How to Prevent Sea Sickness While Fishing?

A valid concern among newbie anglers is how to prevent sea sickness while fishing. Even seasoned anglers can experience deep sea sickness, especially in choppy waters.

The good news is you can always pop a medicine for seasickness several hours before the fishing trip and observe some proven techniques for preventing such occurrences.

And if motion sickness threatens your fishing enjoyment, you’ll love our tips.

So, keep reading to learn how to not get seasick on a fishing boat and ensure the best angling experience of a lifetime.

Tips to Prevent Sea Sickness Before Boarding the Vessel

Going on a deep sea fishing adventure is thrilling, but seasickness can spoil the joys. Bobbing up and down on the water can fool the brain into thinking sensory inputs are going haywire. So, what can you do? Consider the following deep sea fishing tips.

1. Drink plenty of fluids, except alcoholic beverages

Dehydration can exacerbate symptoms of vertigo or motion sickness. And if you drink alcohol before the fishing adventure, there’s a higher chance of your body’s adaptation mechanisms going haywire.

2. Go light on your pre-fishing meal

A heavy meal can increase the risk of motion sickness, making you more likely to vomit. It’s the same with acidic, spicy, and greasy or oily foods.

So, what’s the best breakfast before you go deep sea fishing? You could try sandwiches, ginger ale, fruits and salads, oatmeal, bland lean protein, and saltine crackers.

Tip: Avoid skipping breakfast because an empty stomach will worsen offshore motion sickness.

3. Ensure sound sleep before the trip

Did you know insufficient shut-eye can make your vestibular system (the body part responsible for balance) to go haywire? It impacts your ability to adapt to motion and equilibrium changes.

So, sleep early before the big day fishing in the open seas.

4. Consider Dramamine before boarding

Some folks like to take Dramamine the night before fishing. However, this medicine only takes 15 minutes to start relieving seasickness symptoms and usually lasts 3 to 6 hours.

These pharmacologic properties mean you must take the medicine at least half an hour before sailing.

5. Pick the right boat

You have a higher chance of going seasick with small boats than big ones. Multi-hulled vessels (i.e. catamarans), petrol-powered boats, and watercraft with covered decks are also better at preventing nausea.

And if you’re serious about it, a boat with gyroscopic stabilizers is the best.

What’s Effective for Combating Sea Sickness While Fishing

You’ve taken all the steps necessary to avoid motion sickness. However, the sea can be unforgiving. So, what do you do if you’re in the thick of your fishing trip and begin feeling nauseous? Here are your options.

1. Focus on the horizon, not the waves

Watching dolphins swim with you can be a thrilling experience. Unfortunately, looking at the constantly moving waves can “overwhelm” the body’s equilibrium system and make you feel sick.

You need a steady or non-moving object to focus on. Your best bet is the horizon. It might not cure seasickness, but it can reduce the symptoms.

2. Consider staying towards the stern

Did you know the stern is more stable than the bow?

So, the closer you are to the fishing boat’s rear, the less likely you will experience seasickness. At least, you’ll have fewer and less severe symptoms.

3. Consider Dramamine

Dramamine contains an active ingredient that inhibits equilibrium receptors from sending signals in the brain. It’s also useful for soothing digestive complaints.

You can buy and take Dramamine every four to six hours without a prescription. Some come in a chewable form, too.

4. Chew ginger root

The Chinese love chewing or sucking on ginger roots to soothe seasickness. This spice increases gastric acid secretion, reducing gastrointestinal complaints (i.e., nausea and vomiting) and headaches.

Ginger ale is an excellent alternative if you don’t like sucking on ginger roots. The advantage of this option is it can also improve your hydration.

5. Sniff lime or lemon wedges

We recommend lemon wedges for beginners and those who cannot tolerate the spiciness of ginger root. Lime works, too.

You could bring these citrus fruits and slice one when you feel like getting sick. Sniff the wedges and eat them afterwards for a healthy dose of Vitamin C.

6. Take prescription medication

Dramamine doesn’t work for everyone. And if you’re one of them, you might want to talk to your doctor to prescribe a motion sickness medicine.

For example, your doctor can prescribe a scopolamine patch. You can stick the patch between the eyes to reduce the severity of vomiting and nausea.

7. Try aromatherapy

Health experts say essential oils can relieve nausea and other motion sickness symptoms. You can buy these in small bottles, add a few drops to a diffuser, and notice your seasickness disappear.

Peppermint, lavender, ginger, grapefruit, cardamom, and patchouli essential oils are perfect for deep sea anglers prone to motion sickness.

8. Apply pressure on the area above the wrist

Even if you’re not a fan of acupressure, there’s no harm in this trick. The Chinese believe we have an acupressure point for motion sickness about three fingerbreadths below the wrist.

Locate this area and massage it for three to five minutes. Your seasickness symptoms should go away. Alternatively, acupressure bracelets should prevent motion sickness.

9. Sniff or drink mint or lavender

We are talking about fresh mint here, not the mint-flavored chewing gum. You can pack a few sprigs of mint or lavender during a fishing trip to help manage seasickness.

Alternatively, infusing your water with these herbs should help reduce symptom severity while hydrating you, too.

Conclusion

You already know how to prevent sea sickness while fishing. Although the tips we shared work for us and most boaters, you might have a different experience.

A doctor’s advice should help clear the issue. More importantly, you’ll have a better solution specific to your condition.

Deep sea fishing is an adventure no inland water angling can match. Balancing yourself as the boat bobs up and down on the water and you trying to reel in the biggest catch can make for an experience of a lifetime.

Don’t let seasickness spoil the fun.