4 Years In The Making, My First Marlin

[sanger]

Hey guys,

First of all a safe merry christmas to all. This last week i had the chance to go up and fish with one of my good mates who moved to brisbane a little while back, Clifford (No Regrets). I have been fishing with cliff for the last 4 years and alot of that time has been dedicated to bluewater fishing targeting marlin and other pelagics. I went overseas about 2 years ago now and the guys finally cracked the code and got the first marlin for the boat the weekend i flew out! So i was still in the big 0 category and since then the boys have continued to increase that figure.

Well im pleased to say that my trip up to brisbane has finally cured my drought! We were fishing the northen tip of moreton island around some of the offshore reefs when something slamed one of the lures. We Didn't know what it was at first but were soon enlightened when it started to do its acrobatics and revealed itself to be a small Stripe of about 40kilos(at least i think it is, please correct me if im wrong). The fish had jumped on my rapala xrap 30 of all things.

It wasn't a particuly long fight but with only two of us on the boat, 2 teasers and 5 lines out around a rocky outcrop it was definitely intense. I was driving the boat playing the fish and trying to use my camera to capture some of the action and clifford was running round the deck like a man possesed clearing all the gear. Because we have fished together for a long time and often with only the 2 of us we got it all right and had the fish at the boat in about 10 minutes. Cliff did a great job leadering the fish with no gloves untill we got a towel on the fish to calm it down get the lure out. I decided that i didn't want to bring the fish on board for photos but instead get it swiming and released to fight another day, Besides the image of my first billfish (be it only of the miniture variety) will never leave me.

This however wasn't our only adventure for the week as we fished 5 days out of the 7 i was there. The first 2 days we fished for a big fat donut and then a my marlin came in on the 3rd day accompanied with one spanish mackerel of about 1m.The 4th day was when thing really heated up, between us we caught 3 wahoo and 8 spanish mackerel all over a meter and kept 4 for the table.

Yesterday was my last day and we started of with a monumental bust off on 80lb by what we think may have been an extremely large specimen of a mackerel or wahoo and this brought the total of lost xraps to 3 over the last few days so we thought we might head out wider and have a look for a beakie of larger proportions. We dropped the lures just shy of the 90m mark and after going over a small bait ball and a large temp break had my medium lumo sproket engulfed by a 100kg+ fish that had one big jump through the middle of our spread but was lost shortly after. That was our last hookup as the plane ride home beckoned.So if you get the chance to fish off moreton island do it, Im not going to forget it in a hurry not just for my first beakie but also seeing wahoo jumping 3m+ into the air plus plenty of dolphins turtles and other marine critters!

I want to say thanks to all the guys that have given me some good advice and hints to finally cracking the code and getting my first billfish!

Have a great safe chrissy all and most of all tight lines!!!!!

Fishlexic

Craig

[sanger]

Thanks stewie,

We thought it would be a black seeing as though it was so small but geese its stripes were lit up and just didn't want to leave!

Yeah i don't care it's a little fella im just stoked to finally see one of these things up close! What a beautiful fish!

[Tackle Junkie]

Congratulations - well done great pics. I hope I can crack mine this season - but we will see. Mine will be off Sydney so who knows - but I am sure I will have fun either way.

Cheers

Josh

Edited December 24, 2009 by Tackle Junkie

[GregL]

Well done and fish you work for are so much more satisfying when you felt you have earn't it and not just caught straight up.

As they say, marlins a marlin no matter what size!

Greg

[mikeh191]

Well done Craig on your first beakie, great photos you look so proud.

Cheers Mike

[slinkymalinky]

Sensational stuff and great report, Craig.

Congrats on your first Beakie. Spectacular photos.

Hope some more of those fish make it a little further south soon.

Cheers, Slinky

[double pluggers]

The smile says it all, Good on you congratulations.

[Croydon]

Well done Craig, congratulations! As the girls say, size does not matter (but we know better). Fantastic fish and a magic result. All the best for chrissy and the new year..........

Dave

(Hook 4 and lost each one of 'em but getting closer!!)

[arpie]

Congratulations Craig - what a Xmas Pressie - as Stewie says - you will long remember that catch!!

Superb pics too - love the 2nd one - that is a magazine shot if ever I've seen one!!

Cheerio

Roberta

[Scon]

awesome work and a nice result.

were the spaniards good eating?

[sanger]

Thanks for all the kind words guys, definitely something i won't forget!!!!

The spanyids are great eating. We had one lot on the bbq with garlic and butter, then crumbed the following nights with a garlic and herb crumb and they went on the bbq as well.

I didn't taste the wahoo though as we gave some fish away to the neighbours.

Merry Christmas to all!

Edited December 25, 2009 by fishlexic

[mr magoo]

Thanks for all the kind words guys, definitely something i won't forget!!!!

The spanyids are great eating. We had one lot on the bbq with garlic and butter, then crumbed the following nights with a garlic and herb crumb and they went on the bbq as well.

I didn't taste the wahoo though as we gave some fish away to the neighbours.

Merry Christmas to all!

congratulations on your first of many beakies,and i think you missed out by not eating the wahoo,as it is some of the best fish ive ever eaten,but it gives you a great excuse to go back for more billfish/wahoo

cheers arman

[james1990]

well done buddy

gotta love those xraps, i know a few guys in PNG that use them to specifically target sailfish!

regards james1990