3 Marlin Hookups, 6 Dollies in a few hours - SYDNEY

[Scent Blazer Lures]

Hey, just a quick update, will update later with more photos.

3 of us went on Saturday,1-1-2014, hooked 2 marlin and whole lot of Dolphin Fish. The marlin unfortunately didn't stick to our hooks. We found and saw a tonne of bait out there, we got underwater footage of Marlin, Stripped Tuna, a million Leatherjacks and some small Yellowfin on our underwater camera. A underwater marlin shot attached.

I couldn't resist going out today, Monday 3-3-2014, I knew there would be fish out there, I could manage to get out there around 2.30pm, my regular fishing buddy couldn't make it on short notice so I said F$#K it. I will try it solo. I fuelled at up Rushcutters Bay and came up with game plan for running solo and got out there.

I hooked 3 marlin, 1 small one Striped Marlin got off, another busted me off and I landed one at around 250lb, took about an 1hr to land. Got around 6 dollies as well around 70cm.

2 of the marlin hook-ups were with in 5 seconds of each other, could have easily been a double hook-up, if one hadn't busted off. That would have been absolute kaos.

Successfully realised the marlin, would never dream of bringing one aboard and possibly hurting it, too nice a fish not to let go, pictures of it in the water I'm more than happy with.

Also really overcast and was running lights in the lures, they were lit up like stop signs

Peter - SB Lures
www.scentblazer.com

Edited March 3, 2014 by Scent Blazer Lures

[noelguyau]

Awesome shot of the two Marlin together, did you do your usual run NE or were you wider this time.

Noel

[plankton]

Simply insane. Catching fish solo and expert photographer. Is there anything you can't do!

[Scratchie]

That's a fantastic effort especially on a solo trip! Double hook up!!! Hmmm that would have been interesting to try work that one out!

Great effort and photos. It just goes to show how well those lures work!

Cheers scratchie!!!

[Scent Blazer Lures]

Simply insane. Catching fish solo and expert photographer. Is there anything you can't do!

I'm no expert LOL, I do like filming the underwater stuff, its pretty cool. The underwater shots where taken on Saturday when there was 3 on-board. No underwater footage yesterday, It's was too much equipment to put out when going solo.

From the underwater shots on Saturday I knew they were out there so I had get out there yesterday.

My go pro, the one that I put on my head crapped out yesterday about 1hr before the marlin hook-ups, I got the video on my Iphone, I recorded about 40mins, Its like the Blair Witch Hunt of fishing videos, but I did manage to get some useable bits of video from it.

Edited March 3, 2014 by Scent Blazer Lures

[Scent Blazer Lures]

That's a fantastic effort especially on a solo trip! Double hook up!!! Hmmm that would have been interesting to try work that one out!

Great effort and photos. It just goes to show how well those lures work!

Cheers scratchie!!!

thanks mate, I may have considered cutting one off, I don't know. Its a good problem to have

[Scent Blazer Lures]

Awesome shot of the two Marlin together, did you do your usual run NE or were you wider this time.

Noel

Mate the same run, that's all we have been doing this season, warm blue water and lots of dollies, no need to go out further. The first hook-up was around Manly hydraulics which was the smaller fish, I trolled NE up to about 3 NM away it at times. The almost double hook up was happened about 2 miles NE of Manly Hydraulics. There are birds and at times dolphins out there, just keep the boat on the concentration of the birds and just keep trolling around them or near them.

Saw another boat hooked up about 1NM NE of Hydraulics.

Edited March 3, 2014 by Scent Blazer Lures

[Berleyguts]

Great fishing! I'm interested in your game plan for running solo because I will fish solo more often than not. How many lures do you troll in your spread when solo? And how do you manage the lines? Do you retrieve them all before picking up the rod with the fish on, or do you let the lures sink and hope you don't tangle the lines up? Last time out, trolling in close, I struggled just trolling two lures - landed the fish on the X-rap but the Xmas tree sunk to the bottom and got stuck. Fortunately, I was able to motor around a bit and free it. Don't know how I'd go with a double hook-up??!! lol

Cheers,

Baz

[Scent Blazer Lures]

Great fishing! I'm interested in your game plan for running solo because I will fish solo more often than not. How many lures do you troll in your spread when solo? And how do you manage the lines? Do you retrieve them all before picking up the rod with the fish on, or do you let the lures sink and hope you don't tangle the lines up? Last time out, trolling in close, I struggled just trolling two lures - landed the fish on the X-rap but the Xmas tree sunk to the bottom and got stuck. Fortunately, I was able to motor around a bit and free it. Don't know how I'd go with a double hook-up??!! lol

