Recently got back from 5 days in Vanuatu. My wife organised the trip as a birthday present, knowing that since getting into fishing about a year ago I have obsessed over catching a blue marlin. Went out on Reel Capture, which was a beautiful boat. Solo chartered it cause I hate sharing!
Hit the water a 6.30 am, perfect conditions, no wind and hardly any swell (although the wife still managed to feel seasick after 5 mins).
Couldn't believe how cobalt blue the water was, it was amazing!
At about 8.30 I was staring out the back of the boat when I saw a blue dorsal fin come out of the water, u-turn, and start following the spread, before diving under the surface. The deckie called "marlin" and it was on! Jumped in the chair, my body was shaking with excitement, strapped in and then heard the sound I had flown 4 hours to hear "ZZZZZZZZZZZZZ"
After a relatively short fight of about 25 mins had this little guy gaffed and on board. A nice little Striped Marlin! He fought surpisingly hard, and I'm not the fittest bloke in the world, so it really took it out of me! My first marlin, please don't make any negative comments about keeping him, he fed a lot of families that week.
Promised the missus the next fish was hers. Couple of hours later we got another hit and she brought in this beautiful dolly.
To put it inperspective I'm 6'2" and about 98kgs