abundant nearshore and the weather is good. 

Bait fishing has been described by Godsil (19381, and trolling has been 

described by Scofield (1956) and Roberts, Raker and Slack (1972). 

Technological advances over the years have resulted in numerous changes in 

vessels and the equipment fishermen use to find, catch and hold albacore. 

These changes have resulted in new methods as well as variations of old 

methods employed to catch albacore. -This paper is a description of the 

equipment that is presently used by the baitboats and jigboats in the U.S. 

west coast albacore fleet. 

in detail, as well as are some of their advantages and disadvantages. 

Bait fishing and jig fishing methods are described 
3 

FISHING VESSELS 

Traditionally, the U.S. albacore fishery has been concentrated within 

50-250 miles of the west coast of North America. 

fishing 1000 miles off the west coast of the United States and in 1975 they 

began fishing 1000 miles off Japan in the western Pacific. Albacore vessels 

must have the range to traverse the distance to the fishing grounds, catch 

fish, and return. Baitboats and trolling vessels have evolved from different 

design criteria and a vessel designed for one method may not be suitable for 

the other. 

In 1972 albacore boats began 

Basic designs for each are described below. 

In the early 1900s albacore boats were simple wooden vessels which plied 

the nearshore waters off the coast of southern California. Wood continued to 

be the predominant boat building material until after World War 11. Following 

the war steel became an increasingly popular building material, especially for 

larger vessels. In the late 1950s and early 1960s both fiberglass reinforced 

polyester (FRP) and aluminum alloy became popular as hull materials for 

fishing vessels. Each hull material has certain advantages and disadvantages 

(Table 1). 

Over the years fishermen have been auick to take advantage of 

technological advances. Radios, radar, auto-pilots, electronic navigation 

systems, fish finding and catching equipment are part of the gear found on 

most albacore vessels and these are discussed in separate sections. 
4 

Boat Success 

Whenever albacore fishermen get together and discuss boats and fishing 

it is not unusual to hear the phrase "good-fishing boat" applied to a 

particular vessel. It is accepted among the fleet that certain boats 

regularly outfish others working in the same area irrespective of who is 

running them. Although certain hull designs may fish better than others these 

vessels come in all shapes, sizes and ages and there does not appear to be any 

single common denominator which distinguishes them from less successful boats. 

The fishing history of a boat may have a siginificant effect upon its market 

value. 

Several factors appear to affect the fishability of a boat and fishermen 

will change or modify these in an attempt to improve their catch. Noise and 

vibration from the prop and shaft are changed by switching propellers and 

using new or rubberized shaft bearings. 

or sandbags to dampen noise and vibration. 

check whether one speed results in a greater number of strikes. 

systems are thoroughly checked to be sure that there are no short circuits in 

the system and that there is no electrical charge in the hull. Pumps, exhaust 

systems, engines, generators and water outflows may be moved or changed. The 

trim of the boat will be varied. 

The stern may be filled with cement 

Trolling speeds are varied to 

Electrical 

Different lengths and location of trolling 

lines are tried, in conjunction with different maneuvers. Through 

experimentation and experience each fisherman learns the idiosyncrasies of his 

vessel and those factors which will affect his success. 
5 

TROLLING VESSEL HISTORY 

The first trollina vessels to fish commercially for albacore in the 

early 1900s were small vessels (less than 30 ft) which did not have the 

capacity to carry a bait tank on deck for bait fishing (Scofield 1956). 

the 1920s the bait fleet concentrated on tropical yellowfin tuna (Thunnus 

albacares) and skipjack tuna (Katsuwonus pelamis) while jigboats caught a 

greater percentage of the a1 bacore. 

the traditional grounds off of southern California up to Oregon and Washington 

(Godsil 1949). In general the season started off southern California and then 

progressed northward. 

greater range and carrying capacity. 

made up of 35-45 ft vessels (Scofield 1956). 

In 

In 1936, a1 bacore troll ing expanded from 

As a result the fishermen built larger boats to gain 

By 1956 the majority of the fleet was 

Trolling is a simple method of fishing, requiring very little 

specialized hardware. As the need for larger boats increased specific boat 

designs emerged for trolling vessels (Hanson 1955) and for the increasingly 

popular combination boat (Petrich 1955). 

In ecent years U.S. trolling vessel have further extended their range 

in search of albacore. Exploratory trolling begun in 1972 has resulted in 

commercia catches as far as 1200 miles off the U.S. west coast in the eastern 

Pacific in an area called the "Transition Zone'' (Laurs and Lynn 1977). 

Trolling exploration since 1975 has resulted in the "Midway fishery" located 

700 miles north of Midway Island and 800-1200 miles off Japan. To provide 
6 

greater range and for safety in the open ocean, most new jigboats built in the 

past several years have been 55-65 ft. 

rep1 acing the small er vessel s. 

This size vessel is gradually 

The trolling fleet can be separated into three ''size classes" of vessel 

based on length and utility. 

less than 37 ft, 50% were between 37-48 ft and the remaining 20% greater than 

48 ft (Broadhead 1974). 

In 1972, 30% of the fleet was made up of vessels 

The largest size class, by number, consists of medium sized vessels 

which developed with the expansion of the fishery in the 1940s and 1950s. 

These vessels can effectively work in the moderate seas which prevail within 

100-200 miles of the coast and have the range to search and fish a wide area. 

They carry 10-30 tons of fish in refrigerated holds and stay at sea for 1-3 

weeks per trip. 

The number of large vessels (over 48 ft) has been increasing gradually 

over the past decade as albacore fishermen search over greater distances and 

make longer trips in an attempt to increase their fishing success in this 

highly competitive fishery. 

sea for several weeks and travel hundreds of miles. They carry 25-55 tons of 

albacore in refrigerated holds. 

accommodations allows them to run farther from shore and to remain at sea 

under all but the worst weather conditions, often riding out a storm on the 

f i shi ng grounds rather than 1 osi ng Val uabl e f i shi ng time running for she1 ter. 

The result is more time on the grounds and an increased catch over the smaller 

The larger vessels have the capacity to remain at 

Their greater seaworthiness and larger 
7 

vessels (Broadhead 1974). 

albacore fishery to other regions of the Pacific. 

It is these vessels which are expanding the U.S. 

The upper size 1 imit in troll ing vessel s appears to be 75 ft in length. 

Boats larger than this have increased fuel and maintenance costs which are not 

presently offset by an equal increase in fishability. 

The final group of boats are the smaller trolling vessels, many of which 

are opportunistic participants in the troll fishery, making the number of such 

boats in the fishery vary widely from year-to-year. These small craft are 

pleasure boats, day trollers, salmon and crab skiffs, and small trollers which 

can make quick trips of 1-5 days. 

or iced holds. Their limited range, inability to handle rough weather, and 

small fish capacity restrict them to periods of calm weather when the fish 

occur nearshore, typically within 60 miles of port, much like the first boats 

used in the albacore fishery. The advantage of such a boat is the small 

capital investment, low expenses, and the ability to fish for many other 

nearshore species when the albacore are out of range or season. 

They carry 1-10 tons of fish in deck boxes 

TROLLING VESSEL DESCRIPTION 

Trolling vessels are equipped with a pair of outriggers or jig poles 

(described below) and have enough deck space aft to permit the crew to pull 

and land the albacore. The fish are held in deck boxes on smaller boats or in 

holds kept cold with ice or refrigeration on the large vessels. 

Accommodations for the crew of 1-3 persons vary with the size of the vessel. 
8 

Almost any hull design wifl fulfill the simple criteria above and the 

U.S. albacore jig fleet is composed of a variety of vessels; however, there 

has developed a vessel design which seems particularly suited for trolling 

(Hanson 1955). 

The house is located forward and the after deck is clear for working (Figure 

1). The hold is located below deck amidships and crew accommodations are 

located either in the forecastle or in the deck house with the galley. The 

forward part of the house is reserved for the steering, navigation and radio 

equipment. 

These boats have a raised bow sweeping back to a low stern. 

The main engine is a single diesel centered below the house. The 

auxiliary generator and various pumps and refrigeration are connected to the 

main drive by power take off units or run by a smaller auxiliary engine 

located to the side of the engine room. 

The horsepower of the main engine depends on the length of the vessel, 

hull design, displacement, propeller size and pitch, RPMs and amount of 

auxiliary equipment which it must run. For boats of 40-75 ft the range is 

approximately 70-300 hp, the majority having less than 150 hp. Vessels are 

equipped with either direct drive in low RPM engines or a reduction gear of 

2:1 to 4,511 in high speed engines, with resultant shaft RPMs of 3OO-450. 
9 

Figure 1. 

sail up, and gurdies in corners of the stern. 

An albacore trolling vessel with outriggers lowered, steadying 
10 

The cruising speed of a jigboat is typically 8-10 kts, with maximum 

speeds of 10-13 kts. 

horsepower because of the hull design. The increased cost of a larger engine 

and fuel for the slight increase in speed will not result in a comparable 

increase in earnings from increased mobility on the fishing grounds. 

Greater speeds require an inordinate increase in 

BAITBOAT HISTORY 

The Japanese technique of fishing for albacore with a stout pole, short 

line and barbless hook baited with a live fish, known as bait fishing, 

developed in southern California in the early 1900s on boats which fished 

within a days run of port (Conner 1931). 

forced baitboats to turn south for yellowfin and skipjack to fill the 

cannery's demand for tuna (Conner 1930). 

expended in the albacore fishery was thereafter greatly influenced by events 

in the tropical tuna fishery. The subsequent expansion of this tropical tuna 

fishery was accompanied by rapid changes in the design of baitboats that 

culminated in the "tuna clipper" described by Godsil (1938). 

fleet grew to a high of 228 vessels in 1951 (McNeely 1961). These vessels 

ranged in size from 90-169 ft in length and carried up to 630 tons of tuna 

(Petrich 1955). 

and concentrated on the tropical tunas the remainder of the year or when there 

was a poor albacore run. 

The poor catch of albacore in 1918 

The amount of baitboat effort 

This "clipper" 

They continued to fish for albacore during the summer runs 
11 

In addition to the large "clippers" smaller vessels, generally with less 

than 30 tons capacity, were built to fish albacore with bait. These are the 

"combination" boats, so called because they fished in several fisheries. By 

changing deck gear and utilizing a versatile hull design these boats operate 

as trawlers,-crabbers, longliners, gillnetters, trollers and baitboats. Such 

craft can be utilized all year round in the North Pacific fisheries (Hanson 

1955). 

In 1956 potential fishing effort on albacore was diverted to the 

tropical fishery with the introduction of the all-nylon purse seine and the 

puretic power block. These greatly increased the efficiency of purse seining 

for the tropical tunas, resulting in a mass conversion of the large "clippers" 

to purse seiners over the next 5 years (McNeelg 1961). In 1962 only 44 "tuna 

clippers" remained in the baitboat fleet which regularly fished for albacore, 

mostly vessels too small or too old for conversion. 

Good bait fishing for albacore, yellowfin and skipjack and increasing 

prices paid for these species in the years 1967-71 revitalized the bait fleet. 

Most "clipper" vessels having less than 50 tons capacity were replaced in 

1972-75 by vessels with 50-100 ton capacity and a few with greater than 100 

ton capacity (IATTC, unpubl. data). In 1976, Mexico issued new laws concerning 

fishing in their territorial waters which incluctes capturing bait. Thl's action 

effectively ended the addition of new vessels to the bait fleet. The number 

of large U.S. baitboats fishing albacore and tropical tunas has decreased 

through attrition from 59 l'n 1976 to 30 in 1979 (IATTC, unpubl. datal, The 

a1 bacore bait fleet i s presently composed of these bai tboats and an addi tiona? 
12 

100-150 combination vessels eauipped for bait fishing, most of which carry 

less than 30 tons of fish. 

BAITBOAT DESCRIPTION 

Baitboat design has not changed basically from that described by Godsil 

(1938). 

old baitboats are of wood construction and combination boats are made of 

steel , wood, fiberglass or aluminum. 

Most new vessels have been constructed of steel, however, many of the 

The fishing operation of a baitboat requires a low after deck with 

little freeboard (Figure 2). 

covered with a canopy which protects the 'Ichummer" from an errant bait hook, 

artificial lure, fish, or pole. Lights locatedsunder the canopy are directed 

to shine down into the bait tanks because the bait becomes easily frightened 

in the dark. The stern and port bulwarks hold hinged racks (described below) 

which are lowered outboard during fishing. 

portable and can be removed for other types of fishing on combination boats. 

On the aft deck are one or two bait tanks 

The bait tanks and racks are 

These vessels have a large deck house to accommodate a crew of 4-12 men. r.- 

The house sits forward and its roof extends to the bow. This raised "boat 

deck" creates a dry ship and acts as a stop for fish thrown on deck, as well 

as being a storage area for skiffs and the bait net (Figure 2). The pilot 

house and flying bridge are above the deck house. The pilot house contains 

ship controls, communication, navigation and fish finding equipment. The mast 

is equipped with a crow's nest or platform for spotting fish schools at a 

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The refrigerated fish hold is located amidship below deck. Smaller 

boats have a single hold whereas larger vessels may have several watertight 

wells with a high shaft alley running between them. 

used to carry fuel or bait at the beginning of a trip and can be cleaned 

filled with fish as the trip progresses. The shaft alley contains the piping 

and valves for refrigeration and water circulation and may also have access 

hatches to the wells. 

The watertight wells are 

and 

The engine room is well forward under the house. Fuel oil and fresh 

water are held in stern tanks and in tanks in the bow or along the sides. 

The size and weight of the above equipment necessitates a hull design 

with greater displacement than is necessary in trolling vessels. 

allowances must be made for the low stern. 

should be low enough to allow a bait tank holding several tons of water to be 

placed on deck without seriously affecting the stability of the vessel. 

weight requirements and the expense of additional equipment restrict baitboats 

to vessels greater than 35 feet. 

Design 

In addition the center of gravity 

The 

TROLLING VESSEL EQUIPMENT 

There has been little change in the design of trolling equipment since 

the description by Scofield (1956). Tougher, longer lasting synthetics 'have 

replaced many of the natural fiber materials previously used. Automation has 
75 

been introduced through the use of hydraulic line pullers. 

rigging the gear remain unchanged. 

reference to pieces of equipment; and no attempt has been made here to 

establish specific terms for individual items but rather to use the name 

commonly used by f i shermen. 

The methods of 

Some names have been dropped or changed in 

Outriaqers 

The most distinctive physical characteristic of a trolling vessel is the 

pair of outriggers. 

fiberglass which are used to fish more trolling lines and get the lines away 

from the vessel. 

amidships opposite the mast (Figure 1 , 3, 4). 

length of the boat or slightly longer, running 30-60 ft in length. 

end of wooden poles (usually eucalyptus or fir) is about 4" in diameter 

running to 2" at the tip. 

either square tubing or pipe. 

diameter stock or tapered by welding sections of decreasing diameter together. 

Outriggers or jig poles are long poles of wood, metal or 

They are attached to the deck or gunwale just forward of 

The poles are generally the 

The butt 

Many vessels now use aluminum poles made from 

They may be made of straight 2-1/2 to 4" 

Small vessels may use 15-25 ft tapered fiberglass poles but wood or metal is 

more popular. 

