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Schatman’s Dummy - Proof Tournament Checklist
By CAPTAIN RON SCHATMAN
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EDITOR’S NOTE: Capt. Ron Schatman has been at the helm of fishing vessels since 1970
and has fished big game tournaments around the world. Below is the tournament checklist
he’s developed for the grueling Bahamas Billfish Championship (BBC)
A billfish tournament can be
an exercise in things going
wrong – especially if you do
enough things right to hook a
fish. In addition, a full 12-week tournament
season in the BBC can be tough on a boat and
fishing gear. Re-supply is often impossible
in remote locations, so you’ve got to be
prepared. Problems will occur. That’s why
a thorough tournament checklist is vital
to success. This checklist of tackle, tools
and preventative measures should help you
be self-contained and ready for anything
during the 90-day BBC tournament
season, or most other tournaments.
LINE
- Main line: The BBC requirement for line is 100-pound test as stated on the spool label. This is not tournament
grade line. If you plan to fish tournaments outside the BBC series in the Bahamas, you won’t need to change
line. All Bahamas tournaments have adopted this maximum test of 100 pounds.
- Leader material: All sizes you use to rig your tackle.
- Lighter tackle for white marlin and sailfish.
- Non-tournament line and tackle:
Lay days offer great fun fishing around
the BBC. The Abacos have monster
bonefish, grouper, snapper, wahoo,
tuna and mahi. These fish obviously
require much lighter tackle. I also like
deep dropping - My Lindgrew-Pittman
electric reels take 100-pound
stainless wire line. I carry extra. With
electric reels, check all power outlets
– connections, rigs, leads, lights and
spare parts. And don’t forget your
GPS numbers.
- Set of Rod Safety Lines: On rough
days your rods can get yanked right
out of the boat while trolling. Use a
3/8-inch nylon line or rubber coil,
10-feet long. Attach it to a cleat or the
base of the fighting chair, and snap it
to the bottom of the reel. Your gear
may get soaked, but you’ll avoid a
$3,000 accident.
- Dock lines: With a full set of dock
lines at your slip you’ll need an extra
set to tie up at fuel docks or lunch on
other islands.
- Backup outrigger lines.
- General Purpose Line: Small stuff
of ¼-inch or smaller for general needs
around the boat.
- Anchor Line: Check it. You can anchor
to bottom fish, so your ground
gear needs to be in order.
RODS AND REELS
- Drags: Your reels should be properly
serviced. Drags should be replaced if
friction plates are scared, rusted or pitted.
Check drag bearings for wear with
your fingers. They should be perfectly
smooth. Otherwise, replace them.
Consider bringing a backup set of
drags.
- Lightly grease the threads of the reel
seats before mounting to allow proper
tightening of hoods.
- Reel Turnbuckles: Do Not overtighten
the turnbuckles down to the
rod. This can actually bend the turnbuckles
inward and torque the reel
frame. This, in turn, will damage the
reel’s mechanics.
- Drag Scale to measure your drag resistance.
Your drag scale of 60 to 100
pounds is proper for setting 130-pound
reel drags. Remember when a fish has
you half-empty, the spool takes twice
as many rotations to release a given
amount of line. This doubles your
drag resistance.
- Roller Guides: No frozen rollers,
guys! Check and lubricate all roller
guides and reel seats. Clean with a
rust and corrosion protection waterproof
fluid like Boeshield T-9, then
lubricate with a light duty lubricating
oil like 3-in-1.
- Rod and Reel Repair Kit: This is for
tools and parts for rods and reels only
- keep it separate from your boat toolbox.
Think of everything you’d need
to build a spare rod (minus the blank)
and keep it in this box: spare rod tips
and all the different size rollers you’re
using on the rods; glue to replace
them; handles; drags; bearings.
- All the tools necessary to work on
your tackle should be kept in this kit as
well. Quality, proper sized screwdrivers,
wrenches and pliers will not ruin delicate
screws, nuts or threads. A ¾-inch boxwrench
for swivel-based rod holders is also
needed. Fluids like reel grease, light oil and
Boeshield T9 for cleaning, protecting and
lubricating parts should be kept here, as
should five-minute epoxy, Superglue and
thread locking glue to keep certain nuts,
bolts and screws in place. Finally, stock
tape to keep line in place on loose reels and
to mark drag points on the rim of the reel.
