Awesome Day with a Big Achievement

**blairv70** · 20-12-2015, 06:19 PM

Now that I am back from Moreton and the weather looked ok today we decided to head out off the Gold Coast primarily in search of Wahoo and Mahimahi, leaving the Mackerel to the crowds at Palmy and Mermaid (caught enough at Moreton I decided).

We launched at around 4.45 from Southport and headed through the seaway ok then east until the 40m line to sort out our gear and get the lures in the water. I ran a spread of 4 and mixed up the colours a bit as it looked like a dull day early.

The first hit happened as we approached the 50m contour and a solid Mahimahi was soon jumping behind the boat but unfortunately spat the hooks - oh well, an encouraging start, Following that we turned north and zigzagged up the 50m contour towards the pin.

It was turning into a pretty nice day with the wind dropping to 5kts and the sun out so we got into our trolling grove pretty easily with the radio on and a cold beer in hand (the sun was up after all).

Then we had another solid hookup on the port short pocket and the fish was going like stink. When in broke we saw a decent Black Marlin on the line and we had a fight on our hands with allot of line being taken and the fish jumping further and further from boat. We followed the fish and slowly made ground and could see it was about a 1.5 to 2 m fish putting on an awesome display as we got it closer to the boat.

We finally had a chance to get the fish close and then it ran again but was tired so we got it back pretty easily and soon had the leader in hand and the fish alongside!
I have been trying to get a Marlin for years and have hooked two but never landed one so was really stoked when we got it beside the boat. With a few pictures taken we swam it for 5 minutes and then it started kicking so all was good and it swum off.

Still buzzing from teh fun we had just had rest the spread and continued north to around the Pin area and had another solid hook up - this time a Mahimahi going 110cms and providing us with dinner :-).

Pretty quiet after that as we headed in and had another short strike but no hookup. We were back at the ramp (complete bedlam) by 11 and it took us nearly an hour to get the boat out as everyone had lost their common sense at the boat ramp....gotta love holiday season

Still smiling from my first Marlin :-)