IN A SECOND IT WAS GONE!

[KEY-LIME-PIE]

GOOD MORNING SFC, I WOULD LIKE TO TELL YOU ALL ABOUT A REAL EVENT THAT HAPPENED THE FIRST DAY OF THE OC TUNA TOURNAMENT.

FRIDAY 7/7/06...WE DECIDED TO FISH AT THE ADVICE OF CAPT ANTHONY FROM THE SKIRTCHASER. WITH SEAS @ 5-7 FT AND A SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT HE SAID WE COULD RIDE HIS SKIRT TALE OUT TO THE FISHING GROUNDS.

WE LEFT THE DOCK @ 0415 HRS. THE RIDE OUT WAS ABOUT 2.5 HOURS. THANKS TO CAPT ANTHONY WE WERE ABLE TO GET A SEMI SMOOTH RIDE. ONCE TO THE AREA HE SAID "YOUR HERE ITS TIME TO GET TO WORK". HE WENT HIS WAY, I WENT MINE. HE STAYED IN CONTACT W/ ME THROUGH OUT THE DAY. FISHING WAS ACTUALLY VERY COMFORTABLE.

WE WERE ABLE TO BOAT A 70PN YELLOWFIN IN THE AM, MOVED ON TO HAVE A TOTAL OF 2 YELLOWFIN AND A 17PN DOLPHIN AND 1 SMALLER DOLPHIN........THEN IT HAPPENED.....THE LONG RIGGER PORT SIDE EXPLODED LIKE A FREIGHT TRAIN....PENN 80STW ON A 130 ROD HAND MADE FOR THE KEY-LIME-PIE.

I WAS ON THE ROD, THE FISH BEGAN A MODERATE FIGHT, I WAS IMPRESSED AT THE AMOUNT OF LINE HE WAS ABLE TO PEEL OFF IN SUCH A SHORT TIME. AS THE FIGHT ENSUED HE JUST SWAM AGAINST THE ROD AND ME. AT ONE POINT HE TURNED AND RAN AT ME. VERY SCARY TO HAVE SLACK IN THE LINE. WITH THE HELP OF JOHN "ONE OF THE CREW" ON THE WHEEL WE WERE ABLE TO CONTROL THE DISTANCE BETWEEN THE UNKNOWN AND THE TIP OF THE ROD.

SUDDENLY THE PREDITOR REALIZED THAT HE WAS THE HUNTED. THUS HE BEGAN A FIGHT FOR HIS OWN LIFE. TURNING AFT STARBORD TO PORT. HE PULLED AS HARD AS HE COULD TAKING ME WITH HIM TO THE VERY EDGE OF FEAR THAT LURKED JUST OVER THE PORT CORNER OF THE KEY-LIME-PIE.

THE THOUGHTS THAT RUN THROUGH YOUR MIND...WILL THE LINE HOLD, WILL GEAR STAY IN PLACE, WILL THE CREW PREFORM AS NEEDED TO COMPLETE THE THE TASK AT HAND, WILL WE LAND THIS MONSTER, DID I CRIMP ALL THE THE ENDS PROPERLY, THIS IS THE FIGHT OF A LIFETIME AND I AM GETTING MY ASS HANDED TO ME. ALL THIS ON A STAND UP RIG.

AS I AM TAKEN FROM ONE SIDE OF THE BOAT TO THE OTHER THE THOUGHTS NEVER LEAVE MY MIND "THIS FISH IS BIG"

AFTER ABOUT AN HOUR THE MONSTER FROM THE DEEP IS BEGINNING TO SHOW SIGNS OF SURRENDER. AFTER TWO PASSES SO CLOSE TO THE TWIN OUTBOARSDS YOU COULD SEE THE LINE VIBRATE PAST IT HE CAME PORT.

SUDDENLY THE WATER LIT UP WITH THE BIGGEST BRIGHTEST FLOURESENT WHITE/GREEN VIBRANT COLOR I HAD EVER SEEN....THEN I SAW IT "BLUEFIN" I YELL....LONGER THAN I AM TALL. I AM 5'10. THIS FISH IS MONEY I'M THINKING TO MYSELF...AND I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE THINKING THIS. WE ALL WORK TOGETHER ALL IS GOING ACCORDING TO PLAN. THE MONSTER COMES UP ON HIS SIDE.

TWO GAFFERS ARE PREPPED AND READY TO COMPLETE THEIR MISSION. THE LEADERMAN IS DOWN AND AGAINST THE GUNNEL... READY. WITH THE LEADER IN HAND, HE GETS ONE WRAP THEN TWO...THE GAFFS GO HIGH INTO THE AIR. THE SUN SPARKELS OFF THE RAZOR SHARP SREARS OF DEATH. THE NEURONS IN THE BRAINS OF THE TWO HUNTERS FIRE "SWING THE HOOKS DEEP INTO BACK AND HEART THE BEAST". JUST THEN IT HAPPENS....THE HOOK IN THE CORNER OF THE MOUTH OF THE BEAST THAT HAS FOUGHT SO HARD FOR HIS LIFE COMES STRIGHT...JUST WHEN THE BEAST SAYS "SIR YOU HAVE WON THE BATTLE I GIVE YOU MY LIFE" ........THE HOOK COMES STRIGHT. IN A FLASH THE BEAST ROLLS UNDER THE BOAT AND SLIPS INTO THE DEEP WELL OUT OF THE REACH OF THE SHARPENED HOOKS THAT WERE PLEDGED TO TAKE HIS LIFE.

