My First Billie

[lido76]

Got a call up to fish on Animal with Steve on Sunday off Mooloolaba. Saturday night got word that there was a tsunami warning out for the Qld coast (never fished a tsunami before). I picked up Craig at 3 and we headed over to Steves house to find him watching fox weather wondering what the F#$% to do, after reading every weather website, reading up on the likely hood of an actual tsunami hitting us and some dude on foxtel finally saying we wouldn't get a big wave just strong currents and tidal surge the call was made to go. Off we went wondering if we would return, we arrived at Mooloolaba around 6:30 and were steaming off a short time later. After a 30 min run in pretty good conditions we jigged up some livies and started our persuit for my first billie. Smithy was out there and had already tagged one so I was pretty pumped and ready to have a crack. The baits were deployed and the wait was on, another boat hooked up next to us and the little black went jumping past us at a thousand miles an hour I was now chomping at the bit waiting (and watching for any large waves) for my turn. SNAPP the rubber band popped I'm on wait no I'm not its gone, wind in to check the bait, crap its still there move the drag up wind, gone pulled the bait out of his mouth. BUGGER missed my first fish. Re baited and through out again next strike there was no mistaking what was on the end of my line as a beautifull little black Marlin starts jumping and peeling line like crazy with Steve yelling instructions from the bridge I start getting a little bit exited (understatment) I can feel the power GONE NOOOOOOOOO. Bugger missed again. Rebaited and was feeding the next livie down when i saw a Marlin take my slimmey and head for the hills this time this is it. The little black had other ideas and after jumping away it turned and jumped towards the boat, I was to slow on the winding to much slack line and he joined his other mates that had defeated me before. 3-3-0 I was starting to feel embarassed what do I have to do to land one of these speedsters. After a short wait I got another shot this time I was determined to get him to the boat with Steve on the sticks backing down on the fish yelling instuctions to me (wind faster and lift your rod tip) thats all I heard, craig was saying something not sure what, I was focased my arms were burning my legs shaking this fish wasn't going to beat me. 35mins later and Craig finally sunk the tag into my first Black Marlin not a bad first at about 50 kg I was the happiest man in the world. Unfortunately we popped it off before I got a chance to get a photo. A few quick phone calls later and we're on again this time its Craigs turn and after a short 12min fight I sunk the tag into a 45kg black this one we managed to lift aboard to get a quick happy snap before returning it back to the sea. I was next up and got another go about an hour later I felt much more comfortable with this fight as the monkey was off my back and 22mins later a nice 55kg balck was tagged and released. Wow what a day not only my first marlin but my second as well. Thankyou so much to Steve for taking me out it was a day I will remember for the rest of my life. Tally for the day was 6-6-3 all fish were caught on 8kg and slimmey macks for bait. Oh and I forgot to mention that there was no sign of the Tsunami. Cheers Brendan.........

[cuzzamundi]

Great Black, mate. Sounds like a great session. What pound mono trace do you use? Great result, well done. Also, how was the current, and water vis? Thanks mate.

Cuzza

[Smithy]

Good one. Didn't realise it was you over there. Could see a gamefish club shirt on and worked out it was Craig on the deck with you. We ended up with 3 blacks, 5 wahoo and a mahi mahi. Got some great shots from the day, just need time to put on Photobucket and all that. Think I have got 37 blacks just from that one bait school now and throw in a few fish from Chardons and stuff and I am into the 40s for the season.

[lido76]

Cuzza we were useing 100lb trace, also there wasn't much current and the water vis was pretty good.

Smithy, sounds like your having a great season mate plenty of happy punters! All good for business.Mate heard you got your first solo the other week congrats.
Cheers Brendan

[trueblue]

Well done mate. It is definitely a very special feeling, especially the moment the fish swims away.

cheers

Mick

[TCSunCoast]

Brendan, nice work & good to see you up the right end of town.

You are the first person I now know to have caught a marlin in tsunami!