The butt of the pole fits into a metal sleeve which is hinged so that 

the pole may be raised or lowered by one or two lines run from the pole to a 

pulley or block and tackle on the mast. The poles are stored in a cradle on 

the mast and lowered to a 25-55" angle from the water when fishing. 

weather poles are fished higher. The pole is guyed by two forward stays and 

one aft stay, usually of stainless or galvanized wire. 

In rough 
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OUTRIGGER 

SHOCK. 

HOLLOW 

PLASTIC’ 

THIMBLE 

LEAYy 

LINES 

‘JIGS / 

TAG LINES 

-MAIN 

- LINES 

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Figure 4. 

parts of the trolling gear of a1 bacore trolling vessel, 

Illustration of trolling line arranqement and names of various 
18 

Gurdies and Line Pullers 

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Gurdy systems for pulling lines have been used for salmon trolling since 

the 1920s and were very common on salmon trollers in the 1950s but were not 

used for albacore trolling (Scofield 1956). 

albacore were introduced in 1959 and have become auite popular in the albacore 

fleet; almost all jigboats now use one or both. 

Gurdies and line pullers for 

Gurdies 

The gurdies used in the fleet are multiple-spool hydraulic units (Figure 

5). 

starboard rail at each corner of the stern (Figure 4, 6). 

spools made of plastic or hard rubber; the metal spools used for salmon are 

not used for albacore. Each spool operates independently so line can be let 

out, brought in or held stationary. Retrieval speed is controlled by a foot 

pedal. The hydraulic pressure is regulated so that a large, hard struggling 

fish will stop the unit from pulling, thus preventing too much strain on the 

line from tearing the hook out of his mouth. 

A set is placed on deck in the fishing cockpits or on the port and 

Each gurdy has 3-5 

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Gurdies are used on the outrigger lines rather than the stern lines and 

can pull fish in as fast or faster than a man pulling by hand. 

an tear on the hands and fishermen believe that because of their smooth 

pulling action fewer fish are jerked off the line than when pulling by hand. 

Gurdies wind the 1 ine on the spool which prevents it from becoming tangled, 

often the case if it is dropped on deck or in a basket; thus saving time in 

getting one line out and pulling another. 

They save wear 

Line Pullers 

Line pullers are also hydraulic, consisting of a single spool with a Vshaped taper on the inside (Figure 7). The 1 ine is layed in the V and pulled 

by friction as the spool revolves. 

controlled by hand valves. The 1 ine is kicked out of the back of the puller 

by a line stripper and either falls on deck or in a basket placed at the rear 

of the puller. 

Speed and pressure are variable and 

More than one line may be pulled if a long line is placed in first and 

then a short line is pulled; however, most fishermen pull only one line at a 

time to prevent tangling fish and lines. The fish is pulled up to the boat, 

after which the line is disengaged from the puller and the fish lifted aboard 

by hand. 

Line pullers are usually located directly on the stern, one on each side 

of the midline (Figure 6). All the jig lines on the boat can be hauled with 

the puller but short lines are often pulled by hand while the puller is used 

for long lines. 
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The arrangement and naming of the various trolling lines is variable. 

Each fisherman experiments with 1 ine lengths, placement and construction until 

he feels that he has attained the most effective system for his vessel. 

names assigned to lines are generally descriptive of their construction, 

placement or function. Consequently, a line may have several names, and the 

addition of some local slang terms further confuses the identification of a 

given line. I have used names commonly given to each line in the albacore 

fleet, but the reader should note that other names may be used by fishermen 

and familiarity is the key to defining which line is under discussion. 

The 

Tag Line 

The tag line is the line attached to %he outrigger and is long enough to 

reach from this point of attachment to the corner of the stern or fishing 

cockpit with some slack. There is one tag line for each of the 3-5 lines 

attached to each outrigger (Figure 4). 

the tip of the outrigger and remaining lines are spaced 4-5 ft apart down the 

pol e. 

One tag line is normally located at 
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For hand pulling or using line pullers the end of the tag line has an 

attachment for the inhaul line and main fishing line (see below). One of the 

simplest is the use of a ring with three brass swivels attached (Figure 8). 

The tag line is tied to one of the swivels and the main line and inhaul to the 

other two. 

storage without untying one or more knots. 

snap attached which connects to a loop or ring on the ma n line with the 

inhaul line attached solidly or by another snap. 

disassembly of the gear for storage or replacement. 

This arrangement precludes the quick disconnect of the lines for 

Frequently, the tag line has a 

This a lows quick 

With a gurdy system the tag line ends in a snap swivel attached to a 

ring or more often to a teflon sleeve. 

spool through a pulley and out to a metal (or teflon) ring which will not pass 

through the s?eeve. 

The inhaul line runs from the gurdy 

The main line is attached to the ring and runs out 

through the sleeve (Figure 8). This arrangement throws the stra n of striking 

fish onto the tag line rather than onto the gurdy davit and spoo 

Tag lines may be made of nylon cord or light rope but are most commonly 

made from twisted stainless steel wire because of its greater strength, 

lasting ability, and its decreased resistance to wind. 

Inhaul Line 

The main fishing lines trailing from the outriggers may be up to 30 or 

more feet from the sides of the vessel. The line which is used to pull them 

to the vessel is known as the inhaul line. This line is attached at the 
TAG 

25 

.INE 

CL t PS 

t 

STOPS 

MAIN LINE 

SWIVEL 

Figure 8. TWO types of line sleeves 

used on gurdy systems are depicted. 

with a stainless steel tag line, braided nylon inhaul line, brass ring as a 

stop, and 260 lb. test monofilament main line. Lead sleeves have been used 

to connect both the tag line and monofilament. The 2-pole swivel at bottom 

is used On outrigger lines pulled by hand or line puller. 

Equipment used to rig trolling lines. 

The center sleeve is rigged for trolling 
26 

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junction of the tag line and main line with the other end tied off at the 

gunwale in the fishing cockpit or corner of the stern (Figure 4). 

The inhaul line is slightly longer than the distance out to the tag line 

and may be adjusted at the gunwale should the wind blow the tag line and main 

line outboard or inboard. To minimize entanglement the inhaul lines of the 

longer main lines pass over the shorter lines so that the main line, when 

pulled to the corner of the vessel , will pass over the shorter 1 ines. In a 

like manner, shorter lines may be pulled under the longer lines rather than 

over them. 

Inhaul lines are made of braided nylon, cotton or light nylon rope. On 

a gurdy the line running from the spool to the stop is braided nylon or heavy 

260# test monofilament. 

Main Line 

The main line is the line to which the leader and lure or jig are 

attached. 

to as the jig line or trolling line but since these terms are also used for 

the setup of main, tag and inhaul lines together, the term 'hain line" is used 

here to avoid confusion. Various names are used for the different main lines, 

such as tip lines, lead lines, short line, outside line, stern line, etc. 

It is attached to a tag line or to the stern. It is also referred 
27 

The main line is usually braided nylon although cotton or fight rope may 

be used. 

monofilament nylon to decrease abrasion of the ring or teflon sleeve through 

which it is pulled. Cotton is rarely used because it is more susceptible to 

wear than the nylon now available. The line is usually colored a shade of 

green or blue. 

On gurdies the main line from the stop to the jig may be entirely 

Main lines vary in length from 3-20 fathoms depending on location and 

fisherman preference. There are usually 3 to 5 outrigger lines and 2 to 5 

stern lines depending on the size of the boat. 

commonly arranged in one of two fashions with slight variations (Figure 9). 

Both arrangements are a V shaped with (1) the longest lines on the tips of the 

outriggers and line lengths decreasing as you approach the boat, or (2) the 

shortest lines on the outside and the longer lines inside. The most common 

variation to setup 1 is that the innermost line is as long as the outside 

line. In setup 2 the second line in may be lengthened to that of the 

innermost 1 ine. 

fathoms long with each additional line decreased by 3 or 4 fathoms, resulting 

in a progression such as 15, 11, 8, and 5 fathoms for four lines. 

The outrigger lines are 

Generally the longest outrigger line is approximately 15 

Stern lines have no tag or inhaul lines attached but are tied directly 

to the vessel. 

as 5. Two of the stern lines are 3-6 fathoms long and located on each side of 

the stern. When the albacore are biting well these "short" lines will often 

get hit as soon as they are thrown in the water. Additional stern lines may 

be short or of moderate length. 

Usually there are 2 or 3 stern lines but there may be as many 
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There is often a "whiskey line" attached to the boom or mast and 

trailing over the stern. This line is 15 to 20 fathoms long and so named 

because in the old days the catch from this line paid for the whiskey for the 

crew, or so it was hoped (Figure 9). 

Leader 

The leader is attached to the terminal end of the main line, usually 

with a swivel, and has the jig and hook on the trailing end. Leaders of 

dacron, wire, or monofilament and wire have now been replaced by monofilament 

alone. Leaders are 1 to 4 fathoms long, usually 2 fathoms. Monofilament is 

difficult to pull by hand so those vessels which use hand lines often have 

shorter leaders. To withstand the force of a striking albacore the leader 

material must be 200 to 260 lb test. It is difficult to tie knots in heavy 

monofilament so many fishermen use lead sleeves, crimped with a pair of pliers 

or crimping tool, to attach the leader to the jig and main line (Figure 8). 

Monofilament leader material is clear, pale green or pale blue. 

Bel 1 s 

Many fishermen rig a bell system to their lines so that they may remain 

in the cabin or wheelhouse and yet know the instant that the lines are hit. 

line is attached to the inhaul lines either by tying it directly to a loop in 

the lines or using a clip. 

loaded trigger. When a fish strikes one of the outrigger lines the slack is 

taken out of the inhaul line and the resultant tension on the bell line sets 

A 

This line is then run to a bell with a spring 
e 

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30 

off a bell located where it may be heard over the engine noise. 

Shocks 

There is a considerable strain placed on the line and outriggers when an 

albacore strikes the jig. To reduce this strain and decrease the loss of fish 

many fishermen use some form of shock absorber. The most common type of shocks 

are springs, rubber bungies (1 to 2 feet of 1/2" rubber with eyes at each end) 

or heavy bungie cord (1/2" rubber with a woven nylon covering which will 

stretch (Figure 10). 

Springs are normally attached between the outrigger and the tag line, 

one or two per line, and are 1-1/2" to 2" in diameter and 10" long. Rubber 

shocks and bungie cord may be attached at the outrigger, on the terminal end 

of the tag line before the main line junction or on the main line within a few 

feet of the junction of the tag and inhaul lines. When using gurdies the main 

line must be pulled thr'ough the ring or sleeve so a shock can not be used on 

it; however, shocks may be located at the spool or on the tag line. 

A safety line is used with the shock to prevent loss of gear. The 

safety line is a line attached to the terminal gear, fore and aft of the 

shock, which is long enough for the shock to stretch its full length yet will 

save the gear if the shock should break. 
31 

a 

Figure 10. Trolling line shocks. A) Rubber with metal eyes for line 

attachment, B) spring, C) solid rubber with s-afety line attached. 
32 

c 

Some fishermen think that shocks are unnecessary, particularly if the 

tag and/or main lines are of a material which will stretch when strain is 

applied. 

line. 

shocks are not used. 

They believe that fish are hooked better when striking a more solid 

The proponents of shock absorbers feel that more fish are lost if 

Weights 

U.S. west coast fishermen generally do not troll for albacore below the 

surface. Jigs trolled for albacore are pulled on the surface or a few inches 

below so there is no need for heavy weights to sink the jig, however, some 

fishermen add a 1 to 3 lb lead weight to the main line so the jig travels 1 to 

3 feet under the surface and to facilitate line crossings. Six or eight ounce 

weights may also be attached to the main l i n e j u s t forward of the leader to 

provide sufficient drag so the line will not blow in the wind. These setups 

must be used with caution because should a fish fall off the line after 

stretching the shock, the weight and jig may be propelled towards the boat. 

The Japanese sometimes place 30.m (98 ft) of monofilament nylon forward 

of the jig with 1/4 or 1/2 ounce crimp-on sinkers placed every 20 to 30 cm (8 

to 12") so that the jig is trolled 4 to 6 m (13 to 20 ft) below the surface 

(Webb 1973). 

trolling lines below the surface. 

The Japanese a1 so use diving planes or depressors to carry 
33 

The terminal end of the tag line is often weighted down with a sinker or 

a short length of chain to prevent it from blowing around in the wind or 

tangling when one line is pulled under another. 

A common substitute for sinkers is leadline (lead pieces with a woven 

nylon sheath), which is somewhat flexible, can be cut in various lengths, and 

to which eyes may be whipped so that it can be tied into the line. It is less 

likely to become a missile when attached to the main line and it will pass 

through the sleeves and pulley on a gurdy system. 

Jigs 

The jig or artificial lure is used to attract the albacore and entice it 

to strike, probably because of its similarity in shape and/or motion to a food 

item. 

designs and materials have become available and popular. 

There have been many changes in albacore jigs over the years as new 

In the early days of albacore fishing a popular jig was the "bone jig". 

The "bone jig" was made from whalebone and was 5-6" long and 3/4" wide, 

rounded on one side, flat on the other with one hook attached to the flat 

side. 

horn, wood, plastic or metal and often came with a double rather than single 

hook (Figure 11). 

salt water sport fishermen; however, it is now seldom used by commercial 

troll ers. 

As whalebone became less obtainable jigs of this design were made from 

The bone jig design is still one of the more popular among 
34 

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35 

Feather jigs consist of a torpedo-shaped head which has a groove in 

which a bunch of 3-5" feathers are whipped (Figure 11). 

feathers is protected by a plastic sheath. The leader runs through a hole in 

the head and is attached to a barbless double hook which is pulled up among 

the feathers. 

The base of the 

The head of feather jigs has been made of chromed lead, plastic and 

rubber; with and without some form of eye. The most common form is a 2 or 3 

ounce chromed lead head with a red plastic eye. Plain white or dyed chicken 

feathers are used with various colors or combinations. Plain white, red and 

white, green and yellow, purple and black, and white with a fluorescent pink 

feather guard have been popular in the past. The feathers on these jigs can 

be replaced with fresh ones when the colors fade or are worn out. 

Feather jigs have been the dominant lure used by albacore trollers for 

more than 25 years; however, they are rapidly being replaced by a new jig of 

the same basic design. This new jig has a hexagonal head rather than the 

smooth type and the feathers have been replaced by a filamented plastic body 

(Figure 11). The plastic body or skirt comes in various colors, most of them 

fluorescent. 

(possibly more reflective) and the plastic skirt lasts considerably longer 

than feathers. 

fraction of the time, effort and expense involved in replacing feathers. 

There appears to be some advantage to the hexagonal head 

The skirt can be replaced in a matter of minutes, which is a 
36 

Flashers and spoons, which are used extensively in the salmon fleet, are 

seldom found in the albacore fishery. 

squids and highly detailed imitations of the body shape and color of small 

fish. 

Other jigs have included soft rubber 

These may have caught more fishermen than albacore. 

