Fishing with a non-return slide. The term “sliding” is used to describe the form of angling where a piece of bait is slid into the water instead of casting it. This enables the angler to get larger baits into deeper water. This facet of angling can be used effectively by all anglers, regardless of their level of skill or expertise. Once you have mastered the basics you will be pulling some big fish in no time. It is mainly utilized to target larger fish species and sharks.

In short, you cast only a grapnel sinker, no bait is attached whilst casting. This will decrease the wind resistance which will allow the angler to achieve greater casting distances. Once you are confident that your grapnel sinker has settled onto the bottom of the ocean floor and will not pull closer the moment you slide your bait, you can attach your baited sliding trace to the main line. You then shake your rod, causing the trace to slide along the main line till it reaches the stop ring above your grapnel sinker.

The rod

An angler will be required to use a much stiffer and more durable rod when practicing this method of angling as he is more likely to hook into much larger fish and will need to be able to put a lot of pressure on the fish.

The weight of the rod also plays a significant role in battling of the fish. A heavier rod may cause the angler to tire more rapidly when fighting a large fish. A HMG (high modulus graphite) rod is recommended as this rod is quite stiff and lighter than the regular graphite rods.

The reel

The reel needs to be of good quality with a large line capacity. Cranking power is important as you will often need to put a lot of pressure on the fish. This often comes at the expense of speed of retrieve and a lower gear ratio such as a 5:1 as opposed to a 6:1 is normally the case. A size 50 Daiwa or 30 Shimano should suffice for this practise, although when specifically targeting large sharks it is not uncommon for even bigger reels to be used. The bigger reels take some time getting use to as they offer a whole new challenge when casting.

The line

It is highly recommended to use braided line as backing on your reel as it has a much thinner diameter than regular mono-filament line. This will allow the angler to spool the reel with more line, giving you the peace of mind when the big fish decides to head for the deep blue.

Mono-filament line is used as your “top-shot”. This is about 300 meters of regular fishing line that is wound over the braid backing. Using mono-filament line as “top-shot” has a couple of advantages; most importantly that it has the ability to stretch. The stretch is assists the angler while fighting the fish, specifically when the fish has sudden headshakes or darts of speed. The stretch cushions the impact and will reduce the chance of your line parting or the hooks pulling. It also decreases the impact on the rod, reel and angler. The texture of the mono-filament will also aid the sliding process in that it is smooth which will allow the slide to move more freely down your line.

The use of a leader is imperative and should best be the length of a ready cast position with three or four turns onto your spool. Big fish often swim over structure and the last thing you want is for your line to be cut-off when you have your big fish in sight. The friction from the shark’s skin against your line can also cause the line to part if not thick enough. Look for anything in the 0.9mm to 1.2mm diameter range, depending on your targeted specie and the area you are fishing.

The slide

The slide is a coiled wire connected to a swivel. The trace will be attached to the swivel. Use strong swivels such as a power swivels and of the right size, do not go to small. The coil gets connected to the main line after the cast and will then be slid down towards the stop ring above your sinker trace. Make sure you clip the slide on correctly, facing the right way round. The design of the slide causes the slide to only move forward even though the current and wave action might try to push it in the opposite direction. When the slide is pushed in the opposite direction it will cause the line to kink and stop the movement backwards; hence the term “non-return slide”.

Weighted or un-weighted slides are available. The weighted slide contains a piece of lead on the bottom of the slide (coiled wire), just above the swivel. The benefits of the weighted slide is that it enables the angler to get the bait down to the stop ring much faster and will decrease the chances of the trace tangling around the main line. It also promotes the line kink which in turn ensures that the slide will not “return”.

Un-weighted slides are mostly used when sliding over a bank, as the weighted slide will more easily dig into the bank. Un-weighted slides are less expensive and can also be used effectively when fishing off high rocky points, where the angler is more prone to getting cut off.

The trace

The trace is made up of two hooks (usually, but one can also be used) and either fluorocarbon or steel wire, depending on the species of fish you will be targeting. For sharks you should use a steel wire trace, while edibles will normally be targeted using a fluorocarbon trace because they are less likely to bite you off.

Different variants of hooks are available, but the use of circle hooks is encouraged. They promote the chance of the fish being hooked in the corner of the mouth. This will decrease the risk of getting bitten off when targeting sharks.

