Sailfish!

[PileDriver]

Ok my fellow boat owners, on Saturday my girlfriend Cassie and I headed offshore into the Gulf of Mexico in search of red snapper. The conditions were perfect, light breeze and seas less than a foot. However, after hitting several of my hotspots we had failed to land any keepers. So since the conditions were so good we decided to make a 26nm run to the east and try a different set of platforms. Unfortunately when we arrived, every platform was covered up with boats. So we headed to a couple areas that hold some bottom structure but again no legal snapper. So being a rather stubborn fisherman (Actually Cassie is more so then I!) We decided to head some rock structures in about 45 feet of water.

We had just gotten the boat up to speed when both of us spotted a large fish breaking water just off the port bow. So thinking it was a large King or Wahoo, I slammed on the brakes and grab an ill prepared shotgun rod (Medium weight rod, 5500 penn, 30 pound line, NO LEADER and a rusty #4 hook) threaded it with a sardine and slug it into the general area of the fish. Within 20 seconds, a large dark shadow came up from the bottom and took the bait. All I could do is yell fish on, as I watched my line screaming out and I was down to my last 50 yards, the fish decided to show himself and do one of the best aerial displays I have ever seen. It was at this point I knew I was hooked up to a billfish! Now luckily, Cassie has been at the helm before so she was able to handle boat and at the same time was snapping photos of me and the fish. So we were able to compensate for the lack of line by chasing the fish with the boat. It took every trick I knew to boat this fish, at first I kept the drag rather loose letting run as much as he wanted and only making line as we increased our speed. As he started to loose his strength, I was able to increase drag, this started about 50 circles around the boat, fortunately our Triumphs can turn on a dime so I didn’t have to run around the boat too many times, (about 10 total). Then finally the moment was here, the fish was exhausted not to mention the man on the rod, and he laid along side the boat. The only unfortunate thing to happen during the entire battle was the batteries in the camera went dead. So we didn’t get a good shot of him at the boat side, something I can live with. In any case, I had just landed my first ever billfish and good size one at that as it was 6 foot plus Sailfish with and estimated weight of 70 plus pounds and completed the task on what most would consider light tackle. Now while I have always dreamed of having a billfish mounted and hanging on the wall (in fact a space is reserved) I just couldn’t bring myself to harvest this fish. I respected it too much for its fight for life to do it in by a gaff. Hence, with the photos I have posted and memory of a lifetime, the fish was released in good shape.


Tight Lines
Piledriver

[NCangler]

Congratulations on a great catch and a successful release. We need more folks to harvest less.

[MolarBoater]

Nice fish Piledriver!

There are several places that can reproduce your fish w/o harvesting, most would like a boatside pic though....darn camera!

Sounds like you got measurements and that will get you close,

Congrats again,
Molar

[aronlevin]

Yes the reproductions last longer on the wall and can look better. I would look at getting it mounted with the measurements and if you send a good picture they can even get the color right. Nice fish!!

[cagrove]

WooHoo! Way to go!!! Those billfish are way too special to ever kill one. You did the right thing. Replica mounts are the way to go if you need something to hang on a wall. Again, congrats!

[OspreyVic]

Congratulations.

There are just very many of us that are extremely jealous!!!

[PileDriver]

Thanks for the all compliments, I had already started looking into a replica. To tell you all the truth, I am still walking on cloud nine was a day I wont forget anytime soon.

Piledriver

[Putershark]

Sweeeeeeeeeet! And I will be right over with my Tarpon rod all ready to Rock N Roll! Ha-Ha...