Did you say Marlin?

[erroll]

Thanks Andrew. Just another healthy fishing obsession I didn't need!!!!!

[herdsman]

Gday Raiders,

Thought I would drop a note on the board as the marlin cherry was broken yesterday never to be the same again!

Fishing with good mates and raiders, Sandgrouper and Chewie on my boat (whilst I fish with them individually all the time, it had been over a year since we were on the boat for a session together due to our lives, families, work etc) we started collecting livies in MH early which was like Pitt St after the sun came up, but managed a tankful of yakkas and a few nice size slimies. My cursed livewell pump gives up the ghost so in goes the deck wash hose to keep those needy slimies alive. The plan was to give the inshore reefs and a wreck or two up north a go for kings before heading wide to drag some lures around to head home.

We managed a rat or two each and felt it was time to make a call. Stay inshore or go wider. Decisive, the decision wasn't, but we made the call in the end to go wide that seemed like a good one given the conditions and that there had been a few emerging reports of marlin appearing in shooting range.

We headed off to 70fa or so and started to pull some lures along. Great looking water, so I set my fish alarm on my sounder and we started marking a lot of bait and would stop at the bigger bait balls and pull some slimies up with a jig. We would circle around bait to see if there was anything bigger in the neighborhood and then would continue south.

Given that we are all tackle addicts, the call was made to bring only three rods each which in my case was a snapper rod, jig rod and a heavy spin rod (excluding the of course the baitcaster always rigged with a jig for livies and the squid rod.... Oh that is five rods....) as we were covering a few bases in the day. So with the heaviest gearon board out, it was still a lightish arsenal out, I was trolling with my jig master/Stella 8000 with 50lb braid and the guys with similar light stuff out as well as a couple of teasers making noise and bubbles.

A couple of hours in, my rod gets bumped, then nothing. I was thinking it would have been a little stripey or something, and I continue to watch the rod.......... Bang.... Off it goes, I could not believe it, a real marlin hooked up!!!!!! FFFAAARRRCCCCCCCCCCCCC... We keep motoring forward (autopilot for trolling is the best!!!!) as the guys cleared the rods like experts. The first run in a screamer, literally, my poor little stella was in agony as a good 150 to 200m of line vanishes from its shiny spool. My heart rate hits the roof and I have no idea what I am doing but I am loving it. Not wanting to look like a dill, I was in good company as it was our first marlin hook up. Something we had talked about and planned for so long now. The fish jumps a few times, screams off to the horizon and I am left holding this ridiculously little twig of a rod and reel to hang onto it with.

Sandgrouper took the wheel, Chewie readied the boat, takes a few snaps and gets me a gimbal belt. The banter on the boat is the funniest part as i am trying to focus and these guys are giving me grief about this and that, hysterical....... The fight took 45mins or so and ended after a stalemate where it was doing doing circles and us trying to stay at 45 degrees to it. Chewie now gloved up grabs the leader boat side as I step back to the other gunnel and we get an eyeful of a magnificient striped marlin all lit up and then the hook pulls on it boatside. A very easy release for the three of us. Shouts and laughter all round for an experience and a huge sense of satisfaction and anticipation for the season ahead.

We learned a lot from that 45 mins, how to manage the boat, where to better place the gear you need and the fact that you are better off with your mates there if you want to chase these beasts etc. just an amazing result. We estimated it was about 80kgs and about 2.2m long. It swam off looking a little sulky but in good form. Water was 22.7c.

Whilst only a little one, I can see why people gets so obsessed with them. I one of those tragics now.

As we were all at sea.... excuse the pun, the photography at the end isn't much chop as we were so busy and over the moon.

I just can't wait to get back out there and give it another try.

Cheers

Erroll

Congratulations mate,seen plenty caught myself, but i always missed out, they have amazing colours don,t they, how far offshore were you?

[Robertos87]

Mate that is awesome! Has to be a great feeling you guys getting into one by yourselves as well. I'm sure there's plenty more to come.

Sent from my GT-I9300T using Tapatalk 2

[erroll]

Thanks herdsman, we were about 10nm off shore. Not too far at really. I see reports on them closer in than that too. Very encouraging.

[Scent Blazer Lures]

Its a great time for smaller boats to get amongst what usually can only be experienced by the big gleaming game boats. Its amazing how much gamefishing has changed!! its for the better i think...

[PRED-ATOR]

Awesome read mate, congrats on your first marlin.

its good that you all came together as a team to land such a great fish.

mate awesome looking boat too (from your display avatar)

were the kings hard to come by?

Cheers,

Stan

[erroll]

Thanks Stan, the plan came together a treat which is not always how it turns out, as any angler knows. The kings were only five miles NE of bluefish. Found them on the surface busting up

Yes, the boat is a beauty, thanks. It's a 6.8 Seafarer Voyager with a Suzi 300 and lots of fruit. Bluefin out at Heatons six months ago and now my first marlin. She is knotching up a few good milestones. Your boat is not named Predator is it?

Cheers

[PRED-ATOR]

My centre console was named Predator but i sold it.

im looking to buy a bream bass boat now, really want to start entering a few tournaments.

geez the 300 would make that thing fly.

[erroll]

About 45kts! We saw a bar crusher that morning before headed out that was named predator. Good luck with the new acquisition.

[quintrex480]

Congrats mate! And what a report, thought I was on the boat with you for a few seconds there hehe

Can't wait to join company and feel what it's like to hook up onto one of these guys.

[erroll]

Thanks buddy, it certainly was a blast. I love fishing on all forms, now I just have one more target to obsess about!

Cheers

[Formosan]

well done Errol. Congrats! What brand of lure did you use?

[erroll]

Got it on a scent blazer mate.

[wacko]

Good going fellas on your first beakie!!!

The 'odd' one-out outfit on my boat trolling for marlin these days, is a 20size Makaira overhead on a rollered rod.....everything else is jigging gear and Big spin set-ups, heaps of fun!.....we've nailed a few nice Blues on these outfits way over the shelf, so they are certainly not 'toys' in the gamefishing scene...

Wacko.

[erroll]

Thanks wacko, I have to agree with the fun factor although I am going to make sure I take at least the 20000 rather than just the 8000 next time. Stoked to get another crack at it but this weather is the pits.

[Kiwi]

In the last week there have been multiple shots of the small blacks off Little Isl just off Port Stephens. Lures until the bait comes up.

A couple of boats tagged 10m each before the storm hit.

[Simda]

Get on out there mate. It's very addictive! Cheers

you are not wrong, one year later I have 3 tiagra 50w and am working on adding outriggers to the boat

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[brickman]

congrats mate it's about time well done cheers gary

[erroll]

Thanks Gary, the bug has bit hard and the hours are piling up on the seafarer. Loving it! Thanks for your help.

Cheers

[Jew Stalker]

Hand on the leader = catch!

Well done Errol. Great to see the beakies getting worked.

Luc.

[oziodin]

Mate that's what we all Dream of I'm with envie hope it will come true for myself on e day. Well-done !

Cheers Oziodin

[thefisherman6784]

Great job mate

That's an awesome day for u

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