allen glover Posted February 14, 2005 Share Posted February 14, 2005 (edited) Not exactly true we did go 6.6.1 though it was damned frustrating dropping the first 5 especially the big blue that came up first off. The tale goes thus Invited to take Allan Frazers marlin magnet Alladen up to port in preperation for the PFT. With a 20-25 SW blowing we needed every inch of her 33ft to make the trip in reasonable comfort. First stop was the Terrible fad to get a feed and after loosing a heap of little livies we set a spread and first pass had a double hookup. A good 5 kg fish came in on barlows rod only to have me muff the boating and loose it. It then went quiet so we high tailed it to the lobster grounds and got smashed every 5 minutes. 6 decent dollies on board and we pulled them in and put the hammer down to our happy hunting grounds of Norah Canyons. Set the spread at about middday and trolled and trolled and trolled north for zilch. when we finally got to the marlin grounds off Port at about 4.30 and were within one mile of the mark the big 24kg Lumo kona head shotgun just starts screaming IM asleep down stairs and leap out of the bunk to start pulling things in without looking around to assess the situation. Unfortunately barlow the marlin virgin was trying to fit the belt instead of setting the hooks and before I realised what was happening everything went slack with the rig still in the launcher . bugger bum. back to trolling speed and the same rig gets smashed 10 mins later this time Barlow is primed and were organised enough to get the thing down and set the hooks. A hard good run but again all comes up slack. Out they go again and in 15mins the long rigger with a big ugly pink flat faced cobalt on it goes off only to come up slack AGAIN after a short run. Back we go and 10 more minutes later a stripe apears in the spread and in usual fashion goes crazy smashing every lure in the spread before settling on the Kona again. I pick it up and set the hooks with all the effort I can muster and just as we clear the spread and get down to it bump all slack again. If youve ever heard 3 guys curse in unison you would under stand the mood as we were by now 4.4.0 With time getting away from us we set the spread again. 5 more minutes big boils of foaming water at the Kona shottie AGAIN off she goes but in the effort to get it down from the launcher I drop the tip to the fish and shes gone one more time. 5.5.0. Though it took 4 of the 5 dropped fish we simply had to pull the kona out of the spread as were thinking its got to much drag, or to big a hook rig, or some such other fish dropping variable ( anything other than angler incompetence ) and replace it with a Pakula lumo which gets nailed as Im dropping it back. No real weight so I skull drag in a small striped tuna. back she goes and we point the boat for port. 15 mins and well past the final bell a fish pops up dead center of the spread and starts chasing the short corner lures. with screams of desperation we beg the fish to eat one and thankfully it obliges by screaming off on one of the smaller lures connected to a 15 kg rig. God knows how many times I struck it but as the first run just went on and on I knew we were a bit more attached to this fish barlw gets all the spread in neatly and amids all the hooping an hollering the fish continues to peel off 250m of line. with huge sunlit leaps and blinding runs he almost made up for all the earlier lost opportunities. after a great hard running and inteligent surface fight that took some tricky driving from Allan its noticably tired by the time we get it to the boat and barlow sinks a tag into it. Hes hooked well in the base of the jaw and the bill but hook removal wasnt a prob and with a bill rope and the camera going constantly we start to drag it back to life. he did get a prop hit when we started the donks but thankfully that only resulted in a bit of bruising five minutes later I slip the noose and the 60kg striped marlin slips away very tired but alive. so with near darkenss all around and me nearly collapsing on the deck with vows of buying a gym membership we point the magnet for her new berth at port arriving there at 9.30. We also spent most of the day also playing radio relays for Reel Time a 36 riv out of Akua bay who had some serious fuel probs after a service. The guys were stuck motor less off the shelf somewhere and in desperate need of a tow. Thankfully they got it going and limped home on 1 donk at 1000RPM. Apart from doing an absolutely crap service the buggers had also near drained the batteries on them thus the need for a radio relay. So I suppose even though we dropped 5 fish at least our day wasnt that bad. Edited February 14, 2005 by allen glover Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest MarkD Posted February 14, 2005 Share Posted February 14, 2005 Great Report Allen & nice pics. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin Posted February 14, 2005 Share Posted February 14, 2005 Thats an action packed day. Great report. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ken A Posted February 14, 2005 Share Posted February 14, 2005 Nice report Allen - Lures can be frustrating Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ankles Posted February 14, 2005 Share Posted February 14, 2005 well done there allen .top stuff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djmac Posted February 14, 2005 Share Posted February 14, 2005 great report allen. thats how it goes with marlin fishing even if you think you have every angle sorted something else always goes wrong. sounds like port is going to be firing for the pft the year i decide not to go too Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Narralakes Posted February 14, 2005 Share Posted February 14, 2005 Great stuff Alan, that is some exciting reading there. We only hooked one last week, my first time out, and that was very exhilirating, well done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Jocool Posted February 14, 2005 Share Posted February 14, 2005 Great stuff AG! Shame about the dropped fish though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AllanF Posted February 14, 2005 Share Posted February 14, 2005 Who was that great photographer LOL Good report Al. I recon you've called the first hookup too early though. I remember shortly after saying that I thought the turn of the tide was about 6:30, so I recon first hookup prolly about 6:15. Why would you need a Gym membership? You look damned relaxed in the photo, a little too relaxed!!!... I think it was shortly after this I pollitely asked you if you wouldn't mind having a wind on the reel (as I shoved Alladen into reverse "Wind you B@#%ard"). No 6 certainly put a different perspective on the day.... at 5.5.0 I wasn't a happy chappy!!! I had a go at Barlo for tag shot being too low. It doesn't look as bad in the pic. I recon the smile will come off Barlo's face before the end of the month though.