Handlines

              The handline consists of a main line, branch line or lines, one or more hooks and sinkers.  There are two types of handline.  One is the gear which has a sinker between the main line and the branch line, and it usually has one or two hooks (type A). This handline is used for catching quite large fish, such as Spanish mackerel, trevally, grouper bottom end of the mainline, and several branch lines are spaced evenly along the main line above the sinker.  This type of handline is used usually to catch small-sized fish, such as sardine and mackerel.
                    
                     Nylon monofilament is generally used for both the main line and branch lines.  However, for catching fish which have a sharp teeth, such as barracuda and Spanish mackerel, branch lines are made of stainless steel wire.  The length of a branch line, which is the line below the sinker for type A handline, varies from 1.5 to 3.0 meters.  The branch lines for type B handlines are generally very short, ranging from 3 cm to 10 cm. There may be 8 to 20 branch lines on one main line, spaced at intervals of about 16-27 cm.

                     The hooks used for handline are almost the same in shape, with along shank.  They differ in sizes however; for catching larger fish the hooks are about 3.5-5.5 cm long, whereas for small fish caught by type B handline the hooks are only about 2.2-2.4 cm long.  The small hooks for type B handline have some lures attached to them, made of plastic and nylon multifilament.
                    
                     The sinker for a handline is usually made of lead and is cone shaped, its size depending on the size of the whole gear.  Sometimes a 15 cm long iron bar is used as a sinker, particularly in waters with the rocky bottom.

                     When not in use, the handline including the main line, branch lines, hooks and sinker, is coiled on a small roller made from bamboo, wood or a plastic float.

                     Fishing with handline is commonly done early in the morning in the waters with rocky bottom or around an island.  Squid is the most widely used bait for handline  some times about 10 cm long mackerels are used as live bait for catching Spanish mackerel.  Most fishing boats have a live-bait tank on board, in which captured fish can also be kept.

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