The glory of the tag or capture goes to the angler, as it is only their name that is enshrined in the record books. Although in some cases all the angler has to do is hold the rod so it doesn't hit anything and turn the reel handle. With a good boat and crew, this can result in catching lots of fish.

As with all else relating to fishing, the more experience, the more an angler gets to know about using his equipment, and the better they will be able to understand and control the situations that arise when fighting a fish.

The equipment for the angler is the rod, reel, mainline, drag, double line, gimbal, harness, and perhaps a game chair.

Even the way an angler is dressed can aid in the fight.

Hat The Hat or Cap is great for keeping the sun out of the eyes and ducking any spray to protect eyes and sunglasses.		Polaroid Sun Glasses Polaroid sunglasses are preferable and great for seeing that first colour of a fish. Glasses also protect the eyes if anything breaks and recoils back into the face.		Clothing All loose clothing should be either rolled up or tucked in to avoid getting caught in the tackle or harness and belt buckles if they need adjusting during the fight.
Gimbal and Harness These should be adjusted before the angler goes on strike.		Hands Apart from positioning the left hand over the reel and guiding the line, hands should also be free of jewellery and watch to avoid scratching the gear and getting caught up in the line.		Safety Straps Save losing hats and glasses by attaching them to clothing via clips.

To prepare for battle there are several onshore exercises the angler can practice. The first of these have been dealt with in spooling up. Although many of the exercises that follow for the entire crew can be done alone and without assistance, it is advisable the whole team participates so all the members know what each other is capable of. It is also an advantage if each member is trained in as many areas of the sport as possible. There will be many times when one of the crew can't get out for a day or when you have multiple hook-ups which is when a team member may have a job they don't normally do.

Even if several in the team are experienced, it is important for these members to take part in the exercises as each team develops a unique way of doing things, and it is best to know what they are before putting it into practice.