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Smithy
08-05-2006, 07:01 AM
Was invited out with Mick and Stew on Outwide a 625 Cruise Craft. Proceeded out through Jumpinpin Bar with a SWer up our tails. We thought it would just be a land breeze and a few mile out it would drop off to nothing but we were wrong. The last 10 miles or so out were short and sharp and then with the gear out trolling into them we put the nose through a couple. Once at the spot Castille was bottom fishing for Hapuka and Blue Eye and Reel Chase, Reel Deal and Tainui were trolling. Tainui had a couple of early chances so we trolled over to them and had a hook up on Blue Angel shortly after. It ran off 50m before jumping and throwing the hook. We were only running 3x24kg outfits and it was the corner lure. Reel Chase and Reel Deal went wide to a temperature break with Longliners all over it while Mistress and Black n Blue were a bit further north. Mistress got one and Black n Blue had a couple of chances plus tagged a big Yellowfin. Brilliant Company turned up and hung around for a couple of hours before wandering off with a Stripey coming into his spread but doing nothing. Wind now was West before going NW then dropping out to nothing.

As it glassed off we found flicking surface bait, shortly after the Dolphins found us and there were acres of them. By now Mistress had also joined us and wandered in for a look. With a lines in call or 3.00 we tracked north to the mark we had the shot in the morning. Just clear of the main packs of Dolphins we took our second hookup of the day at about 2.50. Stew wore a Black Magic all day and was rewarded with the fight of his life. It was a good size fish for 24kg, not too big and it didn't go into a powerdive which was good. There was a good 200m of greyhounding at the start and few changes of direction during the fight but it stayed in the surface layers like a good fish. With conditions super calm, Mick backed her game boat style presenting a perfect tagging opportunity for me. Congrats all round on their teams first Bill and what a way to do it, pulling it from a trailerboat in amongst all the game boats. The gear was tidied up and it was off to the Pin at 32knots and 4900 rpm all the way. There was a hint of a Northerly 5Nm out and that was it. The boys were stoked.

Here is one of the bowriding Dolphins:-

Smithy
08-05-2006, 07:02 AM
While we were swimming the fish.

A couple of the boats out there. Tainui and Mistress in the background.

Sorry bout the water spots. Bloody Dolphins! Why do they have to breath air and put mist on the lense? Bloody fishy breath too!

Smithy
08-05-2006, 07:03 AM
The same for poor Stew, or is he a Dentist and we can't show his face? Maybe if you squint just right!

Ah, my Tiagra finally got to winch a Marlin in after all of these years.

Smithy
08-05-2006, 07:04 AM
The boat back at the ramp.

Smithy
08-05-2006, 07:05 AM
The all important tag flags.

Smithy
08-05-2006, 07:06 AM
Here she is!

Smithy
08-05-2006, 07:07 AM
The last thing a Skipjack Tuna sees!

Smithy
08-05-2006, 07:08 AM
A turbo release on the billrope.

Mortalkombat
08-05-2006, 08:19 AM
Well done Smithy, what an awesome day if only the weather was like that more often. We left at 2,30 it was good to talk to you out there its just a pity those two blues we raised didn’t cooperate and pin themselves the leaders are badly scuffed so they tried but Murphy was doing his job. The big plus was a nice fin of around 30 kg released to produce many more of these awesome fish. Haven’t you got to love Blues ;D Castille was bottom bounsing just out side us to at one stage on a nice drop off in 600m of water :o :o :o :o
Nick

maztez
08-05-2006, 09:13 AM
Hey boys looks like a great day was had ...weather kind ..fish co-operating good company ..what more could you ask for ..congrats on the catch and awesome pics..
cheers Terry

magicpudding
08-05-2006, 09:34 AM
Well done smithy, you've finally done it!

We went out to the noosa canyons on saturday and didn't see a billy all day. There was awesome current lines and temp breaks with dolphins, tuna and juvenile mahi mahi all over them. We trolled a couple of live yellowfin for a few hours and they didn't even get sharked! Ended up with a good feed of the mahi and a couple of yellowfin, but it looked like it should have been alot better.

Did you hear what the longliners were getting out there?

CJ

Argle
08-05-2006, 11:35 AM
A great report and pictures as always Smithy, well done to all the crew on a great capture and release. Dont those Black hulled Cruise Crafts look schmick too!!

