7/23 Veatch Late Report

[keithj]

Had a hell of canyon trip on Friday, my best yet. Off the dock in Falmouth at 2AM for a day trip. Ride out was a little lumpy for pitch black but generally managable. Seas were 3-5 but not directly in my face which allowed me to roll up over them. After a slower than usual ride, we put in at the tip of Veatch around 6AM and worked down the east wall.

I happened to have a friend on the boat with a Hunting/Fishing show called Outdoor Traditions Television. Does not air locally, it's on Fox Sports Midwest but he does a show with me every summer. Past two years we've done bluefin fishing off chatham. This year I told him we should try a canyon trip if the weather made sense and sure enough we got lucky. Well my buddy ended up with a heck of a show...

I'm setting out the spread as Jeff films the intro to his show. Three spreader bars out and I'm dropping back the fourth when the rigger goes off and we're tight. Well, it turned out to be just that kind of day... Jeff works in the 50 pound yellow on video and we're thinking we'll at least get a show out of the trip. Setting the spread out again and while I'm rigging ballyhoos for the two flat lines the long bird/islander chain goes off hard. First run had me thinking bigeye but the fish never sounded. 25 minutes later we have an 80 pound wahoo lying on the deck. F me man! A monster wahoo?! Wasn't expecting that.

Next two knockdowns are single yellowfin, one rat and 1 50 pound class fish. The rat returns to the sea. Still haven't been able to get a full spread out. Finally we get a momentary lull and I have my typical 8 line spread in the water. Within ten minutes, we are tight to 4 nice yellows in a typical pack attack. All four yellows make it to the boat, all 40ish to 60ish pounds. Wow, lot of meat in the boat. Also a lot of great video for the show. Captain decides to get agressive. Marlin spread goes out. Moldcrafts and black barts. I point the boat south into the warmer water and turn it up a notch. Deep down i know my marlin spread won't catch anything. Its just one of those cool ideas that you have during the winter when you're bored... "Hmm, wouldn't it be sweet to try to target marlin once you're done tuna fishing?" Ten minutes into the troll the super chugger gets ripped out of the rigger. I look at the spread... Nothing... Then the islander horse ballyhoo goes off hard. This fish tears off line in a hurry, 300 yards of it in fact, then suddenly nothing. Maybe another big wahoo I think. A check to see if the hook was still there reveals a nearly completely straightened ballyhoo hook! Hmmmm...

Out goes the spread again. I'm watching the spread, pondering what could straighten a hook like that... I'm thinking it must have been a marlin... then I see swirl and a hole in the water where the magnum Wide Range was running off the long rigger. Clip pops and its game on.

The blue takes off for the horizon and start greyhounding like standard ESPN footage. We have the camera rolling and a man strapped in while I turn the boat to give chase. The specre backed 50 is looking pretty low. We gain line back and suddenly the line goes slack. I turn the boat and run away from the fish hoping it has just turned towards us. After 30 seconds of running the other direction at 18 knots, I slow the boat thinking we're off, but shortly thereafter we come tight again and then fish surfaces and is off to the races for another 300 yard run, jumping the entire way. Finally it settles in a little deeper, we switch anglers on the rod. Angler 1 is beat. We've been fighting the fish on heavy drag. After some time we have her boatside. I'm on the leader. A marlin is really heavy and I have to drop the leader a couple times. Finally I bill the fish. The single hook is through the entire bill, it was unfortunately a process to back it out. Eventually we get it, swim her and let her go. A rough measure said 98 inches from jaw to tail fork, my guess is somewhere around three hundred.

The boat is in dissarray. The crew is beat. I look at the watch... 10AM. Four hours of fishing for 7 nice yellows, an 80ish wahoo, and two blue marlin hooked with one landed. We head home! My first blue landed. I was pretty pumped.

Now sadly I have no pictures. Everything is on video though, which hopefully I'll have soon.

[Animal 1]

Great day huh?

[Hrdhittin]

Wow, sick report. Looking forward to the Vid. Heading out tomorrow.

[Wayward Sun]

Wow Great job man glad someone's putting a hurting on fish seeing's Ive been nursing a sore knee most of this season gonna give it hell tomorrow!

[backman]

good for you for turning opportunity into success. 4 hr lights out canyon trip! Too bad your 5th crew member took the wrong turn

[ChumSlickRick]

Great Report!!

[hotreels]

Man, I can't wait to get out there someday. Lacking fuel capacity we will have to wait a while. Great report.

Is this your buddie show?

http://outdoorsdan.com/

[Bill_N]

Wow! You've been on fire this summer! We were well to the west of you in some semi lifeless shelf water. Lots of mahi but no tuna. Sounds like you beat the rain home too

[Reel Pursuit]

Awesome report! Nice job on the bluegirl and the fat wahoo.

[keithj]

That would be it. He could use a website upgrade I think...

Man, I can't wait to get out there someday. Lacking fuel capacity we will have to wait a while. Great report.

Is this your buddie show?

http://outdoorsdan.com/