Advanced Techniques

[The pelican]

Hi everyone - I'm curious to hear your opinions and strategies for dealing with some special situations that arise when trying to land fish. First, what's the best way to rescue a fish that's been picked up by a sea lion? How agressive can you be with regards to getting close to the sea lion? Is it better to play them tight or give them a little room and let them think they were successful and relax to eat the fish before trying you make your move?

Second, what are some tips for cutting kelp to free a fish on the line? I'm using 65lb power pro and can saw through most of the time but wondered what works best for those really difficult situations. Is there a trick with the angle? If so, do you go up current to get a better angle on the kelp stringers? Do you loosen your drag to let the fish do the work of sawing through the stringers?

Any advice would be super helpful.