All fishermen have their own ideas regarding the best jig color and 

type, depending on their experience. Many have experimented with different 

combinations under various conditions of sea state, water color and 

temperature, sky conditions, time of day, time of year, size of fish and 

countless other variables. 

Most fishermen carry a large assortment of colors, sizes and types of jig to 

be ready for any situation. 

el se. 

Whatever they have discovered is their secret. 

If one doesn't work they can always try somethin

Hooks 

II 

Commercial a1 bacore fishermen general ly use a barb1 ess double hook 

Removing barbed hooks from fish takes more time than removing barbless hooks. 

Since a constant strain is on the line when trolling, and albacore don't jump 

when hooked, a barbless hook is just as effective as a barbed hook. Single 

hooks on the other hand do not hook as many fist! as double hooks and treble 

hooks are extremely difficult to remove, particularly when the fish is hooked 

deep in its throat. Double hooks ride with the hook points up catching fish 

in the upper jaw, which is much stronger and heavier than the lower jaw. 
37 

nose has a step-down bend near the point; 

in hooking and holding ability (Figure 11 

the hook or to a brass ring, often with a 

stainless steel. The Argo has a triangular blade 

both of 

. The 

thimble 

Several styles of barbless double hooks are used in the fleet. Some 

fishermen use pliers or a hammer to flatten the barb on barbed hooks, leaving 

a slight hump believed to aid in the holding ability of the hook. Two of the 

more popular hooks are Argo and Crinkle nose hooks made from high quality 

for a point and the crinkle 

these factors supposedly aid 

eader i s tied directly to 

which is slipped onto the 

hook (Figure 11). Hooks which become rusty, dull or straightened are replaced. 

Most fishermen will not chance losing a fish worth $10-$15 to save a hook 

worth $0.50. 

TROLLING METHODS 

Commercial albacore trollers have refined trolling to the extent that 

approximately 75% of the total landings of albacore by the U.S. west coast 

fleet comes from troll-caught fish (Clemens and Craig, 1965). 

SDeed 

Albacore are fast, predacious fish which can strike a jig traveling 13 

kts; however, most albacore trollers run their vessels at 5-8 kts when 

fishing. 

loss of fish. Speeds are varied with weather and sea conditions, direction of 

travel, and what the captain feels is the optimum fishing speed of his vessel. 

Faster speeds rip the hooks from the fish's jaw and increases the 
During rough weather, slower speeds may be necessary to keep the jigs in 

the water and also to prevent fish from being jerked off the hook. 

days an increase in trolling speed often results in more jig strikes. 

large swell is running, higher trolling speeds may be used running upswell 

than downswell. 

On calm 

If a 

Some vessels have one speed at which they seem to get more jig strikes. 

This may be due to how the jigs ride, differences in the wake, variations in 

the sound of the boat or a combination of factors. 

experience and experimentation becomes familiar with his own vessel and its 

optimum trolling speed under various conditions. 

Each captain, through 

Fishing Time 

Fishing usually begins 1/2-1 hour before sunrise and continues until an 

hour after sunset. Though most albacore trollers fish 14-15 hours per day it 

is quite common for the majority of the day's catch to be landed,in 1 or 2 

hours of the total fishing day. Quite often one hears the term "morning", 

"afternoon" or ''evening bite" referring to the time in which most of the fish 

are landed in an area. 

The better fishermen troll all day, every day, no matter when the best 

fishing time was the previous day. 

conditions change from day-to-day. 

late, or doesn't fish in the middle of the day may miss the best bite of the 

day. Albacore fishing often consists of pulling one to three fish per hour. 

Fishin, is iui;alIy uripreaictaDle and 

A boat which shuts down early, starts 

c 
39 

This "scratch" fishing is slow but profitable when maintained for several days 

time. 

Pullina Fish 

A1 bacore vessel s typical ly carry two persons. The "captain" is usual ly 

the boat owner who hires a crewman or ''puller'' for assistance. 

steers the vessel while the other watches the lines and pulls the fish when 

fishing is slow. During a good bite when many fish are being hooked, both 

fishermen go to the stern to pull fish while the boat is left on autopilot or 

otherwise he1 d on course or circled. 

One person 

confusion and tangling of lines. 

pulling the fish on the shortest 

pulled first as they are usually 

Only one fisherman handles the lines on one side of the vessel to avoid 

The greatest efficiency is achieved by 

ine first. The two short stern lines are 

he shortest lines on the boat. Often lines 

are struck as soon as the jig re-enters the water and they are pulled again 

while fish on longer lines are allowed to drag. 

As each fish is pulled on board, the barbless hook is removed and the 

jig and line returned to the water before the next line is pulled. The next 

fish nay be pulled as the last line is going out if the lines do not tangle. 

The object being to keep as many lines fishing as possible. 
40 

The nylon and monofilament used on jig lines is difficult to hold by 

hand and can cut the hands, particularly when the skin is softened by 

immersion in water. Many fishermen wear cotton or neoprene gloves, or make 

grippers (also called nippers) from sections of motorcycle inner tube which 

fit over the palm of the hand and provide a good gripping surface. These may 

be necessary even with gurdies and line pullers as the fish must still be 

lifted from the water to the deck of the vessel. 

The fish are put in low boxes or in a boarded off area to keep them out 

of the stern. When time permits they are washed off and placed in the hold. 

The jig lines are pulled and checked periodically during the day to see 

that they are not fouled by grass or some other material. 

strike a jig that has pieces of eel-grass, kelp, paper or other flotsam or 

jetsum trailing from it. 

Albacore will not 

Chumming the Lines 

Chumm ng the trolling lines is sometimes an effective method for 

increasing he catch. Albacore are sometimes reluctant to strike a jig, 

particularly early in the season, and a little chum will sometimes entice them 

to strike. 

which have been frozen or salted. The bait generally is not caught by the ji

fishermen but purchased from a supplier or acquired from a baitboat. The bai

is thrown out among the jigs a few fish at a tine, usually when the boat is i

a circle. Once the fish begin biting more chum may not be necessary& 

The fishermen use either live anchovies or anchovies and herring 
41 

Throwing a large quantity of bait rather than a few fish can do more 

harm than good. 

take it, ignoring the jigs. 

in albacore. 

better to go on to another spot rather than waste time and bait. 

Albacore may wait until a bait floats past the jigs and then 

This behavior of waiting for the bait is common 

If a little bit of bait does not bring more jig strikes it is 

Ci rcl i ng 

Most jigboats troll 11 or 12 lines and it is not unusual for jig strikes 

to be limited to one or two at a time, particularly in the early season. 

However, should several fish strike the jigs at one time, it is common for the 

boat to 

jig str 

hundred 

be turned and run in a circle. This tactic often results in continued 

kes and may be mainta ned for several hours during which several 

fish are landed. 

Jigboats circle left or right and the circle is maintained by tying the 

wheel over or by use of an automatic pilot which will continue the turn while 

both crewmen are pulling fish. 

boat and skipper but is on the order of 150 ft. 

1 ines to tangle while too 1 arge a circle might carry the boat away from the 

fish. 

The diameter of the circle varies with the 

Too small a circle causes 

Tacking 

Circling is sometimes unsuccessful in getting additional strikes and is 

not used if there is a large sea and swell or high winds. "Tacking" is the 
42 

term used to describe the maneuver of reversing course to go back over an 

area. It can be used to cover as large an area as the skipper wishes and 

works in weather conditions where circling is impractical. 

Tacks of several miles are not unusual if fish bite over the entire 

distance. Short tacks are productive over a small spot of fish. 

Occasionally albacore will only strike when the vessel is running upswell, 

downswell, or in the trough, and tacking over a previously non-productive area 

may bring jig strikes. 

Fishermen who time each tack in a given direction can often concentrate 

their effort on a smaller area which has proven to have fish. They may also 

tack until the fish are well located and then try to circle over the area of 

apparent highest concentration. 

LIVE BAIT FISHING EQUIPMENT 

The equipment required for live bait fishing is basically the same as it 

was when described by Godsil (1938). In addition to the trolling gear used to 

1 oca te 

bait a 

simp1 e 

man on 

fish the baitboat carries equipment to locate, capture and maintain 

ive, plus the equipment used to bait fish albacore. 

yet effective and an experienced crew may land several tons of fish 

a good fishing day. 

The equipment S 

Per 
43 

Bait Net 

A lampara net is used to capture the bait, usually anchovies. The 

lampara net with its long wings works by encircling the bait on three sides 

(Figure 12). As the net is pulled aboard, the leading edge of the bottom goes 

under the fish, cutting off their escape. This net may be used effectively in 

deeper water if the fish can be kept at the surface until they are surrounded 

by the net and the wings are pulled. 

The construction of a typical lampara net consists of wings made of 6" 

mesh which are 52 fathoms long and 22 fathoms deep (stretched mesh). 

apron is 8 fathoms long and 44 fathoms across and made of 4" mesh. 

is made of 7/16 to 1/2" mesh and consists of (i 5 fathom square piece with two 

3-11'2 fathom strips around two sides and the bottom. The bottom of the wings 

has a leadline to make it sink, 1 pound per fathom along the wings and apron 

and more at the throat. 

except for the sack, where the corks are placed side by side to prevent the 

bait from sinking the net. 

The 

The sack 

Corks are placed every 4 ft along the top of the net 

Net Roller and Puller 

The bait net must be pulled over the side of the boat or skiff and to 

facilitate this operation many vessels use a roller (or fairlead) to reduce 

friction and prevent snagging of the net on the rai?= The net roller is a 

smooth cyiinder which rotates freely on a shaft. or bearings, equipped with 
44 

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guides to keep the net on the roller and some means for solid attachment to 

the rail of the vessel. A hydraulic net puller may also be used. A net 

puller is a motor driven spool over which the net may be laid and as tension 

is placed on the net the friction against the spool pulls the net in the 

direction of rotation of the spool. 

scoops 

Two types of scoops are used on a bait boat. Bait is transferred from 

the lampara net to the wells and bait tanks, or from one well or tank to 

another, using a bait scoop. 

covered frame 15" in diameter and depth, made of 7/16" nylon mesh. When 

transferring live bait the scoop is filled about half way and holds 

approximately 8 lbs of fish. For chumming purposes fishermen use a small 

scoop with a net 6" in diameter and 4" deep, and a handle 3 or 4 ft long. 

This scoop has an 8 to 10 ft handle and a net 

Bait Tank 

Bait tanks are square, rectangular or round containers on deck for 

holding bait alive for chumming and fishing (Fjgures 13, 14). 

constructed of metal, wood, wood and fiberglass, or all fiberglass. The size 

, available deck 

Tanks may be 

and number of tanks varies considerably with the type of hul 

space, size of vessel, capacity of the seawater pumps, etc. 

large enough to carry bait for several days fishing. The max 

of a tank is about one scoop of bait for each 2 ft3. 

The tanks must be 

mum bait capacity 
46 
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48 

The top of the tanks are usually 2 to 4 ft off the deck to facilitate 

the addition or removal of bait. 

opening in the center which has a coaming or raised lip around it. The water 

level in the tank is kept above the bottom of the coaming to prevent sloshing 

in the tank which would injure the bait. 

The top of the tank is covered except for an 

A continuous flow of water is provided to the tank and may be varied 

depending on the size of the bait, temperature of the water, etc. 

measure of flow is to turn over the total capacity of the tank every 12 

minutes. 

to permit gentle circulation of the water. 

overflow in the coaming with the water piped over the starboard side of the 

vessel. 

placed on the inside at each corner to make the angle more obtuse. 

does not swim in the corners and the piece of wood removes the dead space and 

saves unneeded weight as well as providing better circulation of the water. 

A good 

The water flowing into the tank is broken up by a screen or shield 

The outlet is a screen covered 

In a bait tank which has square corners a triangular piece of wood is 

The bait 

Four feet above the bait tank is a solid canopy to protect the chummer 

from being struck by the squids, hooks, fish, and poles used by the fishermen 

(Figure 15). 

tank to keep the bait docile. 

At night, lights under the canopy are shown down into the bait 

Chum Box 

A chum box is located on top of the bait tank, usually attached to the 

outside of the coaming. This box, 6-10" deep, has holes drilled through the 
49 

Figure 15. Canopy of bait tank with lights shining down into the 

tank. Note chummer (with scoop) under canopy. 
bottom (the top of the bait tank) to allow water to flow up from the bait 

tank. 

easily accessible when he is chumming. 

bait from the chum box to fill the bait boxes behind the racks. The bait is 

replenished from the main tank when necessary. 

The chummer keeps a small quantity of bait in the box where it is 

The chummer or a fisherman also takes 

C r owder 

When working out of a large bait tank the chummer uses a crowder net to 

catch some of the bait and hold it up near the coaming of the tank where it is 

within easy reach. A crowder is a rectangular baggy net made from a section 

of 7/16" net laced to two poles which are long enough to reach the bottom of 

the bait tank. By guiding the net with the poles, a quantity of bait may be 

"crowded" into the closer confines of this net. 

coaming so that about 2-3 ft of the bag remains in the tank and a metal ring 

or square is dropped in the bottom so the net hangs straight. 

The net is hung over the 

Racks 

Fishermen stand in racks hung on the stern and port sides of the vessel 

to get better leverage for lifting fish. 

approximately 3 to 6" from the surface of the water and the top of the rack is 

hinged to the gunwale (Figure 16, 17). 

18" high guard rail along the outboard edge against which the fishermen can 

brace a knee, often with enough clearance at the bottom to jam the toe of the 

boot. 

The bottom of the rack is 

Racks are 2-1/2 to 3 ft wide with an 

Racks are built to hold one to three persons and are made of galvanized 
51 

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steel or aluminum grating welded to a heavier frame. 

by chain attached to the bulwarks and can be swung up so that the guard rail 

is over the bulwarks when they are not in use. 

the way when running and yet ready in seconds for fishing. 

The racks are supported 

In this manner they are out of 

Poles 

The poles used to fish albacore are made of bamboo or fiberglass. 

Bamboo poles were the only kind used until recently when fiberglass poles were 

introduced (Figure 17). The poles are 8 to 12 ft long. 

base diameter of 2 to 3" tapering to a tip of 3/4" to l", fiberglass poles are 

somewhat narrower at the base and tip. Longer poles are used for bait fishing 

and shorter poles for "sauidding" fish (catching fish on lures or ''squids" 

rather than bait); these are generally referred to as bait poles or squid/jack 

poles, respectively. The poles are stiff but.not rigid and the amount of bend 

or flexibility in a pole is variable and a matter of preference among 

fishermen. 

Bamboo poles have a 

The joints at each section on bamboo poles are rasped smooth and the 

gripping area is rasped in a criss-cross pattern to provide a roughened area 

which is easier to hold when wet, bloody and slimy from fishing. On 

fiberglass poles the grip may be improved by whipping with cotton or nylon 

cord. 

for attachment of the leader. 

The tip of the pole has a loop of 3/8" braided nylon rope whipped to it 
53 

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Leaders 

The leaders used on both squid poles and bait poles are made of two 

pieces connected by interlocking loops. The leader is connected to a pigtail 

or corkscrew swivel tied on a piece of nylon or cotton twine which is tied to 

the loop at the tip of the pole. 

is adjusted by each fisherman to account for differences in pole length, the 

fisherman's size and fishing style. Leaders are a standard length so that a 

leader can be replaced without any adjustments. 

