A professional involved in the private equity and venture capital sector, Kevin Graetz has been working in the field for more than 15 years. Aside from his professional pursuits, Kevin Graetz is an avid big game fisherman. Over the years, he has caught many yellowfin tuna, big eye tuna, and marlin in such locations as the Hudson Canyon, Bahamas, and Jamaica. Listed below are a few suggestions on what to do and what not to do while trying to land a big fish.1. Set the hook properly. To do this, firmly lift up your rod rip using your elbow and wrist. If you do this too early or too lightly, the hook will not penetrate the fish’s mouth and you will lose your catch. Meanwhile, if you do it too hard, you may tear the hook out of the fish’s mouth.2. Don’t forget about the slack. Assuming you set the hook properly, you can pump the fish by lifting the rod tip to bring the fish closer, then lowering it to create a bit of slack. As soon as you lower the rod, reel the line in to eliminate this slack and repeat the process. However, slack in the line is detrimental if you haven’t set the hook right. If you’re uncertain, focus on applying steady pressure instead.3. Be conscious of when you reel in your catch. Reeling in a fish at the wrong time increases strain on the line and increases the risk of losing the catch. Let the fish tire itself out by allowing it to run without reeling in the line. Once the fish has stopped pulling line out, reel it in slowly.4. Don’t fight every fish the same. You must fight fish differently depending on both the species and the environment you are fishing in. For instance, in lakes where fish can snag the line around underwater obstacles, apply heavy pressure to the fish until it’s out in more open water. Conversely, when fishing in open water, let it tire itself out by swimming away.
Financial consultant Kevin Graetz has been involved in private equity and venture capital for decades. Outside of his professional life, Kevin Graetz enjoys fishing, and once caught a 600-pound marlin at Hudson Canyon off the East Coast. Blue marlins are some of the largest fish in the world. They can grow up to 14 feet long and weigh up to 1,985 pounds. Aptly named for their cobalt-blue appearance, these marlins love deep blue waters and are often found far out at sea in the Atlantic and Pacific. Blue marlins are carnivores, feeding on smaller fish such as mackerel and tuna, many of which are found on the warmer ocean surface. However, they have been known to go deeper to hunt squid. Marlins have a long, sharp upper jaw that they use as spears to slash through their prey before coming back to eat them. In the fishing world, marlins are famous for putting up fights when hooked. Given how big, long, and heavy they are, it is a very impressive feat to catch one. Most marlins caught weigh between 200 and 400 pounds. Some of the largest ever caught weighed over 1,000 pounds. The International Game Fishing Association’s record for the biggest marlin was a 1,402-pound fish caught in Brazil in 1992.
Kevin Graetz leverages nearly two decades of experience as a venture capitalist and private equity investor as a consultant and silicon valley investor. A graduate of Ohio Wesleyan University, Kevin Graetz has successfully raised more than a billion dollars for investments in companies that ranged from early stage startups to late-stage private equity transactions. In his free time, Mr. Graetz regularly fishes for big game and has caught a 600 pound Marlin in addition to big eye tuna and yellowfin tuna. Yellowfin tuna are a large, torpedo shaped fish that can often be found close to the surface of tropical and subtropical oceans worldwide. The fish, which grow as large as 400 pounds, can be identified by their bright yellow dorsal fin and metallic blue color on the back. Catching a yellowfin tuna can be challenging. To increase the odds, sports anglers recommend dropping lures deeper where the fish spend most of their time feeding. In addition, putting more distance between the fishing boat and the lure can increase the likelihood of a bite. Other recommended tips include “chumming,” dropping large amounts of baitfish in order to lure yellowfin close to the boat, and kite fishing, which involves pulling along live bait suspended by an airborne kite behind the boat.
