It seems like the summer holiday season of fishing has well and truly kicked off now with marlin reported all the way down the coast over the weekend.

Blue marlin released on Wicked Weasel yesterday

• On the Gold Coast, Vince on Barco tells me his anglers are in re-training after a less-than-ideal conversion rate on the blue marlin yesterday, 8-5-2. Vince says all the fish were seen and all were blue marlin. Don’t worry Vince, we all have those days but its great to hear there are still so many around! Another Gold Coast GFC boat Addixion fishing light tackle off Kirra also released an estimated 80kg striped marlin on 8kg line. Chad says they fought the fish for two hours to get the tag in and took home a couple of dollies as well.
• Off Coffs Harbour, the Solitary Islands GFC boats got in on the action once again. Glen reports that on his boat, Wicked Weasel, they released a 110g blue marlin from three bites while The Edgepulled off a double-header of blues. A great effort from a trailerboat with only two people on-board! They also got a 18kg wahoo.

  But top boat of the day was Triton who went three from four — two blues and a 100kg striped marlin. They then went inshore in search of a black looking for a slam for the day and hooked a billfish, but the species couldn’t be determined before it fell off! (Thanks Glen for the photo at top.)

• Off Port Stephens and Sydney boats are likewise enjoying the early start to the season with fish being seen all the way along. Darren Lewis was at the helm of Anarchy on Saturday and released two stripies from a double header on 6kg. Darren says that one of the fish was in the 70kg range. Meanwhile Rod Findlay and boys on Murrifin also released two from two yesterday, a striped marlin as well as a 120kg blue marlin. Another boat fishing off Broken Bay in 130 fathoms yesterday, Shakara, also switched and tagged a 80kg striped marlin to angler Jay Anderson. Congrats Jay and thanks for the report!
• And David also sent me a report of Port Hacking GFC boat Time To Tango fishing on the weekend who released a 100KG black marlin in 160 fathoms off Port Hacking to Angler Rob Connellan.

I’ll add in any additional reports as they come in. If you have a report from the weekend, please send it in to me at info@blackmarlinfishingblog.com.

Report from Megumi‘s Capt. Ken “Brownie” Brown who fished the canyons E/SE of Point Lookout and went 2 from 3 on blue marlin. Ken says one was about 350-400 for angler Ross Skerman and the other about 250-300 for Peter Mitchell.  Ken also says they had a bite from an absolute animal just after putting the lines back in after the 2nd fish, and although they didn’t hook up, he got a good look at it as it swam across the the back of the wake. Ken says it was the biggest fish he’s seen in many years of fishing for blues off SE Queensland!  They did a bunch of circles around the area and raised it again with it coming up under the short rigger, pecs all lit up, but once again, wouldn’t eat.  Then, it cruised over to the long flat line and did the same thing.   What a shame!

Ken says the big fish are definitely out there its only a matter of time before someone will put one on the scales that’s over the mark!

Also a video to share from Ben “Notso” Bright from his day solo fishing from a few weeks ago, where he went 2 from 4 sailfish, all on fly, off Weipa.  Good stuff Ben!

On the Sunshine Coast, the Sunshine Coast GFC’s Tony Cross sent me this picture of Russell Wright and his very first black marlin caught on Saturday on Out Quoting, which was also the first black marlin caught at the 8 mile off Mooloolaba for the season. Its been a slow start, but maybe things will be taking off now. Tony said this fish was caught in 42m of water on a skipping gar off a small school of pillies. On Sunday, they found some good yak schools and raised another which spat the bait (and potentially had a bite out of another on the bait jig).

While reports indicate some of the smaller blacks showing up on the Gold Coast as well, the blue marlin fishing remains too good to turn down. Mistress fished its first day yesterday since returning home to the Gold Coast from the northern black marlin season 2 blue marlin at 200 and 325lbs. Barry said they also boated two yellowfin around the 40kg mark.

Also, a blast from the past: Moose sent me this footage from an old Toohey’s commercial that is well worth the share. It was filmed up north with Rex Mossop, the angler in the chair.  You can see Brazakka coming down from the tower (in the white singlet) towards the end. Moose said they didn’t actually catch anything of the day fishing so the fish footage is a bit of stock footage and a mash-up from different fish.

Feel like a Toohey’s now…!

Down off Port Stephens, Gary Ryan on his boat Ben My Chree reports three striped marlin on lures fishing the Car Park.  Gary said it was a day for the girls with Annie O’Leary and Trudy Curley on the rods.

Little black marlin have been also seen on both the Sunshine and the Gold Coasts. No doubt more reports will come in.

Meanwhile also back home on the Gold Coast but yet to get out water, Barry Alty’s sent me his season recap from on board Mistress. You can read the full recap here. Barry says they finished their season with 35 fish for 42 days fished including three over 1000lbs!

Some more reports from the fleet returning home to southern ports indicate the season is well underway all down the coast. Off Musgrave, Grant on Cjig went three from four blue marlin yesterday including one that Grant put at around 550lbs for 11 year old Julian. Julian’s getting plenty of experience on the marlin this season. They also followed up today with another blue as well as a couple of yellowfin, a wahoo and 7 dollies! Some photos from Grant below – thanks Grant!

Also on his way past Lady Musgrave, Capt. Dean Beech on Castille III released a 400lb blue before they had to pull the lures in and straight line it to the Gold Coast.

Likewise, Capt. Daniel Carlson on Little Audrey getting closer to home and still catching marlin.  Capt. Dan with Brady on deck put the lines in off Norah Head Canyons at lunchtime and released a 100kg blue and 2 striped marlin (60 & 80kg) all on 15kg tackle in short order. Brady, who spent much of the season on crutches, catching his first blue and striped marlin as the angler for a change.  Congrats Brady!  Dan says they saw over a dozen free swimmers along the way.  No doubt also happy to be home, but what a way to end the trip! Dan tells me that Gorilla was also on their final leg and released a blue marlin out off Port Stephens.

On the Gold Coast, the Surfers Paradise GFC are reporting 5 tags among club boats today with a total of 14 raised.  I’m looking forward to hearing how the rest of the weekend goes!

And, Rhino has beat us all to the punch and uploaded his season recap videos Part 1, 2 and 3 from on board Iona 2.  You can check them out via the links below–thanks Rhino!

Part 1

Part 2 here.

Part 3 here.