Reel Blue
23-01-2010, 07:32 PM
I have been having a ball learning about trolling skirted lures over the summer season and today the learning curve got a bit steeper with some great advice from Mitch Culcutt who was a guest on my boat for the day. Mitch makes 'Blacks Snacks' lures which I have been using almost exclusively for the last few weeks. He gave invaluable advice on lure positioning, trolling speed, knots and rigs and a multitude of other aspects of gamefishing.
The day started with a nice dollie that my son Sam caught and was quickly followed up by a wahoo that put up a good fight for his size. We came across a large school of slimies on the surface that refused to take a bait jig so we gave up on that idea and decided to troll skirts in the area. As soon as we put this plan in action a black came up on one of the lures and slapped it with its bill. At first we thought it was a big dollie as it was lit up in such electric blue colours. We only realised it was a black when we saw its bill. It then smashed the lure and hooked up solidy. We then all saw a second marlin come screaming in and hit a second lure and we had two blacks going ballistic at the back of the boat. I know that many experienced marlin fishos will have seen marlin in the spread many times but this was the fisrt time I had seen a marlin before they hit the lures. It is something i won't forget in a hurry.
My fish was smaller and I fought it and got it to the boat where Mitch grabbed its bill for a couple of quick photos. I really wanted to lift it in the boat for some better photos but Sam had already lost well over 300metres of 15kg line on a TLD 30 so we let mine go to go after Sam's.
Sam fought his marlin for a very long time until he was completly exhausted. When we got it to the double Mitch could see that his fish was belly wrapped and called it for 80kg. The marlin kept just out of reach and repeatedly powered down into the depths forcing us to work hard to get it back to the boat. Unfortunately, and probably because the fish was belly wrapped and additional forces were at work, the hook gave up and snapped in half with the marlin just below the boat.
Sam has now hooked and lost three marlin. I told him that when he does land one the previous disappointments will make it all the more special. Thanks Mitch for memorable day!
The day started with a nice dollie that my son Sam caught and was quickly followed up by a wahoo that put up a good fight for his size. We came across a large school of slimies on the surface that refused to take a bait jig so we gave up on that idea and decided to troll skirts in the area. As soon as we put this plan in action a black came up on one of the lures and slapped it with its bill. At first we thought it was a big dollie as it was lit up in such electric blue colours. We only realised it was a black when we saw its bill. It then smashed the lure and hooked up solidy. We then all saw a second marlin come screaming in and hit a second lure and we had two blacks going ballistic at the back of the boat. I know that many experienced marlin fishos will have seen marlin in the spread many times but this was the fisrt time I had seen a marlin before they hit the lures. It is something i won't forget in a hurry.
My fish was smaller and I fought it and got it to the boat where Mitch grabbed its bill for a couple of quick photos. I really wanted to lift it in the boat for some better photos but Sam had already lost well over 300metres of 15kg line on a TLD 30 so we let mine go to go after Sam's.
Sam fought his marlin for a very long time until he was completly exhausted. When we got it to the double Mitch could see that his fish was belly wrapped and called it for 80kg. The marlin kept just out of reach and repeatedly powered down into the depths forcing us to work hard to get it back to the boat. Unfortunately, and probably because the fish was belly wrapped and additional forces were at work, the hook gave up and snapped in half with the marlin just below the boat.
Sam has now hooked and lost three marlin. I told him that when he does land one the previous disappointments will make it all the more special. Thanks Mitch for memorable day!