Fishermen often talk about luck: sometimes good luck; sometimes bad luck.
The successful formula is largely a combination of preparation, determination, experience and hard work.
Anglers, by and large, make their own luck.
Jeremy Duffie is an example of that combination.
Duffie is a saltwater angler who has been prowling the waters along the Maryland coast and beyond for years.
His experience runs as deep as the ocean waters he fishes.
Competitive fishing isnt Duffies business.
Thats real estate development.
We got lucky, Duffie said.
You dont expect it.
Anglers might not expect to end up in the winners circle.
But they prepare for it, hope for it, attempt it.
Fishing tournaments at every level are family-friendly events.
The strike of a big fish does that.
Bringing a marlin to hand requires teamwork, coordination, concentration … and maybe a smidgen of luck.
The on-the-water competition is friendly but fierce.
Last year the Billfisher was one of 408 boats in the White Marlin Open.
Tournament officials said more than 3,500 contestants competed.
Given the unpredictability of fishing, the action is surprisingly scripted.
The rules must be strictly followed: There are set fishing hours, minimum fish sizes and weights.
Minimum and maximum numbers of days that must be fished.
All-tackle International Game Fish Association rules generally apply.
They are pages long.
An error can lead to disqualification.
On board a saltwater event, angling is a team effort.
There is no limit on the number of anglers a boat can carry.
But its not a tag-team effort.
No one else is even allowed to touch the angler unless its to keep the fisherman from falling overboard.
The fight can last minutes or hours more likely hours, but every hookup is different.
Winning boat crews are, at the discretion of the tournament director, subject to a polygraph examination.