Cheers and Beers

Scott

kingcobe
08-05-2006, 06:05 PM
:o Awesome marlin :o

outwide1
08-05-2006, 06:42 PM
Well what a day smithy,enjoyed your company and look forward to our next trip out.Your assistance in catching OUTWIDEs first blue marlin was gratefuly appreciated, we just needed the motavation to do it in a trailer boat as we were told we would be wasting our time and wouldnot raise fish amongst the big boats.I can now justify all the money spent on lures,hooks,rigging,teasers etc,etc.The excitmant,rush,thrill what ever you want to call it of catching that fish,it was like cathing your first 10kg snapper 100 times over.There aint much more i can say in the report as smithy has done a excellant job as we all have become a custom to[thats why i got u to do it ]Anyway, tight lines from the the crew from OUTWIDE.

lenm
08-05-2006, 07:33 PM
Nice work guys ;)
Do you have to run a heap more teasers etc to raise fish as you wouldn't have the same propwash/attraction as the larger boats??...or any other tips to raise fish on smaller boats.

Big_Ren
08-05-2006, 07:48 PM
A1 report and pics Smithy. That's a great set-up on Mick & Stew's boat. Hope you get many more.

Cheers
Paul

outwide1
08-05-2006, 10:50 PM
Hey BigRen outwide here,thanks for the compliment mate.The boat is mine but stewie seems to be on it everytime it goes anywhere.He is a good deckie who knows how i want things done and is always super keen and good company.Hope to see you out on the water sometime.Tight lines!

squidgy-stew
09-05-2006, 03:23 PM
[smiley=wut.gif]

Thanks Smithy having you on board was a real buzz. The professional way you approach these marlin is a real credit to you.

Both Mick and I appreciated your valued knowledge and it showed in the result.

That Black magic belt really gave me a work out but what a great tool for these fish.

Just sitting back in the harness allowed me to refresh, and get my heart beat back under control.

My thighs are stuffed.

My thanks to the boat outwide, the owner and skipper Mick, and Smithy.

And off course Mr J Beam.

Its a team effort - well done guys.

Big_Ren
11-05-2006, 10:09 PM
Hey BigRen outwide here,thanks for the compliment mate.The boat is mine but stewie seems to be on it everytime it goes anywhere.He is a good deckie who knows how i want things done and is always super keen and good company.Hope to see you out on the water sometime.Tight lines!


Hey Mick, that is one of the best lookin trailer boat rigs I have seen. Maybe the gold reels help, but seriously mate, those Nicols Bros build a damn good Cruise Craft (not just pissin in ya pocket cause I own a Haines. First boat was a 625 Cruise Craft Scorpion though 8-) ). We are still to christen our rig with a billy, but it will happen sometime! Just need to put in the hours. Was Rob's unchristened (until now) Tiagra a 50 by the look of it?

The first of many more to Out Wide I'm sure.

Cheers
Paul ;)

Grand_Marlin
11-05-2006, 11:31 PM
Awesome ... not much more you can say 8-)

Cheers

Pete

the_real_fishcrazy
12-05-2006, 01:39 AM
Thats largely rubbish about small boats raising less fish than big boats. Most of the time the difference is a good skipper and A1 electronics.
Big throbbing diesels will probably raise more fish, but marlin spend the majority of their time in the surface layers anyway.
I've had days where we've caught more billfish in my tinny than big boats fishing alongside us and vice versa.
Congrats on your first blue, they are in a calss of their own! Don't let anyone tell you it can't be done!
Some trailer boat blues:
http://fishcrazy.sgl.org.au/misc/tn_chrisblue.jpg
http://fishcrazy.sgl.org.au/misc/tn_bashirblue.jpg
http://www.users.bigpond.net.au/powelly/tn_IMG_2605.jpg

More at http://www.users.bigpond.net.au/powelly/

Smithy
12-05-2006, 07:08 AM
Rob,

dunno about that. Could actually work out the number of heavy tackle days I have done in trailerboats and it would be something like 25-30 (have it all logged) for 3-2-1. The one in this story was the only one we settled into a fight with. Could do the same for twin screw diesels and for a similar amount of time it would be something like 10 fish tagged, even discounting the last two tournaments where the fish bit their heads off. I sort of know what you are saying and there have been a few days we have done better than the big boats, more light tackle in my instances till this day. Some boats have the reputation of raising fish beter than others, timber better than anything else.

