Tips for Using an AFTCO Fishing Harness and Belt

AFTCO harnesses and belts are designed for fighting big fish, often for prolonged periods. Read tips for using a fishing belt and harness.
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Once an angler is hooked up and well into the battle, “We like to our anglers [to be fighting the fish] amidships.” That positioning, he says, gives anglers more security, with the option to lean back against the leaning post or seat or forward against the gunwale. In terms of security, Newman adds that the well-placed handle on the back of Maxforce harnesses are “a great feature.” Particularly when an angler is fighting a big, tough fish in rough conditions, a mate or another angler can simply keep a hand on that handle. “That way, if the angler loses his footing, he won’t end up in the drink.”
And, while anglers are often inclined to keep fighting a fish from a stern corner, relocating to a position amidships offers the advantage of some distance from the boat’s props. “With fish like giant yellowfin tuna, a popular species here in the Gulf, they like to swim in big, giant circles around the boat. That’s where a lot of them end up lost in the props.”
At the end game, when that trophy fish is at the boat, Newman advises the angler to back off on the drag lever - slightly: too much, and that’s all she wrote! - and take a step back. “You want the angler in the ready position,” he says. “If the mate or captain has to let go of the leader suddenly, or if a fish comes off the gaff, the angler won’t end up in the water if he’s in that good ready position.”