Marlin off the Cape

[MEG-A-BITE]

Some good fish off the cape at the moment. Old man got his first marlin, we got 3 marlin and 2 dorado.

[Back In Black]

Good pics there Mega!!

Tony

[mattooty]

Great fish bloke! What sort of depth are they sitting in?

[Sandman]

Great fish but not the best way to handle marlin if you want to ensure its returned alive.

[MEG-A-BITE]

They vary from 45-90m depends on the day and where the bait is.

[liltuffy]

Dorado ? Wtf, in America maybe but in Australia they are called dolphin fish or mani mahi

[Pero]

Nice work, Mega. Great to sea a lot of small Marlin around. And most people are releasing them too. Saw one on another forum. It was being held up with lots of blood on it.

[The Black Unicorn]

Great fish but not the best way to handle marlin if you want to ensure its returned alive.

Maybe he was going to knock it on the head and take it home. Not everyone lets them go.

[malby]

Well done Mega! Awesome day out!!
Seems a bloke has to be mighty careful about what one says or the pics one puts up but I for one really appreciate the read mate!
I recently knocked off my first decent Dorado/Mahi Mahi/Dolphin Fish and was stoked to do so too.
Love to know some more about what tackle you used and the lures etc. (as I am keen for my first Marlin) but totally get it if you want to keep that stuff to yourself.

Happy New Year!!

Mal

[MEG-A-BITE]

Hi Malby thanks mate, yep seems that way.That's why a lot of good anglers don't post on here anymore. Will send you a Pm mate, happy to answer any questions you have.

[Shark Poker]

Great fish but not the best way to handle marlin if you want to ensure its returned alive.

Sandman, could you describe how to improve on the handling? Maybe post a couple of photos?

[Humdinger]

Just rip the gaff through it bring it in the boat knock it on the head and cut it into steaks
there not bad to chew
ey shark poker

[Shark Poker]

YES, Very good eating. Keeps very well in the freezer as well.

[fisho8]

Well done Wayne don't worry about the haters mate giving fish handling tips....Maybe Sandman can give us lessons on how to hold them by putting some pics up of all the ones he has caught. Will put my report up today and will await judgment...Seems to be more critics on here these days than fisherman.

[Aquaholic 632]

Who cares about the handling they are great eating that size! Way better than any other Pelagic out there atm...

[rosco1974]

well done mate....deffinatey good chewing,some release the some keep them who cares,can tell you when I start trolling the first one will more than likely come home to feed the crew....tried it a few years ago and prefer it over mackeral

[Humdinger]

107030107030This seems to be the best way I've found to handle the little blacks

[MEG-A-BITE]

107030107030This seems to be the best way I've found to handle the little blacks

LOL that's gold.....don't think that ones going to be swimming anytime soon....

[Humdinger]

107032Or this one

[Humdinger]

It's cheaper to go buy it though107033

[Giffo65]

We ate the small black we caught at Breaksea Spit last year,was tasty,fisheries ask us what we were doing with the Marlin in the esky when they boarded the boat at Roonies.Silly question I thought !

[MEG-A-BITE]

Keeping it for a trophy...they may become an endangered species, if we carry on like this?

[FisHard]

Seriously, why don't we eat Dolphins?

[The Black Unicorn]

Seriously, why don't we eat Dolphins?
Don't others eat them?????? I reckon they taste great. Kinda like a cross between a baby Harp Seal and a Platypus.

[Bremic]

I can confirm dugong is delicious, like a really juicy cut of beef.

[Shark Poker]

Try some whale first. Its easy to buy. Comes in all sorts of different cuts including deep-fried on a stick!
107042


How does it taste? To be honest, great. But I would trade it for a plate of my Mums' crumbed whiting anytime.

[Crunchy]

If you cut the beak off they make good letter openers, the marlin don't really need it so might as well put it to good use.

[Aquaholic 632]

Nice profile pic one more drop...

[Sandman]

Good to put a face to the name Paul

[Sandman]

Sandman, could you describe how to improve on the handling? Maybe post a couple of photos?
Thanks Paul don't have any photos , the comment wasn't to offend but rather commenting from observation and passing my understanding on to others as some may have actual interest in learning from a fishing chat site!

Anyway below is taken from a catch and release page providing some backing for my comment.

When landing a fish and removing it from the water for a quick photo, holding the fish in a horizontal fashion, with one hand near the head, gently under the jaw flaps in front of the gills or the lower jaw, depending on the fish, and the other hand/ arm under the fish’s belly or chest to support the fish’s body weight, is much better for the fish.
As the fish’s environment is the water, it’s body weight is supported by the water itself, in part floating the mass of the fish’s body. Out of water, gravity is much more pronounced, thus the fish has pull on the fish’s body and internal organs, etc., is much more stressful.
Holding a fish vertically by it’s lower jaw or gill flaps puts an unnatural strain on the fish, potentially straining and/ or dislocating the fish’s jaw or spine. This is esp. true of larger fish, with much more body mass that is buoyed by water in it’s natural environment.

[The Black Unicorn]

A large esky is also good for supporting body weight. Just sayin

[Humdinger]

Is that satnav

[TREVELLY]

One of my favourite bumper stickers

"Fillet and Release"

Nice fish Wayne - well done mate! :)

If they ate well I would certainly target them for the freezer as I have to justify fuel burn and we love seafood

[RAGINGBULL]

Dorado is used world wide must be a good old SAFFA

[Lucky_Phill]

Quoted from Sandmans post " Great fish but not the best way to handle marlin if you want to ensure its returned alive."

It is as clear as mud that this comment was aimed to be helpfull, and ... IF... the intention was to return the fish to the water. Did people miss seeing this word in the post ?

The ones that have responded with asertions of a negative post, obviously did not read or understand the intention or wording of the post.

Some sort to even say, this is why people don't post reports much anymore..... I say it is because people don't read the comments or interpret them well.

If people are not posting reports because someone may say something that might hurt their feelings ( because they don't understand the wording in the post ), then that is their problem and need to either get over it or get a teaspoon of the grey stuff into them.

If a genuine concern is afforded a post / reply, it should be reported and the Moderators can deal with it.

By becoming involved in the validity of the comments and directing comments that engage the member on a personal level does nothing, other than intensify the percieved problem.

Thanks to Sandman for his repsonse and quoted info as to the correct or suggested handling of this species.

If one must be concerned about fish handling for C & R, then Boga grips should NOT be on your boat. But that is for another thread.

Nice catch, and great photos.....


cheers LP