Len,

I think there a few factors in it. Big boats actually produce a cleaner wake. Trailerboats have a much longer/straighter propwash down the guts. Big boats actually exhaust above or at water level whilst outboards obviously exhaust below water. A lot of guys are big believers in 4 stroke outboards over 2 strokes but Mick's outboard was a Bombadier EFI 2 stroke and both our chances came on the closest lure. With 3 onboard we actully only ran 3 outfits as that is all we had. Less can be better when a fish climbs on, there is less gear to clear. We also had a mirror teaser out. Not that big on surface teasers for heavy tackle. More gear to clear and you want to get onto a Blue as quick as possible on lighter gear. The other week on a Black Watch 34 we took only one shot on the close lures the first day so ran squid off the teaser reel the second day and improved our percentages on the short lures. We also had a roughed up leader on the teaser line so we had taken one hit on it as well. Plenty of people only run two rods for them. You only have to do a bit of switch baiting to appreciate you don't need 6 lures in the water. That is not to say we don't run 6 at times but that is with more crew and usually with a boat with autopilot and the skipper helps clear at times.

the_real_fishcrazy
12-05-2006, 10:26 PM
Rob,
dunno about that. Could actually work out the number of heavy tackle days I have done in trailerboats and it would be something like 25-30 (have it all logged) for 3-2-1. The one in this story was the only one we settled into a fight with. Could do the same for twin screw diesels and for a similar amount of time it would be something like 10 fish tagged, even discounting the last two tournaments where the fish bit their heads off. I sort of know what you are saying and there have been a few days we have done better than the big boats, more light tackle in my instances till this day. Some boats have the reputation of raising fish beter than others, timber better than anything else.

On our blue marlin trips we average about a fish a day, often fishing 2-up. The biggest advantage big boats have IMO include the following (some of which you've already mentioned): Stable trolling platform, ie you get a more consistent speed, with little or no 'surfing'. As far as wake goes my boats wash is clean compared to some big boats I have been on, though my short lures are generally a little longer. Ability to get a fish faster more hands to clear gear, boat goes back at fish faster, boat is often fishing chair tackle meaning your often fishing heavier to begin with and you can push your angler a bit harder. At the end of the day this equates to more fishing in bite time. Superior electronics Lets face it, most trailerboats don't have 1kw+ sounders etc etc. I'd kill to be able to see canyon walls! Proper transducer placement is also an issue on many trailerboats. At the end of the day marking that all important bait and being able to pick predators around or close to it, and come back to them is pretty important can be a big separating factor.
I don't think exhaust is that much of an issue, on my smelly old 2-stroke I had plenty of fish right up to the back of the boat, and I've had the same on my 4-stroke. The last 3 seasons we have had most shots on longer positions but 4 seasons ago bites were spread evenly through the spread. Many big boats I know of also have most shots on longer positions.
As far as raising fish goes I think that big boats have a slight advantage if the fish are deep. BUT thankfully marlin spend most of their time in surface layers, as proven by various tagging studies. I would say that 99% of fish/bait showings likely to hold fish that I mark are above 40fm. Most falling much shallower than that. Those big old timber boats that raise alot of fish probably have old skippers that are great at finding fish. I have fished days where fish show a certain preference for a boat (including trailerboats!). The next day its different. Boat? Skipper? Or Fish? Maybe even a bit of luck? Some days you turn left and the fish are always on the right, other days you can't do a thing wrong!
What I do know is that I have spent enough time on the water to know that it doesn't make that much of a difference!
Myself and plenty of other trailerboats have no problems getting the fish to bite! Down here we typically fish in 80fm+ and average over 2 bites per day on lures.

squidgy-stew
13-05-2006, 08:29 PM
[smiley=laola.gif]

Good electronics certainly help but having the knowledge to get the maxium out of them is something different.

I must admit in a trailer boat I think teasers are a major factor. We have always run a mirror down in the prop wash off to one side.

Next time we go out I think we will try twin mirrors of the rear hull cleats. This may provide a wider attraction and with them running in cleaner water provide double the attraction.

got nothing to loose except another tag !!

Toppy
15-05-2006, 09:48 AM
Hey Smithy, Cool report mate!
Love the little snippets of detail about the day that sometimes get left out. Thats what makes me feel like I,m on the boat with you!
Good storey & nice pics Rob, Hope to catch up soon mate.
Cheers
Toppy