First Marlin

Been watching and listening to everyone else catching Billfish so thought I would give it a try myself this year when in Exmouth.

First time targeting Billfish and lost a big Black yesterday at the 120m out south west of Tandi after a 40minute fight and was gutted.............

So with the weather looking much windier today we were still determined to target and land a Billfish.

After a few hours trolling the 60-100m line we had a hit in 90m on the Oscar shotgun and it was on!!

Not long after I successfuly boated my first Marlin.

 

Probably around 50kg but a marlin nonetheless....was stoked

But like all fishing it was a team effort and got to say thanks to Matt for skippering the boat considering his first experience was yesterday with me yelling at him while hooked up to and chasing the Black .......

The highlight has to be the release though and Matt swimming the marlin

Few more pics from yesterday;

70cm coronation on a gulp

the business end of fishing......

plagued by these little buggers......

something different on jig

time for a beer to celebrate Smile


Posts: 1392

Date Joined: 08/01/09

Damo, you champion!!

Thu, 2010-05-13 16:31

this is a long distance cheer with a beer!! wooohoo.. And a Marlin is a marlin is a marlin is a marlin is a marlin. haha wish I was there with yas like I should have been. Hopefully next time.

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FEEEISH ONNN!!!

soupster51's picture

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Date Joined: 29/11/06

Congrats

Thu, 2010-05-13 16:45

Congrats on the marlin. Nice work. Love the pic of softy in the mouth of the trout. Cracka! That's the sort of pics I'd like to see in the Photo of the Month competition.

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Seaquest's picture

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Date Joined: 22/10/09

Top stuff Damo. Nice black.

Thu, 2010-05-13 18:05

Top stuff Damo. Nice black. Definitely worth the effort at the moment.

Love the long tom on a jig. Classic.

 

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Date Joined: 01/02/10

Flutefish?

Thu, 2010-05-13 18:27

Flutefish?

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Leemo's picture

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does look like a flutemouth

Fri, 2010-05-14 12:04

does look like a flutemouth to me. could be wrong but the angle of the pic suggests it.

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bludgin' since 94'

Ben Derecki's picture

Posts: 1926

Date Joined: 10/10/07

Definately a flutemouth. Was

Sat, 2010-05-15 15:16

Definately a flutemouth.

Was surprised how agressive this things are, a mate of mine picked an absolute honker on a Halco Twisty last time we were up at Coral Bay.

SandGroper84's picture

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Date Joined: 06/02/10

decent black for a first,

Thu, 2010-05-13 18:41

decent black for a first, congrats! couple nice pics there must of had a big smile at the end of that day

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Lucky Tim's picture

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Date Joined: 28/11/07

Go the bluewater!!!Always a

Thu, 2010-05-13 19:04

Go the bluewater!!!
Always a nice box to tick off Damo, imagine how many marlin cherry's have been popped at Exmouth? More than anywhere else in Oz I bet.

Looks like you're sure making the most of your slow move up north.
Keep the photos coming

PilbaraBrad's picture

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nice photos and story mate,

Thu, 2010-05-13 21:07

nice photos and story mate, looks like a lot of fun

big john's picture

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Excellent

Thu, 2010-05-13 21:15

Great stuff, especially after the disappointment of missing the previous one.

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Date Joined: 08/01/09

I just clicked on again and

Thu, 2010-05-13 21:29

that is a nice fish!!!Dont tell me wich one you know which one!!haha. Here have a beer. haha

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FEEEISH ONNN!!!

Bones76's picture

Posts: 476

Date Joined: 03/11/08

Good stuff Damo... Hating

Thu, 2010-05-13 21:36

Good stuff Damo... Hating you and your reports at the moment. Well done on the marlin.

 
Tested the Browning out yet?  

 

Matt ever work? 

