What is Long line fishing?

Answer 1

It's a method of commercial fishing where hundreds or thousands of baited hooks are hung off a main line, sometimes dozens of miles long. The line is strung between buoys and left at sea for sometimes days at a time. It doesn't kill as high a percentage of the unwanted "bycatch" as gill nets or bottom trawlers, not does it tear up the ocean floor like trawlers. But it still does kill a lot of the bycatch -- many open-ocean fish need to keep swimming to breathe, and sea turtles need to surface to breathe. In addition, fish which might otherwise survive may end up chewed up and eaten by sharks or other predators in the time before the line is hauled in.

The wikipedia article sounds pretty positive about the practice (if "not as bad as bottom trawlers" is positive), but in actuality it's a random fishery -- a single set of a longline targeting swordfish could come up with sharks, swordfish, tuna, sea turtles, sea birds, marlin, and leave them all dead.

Answer 2

Well, where I come from, "Long Lining" is a way to get down deep without downriggers. Just let out a LOT of line while trolling.

I've used it for lake trout in the spring when they are still in somewhat shallow water. I think I was letting out about 200 yards of line with a jumbo flourescent rapala, on a heavy rod with 12lb test. Caught lots!

Answer 3

Watch the movie "The Perfect Storm" They're "Long-lining".