Looks Fishy with Rob(Skunker) and (Mainstay)Don left OI about 5:30am this morning. Most of the fleet had already gone. We hooked up with My Babby Ruth at the dock, but lost him on the way out. Headed to the the Point, found an edge, lines in the water about 7:30am and started trolling South, toward Tuna Hole. Winds were light, seas slick with a small swell. Perfect. About 10:30, we pull the spread in to untangle lines and check baits. Putting the spread back out, Skunker is putting the port side flat line in the clip when all 3 of us look up and and see a transluscent fin cutting through the spread. He goes straight to the naked hoo on the port flat line and eats it. Don grabs the rod and the fish takes off. Rob and I furiously start clearing lines. The fish cuts across the spread. Don gets his line under all the the others and essentially clears the spread. Meanwhile, the drag is screaming, and it looks like the reel is going to get spooled. Don gets the reel under control, but line is still going off the stern. About 300 hundred yards out, the fish comes straight up, out of the water and we see the blue marlin. He skims the surface, and jumps again. A couple of lines are still out, but I turn the boat and drive in the direction of the fish. We get the other lines in (what a mess!!)The fight is on. The fish makes several more runs and one other set of fantastic leaps. He sounds, takes off straight down, several times. Each time, Don works to recover the line taken. Once he ran straight at the boat. No tension on the line, we thoguht we had lost him. But no, he goes down off the bow of the boat. Several times, he comes to the surface and we can see how much line he has out. After about 2 hours, Don feels the fish getting tired. 30 minutes later, we see the leader and get a look at this fighter. He looks about 7 feet, not big enough to keep, if we could get him. Now when he takes off, we get to the leader much quicker. But the fish still is going away from us. Don cannot get the fish turned around. This fish has plenty of fight after 3 hours. I've been keeping the fleet advised by radio and finally ask for suggestions. I am afraid that after 3 hours of fighting, the fish will die and might not be big enough to keep. I am afraid he is big enough to keep and we can't boat him. Each time we get to the leader, he shakes it out of our hands. Still not turned, still swimming away from the boat. Finally, someone suggests that next time we get to the leader, try to get a picture and then cut the leader. Ten minutes later at about 1:30pm, we cut the leader and let this fighter go. He swims away from the boat strongly and we are sure he is OK. What an experience!! this fish was on, of course, the Penn 113W with 40lb test line. Man, what a trip. Biggest fish I've ever seen. After that, we decided to head back toward the Point. On the way there, we pick up a gaffer doplhin and I hook a 5ft mako that breaks off. On the way in, we pick up another gaffer dolphin and a trigger fish. Back to OI at about 5:30pm with the rest of the fleet. Unbelievable trip!!
Sorry for the long post, but man what a fish story!!
david