The length of the twine attached to the pole 

There is considerable variation in the materials used for leader 

construction, usually decided by the captain. 

short piece connected to the hook or squid and a longer section which is 

attached to a pigtail swivel tied to the twine. The short section is made of 

3 to 5" of piano wire, 16 or 18 gauge for bait leaders and 22 gauge for squid 

leaders. 

or squid and the other to a loop in the upper section of the leader (Figure 

18). 

piano wire. On a bait leader the upper section is 3 to 4 ft of 16 or 18 gauge 

piano wire or 6 to 8 ft of 175# braided wire or 220# test monofilament. 

upper section is attached loop to loop with the short section and has a loop 

at the opposite end which is twisted onto the pigtail swivel attached to the 

twine (Figure 18). 

The two pieces consist of a 

A loop is twisted in each end, one attached to the eye of the hook 

The upper section of a Squid leader is made of 14 to 18" long 22 gauge 

This 
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The short section attached to the hook or squid prevents the leader from 

kinking when a fish is hooked. 

the upper leader also permits greater freedom to a swimming bait so that it 

looks more natural. Monofilament or braided wire have been substituted for the 

upper section of piano wire'to reduce leader visibility and improve the 

freedom of the bait. In some instances the short section has been eliminated 

entirely in favor of a single leader of braided wire or monofilament on both 

bait and squid leaders. 

difficult to use in some types of bait fishing 

The free rotation of the joint between it and 

Monofilament stretches under strain and can be 

Hooks and Sauids 

I.- 

- 

L 

Hooks used for bait fishing are galvanized barbless hooks with a 3/4" to 

1" gap and a 1" to 1-1/2" shank; sizes vary according to the size of the bait 

and the albacore (Figure 18). 

the fishermen use side-cutting pliers to put grooves in the tip of the hook so 

that the bait will stay on better. The term "squid" is applied to a feathered 

lure with a one piece weighted chrome-plated head and barbless hook with very 

little bend to it. 

luring the excited albacore to strike. 

squids; carefully matching the tips of individual feathers, usually white, 

before tying them on at the groove located at the base of the head (Figure 

18). 

fishing operations so that spares are always available. 

The hooks are completely smooth when new but 

Squids are fished without bait, the feathers and chrome 

Each fisherman makes up his own 

Hooks and squids are prepared and tied to leaders prior to the start of 
57 

Automatic Fishing Poles 

Several types of automated fishing poles of both foreign and domes ic 

origin have been marketed recently in the United States. 

with squids and some can also be used with bait. 

are designed to work the lure up and down until a fish hits, setting off a 

trigger which causes the pole to lift the fish onto the deck. When the fish 

falls off or is removed the pole returns to the fishing position and resumes 

fishing. 

the fish removed and hook baited, and the pole returned to the fishing 

position. 

are fishing and churn is used to keep the fish excited and biting. 

These poles fish 

For squid fishing the poles 

To be used with bait the pole must be stopped when a fish is landed, 

A heavy spray of sea water is pumped over the area where the poles 

The auto-poles work effectively when fish are biting well and will 

readily strike a jig, at which time they can be used in place of crewmen. 

poles also handle large fish quite easily. 

constantly attended and they do not fish bait as effectively or quickly as a 

fisherman in the racks. Most albacore bait fishing is done with bait rather 

than squids, so automatic fishing poles are used only to supplement the crew 

rather than to replace them. 

The 

When fished with bait they must be 

Fishing Pad 

The fishing pad is a heavy leather pad with a horseshoe-shaped cup in 

the center. The pad, which is belted around the fisherman's waist when 
58 

fishing, is 1/2" thick and 12" in diameter and the cup is 3" across and 2 to 

3" deep (Figure 17). 

fish to protect the fisherman and to provide a leverage point when lifting 

fish. 

The butt of the pole is placed in the cup when pulling 

T 
59 

LIVE BAIT FISHING METHODS 

The method of live bait fishing for albacore off southern California was 

developed in the early 1900s. The method was adopted from the Japanese 

(Scofield 1913) and promoted in the U.S. by fishermen of Japanese, Portugese, 

Italian and Slavic extraction who crewed the early baitboats (Godsil 1938). 

Bait fishing is more complex than trolling. The equipment and methods 

employed are simple yet considerable experience is necessary to develop the 

skills and to understand the nuances of the fishery. 

this method is indicated by the fact that 25% of the annual U.S. landings of 

albacore come from baitboats, yet they comprise only 4% of the total fleet by 

number (Broadhead, 1974). 

The effectiveness of 

Bait fishing is composed of two distinct activities. The first is 

capturing the bait and the second is the fishing, which is totally dependent 

upon the success of capturing an adequate quantity of good bait. 

to 12 persons participates in both the above activities as well as in 

A crew of 4 

maintaining the fishing equipment and assisting in the running of the vessel. 

Making Bait 

The term "making bait" is used in the bait fleet when talking of 

catching live bait. 

bait man may be more valuable than a good fisherman. 

Locating and capturing bait is so important that a good 

Bait is necessary for 
60 

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L 

chumming to attract the school and for use on a hook to catch fish. Without 

an adequate supply of good bait a baitboat cannot function. 

Until the mid 1950s, sardines (Sardinops sagax caeruleus) were commonly 

used for albacore bait. 

(Engraul is mordax) has become the primary baitfish used by the albacore 

bai tboat fleet. 

With the demise of the sardine population the anchovy 

Locating Bait 

A fathometer or sonar is run to determine bottom depth, to locate bait 

which may not be showing on the surface, and to indicate the size and density 

of the bait school. 

or platform, on the mast. 

instance, pelicans and terns dive on bait near the surface and cormorants, 

grebes and loons chase bait under water. 

Crewmen look for bait from the flying bridge, Crow's nest 

Sea birds are often important in locating bait. For 

Single birds will often locate 

duals which swim too near the surface. 

and those mentioned above, may 

to the surface by predators. 

indicate that there is bait in the 

A flock 

area. 

beaches. 

Schools of bait may be found near the coast, in bays or along sandy 

schools of bait as they 

Large flocks of birds, 

congregate over school s 

of birds sitting on the 

pick off indiv 

n c l u d i ng gull s 

of bait forced 

water may also 
61 

If the water is glassy calm, or nearly so, bait swimming near the 

surface may cause a disturbance like a rippling or small wave in the water. 

This is called a ''breezing school" due to the similarity of the disturbance to 

that caused by light winds blowing on the water. 

individuals break the surface of the water causing a small splash or dimple 

which can be seen from the boat. 

Bait may also "flip" as 

Subsurface schools may be spotted in relatively clear water by looking 

for "black spots" which are caused by the darker coloration of a school of 

bait (Figure 19). 

seen underwater as the bait swims and reflects the sunlight. A spotter working 

from an airplane can see black spots and shiners much easier than can the crew 

of a boat and planes may sometimes assist boats in finding bait and in setting 

the net. 

On bright or sunny days flashes or "shiners" can often be 

Fishermen also try to catch bait at night when bait is not schooling 

densely during the day, the water is very clear and the bait escapes the net, 

the bait is inaccessible, or the vessel i s i n a hurry. Two methods are used to 

locate bait at night. A boat may look for "fireballs" which are large areas of 

luminous light emitted by bioluminescent plankton as a school of bait swims 

through the water (Figure 20). 

light source, usually a torch or lantern in a skiff stationed away ,from the 

vessel. All other lights are turned off. After a large quantity of bait has 

gathered around the light skiff, fishermen set a lampara net around the skiff 

and capture the bait concentrated under it. 

The other method is to attract the b a i t t o a 
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62 

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Catching Bait 

Once a school of bait is located, the direction it is headed is 

determined, also, 

the net. 

towards the sack. When the sun is low, bait will often swim towards the sun, 

while at other times it heads up-current. 

course often and rapidly, making it difficult to capture. 

whether there are any currents that might affect setting 

The object is to set the lampara net so that the bait is swimming 

Bait chased by predators may change 

Currents affect the shape and effectiveness of the net durlng a set. If 

the sack is set up-current it may not open properly and cross current sets can 

coll apse the sac or otherwise affect the net's fi shabil i ty , however these sets 

can be tried if necessary to capture bait. 

Once a school is selected, the net is set in a circle around it (Figure 

21). The net may be set by the fishing vessel itself or by one or two 

motorized skiffs when the water is too shallow for the fishing boat, or the 

fishing boat is too large to be tightly maneuvered. 

Stacking the Net 

Prior to setting the net it is stacked on the stern of the fishing boat 

or on a platform in the skiff. The portside wing of the net is stacked first 

for a clockwise (turn to starboard) set from a boat. Beginning with the 

forward part of the wing the corks and webbing are stacked simultaneously side 
65 

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66 

by side. The corks are on the outboard (port) side of the stern. The 

webbing, gathered together with the leadline, is stacked together in a pile 

made by circling or crisscrossing. Both piles must be of sufficient diameter 

(about 3 to 4 ft) so that they won't topple with the roll of the boat. 

webbing is kept in mesh with the corks (all meshes are in line) when stacked. 

Stacking continues as the sack is reached, however, both the webbing and cork

are hung partially over the stern so they may be dumped during the set. 

the beginning of the starboard wing is reached the corks are passed to 

starboard across the top of the sack and two new stacks of cork and webbing 

are made next to the previous two, with the corks in the port side stack. 

end of the starboard wing is attached to a buoy or skiff. 

The 

When 

Th

Setting and Pulling the Net 

sink qu 

circles 

out fol 

foll ows 

buoy or 

Before the net is set it is wet down thoroughly with water so it will 

ckly. To launch the net, the buoy is thrown over and the boat 

the school of bait in a clockwise direction. 

owed by the apron and sack which are dumped together. The port wing 

and the end has a tow line attached so that the vessel can reach the 

skiff if the circle is too large. 

The starboard wing pays 

As soon as the circle is completed both wings are pulled simultaneously 

by the crewmen on the stern of the boat or in the skiff. 

vessel a hydraulic net puller may be used to assist in the pulling operation 

so two persons can pull the net easily. While the wings are being pulled it 

may be necessary to stomp on the deck or splash in the water to scare the ba

On the fishing 
67 

towards the sack and prevent their escape under the boat 

keep the boat or skiff from drifting into the net while 

Power is used to 

t is being pulled. 

The net is pulled until the captured bait is concentrated in the sack. 

If the net is pulled from the boat it is lashed to the stern, the sack held 

open by poles pushing on the corks. 

(called the net skiff) the fishing boat maneuvers to the net and the outer 

edge of the sack is lashed to the stern racks. The net skiff is held away 

with poles or boathooks. If the net skiff is in water too shallow for the 

fishing boat to operate, it must be towed out to deeper water either by 

another skiff or with a line attached to the fishing vessel. 

When the net is pulled from a skiff 

After sufficient bait is loaded the remainder in the lampara net is 

dumped and the sack and apron of the net are dragged behind the boat to wash 

out slime and scales before the net is put away. 

way by stacking in one pile. 

the port wing will end on top, ready for stacking for the next set. 

is kept covered to protect it from dirt and the elements. 

The net is stored out of the 

The stack is started with the starboard wing so 

The net 

Passing Bait 

The task of passing the bait from the net to the bait tanks starts as 

soon as the net is secured to the vessel. A l i n e o f crewmen is formed from 

the stern of the vessel to the bait tank. 

uses a long handled net to dip a scoop of bait from the sack. The scoop is 

then passed along the line to the person by the bait tank. 

The man standing in the stern rack 

This person, 
68 

usually the chummer, submerges the bait and net before inverting the net and 

releasing the bait. The empty scoop is then passed back by a second line. 

using two or three scoops bait can be transferred quite rapidly. 

procedure is the same for the bait wells. 

By 

The 

An accurate tally is kept of how many scoops of bait go into each tank. 

Each scoop of bait is only half full to prevent injuring the bait and weighs 

approximately 6-10 lbs. If the bait is very weak it may be passed in buckets 

rather than a scoop to minimize the damage to it. There is so much variation 

in scoop size between different fishermen that weight cannot be used as an 

accurate measurement of bait capacity per unit volume. 

tank is left to the discretion of the chummer who must consider such variables 

as the species of bait, bait size, water temperature, tank size, water flow, 

apparent strength of the bait and numerous other factors. 

much bait in a tank the fish will weaken and die; too little and valuable 

fishing time may be lost. 

slightly more that larger bait. 

less crowding. 

bait. 

The capacity of each 

If there is too 

As a general rule smaller bait can be crowded 

Warmer water requires greater water flow and 

Weak or skittish bait may not be crowded as much as strong 

Bait Qual ity 

Strong, healthy bait begins milling in a circle soon after being put in 

the bait tank. 

mouth and flair the gill plates) frequently. Bait kept for a length of tirrie 

may be fed with ground up fish, corn meal and miscellaneous bread, flapjacks 

Healthy anchovies have a dark green back and gill (open the 
69 

and crackers. 

will appear black in color and will not settle down in the tank. They swim 

aimlessly in the tank, often near the surface. Loud noises or vibration will 

cause the bait to swim into the side of the bait tank resulting in red noses 

and weakened or dead bait. The vessel usually anchors in clean water for a 

day or two to let the bait settle (called curing) and to see how much of the 

bait will survive. 

with a 4" siphon hose attached to a pole. 

Gilling by the bait is a sign that they are feeding. Weak bait 

Dead bait is removed from the bottom of the tank daily 

The size of the bait is sometimes a very critical factor when fishing. 

Smaller bait has more individuals per scoop and therefore lasts longer when 

chumming and fishing. 

el ici t more strikes than smal 1 bait, particularly when the a1 bacore are touchy 

biters or sparse. 

They are called bloodless bait (< 2" in length), pinheads (2 to 3"), small 

bait (3 to 5"), and large bait (> 5"). 

Large bait is easier to use as hook bait and may 

Bait is separated into four size categories by fishermen. 

Bloodless bait is not used by albacore fishermen. Pinheads may be used 

for bait if there is nothing larger available, however they are difficult to 

use as hook bait even when the larger individuals are selected. Small bait is 

ideal because it is large enough to be used as hook bait and yet small enough 

to provide plenty of individuals per scoop. 

success but limits the holding capacity of the bait tanks and decreases the 

time spent on the fishing grounds. 

highly subjective, influenced by the lasting quality of a size group, 

availability, distance to the fishing grounds from the bait grounds, fishing 

conditions and other factors. 

Large bait may increase fishing 

The selection of bait size by fishermen is 
70 

Bait Fishing 

Baitboats locate albacore in much the same manner as jigboats, usually 

trolling two or three jiglines and looking for bird flocks, jumpers, and 

temperature and color fronts (defined under "Locating Fish") in the water. 

addition many of the larger baitboats have a side-scanning sonar which 

continuously sweeps a 360" arc and can locate albacore up to 400 ft from the 

vessel. 

In 

The entire crew is in a constant state of readiness while looking for 

fish. The chummer is stationed near the bait tank and the fishermen are 

outfitted in hip boots, oilskins and fishing pads. 

