11.2   Troll Lines

             Trolling is primarily used for surface and subsurface fish. Fish behavior towards splashing or rippling water produced by an object has led to some improvement in the hook and line techniques. Troll lines vary from region to region but use both natural and artificial baits. The artificial baits are hard plastic resembling a squid or octopus, while a cheaper material is multicolored silk cloth. Natural baits are fresh fish being caught during lighting.

              The Nylon monofilament twine is the most common material for the mainline. The need for the hook to remain at the surface has introduced a modification by placing a foam float 1.5 meters before the hook. Often, stainless wire is part of the secondary main line which is placed before the hook.

               Troll lines are not only single hook but also use multiple hooks to increase the catch when encountering fish schools. It is now common among fishermen to catch 5 or 10 fish in one hauling. Double hooks are also commonly used with artificial squid or octopus as baits to prevent the catch from escaping.

               Troll lining can also be undertaken along the beach. Fishermen improvise a sort of wooden-kite shaped fish that when towed, produces ripples or a splash. Branchlines are tied along the mainline at 1 to 2 meters interval. The wooden-shaped fish is automatically reversed by towing it in the opposite direction. Fish caught are cavalla, caranx, and other species that frequent the shallow coastal areas.

               Airplane-like splashers are also used in some places. The “saba-saba” which is made of wood and resembling an aeroplane is towed by a motorized banca near payaws to catch Spanish mackerel and tuna. Artificial baits such as squid and octopus-shaped plastic are also used. All the hooks have barbs to hold the fish catch. Two units are towed by the banca and the indication of fish catch is shown by rubber strips lengthening or snapping.

                The provision of a mechanism that produces water movement or disturbance along the sea surface using “saba-saba”, fish-shaped kite and artificial baits make trolling an efficient method to catch surface swimming fish.