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bluecod Posted February 14, 2005 Share Posted February 14, 2005 Congratulations to all on Alladen - to raise 6 is a damn good day in anyone's language - fine gauge hooks are the go boys. Well done on the striped. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Outnumbered Posted February 14, 2005 Share Posted February 14, 2005 top stuff !! i was getting excited reading your report, i can only imagine what being there would be like Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djmac Posted February 14, 2005 Share Posted February 14, 2005 dont imagine! get out there yourselves! you dont need to be in a 33ftr to get a marlin. it just makes it easier and more comfortable Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
allen glover Posted February 14, 2005 Author Share Posted February 14, 2005 (edited) Who was that great photographer LOLGood report Al. I recon you've called the first hookup too early though. I remember shortly after saying that I thought the turn of the tide was about 6:30, so I recon first hookup prolly about 6:15. Why would you need a Gym membership? You look damned relaxed in the photo, a little too relaxed!!!... I think it was shortly after this I pollitely asked you if you wouldn't mind having a wind on the reel (as I shoved Alladen into reverse "Wind you B@#%ard"). No 6 certainly put a different perspective on the day.... at 5.5.0 I wasn't a happy chappy!!! I had a go at Barlo for tag shot being too low. It doesn't look as bad in the pic. I recon the smile will come off Barlo's face before the end of the month though.... 31772[/snapback] AF May well have been a lot later I didnt look at my watch as I rocketed out of the cabin in response to the shimano alarm clock. You can tell by the angle of the rod that the pic was taken v early in the fight. It was after all that bastard winding on the dinky little handle tld 25's have that I started to get a bit sore in the shoulder and fore arm. 250yds at back down speed takes a bit of stamina that I seem to be lacking of late. That smile was painted there and wont becoming off till the day he dies. Hes certainly an ebulient chap is your Barlo Thought the shot was bit low myself till I looked at the pic but its well above the lateral line and way back from the gill plates in very flat to so she'll be right Thanks again for a great day on a great boat. A Edited February 14, 2005 by allen glover Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mitch Posted February 15, 2005 Share Posted February 15, 2005 Nice, Great report Allen, cool pics too Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bluecod Posted February 15, 2005 Share Posted February 15, 2005 I've been informed the Sheriff went 40:11:10 at Port a day or so after AG's report - does it get any better than that? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
allen glover Posted February 15, 2005 Author Share Posted February 15, 2005 (edited) I've been informed the Sheriff went 40:11:10 at Port a day or so after AG's report - does it get any better than that? 31979[/snapback] that was the friday before. the place is crawling with the things ATM Also looking at my pics Im strongly convinced its actually a black not a stripe as first reported Edited February 15, 2005 by allen glover Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djmac Posted February 15, 2005 Share Posted February 15, 2005 weather pending im going to head up this weekend and try and get a few between the pft boys and just looking at the pics now allen it does look like a black. hard to tell in the pic on the post though as its a bit blurry cause the bodies underwater ;/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Jocool Posted February 15, 2005 Share Posted February 15, 2005 How do you tell the difference between a striped and a black? 32013[/snapback] Its called a STRIPED marlin...cos it has ....wait for it....STRIPES!!!! Sorry Andrew...I'm just in a funny mood! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Jocool Posted February 15, 2005 Share Posted February 15, 2005 Look. All three of them, courtesy of the Fisheries web site. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Jocool Posted February 15, 2005 Share Posted February 15, 2005 DAMN...the stripey and blue look the same dont they? I can see how it could be confusing!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
allen glover Posted February 15, 2005 Author Share Posted February 15, 2005 (edited) DAMN...the stripey and blue look the same dont they? I can see how it could be confusing!! 32023[/snapback] They can all be difficult to tell apart in the heat of battle and the presence of Stripes are probably the worst indicator as they all light up in a striped pattern of sorts when stressed. Non specific indicators can be shoulder size as blacks are V thick through the shoulder and look all over bulkier. dorsal shape, stripes have a V high and pointed dorsal blues have a pointed but low dorsal and blacks have a rounded and low dorsal. You can also get hints from things like the take and fight, location and size but as you can imagine its very risky to call on the basis of these alone. The definate tell tale though is that blacks have fixed downward pointing pectoral fins and stipes/blues can fold them back. small blues and stipes are hellishly hard to define apart from the fact that stripes are usually a little leaner though the body. Edited February 15, 2005 by allen glover Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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