When an albacore strikes a jig, or a school is noted on the echo sounder 

or sonar, the boat is immediately turned and stopped so that the port racks 

are downswell. The chummer throws 1 ive bait over to attract the school as the 

boat is coasting to a stop and the jig lines are pulled in. 

critical when bait fishing for albacore. 

the bait by squeezing the gut or he pokes out one eye of the bait with his 

thumb so the bait swims on the surface of the water. Each bait is thrown over 

individually and by the time the vessel is fully stopped 6 to 10 baits are on 

the water surface trailing behind the vessel. The chum is watched closely by 

the fishermen who look for a "boil", which is a swirl in the water as the 

albacore comes up and takes the bait. 

Chumming is very 

The chummer pops the air bladder of 

As soon as the first boil is seen a cry 
71 

goes up and the fishermen clamber into the fishing racks and grab their poles. 

The chummer throws bait in front of the racks so that 2 or 3 fish are on 

the surface at all times. If too much bait is thrown albacore will wait for 

it rather than strike a hook and too little bait will not hold the albacore 

near the boat. 

If the fishing is slow each fisherman will use a bait pole, baiting the 

hook with a live bait from a hand well located behind each rack and kept 

filled with bait by the chummer. 

through the middle of the back (Figure 22). 

onto the water and then watches the bait as it sinks/swims, bracing himself 

with one knee against the front of the rack and his other foot positioned 

behind him. 

fisherman extending his other arm and gripping the pole as far out as is 

comfortable (Figure 17). 

often to within a few inches of the water. When an albacore grabs the bait the 

The bait is hooked under the gill arch or 

The fisherman swings the bait out 

The butt of the pole is held ir: the pad by one hand, the 

The tip of the pole is lowered as the bait sinks, 

fisherman immediately lifts on the pole and brings the fish to the surface. 

The fish is positioned directly in front of the fisherman and then lifted and 

swung in towards the boat; this operation timed to occur when the boat is 

coming down off the swell so that minimal strain is placed on the hook. When 

the fish is swung in, its tail is allowed to drag in the water as this excites 

the albacore in the water and results in more bites for the fishermen nearby. 

The fish is swung directly past the fisherman's right shoulder, over the rail, 

and strikes the bait tank, which stuns the fish and usually knocks the hook 

out. More skillful fishermen land bait fish by a method known as "winging". 
72 

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As the fish is lifted from the water it is gently swung in on the fisherman's 

left side, caught, and cradled in his left arm. The pole is held in the crook 

of his right arm with the butt in the pad, and using his right hand the 

fisherman removes the hook from the fish and turns to drop the fish on deck 

and grab another bait. "Winging" is much faster and safer than landing fish 

on deck for the following reasons: 1) the leader is always in hand rather 

than flying around loose; 2) there is never the necessity to grab a decked 

fish and turn it so the hook may be removed; 3) the pole does not fall back 

and strike the bait tank; and 4) there is no wasted motion turning around and 

repositioning the pole before grabbing another bait. 

When fishing, the hooked bait must look as natural as possible. The 

bait is swung out into the water downswell and €he tip of the pole is always 

positioned over the bait as it drifts along. This allows the bait to swim 

with a minimum amount of drag and keeps the pole in position to pull directly 

upward when a fish bites. 

full extent of pole and leader at the end of the drift it is lifted out of the 

water. 

drift as it entices the albacore to bite. 

for the entire length of a drift and albacore can be encouraged to hit it by 

lightly jerking on the bait with a slight lift of the pole. 

bait will be more lively, good fishermen change their bait on every drift 

rather than trying to drift a bait a second time. 

If the bait is not hit by the time it reaches the 

Many fishermen slap the water with the tip of the pole during the 

A weak bait may not swim on a hook 

Because a new 
74 

Squidding Fish 

Squidding albacore (also called jack poling) is much faster than using 

bait poles. 

3 ft shorter than the pole. 

overhead casting motion of the pole ending in a splashing of the water surface 

by the pole. 

moved across a 4 ft arc in front of the fisherman, accompanied by frequent 

splashing with the pole. When an albacore bites the squid he is lifted and 

pulled, rather than swung, in towards the fisherman's right side. When the 

fish is airborne a couple of feet in front of the fisherman the squid pole is 

lowered, removing the leader tension, and the squid will usually fall from the 

fish's jaw. Momentum carries the fish onto the boat and the fisherman has 

already flipped the squid back into the water and begun fishing again. 

fast biting school each fisherman can land an albacore every 5 to 10 seconds. 

The squid pole is shorter, 8-10 ft in length, with a leader about 

The squid is flipped into the water with a rapid 

The squid is then jigged up and down while simultaneously being 

In a 

Seldom is a school of albacore sufficiently excitable early in the 

season to be successfully fished with squid poles. 

season more schools of "biting" fish are encountered which can be fished 

briefly with squids before switching to bait poles, and occasionally a school 

will bite well enough for several tons to be landed on squid poles. 

During the middle and late 
75 

Although squid fishing is much faster than bait fishing there are 

usually one or two fishermen who fish with bait poles even when the fish are 

biting well enough to squid. When fishing slows to the point where the bait 

fishermen are outfishing those using squid poles then everybody switches to 

bait until the school bites better or leaves. 

Miscellaneous Comments on Bait Fishina 

The terms "touchy" biter, "slow," "col d" or "picky" fish are frequently 

heard when bait fishing for albacore. 

boil on the chum and come to the boat and then frustrate the fishermen by 

swimming up to within inches of their hook bait only to pass it without 

b-iting. Changing to a smalier hook will often improve biting but if the fish 

are large, pulling them from the water must be timed perfectly or the hook 

will pull out. Lighter gauge wire on the leader bends easier but is less 

visible and may help. 

decrease the visibility of the leader and the lrse of rod and reel sport 

fishing gear with light monofilament may be tried if it is the only way to 

catch fish. 

important when the fisk become picky. It often helps if the hook bait is 

larger than the churn being thrown. All of the above techniques as well as 

splashing the water and jigging the bait are used when fish become touchy; 

however, they don' t always work. 

These terms refer to albacore which 

Changing from wire to monofilament leaders wil? also 

Selection of the largest, liveliest hook bait becomes very 
76 

Several things are done as a matter of routine while fishing to maximize 

the chances of catching fish. The short section of piano wire attached to the 

bait hook or squid frequently becomes bent while fishing. 

does not straighten it immediately the chances of an albacore biting are 

severely curtailed. 

badly chewed are reason enough to switch to another pole which is already set 

If the fisherman 

Leaders which become severely kinked and squids which are 

up with new gear. 

Constant maintenance of the fishing equ pment reduces lost fish and is 

Each crewman sets up several 

Free time while 

an important part of the crew's daily routine 

poles to his specifications, along with leaders and squids. 

looking for fish is often spent repairing bait scoops, replacing squids which 

are chewed up or discolored, making new leaders or setting up poles. Leaders 

are checked frequently for kinks in the wire, frayed line, or worn spots, and 

replaced when necessary. Bamboo poles may develop new cracks which should be 

taped, or the pole discarded if taping is not feasible. 

off when fishing begins. 

Such preparation pays 

Losinq a School 

The chummer attempts to control the school and is the most important 

member of the fishing crew. If too little bait is thrown the fish will move on 

and yet if too much bait is thrown in the water, it may swim or drift away 

from the boat before the albacore can eat it. Albacore will often chase the 

bait or stay down deep and wait for it rather than coming to the surface where 

they can be caught. The chummer relies on his experience to gauge how much 
77 

bait to throw, and when and where to throw it to maximize the catch, and 

minimize the use of bait. 

If a fisherman loses his pole to a fish it will often cause the school 

to leave. 

because of the limited size range of the fish encountered. Albacore caught by 

the U.S. west coast baitboat fleet seldom exceed 35 lbs (15.8 kg) and the 

average size is usually 18 lbs (8.2 kg); both sizes are fished with 1 pole 

rigs. 

often by fishermen who are not ready or whose hands have become slippery with 

blood and sl ime. 

Loss of a pole is not a common occurrence in albacore fishing 

Pole loss is not caused by overly large fish coming through but more 

An albacore which falls back into the water with a large splash while 

being pulled disrupts the school. 

determine where and how well a fish is hooked before pulling it from the 

water. Timing the pulling of a fish with the swell so that minimum strain is 

put on the hook is very important. 

rack rather than in the water because of the skill exhibited by the fisherman. 

On very large albacore it might be necessary to have a gaff handy for those 

fish which are not hooked well. 

Experienced fishermen automatically 

Many times the fish will drop off in the 

Fishing will frequently be interrupted by the appearance of sharks. 

most common visitor is the blue shark (Prionace glauca), and occasionally 

hammerhead sharks (Sphyrna spp.) or mako sharks (Isurus oxyrinchus). 

The 
78 

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Albacore do not disappear when a blue shark appears but maintain a 

respectful distance, biting as the shark moves away from the boat and then 

moving away as one approaches. 

bait and hit on the head with the pole in an attempt to drive 

A piece of pipe 10-12 ft in length with a pointed end used to put holes in the 

shark is much more effective at driving it away. 

take a baited hook and occasionally a fisherman is caught unaware and hooks 

one. The usual solution is to remove the leader from the pigtail swivel and 

release the shark, generally with as much damage as can be inflicted, or to 

cut the leader if it is necessary to save the pole. 

Blue sharks can be lured to the surface with a 

the shark off. 

The blue shark will readily 

Hammerhead and mako sharks seldom approach the boat close enough to be 

struck or hit. Within minutes of the arrival of either of these two species 

the a1 bacore usual ly 1 eave. 

Merry Go Round and Walking Schools 

At times an albacore school will not remain with a boat that is stopped, 

even though initially they may bite quite readily and a lot of fish are 

evident in the school. 

Nmerry-go-roundingtl may keep a school with the boat. 

At such times the techniques of "walking" a school or 
79 

Walking a school consists of moving the boat at a very slow speed, 

\ usually downswell, while bait fishing or squidding. Idle speed is too fast 

unless the vessel is continuously taken in and out of gear. Many baitboats 

add a bypass valve to the transmission hydraulics which slips the clutch and 

permits the super-slow speed necessary to walk a school. 

as slow as possible, just a little faster than the boat would drift. 

vessels cannot maintain steerage at these slow speeds and therefore "walking" 

is not practical. 

downswell , eliminates excessive rolling and allows the fishermen to fish from 

the racks. 

The object is to run 

Some 

This technique, also used in rough weather when running 

Merry-go-rounding, as its name imp1 ies, i s a circl ing maneuver used to 

work a school. The boat is run in a circle at a very slow idle as the chummer 

throws bait forward. The circle may be made so that the fishermen are on the 

inside or the outside and is usually as tight as the boat will turn. Bait 

poling is not possible when merry-go-rounding due to the speed and angle at 

which the vessel moves. Because the vessel is constantly moving this 

technique requires that more chum be thrown and is therefore used primarily 

with fast biting fish. 

LOCATING FISH 

Both bait fishermen and jig fishermen locate schools of albacore by 

trolling jigs, however they do not wander aimlessly across the ocean. 

A1 bacore are generally caught in waters with a sea surface temperature of 58"- 

70" F so efforts are concentrated in this temperature range. Topographical 
80 

c 

and oceanographic influences often concentrate albacore in areas year after 

year and these historical "fishing grounds" are base areas from which to begin 

searching. Fishermen also are aware of the presence of whales, porpoises, sea 

lions, and birds which feed on the same organisms as albacore and are 

indicative of an area containing albacore forage. Thus, awareness coupled 

with experience is used to maximize the probability that fish will be found, 

thus reducing the amount of non-productive searching. 

Fronts 

Fishermen work two kinds of fronts, those indicated by temperature 

changes and by water color differences, referred to by fishermen as 

temperature or color breaks. 

caused by currents, upwelling and storms and may be small, temporary, 

1 oca1 ized differences or very 1 arge, semi- permanent features of considerable 

extent . 

The changes in temperature and/or color are 

Surface temperature and color breaks are often indicators of complex 

oceanographic phenomena with many subsurface manifestations. 

associated increase in the concentration of albacore food organisms or a 

decrease in the depth of water having the preferred temperature for albacore. 

For these and/or other reasons albacore have been found to concentrate near 

oceanic fronts (Laurs and Lynn 1977) and upwelling areas (Laurs et al. 1977). 

There may be an 
81 

The change in surface water temperature or color may be quite abrupt, 

occurring in a few yards, or it may be a steady but gradual change over 

several miles. 

may be subtle changes in shades of blue or green to sharp blue-green 

interfaces.- Streaks in the water surface or a line of foam, detritus and 

flotsam also occur near fronts, and there may be iislicksii and "riffles". 

The temperature may vary by 0.5" to 5.0" F and color changes 

Fish are often found in close proximity to the front and if fishermen 

notice a change in the surface temperature or color they often spend time 

working the area even if fish are not caught on the first pass. 

front consists of tacking back and forth over the area or running along the 

edge. Circling on or near a front may also be very productive. 

front found in an area that has been producing only scattered jig strikes may 

result in very good catches, particularly in upwell ing areas. 

catches made by jigboats working 1,000 miles off of the U.S. west coast were 

made near the frontal boundaries of the Transition Zone (a region of mixing of 

subarctic and subtropic waters) and especially where a loop or pocket was 

formed by the front (Laurs and Lynn 1977). 

Working a 

Fishing on a 

The best 

Banks 

Fishing is often more productive in the vicinity of seamounts, banks and 

valleys on the ocean floor. 

currents, presumably concentrating albacore forage and increasing the number 

of a1 bacore in the area. 

Abrupt changes in bottom topography affects 
82 

Fishermen uti1 ize the association of a1 bacore with topographical 

features to help them find fish. 

vicinity of those areas which historically are focal points for locating fish. 

"Landmarks of the sea'' such as Cortez Bank; San Juan, Davidson and Guide 

Seamounts; the 195, 213-, 1500- and 945-fathom spots; Monterey sea-valley and 

others are well known and marked on navigational charts, with the shallowest 

point or contour often used to identify a spot for reference (Figure 23). 

Effort is frequently concentrated in the 

Fishing may be best directly over the bank, mount or sea-valley however 

it is often several miles from the specific reference point. The effect of 

topographical features on currents and forage may be more apparent and 

influential in affecting the abundance of albacore miles away from the 

feature, much as a rock in a stream creates disturbances above, beside and 

bel ow it. 

JumDers 

c 

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c 

Albacore jumping out of the water, called "jumpers" by the fishermen is 

the most common visual sign of their presence. There may be only one or two 

fish or several dozen over a wide area. The fish will often clear the water 

and make a smooth arc in the air before re-entering head first. Frequently, 

there is no other surface disturbance except that made by the jumping 

albacore. This phenomenon occurs often early in the season and is easily seen 

on flat calm days. 
83 

55' 

50' 

450 

40' 

35' 

30' 

25. 

I350 130. 125" 120° I I5O I100 IO0 

DISh,". snt 

640 

Hoeqrlnl Sal 

Wlnod Kndh , CMI 

I 1 I 1 I IAN LULAS 

1 

Fijure 23. 

at -1 offshore "landmarks" used by fishermen. 

West coast of North America showing many of the coastai 

550 

50. 

