Well it's been nearly a week but I finally got the photo's downloaded and resized so here are a couple. I will try to put up a video or two as well a bit later.

Went out last week on Shikari Charters with a mate who often decky's for Al Bevan the skipper.

Left Challenger Harbour at 0400 and did a bit of bottom bashing in about 30m of water, one under sized pinkie came aboard and then another nice sized one about 750mm/8kg or so. Then just as the sun was coming up I was bringing my line in as quick as possible to rebait for one last drop, when my line started going twice as fast in the opposite direction. The fish went for a couple of short powerful runs and then I made a beginners mistake and cranked a bit more drag on. Yep the rod loaded up a bit more but whatever was on the other end barely noticed it and then BANG the unknown creature and I parted company. Me losing 50 - 100 M of braid in the process. The decky lost another good fish not long after and then the sun was well up so it was time to go trolling out by the FADs.

We started the actual trolling about 0730 and went for quite a while with no action at all. But I can think of much worse ways to spend a sunday morning than sitting back with a cold one watching for something to rush into the spread. Eventually we spotted some birds working a bait ball of in the distance and made a b line for it. As we made our way around it the lines went off one after the other, three in total. After some ducking and weaving by the three lucky anglers and careful manouvuring by the skipper it was the decky's turn to shine bringing all three YFT's aboard with a minimum of fuss. Fish dispatched and lines out we were of again, one more hooked up not long after and Graham another angler onboard started throwing the haymakers (Halco not roundhouses haha).

A total of five Yellow Fin Tuna in total and Graham's first time on popper and all were 20 - 25 kg. 

Will try to put some video up later, but missed the airborne hookup unfortunately.

Karl

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