Cheers,

Baz

you'll need outriggers, basically run a staggered spread, two on the outriggers longer and two on the corners, run it so you can do hard turns without your lures crossing

to get the lures out, run with wind and swell behind you with the boat just in gear, once your lures are out, you can pick up speed 7-9 knots and start trolling

set your drags tight for marlin and use the boat set your hook, if the marlin is on then pick up the speed to 10-12 knots for around 10-15 seconds to drive that hook in, once its on start slowing turning the boat downwind keeping the line tight, once the boat is downwind leave it neutral or just in gear, bring the other rods in get them out of the way.

now you have fight the marlin, leave the rod in the holder and put the boat in a really slow reverse, then wind the reel, once the boat goes off course and it will, get back to the steering wheel and bring in back on course and go slowly in reverse again, this way you can slowly start getting the fish in, keep doing it until the fish can be grabbed by the leader, towards the end of the fight when fish is tired, you can probably just let boat drift downwind and wind the fish up to leader, its heavy but it can be done

and be bloody careful, not to fast backwards

if its a smaller fish the same thing, once you have hooked the fish\ do a slow turn so the boat is going downwind if you are not already downwind. then wind the fish in, you can leave the boat in neutral or just in gear, on small fish you can leave the other lines out

once you have landed the fish, keep going downwind and put the lure back into the spread and start trolling again

Edited March 5, 2014 by Scent Blazer Lures

[Berleyguts]

Thanks! Some useful tips there! Outriggers are on my wish list but to start with I need more rod holders as I only have the 4 the boat came with.

As my boat is a 4.5m side console, I assume I don't need to reverse down on the fish as I'd be able to fight from the bow (or the console)?

Baz

[nautica]

I was also out today from port hacking.Trolled port fad and both botany fads for 6 nice dollies and one bull.Didnt hear of any beaks hooking up until I was back at the ramp.Story of my life at the moment

[Scent Blazer Lures]

Thanks! Some useful tips there! Outriggers are on my wish list but to start with I need more rod holders as I only have the 4 the boat came with.

As my boat is a 4.5m side console, I assume I don't need to reverse down on the fish as I'd be able to fight from the bow (or the console)?

Baz

yeah for sure, you could even probably drive forward on it to retrieve the line in a console boat, you could probably still troll 3 or more lures without the outriggers, just stagger the lures so they can't cross. run 2 short staggered and 2 long staggered

I started in 15 footer and I could run 4 lures without riggers

[Scent Blazer Lures]

I was also out today from port hacking.Trolled port fad and both botany fads for 6 nice dollies and one bull.Didnt hear of any beaks hooking up until I was back at the ramp.Story of my life at the moment

nice, four of us went out today, we didn't hear of or see anyone get a marlin, lots of boats out, we saw some free jumpers and marlin feeding, but we didn't see anyone hook one. No dollies trolling for us, a couple of boats were getting them using baits around the fads. We got 3 striped tuna around 6-8lb, lost a couple as well and we got one marlin knock-down. That's broken our dollie run.

[Moonshine]

Awesome report. I am always available on short notice and most of the times also head out there solo to fish the same area. Let me know next time you head out, maybe we can team up? Rick

[damian]

realy great shots ther. and i'm realy keen to try out these lures. u guys seem to have alot of sucess on them. do u always fill them with bait?

[Scent Blazer Lures]

Awesome report. I am always available on short notice and most of the times also head out there solo to fish the same area. Let me know next time you head out, maybe we can team up? Rick

no probs, send us message with your number and if we spots I can let you know

[Scent Blazer Lures]

realy great shots ther. and i'm realy keen to try out these lures. u guys seem to have alot of sucess on them. do u always fill them with bait?

yeah we almost always put bait in them, they will work without the bait as well. On some days I'm sure the bait wouldn't make any difference if the fish are really on and feeding aggressively, anything will work. But at other times if the fish are fussy and I am 100% sure that the bait inside can be the difference between the fish being a looker or a biter. Also with marlin strikes if they strike the lure and miss the hook there is good chance they will come back on it if they can taste the bait.

if you have time, read this, its pretty long but it explains how we came up with the lures and why

http://www.scentblazer.com/FishingAdvice/WhyuseScentBlazer.aspx

we have done pretty well this season and we have always been getting something even if its only small, but like everyone we also get zero days, I think we are due for one

Edited March 6, 2014 by Scent Blazer Lures