Faulkner Family's picture

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Date Joined: 11/03/08

top effort on your first

Thu, 2010-05-13 21:57

top effort on your first marlin.the pics all look good . never thought a flute fish would have taken bait , let alone a jig. congrats

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RUSS and SANDY. A family that fishes together stays together

carnarvonite's picture

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Date Joined: 24/07/07

Cherry

Thu, 2010-05-13 22:00

Once the cherry's been popped there will be no stopping the flow of billies now.

Beauty Damo, good fish.

deepwater's picture

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Date Joined: 09/05/07

well done on the great fish

Fri, 2010-05-14 06:18

well done on the great fish Damo, where you very deep when you got your trout ????????

jeff

damo6230's picture

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Date Joined: 07/06/08

Marlin

Fri, 2010-05-14 09:52

The one dropped was out on the 120m SW off Tandi, most boats have been doing well but from the info we heard the 100m depth was holding good fish. The black dropped was over 100kg but I was only running 10kg and after the third jump near the boat I knew I was in trouble cause if he went deep then little power to lift him......got the leader almost to the boat but he ran again and then whatever we did we couldn't get him out from under the boat.....the line broke just above the leader.....

He was hooked on a lumo Oscar which was sitting just behind the teaser, about 20m back on the starboard side. Was absolutely gobsmacked standing at the wheel as he came clean out of the water on the strike.......you sure hear about it but seeing it the first time and then realising it's a big black and he's hooked...... was just an amazing experience......

But both Matt and I learn't heaps from that fish, so even though we lost him the learning curve was rewarding. Didn't make the same mistake second time around.

The Black landed was taken on the Oscar which was the shotgun and out deep. It was the Purple and White with the central black strike. If it's still with us after the trip it's going on the mantle piece Wink

The wind was up yesterday so seeing I only have a 4.6 CC we elected to just troll straight out from Tandi between the 60-100m depth as the wind was getting stronger. We just did laps out and back, but the plan work with the fish hitting in 90m.

Definitely can see why fishermen get hooked. Have pretty much swapped most of my gear for barra outfits so I was only running a TLD 25 with a blackbone 25kg roller rod (put the 10kg gear away). Nothing flash but that may now change. Going to seriously contemplate driving the 2200km's from Kununurra each year Smile

Paul, the Browing will score the first barra mate, no issue there! But may pull it out for some spangies Smile

Jeff, we fished Helby Bank mate, only one other boat and they were diving. Fish everywhere mate and concentrated on the 20-30m line. Mostly just drifted through all the bommies throwing 1oz TT jigheads with gulp or snapbacks. Landed plenty of fish and got bricked by plenty. Just running a Raider heavy snapper 5-10kg rod with a sol 4000 and 15kg sunline. Powerful rod and reel. looking forward to catching up tonight at mako's chalet!

Better go replace that lost lumo

Tony Halliday's picture

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Date Joined: 14/06/07

Well done Damo, every

Fri, 2010-05-14 10:25

Well done Damo,

every fishermans dream it to get a billy,

I will have to wait for mey day, once day...

ps, great pics of those Trout. top photo's

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Tony Halliday: ~Meals on Reels ~

 It takes a strong fish to swim against the current. Even a dead one can float with it

"It is always in season for old men to learn." Aeschylus (525-456 BC)

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Colin Hay's picture

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Nice work there Damo

Fri, 2010-05-14 15:53

You must be wrapped with your first marlin and some other great piscatorial action.

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Bluetonic's picture

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Top effort Damo! You

Fri, 2010-05-14 19:28

Top effort Damo! You champion!

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Blue Sky, Blue Water, Bluetonic!

Goodz's picture

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Date Joined: 20/07/09

Great work Damo, thats an

Fri, 2010-05-14 19:48

Great work Damo, thats an awesome fish!!!! Bit different from the old sw fishing hey :)

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Ben Derecki's picture

Posts: 1926

Date Joined: 10/10/07

Lovely work mate, always

Sat, 2010-05-15 15:17

Lovely work mate, always great to have another catch get ticked off the list!

fishofello's picture

Posts: 11

Date Joined: 30/03/10

would love to catch a black

Mon, 2010-05-17 15:40

would love to catch a black marlin