We last heard from Capt. Adam Jordan and the team on Iona 2 when they were headed out wide on Tuesday and released two fish at 600 and 900lbs on the way.  They returned last night after two days in the vicinity of the seamount having added a couple more fish to the trip tally at 350lbs and 550lbs.  Heading out to Holmes Reef for a night’s rest they jumped off another about 800lbs and also got into the yellowfin and dogtooth tuna.  On the way back in to the edge yesterday, they had a massive double header jumping off one of the big fish and catching the second that Capt. Adam put at 1000lbs!! (more photos to come!)

Capt. Adam also tells me that the big boat Valykyrie was having some luck out there as well. He saw them catch two in the morning at 950lbs plus a smaller fish!

Meanwhile on Linden Bank and Opal Ridge, the big blacks were biting as well. Capt. Dean Beech on Castille III reports they released a small one for Chaddy and pulled hooks on an 800, and then released one for Lucas from Sweden that Capt. Dean put at right up there on the mark! And they only started fishing at 3 pm.   Nearby, Capt. Daniel Carlson’s Little Audrey likewise had a return to the bite with three fish yesterday at 700, 400 and 250lbs. Dan says the 700 and the 250lb-ers were a successful double header!

Shaka with Capt. Jared Weir released two fish on a double missing a third which they kept trying to bait while catching the other two.  Owner John tells me that unfortunately the one that didn’t eat was the one that they wanted–the biggest fish they’ve seen for several years! Capt. Tim Dean on Calypso also released three including a double header and Capt. Corey Hard on Askari released one at 450lbs at Spur Reef and Capt. Brett Alty on Mistress tells me they also added a small fish to their season tally yesterday which puts Barry on an impressive 87% strike to tag ratio. Way to go Barry!

And lastly, Capt. James “Jimbo” Bladin and the team on Spartacus caught a potential junior female record on 80lb. It weighed in at 167kg which should be the World and Australian Junior record. (More details to come.) Congrats guys!

From the Gold Coast Capt. Ken “Brownie” Brown on Megumi has spent the last couple of days fishing out of Southport and released a nice blue marlin for Gayle on Tuesday morning which was her first marlin. Later Tuesday they also had 2 crazy shots from the one fish Tuesday afternoon for Laurie which spat the lure mid-air. They had a triple header up on Wednesday morning but the fish were playing, not eating. And then on the way back north on Thursday, Laurie finally had his chance releasing a 250lb blue on the canyons east of the Cape

Internet connection is a bit iffy where we are so no digest today.

I mentioned in the digest yesterday about how I like to take photos of other boats. Well yesterday I got my chance with Capt. Ian “Wobbles” Ford on Hot Shot hooking up on a nice big black marlin nearby.  The fish stayed deep for 15-20 minutes to keep us all guessing before she did a couple of jumps out the back.  Finally they were able to get her alongside with Dave Cassar on the leader I snapped a couple of shots of the fish that Capt. Wobbs put at 850lbs. Good stuff!

Also nearby, Capt. Simon Carosi on Brilliant Company hooked up and released two smaller fish in short succession that I was able to get a few shots of as well.  (Above doing an aerial display at the back of the boat.)  I also heard that Capt. Corey Hard on Askari fought a real big fish that he put at over the mark. Update: Corey tells me that they went 2 from 3 yesterday which makes 11 in 11 days and includes 6 big fish including one well over the mark and one at 950lbs!  Some really good fishing!

Further up the reef on Kaizen, dad Wayne Douglass finally got his turn in the chair releasing a 300lb fish, while son Nathan was on the leader.

Catch Up Reports: WA King Bay GFC’s Steve Tatham sent me some photos from his recent trip on Viking II with Capt. Bill Billson.  Steve and wife Jo were on their annual trip to the reef, with Jo chasing the 50lb ladies record.  Steve said the fishing was great and that Jo had a couple of good ones on that could of broken the record but pulled the hook.  Photo above is of a fish that Steve released which declined Jo’s 50lb bait in favour of the chair rod, which probably would have nudged the record.

Steve also took this photo of Askari on a nice fish nearby.  Steve says that she goes hard backwards and that another highlight of the trip was Capt. Tim Dean’s birthday bash behind Number 3

Lots of photos and video’s at the end.

Capt. Adam Jordan has taken Iona 2 out for a wander to the Seamount. We won’t know how he did until he gets back, but he certainly was doing pretty good when last we heard.  A 600lb black marlin for John St. George about 25 miles from the edge, and then a second that Capt. Adam put at 900lbs before we lost radio range.

Fishing on the bank, there were a number of smaller fish around yesterday with a few big fish raised and lots marking. Capt. Dean Beech on Castille III released two, a 250lb-er for Lucus from Sweden, his first marlin, and a 300lb-er for Cam Beatie, and fought a big one before cracking her off.  Square Bear released a little guy for Fred Cameron that tried to jump in the boat.  And on KEKOA, we put 12 year old Josh onto his first ever black marlin (below) and he can’t wait to go and get another!

Josh’s first marlin on KEKOA

Updated: Some catch up reports and results (and these are now corrected as per the tournament committee):

At the Port Douglas Marlin Challenge the Champion Boat was Kyrenia with 3, followed by Mistress with 2 tags on countback from Reel Impressions also with two. On one tag were (in order)  Joe Joe and Gorilla.  The biggest fish was estimated at 950lbs on Kyrenia.  Congrats to Kyrenia’s  George Argyrou who was Champion Angler from Barry Alty on Mistress as runner up, both with two tags.  Sue Ahlers on Hellraiser took out Champion Female. The tournament stats were 40 strikes, 28 hook ups and 13 tags. It was a slower final day but Rat Bag got on the board to take out the Day 4 daily. Congrats to everyone who competed!

