My drag is melting! aka How fast is fast?

crabbait · 07-12-2003, 09:40 PM

I recently read an article on the fastest fish and why certain fish are so much faster than others.

Before I reveal the results of my little study, which fish do you think is the fastest? How fast?

Here is a little tease: A sailfish was reported (witness verified) to have peeled 100yds of line in three seconds! Hello, Abu Garcia? Yeah, I need a new set of drag washers for a slightly melted 6500.........

Elwix · 07-12-2003, 10:08 PM

:shocked: Unless my math is off (it could be) that's over 67 miles per hour... in the water? That's insane.

tady · 07-12-2003, 11:09 PM

My guess is a Wahoo also known as a Ono in Hawaii. These fish are Smoke'n fast. If you hook them close to the boat and they decide to run at a 90 degree angle to your line, a rooster tail will come of your line as it cuts the water open. The line cutting the water makes a real weird sound.

Tady

Born to be Wild · 07-12-2003, 11:34 PM

Tady is probably right!

But I do know from experience that boneheads (bonita) and yellowtail test your strength and drag washers also!

Dan

Miss B Haven · 07-13-2003, 07:19 AM

Don't know which one is (Wahoo are real fast though), but the fastest fish I've hooked up are Dorado. Fluoresent Blue and Green Rockets. I've seen them clear the water by an easy 10 feet at the end of that first run too! :shocked:
The Albis out here are tough, but not as fast as Dorado. The Bill's in Cabo were not as fast either (Sails/Stripes) just bigger.

They are ALL fun!

[img]graemlins/applause.gif[/img]

Uglygreen · 07-13-2003, 07:23 AM

Fastest overall?, or fastest when hooked to a fishing line?

UG

Billfisher · 07-13-2003, 08:56 AM

Supposedly, Black Marlin are the winners, though any of the above-mentioned are easy runners up. As far as actual reel damage goes, I've only heard of Wahoo doing that to friends and family of mine. The reels, by the way, were Penn Senators. A bit old, as well.-D

crabbait · 07-13-2003, 01:41 PM

According to a research paper by Dr. Barbara Block (Block et al), the fastest fish is the Black Marlin, estimated burst speed 80.6 mph!

The little research I have done tells me that Dr. Block is one cool lady. She is in charge of the Giant Bluefin research program which has recently been tagging huge tuna off the coast of North Carolina. Her research established that some of these fish are crossing the Atlantic and breeding with the Eastern Atlantic schools. Very interesting reading.

While Blue Marlin are listed at 46.4 mph, it is thought that their burst speed rivals the Black Marlin, they just haven't been clocked at that speed. Blocks studies have shown that marlin rarely swim fast at the surface. Most of their sustained and burst speed fast swims occur between 150-300' where the pressure makes them negatively bouyant.

The Sailfish's 67 mph speed is widely quoted and is likely taken from an estimate based on a sailfish taking 100yds of line in three seconds.

Where do the tuna and wahoo rank? What fish is faster than all tuna species and the wahoo, but can't catch the marlin? Answers later.

(Source - Sportfishing Magazine, June 2003)

crabbait · 07-13-2003, 07:29 PM

Ok.....I can tell I have your rapt attention! Little tease: The Wahoo - 47.8 mph ("Measurements of Swimming Speeds of Yellowfin Tuna and Wahoo, V. Walters and H. Fierstine, Nature magazine, 1964") "The Wahoo is a fairly small fish compared with a Marlin.....I'd guess that if a Wahoo reached the size of a large Marlin, we'd be looking at triple-digit speedsters." (Sportfishing Magazine)

What makes the fastest fish faster than the really fast fish? All the really fast fish are extremely streamlined and have large tails in relation to their total body size. The tuna class have a tail that moves constantly while the rest of their body remains slick and motionless. The speed demon billfish use the rear 1/3 to 1/2 of their body for propulsion as well as their tail, making them the fastest.

Any guesses on the fish that is not a billfish but is faster than all the tuna and the Wahoo?

Answer later.

Uglygreen · 07-13-2003, 07:34 PM

Barracuda? They are pretty fast. The thirtyish lb chinook I had hooked on Sat was pretty fast when being chased by a 6' shark.

UG

Miss B Haven · 07-13-2003, 07:35 PM

Cuda? :whazzup:

crabbait · 07-13-2003, 07:38 PM

Nope. But they prey on some billfish if that is a good enough clue.

ANDYCOHO · 07-13-2003, 07:51 PM

Mako??????

Miss B Haven · 07-13-2003, 07:54 PM

A mexican skipper with maybe a big tip coming? They move pretty dang fast when somebody yells "MARLIN". About the only time too! :grin:

8knots · 07-13-2003, 08:30 PM

Wahoo are crazy fast! Ever read the stories about them following a fast retrieved lure right over the side of a boat. One went right into a guys leg on one of the long range boats out of San Diego several years back. They had to air lift him because the boat was off Mexico and he was cut so deep. Ever seen their teeth? Crazy and fast fish.

crabbait · 07-13-2003, 08:47 PM

ANDYCOHO - Come on Down! Mako is the correct answer at a blistering 58 mph. These sharks are known to hunt Swordfish (55.6 mph) though this predation may most commonly occur when swords are sunning on the surface after a cold night of deep hunting. Makos typically attack the tail of their victem, leaving the fish dramatically slowed and vulnerable. The Mako then feasts at his leisure.

Anybody see the Mako special on the Discovery channel? They were trolling a nice sized tuna (no hooks) and filming the Makos hitting the tuna. Great spooky footage of this dark shadow wayyyy back there suddenly streaking into camera range and engulfing the tuna. After awhile, they found a small Mako, maybe 5 feet long, who could not make off with the tuna in a single bite. Instead, he would come racing up, tear out a bite, then fall back.

They started pulling the tuna faster and faster to see how fast the Mako would go to catch lunch. The tuna bait was really smoking through the water after they had increased speed several times. You could see the Mako way back there matching their speed. Suddenly, the Mako would kick it in gear and coming jetting up to smash and slash the tuna. Classic stuff! Mako are a whole different shark!

Fastest tuna? Bluefin at 50 mph followed by the Yellowfin at 45.7 mph. No speed listed for Albies but the little Skipjack does 21.0 mph.

Cuda? 27.1 mph. Not nearly as fast as I thought!

[ 07-13-2003, 09:48 PM: Message edited by: crabbait ]