4 50 

40° 

L5O 

IO0 

5O 
84 

It is difficult to get jumping fish to bite jigs. Different tactics 

used are trolling near the fish, circling around the school, circling in fron

of their direction of travel, stopping and starting in front of the fish or 

combinations of these. Jumping fish appear to be traveling and if they bite 

usually only one or two fish are caught. Such meager returns when fish can be 

seen is frustrating, yet occasionally a boat will catch a considerable 

quantity of fish on jumpers. 

Boiling Fish 

Boiling indicates albacore feeding near the surface. They create a 

disturbance on the surface of the water indicated by splashing, froth and 

circular swirls. There may be jumping fish in the school and quite often 

birds will be associated with the school. 

This type of school is generally found during the middle and late season 

rather than in the early season. 

in fast and furious fishing activity. 

is to circle on the school or to tack back and forth on the edges if the 

school is moving. Albacore often remain with a circling boat for several 

hours. 

These schools take jigs readily, resulting 

The most productive trolling technique 

Breezers 

A school of fish swimming near the surface may create a rippling of the 

water surface similar to that made by a breeze blowing on the surface. Such a 
school is called a "breezer" or 

breezer may be seen from a cons 

a5 

"breezing" school. On a glassy calm 

derable distance and looking for th 

day a 

S 

disturbance is a common method of locating yellowfin and skipjack schools'. 

Albacore do not school as tightly as either yellowfin or skipjack and it is 

very rare to see or hear of a breezing school of albacore, consequently 

albacore fishermen do not depend on this method to find fish. 

Birds 

Certain sea birds are used to locate fish as they are easy to see, even 

in rough weather. Sea birds and albacore feed on many of the same organisms, 

primarily crustaceans, small fish, squid, and plankton. A large number of 

birds in an area indicates large quantities of food on which albacore may also 

feed. 

shearwater, tern and gull (Figure 24). 

The sea birds most commonly seen are the albatross, storm petrel, 

A1 batross 

The albatross is a large bird with a wingspan of up to 7 ft and is often 

seen gliding alone just above the water, beating its wings occasionally to 

continue its soaring. Two species occur on the fishing grounds, the Laysan 

and the black-footed. 

upper wings and does not typically follow ships. 

is dark all over and follows a ship for days on end. 

nearshore and sit on the water near a drifting boat. 

fish and squid at night. Although as many as 8 or 10 albatrosses may be seen 

The Laysan occurs offshore, has a white body with dark 

The black-footed albatross 

They are often seen 

The albatrosses feed on 
86 

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I 

nu 

W 

v, 

c, 

fa 

73 

W 

L 

W 

c) r 

S 

0 

V 

E: 

v, 

TI 

L .- 

b 

fa 

W 

d 

N 

W 
87 

in the same area they do not congregate ove- albacore schools and are not used 

to locate fish. 

Storm Petrel s 

Storm petrels are small dark birds, often with a white patch at the base 

of the tail. 

of the water. They are frequently seen following in the boats wake, singly or' 

in loose groups of 3-12, but not in large flocks. 

birds" by some members of the fleet, although their presence is not a definite 

indication of fish. 

They have a jerky, irregular flight and often touch the surface 

Petrels are called "tuna 

Shearwaters 

Shearwaters are medium sized birds with slender wings and bill , dark 

brown on top with a white or brown underside. 

characteristic is their flight, composed of a few deep wing beats and then a 

'long glide, often tilted with one wingtip just above the surface of the water. 

They occur singly or in flocks of up to several hundred birds. 

Their most distinctive 

Shearwaters are good indicators of fish, particularly when seen in large 

flocks. 

indicates feed at the surface, often driven there by albacore underneath. A 

flock of shearwaters sitting on the water might be indicative of recent 

surface feeding in that spot and tacking through the area often results in a 

jig strike. 

A large group of these birds swooping and diving over the water 
88 

Terns 

The terns have medium sized, slender bodies with long slender wings and 

forked tails. Their 

flight is graceful though somewhat bouncy and they dive into the water to 

capture their food. 

terns, like shearwaters, are excellent indicators of bait near the surface and 

They are white, white and black, or brown in color. 

Often seen in large flocks, particularly nearshore, the 

therefore possibly albacore. 

crews looking for bait in shallow water. 

They are very good fishermen and are watched by 

Gull s 

There are many species of gulls, all with square tails, a robust body 

and pointed wings. 

and black. 

associated with albacore. They will quickly join terns and shearwaters over 

food and can be seen as they attempt to rob the other birds or drop onto the 

water to pick up some food that was dropped. 

Coloration varies with combinations of brown, white, grey 

Gulls are primarily scavengers and nearshore they may be 

Bird Flocks 

Large, tight flocks of birds are not usually seen until the middle of 

the season- Early in the season birds will be seen singly or in small, very 

loose flocks. 

at all. 

Fishermen consider any bird life to be a better sign than none 

If all the birds in an area fly in one direction it may be wise to 
89 

follow since birds seem to have a way to communicate the location of food. 

The birds mentioned above are often seen in mixed flocks as well as 

singly. 

are sitting on the water during bad weather or at night. 

watching the birds at sea the greater amount of information which can be 

obtained. Changes in flight, calling and other behavior indicate whether a 

bird is traveling, hunting, feeding or just exercising his wings and can be 

differentiated with a little experience. 

Large flocks are indicative of a quantity of feed except when they 

The more time spent 

Birds working over albacore indicate that the albacore are feeding and 

fishermen work the school the same as boiling fish. 

edges or circle around the school attempting to get their jigs as close to the 

fish as possible without running over the fish, as that often puts them down. 

They tack around the 

P1 anes 

Albacore boats fishing nearshore sometimes make arrangements with a 

pilot to fly over the fishing area and spot schools of fish. 

commonly used by bluefin fishermen but infrequently and usually on an 

opportunistic basis by albacore fishermen. The pilot is paid a percentage of 

what the vessels catch for his efforts. Albacore which are at or near the 

surface in clear water will look like a large dark spot from the air. 

experienced pilot can locate fish and tell their direction of travel as well 

as the quantity of fish in the school. 

This method is 

An 
90 

I BOAT INSTRUMENTATION 

Many instruments are necessary on both jigboats and baitboats to provide 

safety and to improve the boat's ability to find, catch and hold fish. 

larger the vessel generally the greater the investment and the more peripheral 

equipment it will carry. The following is a general description of boat 

equipment to familiarize the reader with various items used in the fleet. 

The 

Radios 

The radio, once considered an extravagance, is now a standard part of 

every fishing boat. 

boats for the exchange of fishing information and weather conditions. 

It allows communication with landbased stations and other 

It is 

the surest and quickest means of obtaining assistance in case of emergency. 

Many boats carry different types of radios and spare units as backups should 

one or another fail. 

be heard while the crew is working on the fantail. 

An external speaker mounted on deck allows the radio to 

Ci tizenl s Band 

A citizen's band radio (CB) is inexpensive but of limited use at sea due 

to its design as a low powered, line-of-sight communications system. 

interference due to skip generally limits their effective range to under 10 

miles at sea. 

The 

The increase from 23 to 40 channels by the Federal 
91 

Communications Commission (FCC) has alleviated this problem somewhat and many 

vessels use them to pass information to friends or "code boats" working nearby 

but they are a limited communications source. 

generally does not monitor CB frequencies so the CB radio cannot be relied 

upon in emergencies. 

In addition, the Coast Guard 

V HF 

Radios which operate on Very High Frequency (VHF) have a maximum output 

of 25 watts and an effective range of 40-60 miles. These are the most common 

radios in the albacore fleet and are a constant source of information and 

chatter during the fishing season. 

channels in the VHF range and sets are available which have all or some 

fraction of these. Channel 16 (156.8 mHz) is the Coast Guard frequency 

reserved for emergency and distress messages and Coast Guard warnings of 

dangerous seas or navigational hazards. Frequencies 162.4 mHz and 162.55 mHz 

broadcast continuous local marine weather reports for much of the Pacific 

coast. 

updated every 6 hours. The information given includes wind velocity and 

direction, wave and swell heights and direction, and cloud cover or fog. 

There are 55 transmitting and 75 receiving 

These weather reports are put out by the National Weather Service and 

Single Side Band 

The single side band (SSB) radio puts out 100 to 1000 watts of power 

(100 to 200 is most common), and the effective.range is several thousand miles 
92 

on the upper bands. Most albacore fishing vessels have crystal controlled 

sets working on simplex frequencies and using popular channels. Some boats 

which work together select a radio frequency on which they pass information 

within their select group. The more popular frequencies are in the 4 to 12 

mHz range and are referred to by a number-letter code that corresponds to a 

given frequency (Table 2). 

Coast Guard for emergency calls. 

The frequency 2182 kHz is always monitored by the 

Radiofacsimile 

aRadiofacsimil e (FAX) broadcasts of marine weather are made daily on 

various SSB radio frequencies for most of the world's oceans (NOAA, DOC 1979). 

The information is received in chart form on FAX recorders with built in 

receivers or connected to the SSB on the vessel, and are easily read and 

interpreted. The charts provide analysis of pressure systems, prognosis 

(usually for 24 to 48 hrs), indications of storms, fog and rain as well as 

wave/swell/sea condition and sea surface temperatures. This information can 

be valuable in avoiding storms or weather frontal systems and finding optimal 

fi shi ng areas. 

Radio Direction Finder 

Many a1 bacore vessel s are equipped with a radio direction finder (RDF) . 

The RDF connects to the VHF-FM radio and indicates the relative bearing from 

the ship of a transmitted signal. RDFs for single side band (SSB) radios are 
93 

1 imi ted to close range because a SSB signal bounces off the atmosphere and 

therefore accuracy is limited. Some RDFs monitor a single frequency at a time 

and must be switched manually to another frequency while others will 

automatically scan several frequencies for a signal. Some VHF transceivers 

have a RDF built into the unit. The directional antennae used with these 

units are mounted above all other rigging on the ship to avoid interference. 

The RDF permits the operator to locate buoys and beacons which have 

radio transmitters or to triangulate on land-based radio stations to determine 

the boat's position. 

conditions overheard on the radio are more valuable if the fisherman knows 

from what direction or area the information is coming from. The RDF provides 

the directional information when it is not included in the transmission. The 

RDF also provides a quick bearing on a vessel calling for emergency assistance 

or allows the operator to provide a heading to a vessel attempting to locate 

him. 

Fishing information, water temperatures and weather 

Communication Reaul a tions 

Rules and regulations. governing radio operation and their enforcement 

are the responsibility of the Federal Communications Comm ssion (FCC). 

vessel which uses radio equipment must have a Ship's Stat on License from the 

FCC and the operator must have a current 3rd class radio-telephone operator's 

license. Failure to conform to all FCC rules and regulations is punishable by 

fines and/or imprisonment. 

A 
94 

Naviqation 

Since man first put to sea one of the constant problems has been to 

determine where he is and how to get from point A to point B once he is out of 

sight of land. 

seaman in finding his way over the oceans. 

description of those used most frequently in the albacore fleet today. 

of the following information was obtained from Dutton's Navigation and 

Piloting (Maloney 1978) and the reader is referred to t h i s o r a similar 

reference source for more detailed information. 

Many systems have been developed over the years to aid the 

The following is a brief 

Much 

Compas s 

A compass is the primary navigationa tool on any vessel and has been 

used by seamen since the early Viking days The compass gives the seaman a 

constant reference point or direction from which the course of the vessel may 

be measured without the aid of visual landmarks or celestial bodies. Two 

types of compasses are used within the albacore fleet, the magnetic compass 

and the gyrocompass. 
95 

A1 1 a1 bacore vessel s carry one or more magnetic compasses, usually a 

good qual i ty gimhled marine compass encased in a sturdy non-metal1 ic case 

filled with oil or some other substance which will not freeze. Each compass 

must be calibrated (called swinging) after mounting to determine its deviation 

from magnetic North caused by the metallic influence of the boat. Calibration 

should be repeated periodically by a trained technician. This deviation can 

then be combined with the variation of magnetic North from true North, as 

indicated on charts, giving a calibration value for determining the boats true 

course. 

Few albacore boats have a gyrocompass. Gyrocompasses point to true 

North and are advantageous when used with automatic piloting systems, however, 

they require a constant power supply and must be attended if the power is shut 

off or decreased. 

Dead Reckoning 

The most frequent method of determining the approximate position of a 

vessel at any given time is through dead reckoning (DR). 

accurate fix from which to start, the speed and time, and the course followed. 

Distance is calculated from the speed and time and then plotted on the course 

traveled from the last known fix to give an approximate position. 

to wind and currents is not figured in DR. 

DR requires an 

Drift due 
96 

Over short distances and in the absence of wind and current dead 

reckoning is accurate, however, errors caused by wind, current,and the effects 

of sea state on the course and speed increase with time and distance. Because 

of the inherent errors of DR navigation it is not relied upon to avoid nearby 

shoal s or 1 ahdfal 1 s. 

Charts 

Navigation charts of the fishing area and coastline likely to be 

encountered are kept on board all fishing vessels. Navigational hazards, 

islands, buoys, shore markers and anchorages are identified to aid the seaman. 

The ship's course and positions may be plotted so that the ship's location can 

be determined at a glance and for figuring DR's. 

identified by fishermen as banks, sea valleys, or other identifying 

characteristics from navigational charts and cannot be located without the 

proper chart. 

purposes. 

Many good fishing areas are 

Most charts also have Loran lines on them for navigational 

Celestial Navigation 

Ce 

however, 

est 

the 

a1 navigation has been used by seamen for hundreds of years, 

advent of electronic navigation equipment has reduced or 

eliminated celestial navigation in much of the albacore fleet. Most 

electronic systems are more accurate and easier to use than celestial 

navigation and captains no longer need navigate by the stars. 
97 

Loran-C 

Loran (Long RAnge Navigation) is a pulsed hyperbol ic radio navigation 

system using time differences in the reception of signals from different 

stations to determine position. 

station to determine the time delay between stations gives a line of position 

relative to the master station. This can then be plotted on a chart with the 

proper Loran lines. 

give a fix accurate to within 1-5 nautical miles. 

Matching the signals of a master and slave 

The intersection of two or more lines of position 'will 

Loran-C operates on frequencies of 90-110 kHz and can be used to obtain 

accurate navigational information over a distance of 1200 miles for 

groundwaves and over 3000 miles for skywaves. Loran-C uses mu1 tiple pul se 

signals and receivers have a built-in phase comparison of the signal which 

improves accuracy. 

Loran is the principal means of navigation in the albacore fleet and has 

essentially replaced celestial navigation. Positions may be determined ' 

quickly and the use of the system can be learned in a few hours. 

depends to a large extent on signal strength and the angle of intercept of the 

lines of position, the latter being very important. 

Accuracy 

Fishing areas are often 

described as a Loran "block," which is the area contained by two pairs of 

intersecting lines on a chart. 

course as "working along line. . .I' with the designated Loran line given. 

It is not uncommon for fishermen to give their 
98 

Omega 

The Omega navigation system was established as a worldwide, all-weather 

positioning system working on very low frequency radio waves (10.2 kHz). The 

omega system uses a phase difference of continuous wave radio signals rather 

than the time difference used by Loran. Eight stations transmit signals and 

accuracy is purported to be within 1 mile in the daytime and 2 miles at night. 