I also heard from Gary Ryan who fish with Capt. Rob Bonser on Pirate last week. Gary sent me these photos from an estimated 400lb-er for Curtis Wallbridge on Saturday and a 450lb-er for Gary himself on Sunday.

I also uploaded another video, this one is Chase’s 950lb black marlin on KEKOA last week. I have heaps more coming if I can find the time.

And Rod put together this video of their first early season day out on Murrifin.  Starts out with some mako action and then onto the stripes.  Good stuff!

We’re in Cairns on changeover today so I’ll be waiting at the doors of Woolies when it opens at 8am to do our shopping which means that today’s report is EARLY!  But guess what? It’s also pretty BIG!  If I do find out more as the day goes on (or photos come in) I’ll put them up, so please check back.

Mooloolaba GFC Club President Nathan Douglass and his parents Wayne and Sue Douglass are currently on their annual trip with the team on Kaizen.  After a quiet first day, they moved up the reef to find the fish. And find them they did.  Yesterday started out with a solid fish that they put at 950lbs for Nathan soon after lines in.  But Sue did one better, later in the afternoon she released a fish that Capt. Russell put at over the mark!  I spoke to Nathan last night and he said they were all suitably elated.  He has promised photos which I will add when they come through. Well done all. I hope that Wayne gets his turn in the chair today!!

Back down at Linden Bank, on KEKOA we finished our trip with the boys from North Carolina on a high with a 800lb-er for Richard which gave another amazing jumping display and put us on 10 marlin for the trip.  It was almost an even bigger day. At lines in to run back into Cairns we got piled on by a fish about 700lbs which jumped and spat the bait in short order but also had two fish following with her (one bigger) threatening to bite. Maybe they’ll be there waiting for us when we go back out today!

Capt. Adam Jordan on Iona 2 went one from two with a fish at 550lbs and jumped a second one about the same size off (video).  Capt. Ian “Wobbles” Ford on Hot Shot went two from three on the little guys while Capt. Tim Dean on Calypso released one about 400lbs and Capt. Tim Richardson on Tradition released one as well.

Hopefully, final results for the Port Douglas Marlin Challenge later today as well.

The fish seemed to come on the bite yesterday and on KEKOA we made the most of it with four black marlin released including another big girl that Capt. Luke Fallon put at 900lbs for Chase. This is only Chase’s second black marlin ever, his first black marlin that he caught on the first day of the trip being 950lbs! Not bad for your first couple of black marlin — 950 and 900lbs! Richard also added another feisty smaller fish in the chair and Michael did the double, one in the chair and one on 50lb standup pitched to the fish while he was following the stinger. We also raised and had bites out of another couple of big fish.

Fishing at Lena Reef, Capt. Tim Richardson on Tradition also released a nice big fish that he put at 850-900lbs.

Boats fishing the Port Douglas Marlin Tournament saw a lot more action yesterday. Capt. Brett Alty on Mistress got things rolling with a fish early in the day ending up with two for Barry at 300 and 200lbs. Barry says the first fish was lassoed and the second ate a big scaly (he’s not sure how they hooked it but they did!) Amokura and Reel Impressions also tagged to get themselves on the scoreboard, while tournament leaders Kyrenia with Capt. Damon Crusdev tagged another to extend their lead, and there were many more hooked up and lost. Paul Poulter on his boat Think Big is fishing the tournament and raised a 200lb-er they couldn’t hook on Opal Ridge and then, just before cease fishing hooked up on a very big girl which unfortunately broke off on the leader after an hour’s fight. (Tournament standings below).

Also fishing the bank, Capt. Tim Dean on Calypso released one from a few bites and we saw Cool Runnings fighting one as well. [Update from Cool Runnings: Jye tells me they got a 750lb-er and a smaller fish yesterday as well as nice big sail. That puts them on 5 black marlin and a sail in three day. Top fishing!! ]  On his Bus Stop, Capt. Adam Jordan on Iona 2 also released one that he put at 250lbs (photo above and YouTube video).

At the Light, Little Audrey got a late start and released two in only an hour and a half’s fishing at 350 and 200lbs while nearby, Shaka realised a small one as well.

Capt. Damon Olsen’s Saltaire has been fishing the top for a little while now and made the move south in the last couple of days releasing one that he put at 600lbs at the bottom of Number 10 on Saturday and on at 500lbs on Number 7 on Sunday.

Port Douglas Marlin Challenge Results: Kyrenia is leading with three from Mistress with two and the following boats on one fish each, Joe Joe, Gorilla, Hellraiser, Reel Impression and Amokura.  Today is the last day of fishing. Good luck to all!

On the Gold Coast, a few more boats fished for the blue marlin on Sunday including Barco who went one from four. Vince tells me he heard of one other being caught and another boat pulling the hooks on two more. He says that there seems to be quite a few out there with a bit more size to them. Updated: More reports from the Gold Coast from Surfers Paradise GFC Club President Mat Stehmann. On Saturday, Murphys Law went 3-3-1 on marlin which was their first stripey about 100kg as well as two dolphin fish. Another Surfers Paradise GFC club boat Chaos went 2-2-2 on blue marlin yesterday also and reported both fish around the 120kg mark. Thanks Matt!

Meanwhile, the Findlay Brothers on Murrifin went out for an early season marlin fish off Broken Bay and ended the day with two from two striped marlin. How good is that!?