Port Hacking fad and trolling - now with photos

[Oscarthebeagle]

Launched from grays point, fishing with dad hookerbruce. Day got off to a bad start when live bait proved hard to catch. Not to worried as this going to be one of our token trolling trips for the season. After a while gave up and took our 5 baits and a block of pillies and headed out to sea. Got to the port hacking fad about 7ish. 8 boats already there didn't appear to be doing much, first drift through produced an under size king and dollie. 2nd drift we got two 70cm dollies after that the lives where gone and pilchards only produced small kings.

About 9 we gave up and started trolling. Set the outriggers, spread of lures, Daisy chain teaser and did our best impression of a boat that knows what its doing.

5km NE of the fad saw a swirl behind a lure not believing my eyes I waited for it to appear again before calling fish,Dad turned in time to see a marlin crash the lure then explode out of the water over a body length clear of the surface barely 30m behind the boat.

From there the marlin did everything you here about. Tailwalking, jumps, greyhounding runs across the surface and a truley impressive run that took 400-500m of line in one go.

Amazing how news travels within 15mins of hook up we had 10 boats working the general area from the two boats originally nearby.

Fish eventually settled down and after a solid 30min fight was at the boat. The marlin behaved itself at the trace and a hand on the bill and it was ours. 1st marlin for me, being a short fight and a healthy fish it was swam briefly and released.

Reset the gear and continued trolling, we come across another marlin south of the peak that was chasing dollies but did not go for the lures, called it a day at 12 and headed home

Specifics:

-Black marlin, 1.8m bottom bill to tail approx 60kg

-15kg platypus pretest, Shimano TLD 30, Shimano beast master rod

-560 Bermuda Ocean Rider, 90 etec.

Cheers

Thanks for reading

Edited January 26, 2015 by Oscarthebeagle

[Oscarthebeagle]

Lure was an 8inch lumo pusher

[Jamestown]

Congratulations

[Paddy454]

Well done mate,

Catching Your first marlin and a good read.

regards,

Paddy

[chocolate]

Well down champ.

[issue]

Good for you. Releasing your 1st marlin is such a buzz....But now you're hooked, and will be thinking of nothing else.

[hookerbruce]

I think you left a couple of things out of your report

don't think we worked out who was on strike but you were faster to the rod than me.

The rod bucket was still under the seat in a bag so thanks dad for getting me some protection from the gimbel fitting

Then had to find the camera and work out how to use it

The excellent boat handling by the captain was the only reason you landed OUR fish

And we were lucky to have one strike on a lure rigged by us that resulted in a hook up and a fish to the boat.

Congratulations.

bruce

[brunny23]

Congrats mate, I think I trolled past you guys. Were you with another boat that was filming you fight the marlin?

[stickybeak]

Well done Oscar on the first marlin

Great achievement. I think some people are thinking too much and back to basics like you have done

Stickybeak

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Oscarthebeagle]

I think you left a couple of things out of your report

don't think we worked out who was on strike but you were faster to the rod than me.

The rod bucket was still under the seat in a bag so thanks dad for getting me some protection from the gimbel fitting

Then had to find the camera and work out how to use it

The excellent boat handling by the captain was the only reason you landed OUR fish

And we were lucky to have one strike on a lure rigged by us that resulted in a hook up and a fish to the boat.

Congratulations.

bruce

[Oscarthebeagle]

Thanks dad, the rod that hooked up was on my side of the boat, so my fish. I did ask if you wanted a particular lure on your side.

The rod bucket could have appeared sooner I now have a bruise in a spot only my wife sees.

But yes it takes a mixture of luck and skill from all lnvolved to get a fish like that to the boat.

Thanks and yes it can be our fish, and you can be on strike next trip.

[Oscarthebeagle]

Congrats mate, I think I trolled past you guys. Were you with another boat that was filming you fight the marlin?

We where in a beige ally half cabin two people on board, outrriggers( got taken down during the fight) and a heap of rods in the rocket launches. We where fishing alone but when we hooked up a just after passing a blue plate ally boat, a big game boat and white fiberglass half cab all boats must of seen cause they swung around and worked the area.

[NaClH2OK9]

Congrats on a stunning fish. Very interesting writeup and love the dry inline conversation. Nice work.