IN A MILLIASECOND HE WAS GONE. ALL I COULD DO WAS SIT BACK "SPEECHLESS" DUMBFOUNDED, IN AWE, SHOCKED HOW COULD THIS BATTLE OF SUPERIORIOTY END THIS WAY?..."A STRIGHTENED HOOK AT THE BOAT "WITH THE FIGHT OVER IN MY MIND", HOW COULD THIS HAVE HAPPENED.

THE MONSTER HAS GOTTEN THE BEST OF THE KEY-LIME-PIE AND CREW. HOWEVER I AM SURE THAT HE WAS'NT LAUGHING @ US. I FEEL THAT THERE WAS A MUTUAL RESPECT BETWEEN HIM AND US. THE BATTLE IN A FLASH HAS ENDED IN HIS FAVOR.

AS I LOOKED AT THE HOOKED THAT FAILED ME IN THE END. I REALIZE THIS WAS MY FAULT. I HAD IN HASTE USED A HOOK THAT WAS NOT DESIGNED FOR THIS TYPE OF BATTLE. AN ERROR... OR FATE? IT IS WHAT IT IS, I THANK GOD AND THE CREW OF THE KEY-LIME-PIE FOR THEIR DEDICATION AND DESIRE TO WIN...WE DID NOT WIN THE BATTLE BUT WE WILL WIN THE WAR....UNTILL NEXT TIME...KEEP YOUR LINES TIGHT...TOM

[Bert Rodgers]

Tom, great story and one of the lessons we would rather not learn the hard way has struck home.

I will part with this suggestion. When fishing for BFTs consider using a wind on leader. Bring the fish to gaff with the rod. This eliminates putting too much pressure on the leader and cuts the # of people at the covering board from 3 to 2. 1 on the rod , one with the gaff.

Bert

[ROCKNREEL]

Thats a sad sad day when you loose a fish like that. All you can do is know you and your crew did everything you could. One hell of a story tom. Maybe next time!

[KEY-LIME-PIE]

BERT, THANKS FOR THE ADVICE, I WILL BE USING YOUR SUGGESTION. AS MOST OF SFC MAY KNOW AT THIS POINT OF MY FISHING CARRER I AM IN THE LEARNING PHASE AND WILL BE HERE FOR A LONG TIME. IT IS A LESSON LEARNED. TOM

[reel world sportfishing]

Damn Tom sorry for the lost fish, or should I say the lost $$$$$$$$$$$$$.
I too have lost fish to angler error, tackle failure,etc. It is enough to haunt you for life. I mean you lay in bed, close your eyes and it eats you up at night!
We'll go get em in a couple weeks!

[WAHOONBOX]

Damn Tom sorry for the lost fish, or should I say the lost $$$$$$$$$$$$$.
I too have lost fish to angler error, tackle failure,etc. It is enough to haunt you for life. I mean you lay in bed, close your eyes and it eats you up at night! We'll go get em in a couple weeks!

THE WORDS STRAIGHT FROM MY MOUTH!!! BEEN THERE DONE THAT!


KEY.....THIS IS ONE OF THE BST NOVELS I'VE READ SINCE 'BISCUITS ADVENTURE.....PRETTY WORK

[Double D]

Tom-

Great retelling. I felt like I was there and shared in the elation and dejection.

When I was a kid, I watched my father fight a giant mako for 7 hours, only to lose it at the boat. I still think about that fish...

D

[WAHOONBOX]

ONE MORE COMMENT HERE....I KEEP CHUCKLING OVER REEL WORLDS COMMENT.....I WISH I KNEW HOW MANY TIMES I HAVE LAID IN BED EYES WIDE OPEN.....


ONCE I LAID IN BED FOR TWO YEARS STRAIGHT......STARING UPWARD.....FORCING MYSELF TO SLEEP .....REHEARSING.....RELIVING THA AGONY.......OC WMO 1993......FLYER STUCK IN HIS BACK....POSSIBLY A GRANDER BY MY ESTIMATION.........AND I STILL LOST THE MUTHER....INCLUDING A FEW TEETH

IN FACT...RELIVING THIS EXACT MOMENT RIGHT NOW HAS ME HITTING SPELL CK SEVERAL TIMES



KEY......YOU GOTTA TELL US ABOUT THE HOOK! PALEEEEESE.....

[Admin]

Tom , man thanks for sharing this story with us.
I swear a few fish have winked at me as they spit the hook boat side.

Again thanks for sharing this with us man

[Sea Draggin]

BIG, BIG Bluefins will teach you more about boat handling, you equipment and fighting style in one encounter, than an entire season of meat fish.

When I say I feel you pain, I mean I have felt your pain.

To be honest, you both probably got the best of the fight.

Pretty work.