public holiday marlin

[patey]

We hit the ramp just after 4.00 am headed to balmoral to get some lives as we were heading for 12 mile reef to try and get some kings but had no luck with the livies so we got the lures ready as we were trolling out to the 12 mile then south to the fads.

All reports of marlin leading up to this trip were good and all you had to do was pick a good day and you were a chance of getting one and we were pretty confident that we would get a look at a marlin.

The weather was looking good but reports of the wind picking up we had to get out there so we headed off .Dropped the lures and teaser in the water 3kms off the heads.So with the lures set it was time to sit back and wait it was around the 100 mtr mark that we got a hit on the starboard lure on a 8 inch pacific lure in green and yellow colour but didn't hook up.

About 5kms short of the 12 mile the wind had picked up and took a couple of waves on the side of the boat which made us go south with the swell and wind and we could troll without taking the swell over the side.It was then that we got our second strike and this fish took the lure and ran for about 250 mtrs and jumped once at the end of that run.I had grabbed the rod as my mate John cleared the other rods and teaser from the water the marlin had taken the long centre 12 inch lure in black/red/yellow.

The marlin was coming in pretty easy as we were both going with the wind and current and he had stayed on the surface so we didn't have to move the boat around to chase him which made it easier.We had him by the boat in about 20 min sand called it for a striped marlin about 2 mtrs in length.As he got to the boat he took another short run then as the marlin came closer we noticed that he had the second hook in his eye and was bleeding from the eye.We got the fish onboard measured him upend he went 2.1 mtrs.had to have a beer after that as this was the first marlin in john new boat

Got the lures back in the water made our way towards the fads done a couple of passes around the fad with no luck then headed back up into the wind which was blowing abit harder now on the way back noticed a free jumper what a great sight that is this is the second time in the last two trips that I've noticed them jumping we headed towards the fish but got nothing.

So we made a decision to head back in troll along south head then get some of those lives that we didn't get before at balmoral and try for kings on north head but as before they were not there.So we headed off anchored off Quarintine head along with all the other boats that had decided to do the same out of the wind got the burley going put a few baits in the water for awhile but nothing happening there.We then decided to do a drift out the front for some flatties but got out there and realised why those thousands of boats were sitting inside the heads that nor easter blowing about 15 its now done a quick drift across the heads got a couple of undersized flat ties then decided to call it a day as we had enough fish in the esky anyhow.

Looking forward to the next trip and hope next time to release that marlin unharmed had a great day patey

[Chris 55]

Nice work guys

know about the swell coming over the side from the other day

congrates on christening the boat

Chris

[brickman]

first marlin in your boat you'll be grinning for a month congrats cheers gary

[patey]

Thanks guys my second marlin that I've ever caught first was a small black a few years ago at port Stephens will be out again soon weather permitting cheers patey