PB marlin solo

[Jeremy]

Here is the short version of the report.

Went 2:2:1 this morning in 60-70 m SE off the Gold Coast. Caught a marlin 1900 mm short length which is 67.5 kg on the IGFA tables on 10 kg gear fishing solo.

Also had an unheard strike later on on a 4 kg outfit I was running a little bibless on and only realised when the line went snap at the end of the spool. Forgot the ratchet doh!

[Jeremy]

Here is the long version if you want to read it.

went out today off the Gold Coast for a session chasing bills and other gamefish out of my 14 ft Haines. Out through the seaway about 4.30 am and down to Marmaid reef first up to try for a mackeral. Had one bite off on a pillie, but there were alot of boats there which usually isn't good for fishing.

Headed East about 6 am and put two high speed lures in the water at the 40 m line. At the 60 m line I changed to a Pakula cockroach in lumo on the shotgun on my 8 kg outfit, a Pakula mosquito in secret squid on the short corner on my 10 kg outfit, and a small minnow on the long corner on my 4 kg outfit aimed at tuna. The Pakulas are resin head skirted lures which run on the surface and sub surface and wriggle along with a bubble trail. I had chosen the lures and set them where I wanted them where I knew they would work well, and they looked great in the water. The mosquito was only about 12 m behind the transom and the cockroach about 50-60 m back.

I headed SE-E at first and then N-NE in about 65 m. There was absolutely no bait, no birds, no dolphins etc in the area, so I nearly fell over when the 10 kg outfit went off at 8.10 am. Turned to see the splash from a fish hitting the surface after a jump and it was BIG. By the time I had cleared the other two lines and picked up the rod I had lost around 300 m of line and the marlin was jumping away on the surface. I turned to boat to try to get some line back and this is not easy, trying to point the boat where you want it to go at around 2-3 knots and wind the rod at the same time.

Twice I had to back the drag right off twice as the fish went around the front of the boat or under the boat and after 20 minutes I had the leader on the rod, but I just wasn't ready to grab it and the fish ran again. Finally after 30 minutes I was able to grab the leader and then the bill of the marlin and remove the lure. It was taken on a double hook rig and had both hooks in its mouth, one securely hooked in the corner of its jaw. It must have just smashed the lure.

Got a couple of photos at arm length and measured it using a rope along its body in the water as I kept the boat going forward. It went 1900 mm short length (fork to lower jaw) and 2500 mm long length, which according to the IGFA length to weight charts makes it 67.5 kg. It was definitely the biggest fish I have caught, clearly bigger than my previous marlin estimated at around 20 kg, but I am not sure whether it was 70 kg. I just don't have the experience to call it or any previous fish in that class to compare to.

I went back to trolling, heading N-NE and checked with a mate on the water to see how he was going a couple of times. Just after I put the radio mike down about 10.30 am I heard a sickening crack come from behind me and turned around to see what had broken. My 4 kg rod was now straight (no lure/line pressure on the tip) and the spool was empty!! A fish must have taken the little bibless lure I had rigged on wire and I must have forgotten to set the ratchet. I don't think the fish can have been on for long, but it wouldn't take long either. Kicking myself as I would have liked a fish for the table.

Antyway I kept trolling with two rods for another few hours but things were dead. No bait, no little tuna, no birds. Came back in around 2pm, great day overall.

- biggest marlin
- biggest fish ever
- first marlin on a lure (have hooked and lost others before)
- and all done solo out of a 14ft boat

[Jeremy]

photos of the marlin and lure used

[whatscracken]

Hard to beat on a solo trip mate, one to remember.

[ON-THE-CHEW]

Jeremy,
Well done it is always awesome to get a pb, but to beat your previous by 40kg is even better. You are keen going solo, I am banned from doing solo off shore trips, the boss keeps telling me how many things could go wrong, she doesn't go on about what could go right, I will have to show her your post.

Andrew

[Horse]

Thats a top effort Jeramy. There is a lot of satisfaction in getting a good fish solo. Congratulations on a fine catch

[sleepygreg]

Well done Jeremy. Solo fishing is very challenging. You did well to boat a beakie. Lesson learne though....always make sure the ratchet is on and working when fishing solo....I learnt that lesson way back in the 80's after being spooled twice in the same (solo) outing without realising it.

Great Pic by the way.

Cheers
Greg

[Jeremy]

I did it once before also Greg trolling a live baby mack tuna on 8 kg gear. It was taken by a cobe and the spool was half empty by the time I realised. I got that fish in OK. I guess the differences this time was the lighter line class and faster troll speed. No line crackling off the spool.

I hope I have learned by lesson by now.

Jeremy

[Angla]

You don't have to share any accolades when doing it solo. There's no splitting the catch either.
2 good reasons to go solo

I would think you had to be very well organised to accomplish the result. Great stuff

Cheers
Chris

[3rd degree]

That's a cracking effort by yourself Jeremy!

You'll be fitting outriggers to the Haines soon...

Cheers

James

[trueblue]

well done, and a fantastic solo photo

cheers

Mick

[Smithy]

Well done Jeremy. Good effort solo.

