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White marlin off Portugal


Snatcher

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WOW lads well done.

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Well, what a day we had yesterday, talk about screaming reels and smoking drags. No doubt Stan will post his report when he gets back from the trip. His charter doesn't start until Sunday, but after a beer or two on thursday we decided to go out yesterday to do some prospecting, we had raised white marlin in the previous days and were feeling optimistic.

 

About a 9 o'clock start and a 45 minute cruise into 100 metres or so of water, the plan was to head west and troll the continental shelf dropoff, down to about 700metres or so. Water temp was 24 degrees and slowly rising as we got further offshore. Within 20 minutes the lures were hit, white marlin are often finicky playig with the lures, but not today, crashing strikes, bent rods, and blistered thumbs if you got them anywhere near the spool. Lost a fish when the line broke in the aftco roller troller, others threw the hook when they went airborne.

 

Steady action for the rest of the morning, small dorado attackng the marlin lures, trolled past an enormous hammerhead, but we were on a mission. Then the first of two double hook ups, two marlin airborne at the same time - fantastic - hope you can see them in the small pics. Stan brought his in on 16lb line, and one of his own rod/reel combos, takes some doing with a fish that takes 400 metres of line in a flash.

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Another double hook up in the afternoon, two more airborne marlin, awesome, our photographer was very seasick, but managed to get a few shots before going back to sleep. Every half hour or so we had crashing takes, boated 2 fish for the photos, and they swam away strongly after being revived. Another was tagged and released at the boatside, smallest fish estimated at 60 lbs, the largest was about 85lbs.

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I think Stan is looking happy.

 

Snatcher, it was too windy for the fly rods, hope that we'll get a chance for a go in the next few days. Singy - keep your fngers crossed that they'll stay here for the next month or so.

 

We are very privileged to see the marlin fishing like this. When there are this many, it's as good as it gets anywhere in the world.

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Excellent report mate :) Just hope Stan gets a chance to use those marlin poppers I made for him :)

 

 

Fishing digs on the Mull of Galloway - recommend

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keep your fngers crossed that they'll stay here for the next month or so

 

Everything is crossed :)

 

12wt rod has arrived :) And the 10wt has been ready for a while. :)

Paul Singleton

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Everything is crossed :)

 

12wt rod has arrived :) And the 10wt has been ready for a while. :)

 

Watching this thread very closely :)

 

 

Fishing digs on the Mull of Galloway - recommend

HERE

 

babyforavatar.jpg

 

Me when I had hair

 

 

Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy

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Just a very quick report, cos we're knackered.

 

Left the dock at about 9.00am, cruised out to about 90 metres of water, and then set out the trolling pattern.

 

Two white marlin raised, and one briefly hooked up in the first half an hour. Whoopppeee we thought, another day like friday, so off we went full of optimism.

 

To cut a long story short, we trolled all day, inshore, offshore, deep and shallow, caught 8 small dorado on marlin lures, and only saw two more marlin, no more hookups. Thats fishing I guess, they'll still be there tomorrow.

 

Weather pemitting we plan to head way offshore tomorrow and look for blue marlin, we still have 24 degrees celsius, so we are optimistic. However, blues are a different animal entirely, wish us luck....

 

Bob

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Just a very quick report, cos we're knackered.

 

Left the dock at about 9.00am, cruised out to about 90 metres of water, and then set out the trolling pattern.

 

Two white marlin raised, and one briefly hooked up in the first half an hour. Whoopppeee we thought, another day like friday, so off we went full of optimism.

 

To cut a long story short, we trolled all day, inshore, offshore, deep and shallow, caught 8 small dorado on marlin lures, and only saw two more marlin, no more hookups. Thats fishing I guess, they'll still be there tomorrow.

 

Weather pemitting we plan to head way offshore tomorrow and look for blue marlin, we still have 24 degrees celsius, so we are optimistic. However, blues are a different animal entirely, wish us luck....

 

Bob

:clap2: My fingers and toes are crossed for you. :clap2:

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Another quick report - too tired for anything else, some piccies will follow when we get around to procesing them.

 

Trolled for 2 days, 3 white marlin brought to the boat and tagged. Yesterday we had gone deep looking for blues with 80lb gear, caught a very optimistic white marlin of about 65lbs on 80lb tackle. So, we thought we'd change back to 30lb class for whites. Oooooops - yep you guessed, a body the size of a Renaul Clio crashed into one of the white marln lures.

 

It was Stans turn on the rod, it was about 15:30, and we got some good pics of the fish. Stans mate, who has caught a few blues, estimated the fish at 800lbs. Four hours later, yes four hours, we got the double line within a few feet of the boat, it was getting dusk and we were 25 miles offshore, so didn't have much choice and gave the fish everything (which isn't a lot on 30lb gear). Well something had to give and the line went snap, so we can't claim a capture, and we didn't get close enough to tag.

 

What an amazing week so far, Reefcat has definitely lost her virginity, loads of whites, and a seriously big blue marlin. I think Stan will have a few stories to tell when he gets back, still have two more days to go, so watch this space.

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Excellent stuff lads,chuffed to bits for you all :)

 

 

Fishing digs on the Mull of Galloway - recommend

HERE

 

babyforavatar.jpg

 

Me when I had hair

 

 

Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy

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