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I found some time to do some quick video editing yesterday so you can see some of the fabulous footage we are getting on board Reel Chase this year. It’s a very crude edit with no sound. But you can see Danny’s 650lb-er from all angles – the camera in the cockpit, Dave’s camera on the flybridge and TowCam’s pole camera both above and below water. All that is missing is the bite on TowCam but the fish doesn’t always take the right bait;-) But we have other fish footage that includes the bite. Hopefully I’ll have a chance to get to that soon.View the video of Danny’s 650lb black marlin here. Back on the reporting front: We are back out today for a day trip and then back out extended again on Thursday. Yesterday reports were slim pickings. Iona II had some excitement in the morning raising a pack of sails while bait fishing behind Opal Reef and also reported (finally) big schools of tuna showing up – a mix of yellowfin and mackerel tuna – to go with the schools of striped tuna that have been regularly appearing especially over the last week. Putting in the time on his spot at the bottom of the bank, Adam and team raised and successfully released this conservatively estimated 750lb-er (left). And, in the middle Ribbon’s, angler Dan put in the time after four bites earlier on to have the late bite stick releasing this 650lb-er on Ningaloo with Capt. Laurie (right).Capt. Tom on Ultimate Lady reported a few fish seen and few bites from others on Opal Ridge.In weekend Tournament News: Congratulations to TGFC’s Talina, Todd and Anthony on board ELE who took out the Lucinda Game Fish Tournament. Although 13 boats fished the tournament, only 3 billfish were tagged and it came down to the wire. Back in Cairns, results for the BlueWater Tournament are sketchy (feel free to fill me in if you know) but Michelle from Wild Turkey did tell me that Denise fishing on board took out Champion Female with two marlin tagged.

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Well Sunday certainly shaped up to be a better day (although the weather man is still lying – those flat calm seas have yet to eventuate!) but alas, no conversions. We marked fish all over the place and got the big bite but couldn’t keep the hooks in. Fishing next to us on the Bank, Iona II reported a similar day – they got the bite out of a big fish, but pulled the hooks very soon after. At Escape Reef, Capt. Luke and team on KEKOA got our photos for today (mobile phone shots so a bit grainy). Scotty’s 45lb spanish mackerel and the bite on TowCam of the smaller fish they released. Julie, who is with Capt. Laurie and clients this week on board Ningaloo and mothership The Boss sent me their report of a bit more action Sunday with 4 bites. Unfortunately they only managed to keep the hooks in the last bite of the day – a firey 350lb black. One of the earlier bites was from a little fish, estimated at 120lb, so angler Dan dropped back a bait on the spinning rod and made the perfect switch. The little guy went ballistic about 15 metres from the transom but eventually released the bait and hook and swam off.At Number 10, Capt. Dean on Castille reported some awesome popper fishing – releasing 15GT’s over the 20kg mark. Marlin fishing sounds the same up that way, marking lots of fish but just the one bite and pulling the hook.

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While the fleet at the bank were once again left scratching their heads (very patchy), a few who had ventured a little further up the reef found some action. Capt. Tim on Tradition had some timely relief from his dry spell with three fish – 200, 400 and 650lb – the last as he arrived at Escape. Likewise, The Phantom with three fish also at Escape, two rats and one decent size. At one stage the team were packed attacked by about 3-4 males getting the one solid bite. KEKOA also released a small guy after a late afternoon bite as they arrived there as well. Down closer to the bank, the tournament boats were pretty quiet on the radio however of our fleet, Viking added another 350lb-er to their tally and private boat Too Easy released two, one at each end of the scale.I’ve been hearing reports of a good bite Saturday also up at Number 10 Ribbon, with Castille releasing one up that way but no details yet.

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We had an experience yesterday that reminded Capt. Jim of seasons past when Capt. Luke worked the deck for him on Jac-Kel. That day, it was glass calm and they were trolling along with not much happening when Luke went to the transom and looked down to see the tail of a fish swimming underneath the boat, mesmerized by the propellers. They brought the scad in, but couldn’t tempt him away from the propellers towing it at the transom. For a good five minutes this continued until they walked the scad up the side of the boat and fed it into the water from the bow. They got the bite and caught him. The bite of our lettuce leaves fish. So yesterday, I was making lunch and threw the outside lettuce leaves over the back. And suddenly a marlin that had been hiding under the boat, swimming merrily along, swirled on the lettuce leaves and as they floated back, brought his attention to our scad. Unfortunately, after a shotgun malfunction we lost him, but coming around again on our lettuce leaves mark, we had another bite. After a short but energetic fight, Jeff had released his very first marlin. Jeff’s first marlin, on board Reel Chase at Linden Bank. Capt. Tom on Ultimate Lady, fishing next to us, tells me he sacrificed two lettuces for two marlin to 250lb. Mistress didn’t need lettuce for their two little fish. Capt. Luke on KEKOA came across a nice fish tailing and managed to get a bait in front of it, releasing a feisty 800lb-er for Brendan. WatchDog had five bites and released one, also losing a big fish after two hours fight. And further south, Top Shot pulled the late bite out of the hat for a solid 900lb-er on their final day just minutes before running in. Also pulling out another late bite before the run into Cairns was team Viking with a 750lb-er right on knock off ending their 7 day charter with America clients Doug, Terry, and Ron with 11 fish including 5 over the 750 mark. There are a few more boats out here this weekend with a tournament on. Fishing the tournament is Wild Turkey with Greg back at the helm and having a pretty good day releasing three to 300lb. Up on the Ribbons, Ningaloo converted their only bite of the day – which was well worth it and the right bite to get – at 950lbs. And Shaka managed a late bite at 6:20pm for angler Craig after a quiet few days releasing this 300lb-er (below left). Shaka’s releases a 300lb-er for angler Craig on the Ribbons and John sent me this TowCam shot of Grinner’s blue marlin on the Gold Coast.

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It was almost as if someone flipped the switch yesterday. After such a good day for all the boats at the Bank Wednesday, Thursday suddenly went quiet. But if the fish want a one day break, we’ll be there waiting for them today instead. With bells on! We had this guy following us for close on 10 minutes – and he came racing in, all lit up – a swatted at the bait back and forth, not really interested in eating, before eventually fading away. As you can see, the TowCam is providing us endless entertainment.Defying the shut down – a small number of boats had a good day. At Spur Reef, Hot Shot released one they put over the mark. At the Bank we saw Capt. Bill with a bit of activity and KEKOA lost one est. 500lb after 15 minutes of jumping and darting. On the Ribbons, Capt. Laurie and team on board Ningaloo released a little one and pulled the hooks on a much bigger fish. Then, on another late bite lost a big fish after an hour and a quarter’s fight. And we heard over the radio that Capt. Sharky on Mauna Kea lost a big one on the wire after a long fight. Capt. Ross and the Top Shot team showed up at the anchorage behind Opal Reel last night as well and told me they’ve seen some big fish in recent days on – including a couple of their five bites yesterday.More good news from the Gold Coast and the blue marlin fishing – Ross McCubbin caught two from four, 300 and 500lb yesterday and Craig on Grinner released another at 350lb.