- Harnesses: Check and adjust fighting
harnesses per angler. Check bucket harnesses
and stand-up harnesses for wear
and tear.
RIGGING KIT/TERMINAL TACKLE
- Crimp Sleeves: It is crucial to match
crimp sleeves to mono diameter. Keep
a box with crimp sleeves that fit your
mono leaders. Don’t allow other
sleeves in that box. Mono manufacturers
have different diameters for equal
pound test, so DON’T match crimps
to the pound-test of the line. Match
diameters.
- Large and small hand swager tool
(crimping tool): Keep these in an
oven mitt that has been sprayed inside
with anti-corrosion spray.
Dacron Sleeves.
- Rigging cable for rigging leader
to lure – I use 900-pound test stainless
steel. If cable is used, it requires
plated sleeves to prevent electrolysis.
Nickel-plated are best.
Swivels and snap swivels to match
tackle strength. Top quality is a
must.
- Mono and cable cutting tools.
- Stainless steel thimbles.
- Spacers.
- Heat Gun and Shrink Tube: to
cover leader/cable connection. Clear
shrink allows you to see flaws, if they
develop.
- 3M tape.
- Hooks to fit your lures and baits.
- Wax lace for rigging and tying
skirts.
- Glue for skirts.
- Scissors.
- Hooks: I use rust-able hooks for conservation
purposes.
- Hook file.
Bait rigging will require a special
set of supplies providing your
needs: Bait box with bait tray and
cutting board. Skirts and islanders
for enhancing baits. Dacron and rigging
needles for making wind-ons.
- Tip protectors. Rubber bands – select
sizes. Teasers and dredges.
- Lures for everything from blue
marlin to grouper and mahi.
- Fish tags and tag stick.
BOAT ACCESSORIES
- Fighting Chair: Clean, polish (with
metal polish) and check adjustable
parts (footrest, moveable parts,
quick-releases for gimble) for wear
and tear.
- Outriggers: Polish spare pins and
adjustments. Set up with proper hardware
and new line. Drop riggers at
the dock and inspect cables for frays.
Bring spare parts like pins, rollers and
stops.
- Gaff, flyers and hand gaffs: Just
make sure you got ‘em. Also, a fish
bat is advisable in case you have
trouble tossing a 100-pound tuna in
the box. While we’re on the subject,
don’t waste time struggling to unhook
a fish that’s going in the box. Just snip
the line close, toss fish and rig into the
box and tie on a fresh rig. If the old rig
is damaged, then you don’t want it. If
it’s still good, then you can pull it out
of the box later.
- Cleaning supplies: bucket, soap,
sponges, rags, Windex, brush for the
deck, hose.
- Knives: Short, bait-rigging knives,
fillet knives for various types of fish,
release knives for cutting mono. Stone
or steel for sharpening.
- Gloves: Each crewmember should
have their own pair that they’re comfortable
with.
- Flags: You’ll need flags for fish
caught. You’ll also need a Bahamas
courtesy flag, a yellow quarantine flag
to be flown before you clear customs,
and a flag depicting the vessel’s country
of registry.
- Binoculars: Captain should keep his
or her pair that no one else can adjust.
Keep an extra pair for passengers.
- Charts where applicable.
- Log, pens and pencils – marking pens.
- First aid kit
- Flashlights
- Check boat safety gear
Snorkeling gear with mask and
fins.
- BBC rules require a photo ID for point
values as per billfish species. Digital
cameras with set date and time and
large viewfinders are necessary - no
pictures… no points.
- Measuring Method: You need a tape
measure or other method for checking
minimum length on blue marlin. Be
ready to handle a big fish at the boat.
Any undersized fish boated will mean
disqualification. Minimum length for
blue marlin is 110 inches in all BBC
legs. The benchmark length may increase
during a tournament. The minimum
length is reported over the radio
each day before lines in.
- Last is an optional block and tackle
for pulling a monster blue through the
door. Although I rarely use it, my set
of blocks is always ready.
That’s it. This should be everything you
need to get out on the water. It’s up to you
to find fish and get them to the boat. Have
at it.
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