Too close to call!

On Sunday the 3^rd January 2021, At and I launched “Avanti” for our first trip of the year. The forecast was for a light SW wind dropping to nothing. We had an idea that the gamefish would switch off so decided to target that illusive 30Lbs black marlin record.

We headed off to Oscar pinnacle to look for a live bait, but after an hour without any luck, we headed north along the 50m ledge. We were just being lulled into that lazy state, listening to the drone of the motors when two reels went away with skipjack tuna. One pulled hook but the other managed to find its way into the tuna tube.

We were in a good area, so I rigged it up on a 12/0 j-hook and let it out about 20m. It was a relatively big bait for 15kg line, and a single #32 runner band was almost too light to hold it. The problem was that If I put on 2 bands, there was a chance of popping the main line if they didn’t release. I made a plan with 2 rigger clips and ran two single bands to each clip so that one would take the load and pop easily but the backup one would hold the bait long enough to prevent a premature release of the line.

At angled the boat out to sea at an angle that kept the bait happy and soon there was a rev on the rigger. The release clips worked brilliantly and I could feed the line back after the strike. As this was going on, we saw the dorsal fin of a hammerhead behind the boat. Immediately I tightened up and luckily managed to rip the head of the bait away from it without hooking it. With a messed-up bait, we put out the bait rods and headed back to the ledge.

Wahoo breakfast

We were extremely lucky as no sooner had we crossed over the reef, two rods went on with skippys. One was in the gills and was DOA while the other I quickly rigged up and put the line in the rigger while At took us deeper out to sea. The wind had now dropped to nothing but there was a swell from the east that would make out shallow tack a bit of a problem. We turned at 250m and had some issues with the bait wanting to die, but after nursing it a bit, it came right and swam well again. In about 200m, there was a shoal of frigate tuna on the surface. Hoping to intercept, I let a small feather out about 100m and when they were in range, I retrieved it. I went on almost straight away. After bobbing and weaving through live bait and drop back, I managed to get the bait in the tube while I quickly rigged up a rod with a leader. A quick rig and we had 2 baits swimming behind us.

The surge caused by the swell took a toll on the friggie and soon it was shuddering on the surface. I tried to revive it a bit and just when I thought it was coming right, there was a long flash behind it and a cloud of blood… one wahoo attack! I immediately freespooled what was left of the bait and had another bump but it was all she wrote and I retrieved the head and shaved leader. Back to
one bait.

1 hour into the fight

There was absolutely no current, so due to the very small inward angle we were heading, we made a lot of ground going north so we were now off halfway in 130m of water… the same depth that the hammer had eaten us earlier. When the rigger revved, I ran to the back and pulled the line out the clip, holding it to feel what was happening. 

Black Marlin on 30lbs

The bait kicked wildly then there was a hell of a weight and I let go fearing the line would break. I fed the fish quite a bit as it was a big bait and when the reel was really going, At gunned the motor and I tightened up the drag and wound like hell. Everything came tight and line flew off the reel so At slowed down to reduce the amount of line in the water. The line was going down deep, so we were already thinking that it was a shark. I donned the harness and noticed the line angle coming up. In the distance there was a big splash as a marlin showed itself. It was far away, but looked marginal to beat the current record… but it was a long way from being caught. At backed down on the fish and I picked up most of the line before it sounded. Luckily for us it decided to swim shallower and all we could do was follow. An hour in, surfaced and greyhounded for about 100m with us in chase. On the last jump, the bait went flying but the hook had luckily set. The fish had now changed direction and headed deeper. It had no real pattern, probably due to the lack of current. I went up to 6kg on the drag and this made the world of difference. The fish shook its head more and surfaced a few times to where the double was out the water. All the time we tried to judge the size, but it was too close to call so we decided to take a chance and gaff it. 

After 2 hours and 15 minutes, the leader came up and onto the reel. I locked up the drag and muscled the fish closer. With the boat on autopilot, At took the leader and wrapped it a bit. I slacked the drag, grabbed the gaff that was lying ready and stuck the fish. There was some white water, but the fish was pretty tired. We loaded it and started the run back home where we made a make shift gantry in a tree. It was with great disappointment what the scale confirmed our suspicions … the fish was 113.2kg… only 5kg shy of the current record.

It was still a fantastic 7:1 fish on the light tackle and what a great experience. I will remember that fish for a long time.