From a conservation point of view, circle hooks cause less damage to the fish when hooked in the corner of the mouth. The use of stainless steel hooks are discouraged as they do not rust and thus won’t dissipate if the line breaks and the fish is left with a trace hanging from its mouth. This could lead to damage and possibly death. The size of the hook will vary according to the fish that is being targeted as well as the size of the bait that is being used.

The sinker

Grapnel sinkers should be used when sliding. They are lead sinkers with wire or nylon pieces protruding from it. The sinker basically acts as an anchor, ensuring that it remains fixed on the bottom of the ocean once it has settled.

Two main types of grapnel sinkers can be used when sliding (the nylon type of grapnel sinkers are discouraged for sliding). They are the long-boom and the short-boom grapnel sinkers. Long-boom grapnel sinkers are most effective when fishing in an area where the ocean bottom is covered with finer sand resulting in a more compacted surface whereas the short- boom sinkers are most effective in an area where the sand on the ocean floor is loose and coarse.

To have your grapnel sinker settle firmly in the ocean bottom is critical for sliding, so ensure that you select the correct sinker.

The bait

As mentioned earlier, the main purpose of the discipline is to get larger baits deeper into the water. However this does not imply that there is no limit to the size of bait you can use. Excessively weighted baits may cause the grapnel sinker to pull free from the ocean bottom during the sliding process.

Baits that are larger in size will also result in more resistance from the water during the sliding process. The resistance reduces your slide speed and can cause your bait being picked up by a big fish or shark before it has reached the stop ring; resulting in a burn-off.

Excessive movement/spinning of the bait during sliding can result in the baited trace tangling with the main line. This can be reduced by cutting off any unnecessary protruding sections of your bait. Trim it neatly to make it as aerodynamic as possible, creating as little resistance through the water as possible.

Ensure that all hooks stay proud after baiting in order to facilitate a hook good set.  Cable ties and toothpicks or pins are used to promote the proud hooks. We will do a detailed bait presentation using these techniques, so stay tuned for updates.

The sliding process

The greater the angle to the water the angler can manage (find the highest position around) the quicker and more effectively they will be able to slide the baited trace down to the stop ring. It is however key to shake the slide long enough to ensure that it reaches the stop ring. If you fail to shake the slide till it reaches the stop ring, it is almost inevitable that the coil will kink on the line when picked up by a fish will and will consequently lead to a burn-off. With experience one will become familiar with how long to shake the slide to ensure that it reaches the stop ring. Start with quick short shakes of the rod when the slide is still close, increasing the length of your shakes as the bait goes deeper.

The strike

The strike should be determined by the type of hooks used. Circle hooks for example will only require the drag to be tightened when the fish picks up your bait, followed by a slight couple of pulls to ensure the hook-up is good, whereas with offset J-hooks it may be required to perform a more prominent strike.

When a fish picks up your bait before it had reached the stop ring, DO NOT strike, let your line slack to allow the fish the opportunity to loosen your sinker. Then start applying slight tension until the slide reaches the stop ring (this would be based on an educated guess). Once you feel confident that the slide has reached the stop ring, tighten up on the drag, and continue with the strike as mentioned above.

 

Rush of Blue tips for using the non-return-slide fishing technique

 

• Select a rod that is strong and sturdy but specifically suited for the individual

• Select a reel with ample line capacity and that is durable with a strong reliable drag system

• Braid backing of no less than 300m with a breaking strain of 40 – 50lb

• Monofilament main line of about 200 – 250m in length with a diameter of 0.50 – 0.60mm

• A leader of approximately 1.5 times the length of the rod with a diameter of 0.8 – 1.2 mm

• It is suggested that a BIMINI TWIST KNOT is tied on the main line before tying the leader

• Weighted slides will ensure that the bait slides more rapidly

• When sliding over a bank use an un-weighted slide or wade through to the bank and cast from it

• When sliding for larger sharks use steel wire of no less than 150lb

• The use of non-stainless circle hooks are encouraged

• Grapnel sinkers with thick wire (2mm) will help secure the sinker on the ocean bottom

• When shaking the slide down, use initial short rapid strokes, and when bait disappears beneath the water surface use progressively longer strokes.

• When you’re hooked into a big fish patients is key, save your back, you’re going to need it later to pull the fish through the surf, if the fish strips off 500m of line, don’t panic the resistance of all the line in the water will help tire the fish

• When the fish is close to shore, keep a good distance between you and the fish for in case it decides to turn around quickly then you’ll have some stretch in the line

 

Hope this helps you get started on your first sliding expedition!

 

… MONTY