Fished on Billable Ours yesterday with two friends from England, Bill and Steve, Pat and Dave Wessner and Dave Bailey. I met Bill in Islamorada when I went to fish with Todd. They came over to visit with Todd and Debbie and wanted to get a shot or two at some whitemarlin...so off we went. Hit the north wall of the Norfolk canyon and found 76-77 degree water. Worked our way south as the chater on the radio didn't seem like fish were around. Passed several TOOTS balls that looked like they were just put out as no life was on them. Worked our way across the canyon. Dave Bailey suggested we put a mackerel out as we cross. Dave rigged it and pout it went. 5 mins later a bill comes crashing on the Tiki Bar. We start to bring it in to get it on a dink bait, then the Spanish gets nailed. Bailey drops back the Penn 80 and is hooked up on the fish...we're thinking small blue marlin since its on the Spanish.
Meanwhile, we're reeling in the Tiki Bar and two whites show up chasing it. We try to get dinks to them, but no luck and were concentrating on the 'Blue' on hooked up. Get lines cleared and the fish jumps and we see it s about a 60 pound white...shocked it hit a spanish. Get it boat side, Dave Wessner sinks a tag into it and off it goes with a clean release.
DAve rigs another Spanish and it goes out in the spread. Shortly after it get hit again by a white that proceeds to jump over the entire spread from right to left, crossing every line out. It comes unbuttoned.
Work the south wall and find a few TOOTS balls. Pass one and get covered up in mahi. Take a few passes on the troll catching fish, so we deside to 'bail' these gaffers. end up with 17 fish to 22.5 pounds.
Steve got his first billfish ever along with his first mahi and he also got the biggest mahi of the day! Great trip!!!