Catch you soon.


Tony

[Midnight]

Nice story Lido, and well done on your first Black Marlin and the tag shot too!
A day you will never forget.

And well done to Stephen for making it happen.

Cheers,
Myles

[captain rednut]

hi brendan
now i know whom the bribie gamefish shirt was on the back deck of animal?? good to see you boys enjoying yourselves and braving the tsanami along with the rest of us?? the weather and fish turned it on again. hope to catch you guys again at the bribie comps.
cheers jim

[therapy]

Thanks for the read Brendan ( and the reply Smithy). Me and a fellow Ausfisher are going out with Smithy next Friday so very encouraged by your report and Smithy's reply as well!!! Hope the weather god's are good to us. Surely it can't blow this hard and rain this much for long!!

Cheers.........Terry...........

[The Animal]

No worries mate my pleasure
Stephen

[-spiro-]

Good one Brendon. Nice fish.

[kitty_cat]

nice report you are hooked for ever now
hey mate what speed did you tow the livies at , where they weighted (how were they rigged).

[Smithy]

Wayne,

Steve is probably doing a bit more trolling than us. The one quiet morning the other week The Animal certainly got more bites than anyone else. Some guys say it makes no difference livebaiting but I reckon the fish feel the vibrations more from twin diesel game boats and come and have a look at what is going on. If you have a fish raising boat, it is going to raise fish no matter what fishing method you are doing. Ymer holds it's own too when things are tough and we at least raise a fish a day no matter what and no matter how tough the fishing is but Reel Capture the little 7.2KC with twins is killing it at the moment.

When livebaiting I always run one sinker bait and one unweighted one as a minimum. Some boats run three baits with either two unweighted ones off the riggers and a sinker bait down the middle or a big sinker down the middle, a medium sinker bait off one rigger and a floater off the second rigger. I'll tow them around at dead slow idle sometimes, 2 knots if I want to beat a bit of wind or current or something but don't be afraid to tow them faster like 3 knots if you have to beat a lot of wind or current and you are making bait easy. If bait is hard to get you have to preserve them but if you are jigging it easy burn them up. Port Stephens guys swim/skip fresh ones at 3-4knots so if you have to beat the current down at the Gold Coast or whatever tow them quicker and keep changing them.

[seapup]

Nice work Lido!

[lido76]

Thanks for the comments all. Yes I think I am hooked forever now, still on cloud 9. Good luck next Friday Terry I'm sure Smithy will put you onto some.

Wayne, I think Smithy has pretty much answered your question but mate we were just drifting unwieghted Slimmies through the bait schools and slowly running back.

Spiro, whats doing mate long time no here you still fishing? The mark you gave me down at the 12mile is still producing some good fish when I can get out.

Benny, still keen on that trip to the hards mate when they start chewing mate give me a yell I'll be there
Cheers Guys Brendan......

[rowanda]

congrats Lido
I also got my first Marlin on the weekend, out of Lake MacQuarie, headed up towards Port Stephens, interclub on last weekend, so there were a few boats around!!
Live slimey did the trick and on board came a nice 95-100kg Stripey. Great feeling that first one thats for sure, now....when's next time!!
Rowan

[seapup]

For sure Lido! PM me your mobile again also. We will hit DI or Hards soon with big Jimmy and have a reunion.. I have been surfing heaps of lately but am keen to go for a fish when this weather eases.
Cheers,
Benny.


Thanks for the comments all. Yes I think I am hooked forever now, still on cloud 9. Good luck next Friday Terry I'm sure Smithy will put you onto some.

Wayne, I think Smithy has pretty much answered your question but mate we were just drifting unwieghted Slimmies through the bait schools and slowly running back.

Spiro, whats doing mate long time no here you still fishing? The mark you gave me down at the 12mile is still producing some good fish when I can get out.

Benny, still keen on that trip to the hards mate when they start chewing mate give me a yell I'll be there
Cheers Guys Brendan......