The Omega system has been gaining n popularity within the fishing flee

in the past few years, primarily because it can be used successfully in areas 

where Loran positions cannot be obtained Receivers are available which give 

instantaneous readouts of latitude and longitude at the press of a button. 

Sate1 1 i te Navigation 

Satellite navigation is now being used by some fishing vessels in the 

albacore fleet. Positions are determined by measuring the Doppler shift of 

radio frequencies as a satellite passes overhead and running the data through 

a microprocessor. The vessel is assumed to have maintained a constant course 

and speed during the satellite pass and the comparison of relative motion of 

the satellite and vessel as indicated by the Doppler shift is used to compute 

the ship' s position from the known satel 1 i te position. 

passes each change of the vessel's course or speed is entered into the 

microprocessor which updates the vessel 's position by DR. 

Between satel 1 i te 
99 

Accuracy on an immobile platform is within a few meters and on a vessel 

maintaining a constant speed and course accuracy is within 100 meters. Some 

vessels have units in which the computer is linked to the gyro compass and 

speed log so course and speed are updated automatically and an accurate, 

updated DR position may be kept between satellite passes. 

navigation system may be interfaced with an Omega to increase the accuracy on 

a moving vessel. 

A satellite 

Radar 

A radar is an extremely valuable piece of safety equipment as well as an 

aid to navigation. 

squalls the radar becomes the eyes of the boat. 

on th U.S. west coast is done in areas with cargo vessel traffic, as well as 

several hundred fishing boats, and a radar becomes invaluable in keeping track 

of surrounding traffic. Nearshore a radar may pick up indentifiable coastline 

contours which will assist in determining the boats location. 

vessels have a radar, particularly if they fish in shipping lanes or in areas 

where fog is common. 

On moonless or cloudy nights or when there is fog or rain 

Much of the albacore fishing 

Most albacore 

The most popular size radar is the 3 cm set which operates on 9320-9500 

mHz and gives maximum resolution of bearing and range. 

available in the number of ranges, course markers and resolution. 

have alarm systems which sound off if contact is made within range and 

intercept angles (up to 360") set by the operator or the warning device can be 

Several options are 

Some radars 
7 00 

obtained as a separate unit which connects to the radar scope. 

bearing of the contact is indicated on the radar scope and/or on a digital 

display. These coll ision avoidance systems supplement visual observation, 

which may be slack during fishing operations or when running on automatic 

pilot and can be used at night while the vessel is drifting to warn the 

sleeping crew of an approaching vessel. 

The relative 

A rapid fix may be made with a radar by determining the range and 

bearing on an object with a known position such as a buoy, lightship, mountain 

or point of land. Fixes may thus be obtained at ranges beyond the observers 

visioll. Rain storms show up on radar and can be tracked allowing the vessel 

to avoid ,them. 

There are some disadvantages to radar and its use. There are minimum 

and maximum range limitations. 

interpreted by the observer. Small boats, buoys and other small objects may 

not be detected, particularly in high seas or near shore and heavy rain may 

block the radar completely. For these reasons fishermen use the radar as a 

navigational aid but not as a substitute for proper precautions and common 

sense 

Information seen on the scope must be 

Automatic Pi 1 ot 

AI bacore fishing requires many hours of running to and from the fishing 

area, from one area to another, and during the fishing operation itself. 
101 

Jigboats run constantly while fishing and baitboats run except when stopped on 

a school of fish. Thus the ship must be steered for 14-16 hours each day. 

Hand steering is very tedious therefore most all albacore vessels have some 

form of automatic pilot to steer the vessel. 

complexity and versatility but typically they hold the vessel on a set course 

with sensitivity controls that adjust the response to different sea states and 

ship speeds to minimize under or oversteerage. 

crewman to take over, and many units have a switch which changes course left 

or right while the boat is still on pilot. 

control on the stern for the auto-pilot so that the vessel may be steered 

while both crewmen are aft pulling fish. Although an automatic pilot can 

steer the vessel, it can neither see obstructions nor steer around them and 

must be manned at all times. Crewmen on jigboats being run remotely from the 

stern keep a careful watch to avoid running into another vessel. 

Automatic pilots vary in 

A manual override allows a 

Trollers often rig a remote 

Echo Sounder 

The fisherman often needs to know the bottom depth and topography to 

anchor the vessel, find a bank, cross a shoal or enter an unmarked harbor. 

The ol d method of 1 owering a 1 ead weight with a cal ibrated 1 ine over the bow 

has long been replaced by electronic echo sounders (also called depth 

sounders, fathometers or fish finders). The echo sounder is also used to 

locate concentrations of bait and sub-surface albacore schools (Figure 25). 
Figure 25. 

Notice that the paper has been turned over and run twice through the recorder. 

Echo sounder trace showing albacore (upper) and anchovy (lower). 
103 

A transducer located on the bottom of the vessel emits a 40-90 kHz sound 

pulse which travels downward and Rounces off the ocean floor, other solid 

objects, air bladders and air sacs of fish, and back up to the receiver on the 

vessel. 

ft/sec and the time required for the sound to reach the bottom and return is 

used to compute the distance traveled. 

device which emits a flash on a calibrated scale, Most units also emit an 

audible signa? and mark the depth on heat sensitive paper for a continuous 

record. 

The speed of the sound pulse is assumed to be constant at 4,800 

The depth is indicated on a recording 

Echo sounders available have various frequencies, scale options, 

recording devices and resolution capabilities. 

some type of echo sounder, the sophistication varying with the type and amount 

of use to which it is to he put. 

Most albacore vessels carry 

Sonar 

Sonar (Sound NAvigation and Ranging) works on the same principal as an 

echo sounder. 

vertically and set to scan an arc up to 360" around the vessel and lock on a 

target. Targets are displayed on a cathode ray tube as well as setting off an 

audible signal. 

saved for future reference. 

A sonar may be directed from 0" horizontally to 90" down or 

Chart displays give a continuous visual record which can be 
i 04 

Specifications and avail able options are highly variable between 

different units. 

each unit with maximum ranges of 600-1500 meters. 

40-150 kHs and power output is 1-2 KW, 

different AC and DC voltages. 

There are usualiy several range scales to be selected on 

Operating frequencies are 

Most units will operate on severa'l 

Sonar greatiiy enhances the capability of a vessel searching for bait or 

a1 bacore by helping to locate subsurface schools, determine their direction o

movement, and to indicate school size and rejative concentration. Baitboats 

use sonar when "walking" a school of albacore to follow the largest 

concentration of fish within the school as Si-, moves. Many times albacore are 

located on the sonar and brought to the surface with bait when they will no:, 

strike a jig and would therefore have been missed. 

Sea Temperature -I__-- Gauges 

Variations in surface and subsurface water temperatures are often 

indicative of environmental factors which affect availability and fishing 

success. Albacore tagged with ultrasonic transmitters and tracked as they 

moved through coastal waters congregate near upwelling fronts and respond te 

variations in sea surface temperature (Laurs, Yuen, and Johnson, 19771, 

A1 bacore catches made several hundred miles offshore were significantly highe

in Transition Zone waters delineated by specific subsurface thermal 

characteristics (laurs and Lynn, 7977). The optima! surface temperature 

preference of albacore ranges from 58" to 70" F. (14.4"-21.1" 6; Clernens, 
105 

1961) , and most are caught in waters with surface temperatures of 62" to 66" F 

(16.7"-18.9" C). 

Fishermen in search of albacore closely monitor the sea surface 

temperature. 

thermistor with approximately - + 0.1" F sensitivity placed in the sea water 

intake or less commonly on the keel or through the hull. The temperature is 

read on a gauge placed in the wheelhouse and a paper recorder may be used to 

keep a continuous retrievable record. 

where they may be easily checked. A mercury thermometer may be used to 

calibrate the thermistor, however, the requirement for a constant readout of 

temperature precludes their use as the primary source of temperature 

measurements. 

Surface water temperature is often measured by an electric 

Both the gauge and recorder are located 

Subsurface Temperature 

Subsurface temperatures are measured by expendable bathythermographs 

(XBTs) , a mechanical bathythermograph (BT), or a thermistor on a marked cable. 

An XBT system consists of a launcher which is hand held or fixed, a 

recorder, and the expendable probes. 

thermistor in the head of the probe as the probe drops through the water at a 

known rate. An electrical signal travels from the probe to the launcher via a 

fine wire and then by cable to the recorder where temperature versus depth is 

recorded on pressure sensitive paper. 

The temperature is measured by a 

A variety of temperature and depth 
106 

scales are available, with the probe type and recorder paper being matched. 

The most popular scale in the albacore fishery measures temperatures from 30" 

to 95" F at depths from 0 to 1500 feet or a metric scale of -2" to 33" C and 0 

to 450 meters. 

A mechanical BT is lowered and raised on a cable while the ship is 

underway or stopped. 

smoked or gold plated glass slide and then read with the aid of a calibrated 

magnifying viewer. 

Temperature and-depth are etched on the surface of a 

When the ship is stopped, an electric thermistor may be lowered on a 

cable marked at designated lengths. The readout for the thermistor is 

typically on a gauge but may also be on a recorder. 
107 

CARE OF THE FISH 

Once the albacore are caught they must be properly cared for to avoid 

loss due to spoiled or damaged fish. Fish are not ?eft on deck any longer 

than necessary and at the first opportunity are rinsed with a deck hose to 

remove blood, slime and loose scales before beSng placed in the refrigerated 

hojd. Some vessels use a conveyor belt which carries the fish from the deck to 

a cnute OT the well in which they are to be placed, thus eliminating 

cr?rrsider*ahi e hand I abor, 

Refrigeration 

Re Frigerati on methods for hol ding fi sh ha3 ci improl ed immensely over the 

past few decades, Most albacore boats freeze the fish in the round using one 

ova ~t combination of Lne following: refrigerated br’l”ne, spray brine, 

refrigerated coils and plates, or blower (blast) freezing. Only a sma2; 

proportior: of the albacore vessels use ice to hold the fisn until they get 

r’rlto por”, Each systew is designed for the vessel and differs in the size and 

complexity of the equipment.’. 

result ir; differences in the quality of the fish when they are unloadea. 

Se;ectio~ of a system depends on cost, boat and nold size, fishing method, 

Variations in refrigeration design and iise 

‘The design and constructior? of a refrigeration system can be accomIished by referring to a handbook on the subject (5.g. Special Report 

488 on marine refrigeration put out by Oregon State University, 19773. 

Other information sources are the local library or companies dealing in 

refrigeration supplies and equipment. 
108 

fishing area, and applicability to other types of fishing. 

Most fish refrigeration systems use a freon r e f r i g e r a n t w i t h a small 

percentage of boats using ammonia. Heat loss from opening the hatch, air and 

water temperature, and insulation must be taken into account in the design of 

the system. 

Materials should be chosen carefully in designing a system. Some 

synthetic foam materials used for hold insulation emit a toxic gas when they 

burn. Copper or cupronickel pipe is to be avoided in areas where it will 

contact brine, such as in chillers or coils as copper ions can be toxic and 

may discolor the flesh of the fish (OSU Rep. 1977). 

Ice 

The albacore boats in the early 1900s which made trips of more than one 

day carried chipped ice to keep the fish from speiling. 

refrigeration boats that wished to make longer trips added refrigeration coils 

to their holds so that the ice would last longer. 

vessels which make short trips of 1 or 2 weeks and carry up to 10 tons of 

fish. 

run a large refrigeration system. 

With the advent of 

Ice is still used by small 

Ice is cheap and requires neither the room nor equipment necessary to 
109 

Block ice is shaved or chipped and loaded into the hold of the vessel 

Fish are kept in bins in the hold to prevent them from 

The height of the bins is adjusted by 2 x 6" boards fit into 

prior to the trip. 

sliding around. 

slots on the front of the bin. 

out of a bin and place it on deck or to the side of the hold. 

belly down in the bin and covered with 3 to 5" of ice after which the next row 

is laid, head to tail with the previous row, and so on until all fish are 

covered. 

prevent crushing the smaller fish. 

ft deep, otherwise the fish on the bottom will split and the cannery will 

reject them. 

To put fish down the crewmen shovel the ice 

Fish are laid 

Ideally, fish are stacked with the largest fish on the bottom to 

Large fish are not stacked greater than 3 

Albacore may be kept in this manner for 2 weeks, possibly longer. The 

amount of time the fish will keep depends a lot on the size of fish, small 

fish keeping better than large fish. 

much heat to lose so ice lasts longer, and if more ice is placed between the 

fish it may extend the length of time they can be kept. 

will extend the life of the ice by several days and permit longer trips. 

Fish from colder water do not have as 

Refrigerated coils 

Ice is simple and effective for short trips; however, it has several 

disadvantages. 

care for the catch, with several hours required to properly ice a large catch. 

It greatly increases the amount of fish handling necessary to 

The melting ice and fish blood must be constantly pumped over the side and 

makes a mess of the hold. The length of the fishing trip is limited by the 

speed at which the ice melts, whether or not fish are being caught. 

remain somewhat soft and can split, making them unacceptable to the cannery. 

The fish 
110 

The cost of the ice is a recurring expense. 

The placing of refrigerated coils in the hold reduces the loss of ice; 

the coils serving to keep the temperature below freezing while the ice removes 

the heat from the fish. However, this also presents some problems. Moisture 

from the ice and fish which collects as frost or ice on the coils reduces 

their efficiency. Melted ice and blood which freezes on deck coils and around 

the fish requires the refrigeration to be turned off a couple of days prior to 

the removal of the fish or they cannot be separated. 

the coils is very difficult. 

Also, cleaning around 

Brine 

In the early days of bait fishing the last fish caught were put into the 

bait wells and bait tanks on deck. Sea water was run through a chiller and 

pumped through the tanks to keep the fish cool (Godsil 1938). This process 

was so successful that wells were converted to watertight compartments, 

additional piping and refrigeration was added and the entire catch was held in 

brine (Petrich 1955). Some albacore vessels now use brine holds to freeze 

their catch. Smaller boats which cannot handle the weight of an all-brine 

system may utilize a small brine tank on deck to cool the fish before holding 

them with another system. 
111 

Water conducts heat quite well and fish immersed in cold brine lose heat 

quickly. 

add salt to the water to form a "brine" solution. The amount of salt required 

depends on the temperature desired. 

requires a 17% brine solution. 

To cool salt water below its freezing point of 27" F the fishermen 

To reach a freezing point of 8" to 10" F 

The watertight wells are encircled with coils which cool the brine. 

Pumps circulate the brine from bottom to top to eliminate "hot spots" among 

the fish. 

a large quantity of fish extremely fast. Once the well is full and the fish 

are frozen the brine is pumped over the side to lighten the vessel. 

refrigeration coils keep the fish frozen for the remainder of the trip. 

to unloading, warm brine is pumped through the well to thaw the fish so they 

do not stick together. 

The brine is cooled prior to the addition of the fish and will cool 

The 

Prior 

The greatest advantages to brine are that there is a minimal amount of 

fish handling required and large quantities of fish can be frozen quickly and 

efficiently. 

additional coils, piping and machinery. The we ght of the brine system 

requires a vessel with sufficient displacement o maintain stability. 

