It’s what men do (video, 31:22). If the rod touches the gunwale in the course of the struggle, the fish wins. To get a flavour of the matter, start at 3:40. The rod touches the gunwale in less than two seconds after the hook was set in the mouth of a Goliath grouper, which can grow to lengths of 2.5 meters (8 feet) and weigh up to 363 kilograms (800 pounds).

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