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More reports of fish tailing through the Bank and up the Ribbons with the big seas yesterday. Capt. Luke on KEKOA definitely having a close look, raising 8 with bites from three that fell off and seeing a few more tailers. Capt. Tim Dean on Calypso also reporting that it looks great with fish moving (tailing) all along. Capt. Tim saw 8 and got bites from 3 and released two. One estimated at 800lbs and angler Peter Collins first Cairns black marlin, as well as another 300lb-er. Capt. Jared on Shaka also reports seeing Spartacus fighting another on 50lb into the dark before unfortunately breaking it off.Further up the reef – At Lena, Capt. Corey on Askari recorded the first big fish for the new boat releasing a 900lb-er and having bites out of some other smaller fish. On Allure Capt. Darren also saw good numbers of fish between Number 3 and 4 Ribbons releasing four for the day. Capt. Tim on Tradition finished their trip with Lydie and Pete dropping two on the final day. Lydie will try again for the record next year! And Capt. Dean on Castille missed a 500lb-er at Number 4.Could be the start of another hot bite!
This post was imported into WordPress from my old Black Marlin Fishing Blog website without any accompanying photos. If you’d like to see the original post, with the accompanying photographs, go to the original Black Marlin Fishing Blog site and navigate to the post using the archive navigation links on the right-hand-side.
Report from Capt. Dean on Castille III who headed back out to the reef from Cooktown yesterday and put the baits in at Number 4 just after 12 and had released a 200lb-er by 12:30. By the end of the day they had seen 6 including another about 500lb that they jumped off. Iona also caught another smaller fish at Number three. Allure had some luck the day before releasing 2 at Number 5, but no joy Friday.The fish may be moving further up into the Ribbons as we had another quieter day on the Bank yesterday (although the yellowfin were going off). Shaka headed out again and went one from one on a small black for John and watched Wee Jock fight a fish for over two hours nearby.
This post was imported into WordPress from my old Black Marlin Fishing Blog website without any accompanying photos. If you’d like to see the original post, with the accompanying photographs, go to the original Black Marlin Fishing Blog site and navigate to the post using the archive navigation links on the right-hand-side.
Picture: Left, Kenton on the leader at the back of Castille. Right, Steve’s bull whaler on Reel Chase Persistence paid off for the team on Castille III. After a week at the top end, on the last day they released a 900lb-er for owner Mark after a short but exciting 15 minute fight. The team returned to Cooktown overnight for changeover with cheesy grins! Big congrats guys!Also at the top, Tradition is still chasing the 50lb record for Lydie who celebrated her engagement to Pete Wednesday with two tags, not of record size. Congratulations to Lydie and Pete!A much quieter day at the bottom end. At Linden Bank, on Reel Chase we met only two other boats, Iceman and Dealne. We saw Dealne fighting a 600l-er for over an hour but they were still fighting when we returned to port for the day. A highlight for us was, after an absolutely amazing effort enduring standup 50 for 45 minutes, angler Steve bringing to the boat this tuna stealer – a 9 foot bull whaler shark weighing approximately 600lb. We got some more great TowCam pole-cam footage beside the boat.
This post was imported into WordPress from my old Black Marlin Fishing Blog website without any accompanying photos. If you’d like to see the original post, with the accompanying photographs, go to the original Black Marlin Fishing Blog site and navigate to the post using the archive navigation links on the right-hand-side.
Picture from Capt. Dean on Castille III of Castille and Tradition on anchor in the lee of Lizard Island enjoying some of what the island has to offer including a hike up Cook’s Look and a snorkel on the Clam Gardens. Heading out after lunch, Castille fished Day reef, pulling the hooks on two fish – one big, one small. Heading back to Number 10 Ribbon again today where Capt. Ross on Top Shot had some luck yesterday as well.A few more boats enjoying rest days and so a quiet day on the report side.
This post was imported into WordPress from my old Black Marlin Fishing Blog website without any accompanying photos. If you’d like to see the original post, with the accompanying photographs, go to the original Black Marlin Fishing Blog site and navigate to the post using the archive navigation links on the right-hand-side.
Following up from a big fish day on Linden Bank Saturday, Capt. Luke on KEKOA was keen to get amongst the action. And he did going three from three by 2 o’clock. The mack tunas were thick at the opening to Opal Reef as Capt. Luke headed out from the anchorage and made perfect marlin candy for all three marlin estimated at 150, 200 and 300lbs. Nearby Capt. Tim Dean on Calypso went one from one estimated at 400lbs and Hot Shot released a small one as well.Meanwhile, Capt. Troy on Cool Runnings decided to leave the bank and push north finding almost instant success, again for 18 year old angler Jye Clayden with another big fish estimated at 750lb (and Jye’s 77th marlin). Photo: Left, a video still of Lydie’s fish on Tradition. Right, Nathan’s fish on Reel Chase. Back up at the top, Tradition, still chasing the 50lb record for Lydie had five bites, connected with three and tagged this one (left) estimated at 400lb at the top of Number 10 Ribbon. On Reel Chase, having watched his Dad release a black marlin, 15 year old Nathan was keen to get his first. Typically, the bite came as Dave and I were busy cleaning and filleting the morning’s sportfishing catch, as we trolled lures to make some ground back to St. Crispins Reef. Unfortunately as with lures, you don’t catch them all and after a thrilling acrobatic display and hard fight by Nathan it was gone—! Capt. Bat on his trailer boat Valhalla thought his luck was in when a 700lb-er launched out of the water at the back of the boat while fishing Linden Bank on Saturday. As he waited for the inevitable snap from the rigger clip and his rods to come tight, he realized that he wasn’t using a spanish mackerel for bait. He then watched as the free feeding fish slowly swam around and engulfed the stunned mackerel.And in Townsville (updated):Nine Townsville GFC boats had a busy weekend for their Billfish Bonanza fishing the surrounds of Myrmidon Reef. Most boats were in the marlin for the weekend although unfortunately most of them were outgunned in the tackle department – leaving some interesting stories about the one that got away. The boys on Viagra lost a nice yellowfin tuna at the side of the boat to an estimated 700lb marlin who needed it more than they did. For the others, 3-4hours on a fish leading to disappointment when the lines parted. Club Junior, Jack Nicolosi who was fishing with his mum, dad a little brother aboard there boat ENVEE, hooked an estimated 700 plus black on 24kg standup. Jack fought the fish for 3 hours and although got the leader on the rod several times, they were unable to get a tag in it due to the lack of crew on board. Unfortunately in the end, Jack had to hand the rod to his dad Sam to finish off. Never-the-less it was an awesome effort and a great experience for the youngster. In total there were 17 hookups with only the one tag to the team on Burgundy Lady, estimated at 600lb on 50 (the club members are primarily light tackle fishermen).Trailer boat ELE took out the Champion Team award after accumulating points on light tackle including a 23kg wahoo and several large spaniards to 30kg. Thanks to Talina for the rest of the details!