[TimiBoy]

Geez Mate, and that's on the back of your cracker Thready!

All hail the new Fishing God, JEREMY!

Cheers,

Tim

[kitty_cat]

well done jeremy
just to make you feel better we did it in a comp with 3 people on board and no one notice untill the spool went ping

[Grand_Marlin]

Niiiiice work Jeremy,

That fish looks very thick through the shoulders and in good condition.
I would call him 70+

Cheers

Pete

[Jeremy]

thanks for the comments. I wasn't that well organised actually. I was pulling that glove over one hand with my teeth while holding the rod in the other and it came in on the port side so I couldn't reach the throttle controls on the starboard without pulling the marlin with me.

Comment from Wayne about popping the line on a fish with 3 POB was funny. Glad a to hear of others doing it also. Interesting comment from Pete about the size also. Shame I couldn't get any photos of the fish airborne or the entire fish next to the boat, but that is one of the prices you pay for going solo.

[Jeremy]

Just want to say thankyou also to Yalta for sending me some wind on leaders in 60, 80 and 100 lb class. Nice thin trace material, must be jinkai I guess. I didn't use these for this marlin. I think it was 120 lb leader on the lure and 150 lb wind on leader. Will be good on the 4 kg outfit next time though when I get it re-spooled!

[Midnight]

Well done mate, a great fish on 10kg.

Cheers,
Myles

[jeffo]

Well done on your first solo fish Jeremy, and at 70 odd kg what a way to start!!Gotta love the yakka cockroach. My favorite lure by a long shot!

You will refine your solo system as more trips pass. Having everything laid out at the ready at the start of the day is a must for a smooth release! Im up to about 20 solo now and just about every fish can show you some small hole in your system.

One thing I cant stress enough is having a good sharp knife (or even better are the sportsmans release knives-available from wellsys tackle) at the ready should anything go wrong boat side.

IMO solo marlin fishing from a 14 footer is the most fun you can have with your pants on.

The head photo deffinately makes your estimate look like its in the ball park. He's a solid little bugger!!

[Jeremy]

Well done on your first solo fish Jeremy, and at 70 odd kg what a way to start!!Gotta love the yakka cockroach. My favorite lure by a long shot!


Actually got a marlin solo back in around 2003/4 live baiting for cobia off Caloundra which was around 20 kg, so not my first solo.

Thanks for the correction re the lure model colour. I thought someone might. No way can I remember what they are even though I only have about 6-8. It will be the first in the water every time now though!

[jeffo]

My apologies Jeremy. I think I actually have a mark at caloundra in my GPS called "Jeremy" for where you caught that fish...if its the one im thinking of.

[Jeremy]

Jeffo - yes I did give you that mark I think you had a comp coming up shortly after I caught that fish. I have never seen much bait on there since then, but I think it might be starting to come good again now with some sand shifting away and more structure showing up on that reef.

[Haines620 Mu]

Nice Pb Jeremy! keep up the good work m8

[bigjimg]

A fine effort Jeremy you must be stoked.Funnily enough a ratchet wasn't set on one of our rods yesterday and only because i am anal about checking the rods that we noticed it otherwise John[Haines620Mu]wouldn't have his first Hoo.Again well done.Jim

[the baker]

Well done Mate

Dave

[rakinray]

Well done Jeremy top fish mate i have had a few on when doing a solo but yet to get one alongside ! Hopefully this year ! Might give the Goldy a run tomorrow, what depth did you get him ? Gotta love small boat game fishing !

CHEERS RAY.

[Jeremy]

Ray, I got it in 67m SE of the Seaway about off Palm Beach. There was no bait, no birds, no small tuna, nothing. Water temp was 27.4 on my sounder. I think it might have just been passing through the area.

Sounded to me like there was more activity North around Spot X and off Jumpinpin with at least two blacks hooked that I heard and a few dollies.

Good luck if you get out there.

[RAT-KING]

Congrats Jeremy on all the PB's!!!!!
thats an awesome solo effort i love fishng solo except for 2 reasons u have no-one 2 share the experience with especially hooked onto a black having jump and carry on and fishing solo its ahrd 2 get good foto's!!!! especiaaly the action shots of a black jumping and carrying on!!!!
well done Simon

[Mattg68]

2 thumbs up for that solo effort Jeremy. stem cell research will have you growing a third arm before you know it, ha ha.

matt

[nickstock]

- biggest marlin
- biggest fish ever
- first marlin on a lure (have hooked and lost others before)
- and all done solo out of a 14ft boat

Thats what it's all about mate! Major congrats!!!

If it was not blowing 28 knots from the south east up here I would be out giving it a shot now after reading your post!!!!!!!!I want to target Sailfish solo this year.

Nick

[bugman]

Jeremy,

Congrats all round. The Tweed Coast has been devoid of bait every time we've been out this season. Strange - cause there's still been some bigger fish around.

Can you believe Pakula don't make any lures in the Yakka colour. It's my favourite colour by a mile and now we've got to stry and copy them using not quite the right skirts from Welsys. Shame really - Pakula was on to a winner but let it go.

Brett

[Tim_N]

Wow Jeremy,
Excellent effort.
Tim