Left Owl's Creek at 5:10 with Ryan(Newt) and a high school buddy of his who made the trip down from Pa for the trip. This was the maden offshore voyage for Ryan's new 24' Trophy W/A and we did a fair job at it.
We headed Southeast toward the hotdog with only 1 other boat running with us. Once at the hotdog, we continued a southeastern course while they continued eastward. Once we hit approx 160 ft of water approx 10 - 15 miles east of the hotdog we set out our spread. Time is now approx. 745.. At 820, two poles bend over and line goes screaming of two of the Penn 6/0's. Then a third one goes. Two go limp but the first stays screaming. I grab the pole while Ryan is playing with #2. I begin fighting in the fish, Ryans is still hitting speratically but not hooking up. I'm thinking dolphin when all of a sudden mine breaks the water and we all get a glimpse of a sailfish attempting to leap unsuccesfully for freedom. As we get him to the boat, Ryan still has a second sail nibbling on his line but won't lock on. We proceed to finish an official release of my sail and Ryans is no longer anywhere to be seen. We rebait the lines and begin to set the spred back out. Ryan has the line on the Penn 9/0 approx. 6 feet behind the boat when another sail or the same sail slams that line, hooks up starts to run, backlashes the reel in freespool and snap goes the 50lb mono..NO MORE SAIL.
We reorganize set the lines out and continue on with nothing else for several hours. Another line goes down and Ryan brings in a false Alby. Then again nothing. A little later we get another hookup with line running of the reel Jason prepares for battle. Nice gaffer dolphin on. One jump, 2 jumps, 3 jumps, fish no more...Continue our course of SE, loop back west, head NE, Back across the hotdog. Find a small piece of wood floating and can see some dolphin. Grab the spinning reels, get hit on the first cast but doesn't hook up. Connect with a bailer, throw him in the box and that was it. Continue on, pass around and over the 44 Fathom wreck with nothing. Begin our course back westward in a homeward direction. Get back to about 170 feet of water when another reel starts screaming off line. Nice nice gaffer dolphin, Second line goes down, never hooks up. While bringing first fish in, notice second and larger dolphin following, Leave another line in water off stern of boat, let 2nd fish nibble and nibble. Finally he takes it and he's off. Gaff the first dolphin 12lbs, Bring 2nd to boat, gaff him, 38in 18lb. Really fish.
Troll our way wes to 15o feet of water, then pack it in @ 445 and begin the long ride home.
Not sure where Mr. Yellowfin was hiding today but we had a pretty good day all the same. Hope I can find a school of Sails like that next month so I can do my part to dethrown the reigning VBSF Billfish Campion. (no offense Neil)
My first bill, as well as the first bill on Ryans new boat.
I believe I forgot to mention that the sail that was caught and released was on a Get Reel B/W mini bar!!! It finally paid off Don. I'm looking forward to many more on it.
Pictures to follow as soon as they are downloaded.