35R Posted October 20, 2013 Share Posted October 20, 2013 We headed out from Botany heads just before dawn making a beeline direct to Heatons. Some bird action between the shelf and browns but it looked like stripie tuna so we continued east. I was hoping to find action based on ripcharts current showing about 5~10m east of Heatons but is was REALLY dead out there. So we headed Nth East in search of birds, then ride the Nth Easter home. No joy so we turned to head back to Botany. On the way back, out of nowhere we had a spectacular hit with the fish jumping out of the water doing backflips waaaay back- we couldn't quite see but we called it for a small Marlin. Finally getting it to the boat we realised is was a dollie! Great we thought as we can keep it and should be great on the BBQ. After boating the fish (and on ice) we continued trolling home then AGAIN out of nowhere we get hit on the same outfit, same lure! This time there was no mistaking it was a Marlin! Jumping out of the water doing backflips. I have some video I will try and post up later. We finally got the fish to the boat, even though it was only baby it was a magnificent sight. Unfortunately the hook had destroyed its right eye. We tried to swim it for about half an hour but it was gone, so we have kept this one. My mate George was on the rod and son Thomas on the wheel while I was on deckie/camera duties What a day, epic. Here is to many more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stickybeak Posted October 20, 2013 Share Posted October 20, 2013 Well done guys on finding some fish They are mad photos for the album Congrats Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scratchie Posted October 20, 2013 Share Posted October 20, 2013 Mate, some great fish there! Don't you just love when it all happens out of nowhere. it was a shame the stripey couldn't be released but sometimes that happens. It would be the only time I would ever keep one as well. So what was looking like donuts turned out to be a great feed. Well done! Cheers scratchie!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mangus Posted October 20, 2013 Share Posted October 20, 2013 Nice fish mate Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flickn Mad Posted October 20, 2013 Share Posted October 20, 2013 Nice pics. personally I would rather see some one take a small marlin with less than a good chance of survival for a feed than a 400 pounder for the taxidermist. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simda Posted October 20, 2013 Share Posted October 20, 2013 (edited) Great report, congrats on the fish Heard you on the radio asking if the fish was edible as it was not going too survive You did the right thing, Better to eat it if it was not going to live Had Planned to go fishing for tuna but had issues towing the boat as I lent my car to some freinds. Suffered during the day listening to the live chatter of your catch and others Regards David Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk now Free Edited October 20, 2013 by Simda Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
35R Posted October 20, 2013 Author Share Posted October 20, 2013 Thanks guys, what am experience - bitter sweet. If we could have released it and watched it swim away that would have been just perfect. What a great beast these things are, just something about them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brickman Posted October 21, 2013 Share Posted October 21, 2013 well done boys what a day bit green on the big dolly still to get a big bull myself lol and a marlin as well congrats cheers gary Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simda Posted October 21, 2013 Share Posted October 21, 2013 (edited) Thanks guys, what am experience - bitter sweet. If we could have released it and watched it swim away that would have been just perfect. What a great beast these things are, just something about them.I know what you mean, we are yet to catch our first Marlin but my 10 year old son has been nagging me that he wants to keep it when we do.I keep explaining that you don't keep them unless it would not survive like what happend to you He is still struggling with the idea, after all he explains that he has always wanted one on his wall, The word always is what really got me going, we have only been twice and started just 8 weeks ago. I guess always for a 10 year old is not that long!!!! Either way he will eventually understand Regards Dave Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk now Free Edited October 21, 2013 by Simda Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alluring Posted October 22, 2013 Share Posted October 22, 2013 those are amazing shots, would love to get a gopro. sad about the fish but at least you got a solid feed!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flickn Mad Posted October 22, 2013 Share Posted October 22, 2013 Mate. when I was a youngster I like the idea of having a massive marlin on my wall. In the end we pulled the hooks on a 400 pound plus blue beside the boat. after a three and a half hour stoush on stand up 50, surprisingly I could not have been happier seing that beast swim away. That was 20 years ago and I still some times think about it and wonder if it is still destroying bait up and down the coast and wonder how big it would be now. When he sees a beakie lit up beside the boat let him make his decision, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
noelguyau Posted October 22, 2013 Share Posted October 22, 2013 I agree, there is nothing better than see a fish swim off. You can always do what I did- After a tag and release I approached a Guy who already had moulds of Marlin in the size I caught (80kg in my case) so I had two wins, a marlin on the wall and a fish to swim free. Noel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paikea Posted October 23, 2013 Share Posted October 23, 2013 There is no more stirring sight than a lit up Marlin a magnificent fish that deserves to go free to roam. I could never see the point of gaffing them, then watch them turn that awful slate grey colour, hang them on a gantry to weigh them and then tow them out to sea and dump them. Thankfully very few are killed nowadays. At least you tried hard to save your fish and it was not wasted. As you said, a bitter sweet experience. Cheers Paikea Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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