Longline fishing
Fishing technique
Longline fishing is a selective fishing method. Depending on the catch wanted, the longline will be set at different length:
- demersal longline (resting on the seabed)
- pelagic longline (mid water)
- surface longline (flotting)
Longlines can be stored in a fishlongline which allows to keep tidy the main line and to attach the hooks on the
top edge. Next time you fish with your longline, this storage makes it
quicker to bait your hooks prior to dropping the longline.
The longline is shot with the current and at a
constant angle between the current and the spot thus avoiding twisting
the main line and the snoods together. The longline is maintained by two
anchors (except for surface longline). A buoy is attached at either end
of the longline so that the fisherman can locate it.
Longline hauling is done at the front side of the boat and against the current. Longline hauling can be done manually or with a longline hauler which facilitates the retrieval of the longline.
Glossary
- Longline:
Fishing line (of varied length) suspended between two buoys to which branch lines (or snoods) are attached to a longer main line at regular intervals. - Snood (or branch line):
Secondary line with a single or several baited hooks and attached to the main line by a swivel. - Demersal : Qualifies species living near the bottom of the sea.
- Pelagic : Qualifies species living in open waters or near the surface.
- Swivel:
Small device made of two rings connected to a pivoting joint and used to attach snoods to the main line. - Main line:
The line on which are attached the snoods. - Longline hauler: Equipment fixed on the bulkhead of the boat and used to retrieve longlines.
