[Fishhead56]

Uncle Russ. Thanks for the start of a good thread.

The fishing described is stand up fishing.

To one effect or another it's about (to me)

getting pulled to , slammed against, ect, the rail while connected to a wild game fish.

G. S. made good points about fair chase.

Even free gaffing ling and Dorado is a sport as long
as the gaffer wins and the fish is harvested.
Sport has risk. But waste is not sport.

The rail use started for me from fishing off of oil platforms and some party boats for bottom fishing. Where the rod tip is on the rail and it's just cranking a locked drag to raise a bottom fish away
from cut offs and hang ups,

I don't have a tech, for tuna and rail fishing as my knees are
gone and getting low is not a choice. And some times the sholders even burn from
lifting just 12oz bottles. But I like to fight fish with straight arms down to the rod and have a good ratio on retreive. either 2 speed or power handle. Keeping a straight back. With rod in gimble plate.
I have one of those light weight, slip on, mesh type, sholder back harness things but have never
put it on while fishing.

And I have decided to pass a rod twice in 30 years..

K2