Excessive salt penetration in the fish may make them unacceptale to the 

cannery; however this is usually caused by improper thawing of the fish. 

The disadvantages are in the loss of space utilized for the 

Coils and Plates 

Once refrigerated coils were introduced to reduce the loss of ice the 
112 

next step was to increase the number of coils and eliminate the need for ice 

entirely. Plates attached to the coils to form a box-like affair are also 

used, often filled with a solution which cools to provide a greater heat sink. 

The plates are easier to clean than coils, however, a leak in a coil inside 

the plates is difficult to detect. 

Coils and plates are restricted to small holds because air is a poor 

conductor of heat. To improve the freezing efficiency, fans may be installed 

to increase air circulation around them. 

Although this freezing system eliminates the need for ice and does not 

have the weight of a brine system it still has several drawbacks. The fish 

still require a great deal of handling to spread them out and then stack them 

once they are frozen. If the fish are stacked while warm, the fish in the 

center will not freeze rapidly and may actually be insulated by the frozen 

fish on the outside so that those inside can decompose. 

accommodate only a small number of fish at a time so following a large catch 

it becomes necessary to put more fish down every few hours until the entire 

catch has been frozen. 

loss of weight at dockside. 

The system will 

There is some dehydration of the fish resulting in a 

Since fish are frozen separately they remain in very good condition. 

is also possible to "glaze" the fish. 

in fresh water which covers them with a thin layer of ice; improving their 

keeping quality and marketabi1it.y by reducing dehydration. G1 azing is not 

commonly done with albacore but l's used with salmon and other species. 

It 

Glazing consists of dipping frozen fish 
113 

Blower or Blast Freezing 

In blast freezing air is ducted through a super-cooled chiller and blown 

out into the hold. This super-cooled air freezes fish more rapidly than coils 

and fans but the fish must still be spread out for freezing and stacked later. 

The coils are eliminated, increasing hold space and removing areas where 

blood, scales and slime will accumulate and be difficult to clean. 

The quality of the fish is good although dehydration can be excessive 

and "freezer burn'' can occur in fish held for long periods. Large quantities 

of fish can be handled easier if a small brine tank is used to remove much of 

the heat from the fish before they are put down in the hold. 

Spray Brine 

An alternate method of using brine to cool the fish is to spray the fish 

with super-cooled brine. 

fish because the brine circulates over the fish and removes heat effectively. 

Spray brine avoids the additional weight acquired when using full brine wells 

and has proven quite satisfactory for .j igboats and small bai tboats which carry 

up to 35 to 40 tons of fish. 

Spray brine systems can handle a large quantity of 
114 

The brine is cooled as it runs over evaporator coils placed in the 

bottom of the hold and covered with a screen. 

used because it is less prone to clog, sucks the brine from the bottom of the 

hold and pumps it through PVC pipe running along the overhead in the hold. 

The PVC pipe is equipped with several spray heads located such that all of the 

hold is covered by the brine as it sprays out. 

between the pump and the spray heads so they are not clogged with fish scales, 

skin and other debris picked up from the bottom of the hold. 

An open-impeller type pump, 

A filter should be installed 

One problem that frequently develops with spray brine is foaming. 

Decreasing the pressure through the spray heads may take care of the problem. 

Although expensive, commercial de-foamers are made which decrease or stop 

foaming when added to the brine. 

cheaper to use. 

Regular cooking oil also works and is 

A1 bacore he1 d in a spray brine system at 10" to 20" F remain in good 

shape. 

to 28" F so they don't stick together. 

brine system may also be used to chill the load without freezing, making it 

appl icabl e to other fisheries. 

It is easier to unload the fish if the temperature is raised to 27" 

By decreasing the salt content a spray 

ANTI-ROLLING EQUIPMENT 

As a boat drifts it naturally orients itself parallel to the swell and 

rides in the trough. This orientation maximizes the roll of the vessel as 

each swell passes. The rolling of an albacore boat is rough on the vessel, 
715 

crew and equipment. To decrease this wear and tear most albacore boats use 

one or more of the following methods to decrease roll. 

F1 oDDer StoDoers or Stabilizers 

The "flopper stopper" gets its name because it is used to decrease or 

"stop" the vessel from rolling or "flopping" from side to side. Flopper 

stoppers are metal, triangular depressors hung over the sides of the vessel 

from the outriggers or davits, one on each side, and sufficiently deep to 

prevent them from clearing the water when the ship rolls. 

As the boat rolls 

keep tension on the cha 

si de orients horizontal 

on 

amp 

the 

the unit on the downward side drops fast enough to 

n to which it is attached while the unit on the upward 

y and presents maximum surface area to the upward pull 

ts chain. 

itude of the rolling motion. 

depressors reverse their roles. These units are used when drifting at 

This causes considerable drag which reduces the speed and 

As the vessel rolls the opposite direction 

night or when running at slow speed in rough weather. 

Steadying Sai - 1 

home vessels employ a sail to decrease the roll of the vessel (Figure 

1. A steadying sail catches the wind and holds the vessel over in a "steady" 

position like a. sailboat. When there is no wind the sail may be lowered to 

keep ie from flapping. Steadying sails present a greater surface area to the 

wind arid thus increase wind drift which must be taken into consideration when 
figuring courses and particularly when drifting at night near other vessels or 

land. It is not unusual for a vessel to drift 25 to 30 miles at night due to 

wind and/or currents, even without a sail. 

Sea Anchor 

vessel, but by orienting the vessel so that the bow 

wind and swell. It is used at night when fishing is 

drifting in rough weather. 

A sea anchor decreases vessel roll , not by slowing the roll of the 

nted towards the 

for the day or when 

s PO 

done 

The most common form of sea anchor is a parachute deployed so that the 

chute is open in the water, with the shrouds all connected to a line attached 

to the bow of the vessel. 

pulls on the anchor, which resists or drags in the water and thus pulls on the 

bow and orients it up swell. A slack trip line attached to the top of the 

parachute allows it to be collapsed and pulled in easily. 

As the vessel is pushed by the wind and swell, it 

The sea anchor decreases drift due to wind, swell and currents. Vessels 

which use them are supposed to be careful not to drift downswell or downwind 

of a nearby boat which does not. 

EMERGENCIES 

Despite the wishes and best efforts of the vessel's captain and crew 

emergency situations do occur such as a medical.problem, a major mechanical 
117 

breakdown or taking on water. 

dangers when they occur. 

Many steps can be taken to minimize these 

Medical 

A fishing boat is a platform which is constantly rolling and pitching, 

even in calm seas. Working with lines, wire, hooks, and handling fish 

produces cuts and scrapes. Even after acquiring ''sea legs" there is a 

propensity to bounce off of obstructions. All vessels carry a medical kit 

which has antiseptics and bandages to keep small contusions and lacerations 

from becoming infected and a major problem. 

their vulnerability in the event of a major medical emergency at sea. Many of 

them take courses in emergency medical treatment and/or have a book describing 

disease symptoms and emergency treatment so that they can-help someone until 

proper medical assistance can be obtained. 

Fishermen are quite aware of 

There is a medical kit now on the market which contains a book 

describing disease symptoms and medical situations as well as treatments such 

as antibiotics, sedatives, other medicines and surgical supplies. Simple yet 

detailed instructions describe what to do until professional help can be 

obtained. 

aware of the contents of the kit and can provide assistance. 

The kit also has the phone number of a doctor or hospital that is 
118 

Breakdown 

On most albacore boats the captain is responsible for the engines, 

generator and refrigeration equipment, although large baitboats may carry an 

engineer. 

vessels more often than not. One characteristic of all albacore boats is the 

lack of adequate space to store provisions, fishing equipment, boat equipment 

and all the tools and spare parts that may be required. In preparation for a 

trip of many weeks duration and possibly hundreds of miles from port, tools, 

parts and repair equipment are selected for their utility and probable need. 

If the proper part cannot be fixed or replaced at sea an attempt will be made 

to make one, or circumvent the malfunction to keep the equipment running. If 

the vessel is totally disabled another fishing vessel, a commercial tug, or 

the Coast Guard may have to tow it in. 

The phrase "necessity is the mother of invention" fits fishing 

Safety Equipment 

An audible bilge alarm which can be heard throughout the ship prevents 

the boat from taking on water without the crew's knowledge. 

for oil pressure and temperature protect the engine. 

off of the main engine is generally available and hand pumps are used to 

supplement this pump or for use if the engines fail. 

Similar alarms 

A bilge pump which runs 
are eas 

room or 

exti ngu 

from ou 

,-, 

I I i. 

Fire extinguishers of the dry chemica? :.p COq type are placed where they 

ly accessible in case of electrical 51" chemical fires in the engine 

galley. Some of the larger boats instal? an automatic fire 

shing system which covers the entire engine room and can be set off 

side the room. 

Boats carry a skiff and/or life raft which will accommodate the crew in 

the event that the boat should go down or appear to be in imminent danger of 

doing so. There are many life rafts on the market which are self-inflating and 

some which will release themselves from a sinking vessel and rise to the 

surface. Survival equipment carried on the vessel includes fresh water, 

energy food, a knife, signal flares, whistle, mirror, strong light (xenon 

strobes are popular), radar reflector (on vessel's mast), blankets, tarp or 

plastic cover, and radio signal device, all of which are usually kept with the 

life raft. If time permits, a distress cal is put out on the radio giving 

the ship name, position and nature of the d stress. 

Other flotation devices are carried by various boats; such as life 

rings, floats, life vests, coats with built-in flotation and full survival 

suits that reduce exposure while in the water. These items have worked 

countless times to save the life of a fisherman who has fallen overboard or 

otherwise found himself in the sea. 

I Buddy Systen! 

Many albacore vessels work in conjunction with one or more vessels to 
12' 

COVC.~ a greater tisring area as well as providing nearby assistance when a 

vessci nas a pro~lem. Originally established when radios were uncommon these 

"buddies" would fish within sight of one another. Now that the VHF radio has 

become standard equipment on most vessels, contact is maintained via frequent 

calls on the radio, often at pre-selected times of the day, and visual contact 

i s not considered necessary. 

The large number of boats now in the fleet who constantly monitor the 

radio has made the buddy system a safety factor primarily used by boats 

fishing away from the fleet or a great distance offshore. 

maintain a "buddy" system or "code group" for passing fishing information 

within a small select group by using codes or selected radio frequencies. 

Many boat groups 

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 

Special thanks are due Scott Haselton who patiently taught me how to 

bait fish and provided many of the technical details on bait fishing. 

Stauffer, Bob Owen, Bill Craig and Mike Laurs read the manuscript and made 

many helpful suggestions. Countless albacore fishermen have unselfishly shared 

their knowledge over the years, each contributing some detaii enclosed herein. 

Gary 
121 

LITERATURE CITED 

BROADHEAD, GORDON. 

1974. The north Pacific albacore fishery. Living Marine Resources 

Report, under NMFS Contract. 60 p. 

CLEMENS, H. B. 

1961. The migration, age and growth of Pacific albacore (Thunnus 

germo) 1951-1958. Calif. Dept. Fish Game, Fish Bull. 115, 128 p. 

CLEMENS, H. B. AND W. L. CRAIG. 

1965. An analysis of Cal ifornia' s a1 bacore fishery. Cal if. Dept. 

Fish Game, Fish Bull. 128, 301 p. 

CONNER, GERALDINE. 

1930. The five tunas and Mexico. Calif. Div. Fish Game, Fish 

Bull. 20: 75-89. 

1931. Expansion of tuna fishing areas. Calif. Div. Fish Game, Fish 

Bull. 30: 23-31. 

GODSIL, H. C. 

1938. The high seas tuna fishery of California. Calif. Div. Fish 

Game, Fish. Bull. 51: 3-41. 
122 

1949. The commercial fish catch of California for the year 1947 

with an historical review 1916-1947: The tunas. Calif. Div. Fish 

Game, Fish Bull. 74: 11-27. 

HANSON, H. C. 

1955. Pacific tuna clippers. - In Jan-Olof (editor), Fishing Boats of 

the World. Fishing News, London, 1: 118-121. 

1955. Pacific combination fishing vessels. In Jan-01 of (editor), 

Fishing Boats of the World. Fishing News, London, 1: 187-202. 

1955. Pacific trollers. - In Jan-01of (editor), Fishing Boats of the 

World. Fishing News, London, 1: 107-112. 

LAURS, R. M. AND R. J. LYNN. 

1977. Seasonal migration of North Pacific a1 bacore, Thunnus 

alalunga, into North American coastal waters: 

relative abundance, and association with Transition Zone waters. 

Fish. Bull., U.S. 75: 795-822. 

Distribution, 

LAURS, R. M., H. S. H. YUEN AND J. H. JOHNSON. 

1977. Small scale movements of albacore, Thunnus alalunga, in 

relation to ocean features as indicated by ultrasonic tracking and 

oceanographic sarnpl ing. Fish. Bull. , U. S. 75: 347-355. 
12, 

MALONEY, E. S. 

1978. Dutton's navigation and piloting. Thirteenth Edition. 

Copyright 1978, Naval Inst. Press, Annapolis, MD. Elbert S. 

Maloney, ed. 

McNEELY, RICHARD L. 

1961. The purse seine revolution in tuna fishing. Pac. Fish., 

June 1961: 27-58. 

NO A, DOC. 

1979. Worldwide marine weather broadcasts. NOAA, NWS, U.S. Dept. 

Navy, Naval Oceanogr. Command, Silver Spring, MD, Jan. 1979. 

(Avail. Sup. of Doc., U.S. Gov't. Print. Office, Washington, DC 

20402, Stock #003-018-00095-4. ) 

OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY. 

1977. Marine refrigeration. OSU Extension Marine Advisory Program 

Special Report 488. 

PETRICH, JAMES F. 

1955. Operational infuences on tuna clippers. - In Jan-01 of 

(editor), Fishing Boats of the World, 1: 113-117. 

ROBERTS, P. E., D. BAKER AND E. B. SLACK. 

1972. Tuna in New Zealand waters. Qew Zealand Fish. Rsch. 3iv. , 
124 

Occasional Pubi. 4. 

SCOFIELD, N. B. 

1913. The tuna canning industry of southern California. Fish 

Game Comrn., 22nd Biennial Rept. (1910-1912): 111-122. 

SCOFIELD, W. L. 

1956. Trolling gear in California. Calif. Div. Fish Game, Fish 

Bull. 103: 1-45. 

WEBB, E. F. 

1973. Report on the investigations of the "Lloret Lopez 11" 8 

Jauary to April 1970. 

Section 5: Longlining method. New Zealand Ministry of Agric. 

Fish., Fish. Tech. Rept. 105. 

Section 4: Pole fishing and trolling method. 
125 

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126 

Table I1 

Single Side Band Simplex Frequencies 

4A 4125.0 Mhz 8A 8291.1 Mhz 

4B 4143.6 8B 8294.2 

4c 4419.4 

6A 6218.6 

68 6221.6 

6C 6521.9 

12A 12429.2 

128 12435.4 

12C 12432.3