Alvin Canyon 7/30-31

[backman]

Once more - if you go to the canyons to catch monsters you'll be disappointed. On the other hand if you go for the experiences, the sights and sounds, you’ll remember the trip long after the thrill of a monster catch fades.

Canyon trip #79 is in the books.

We left Falmouth at 12:30 Saturday, trying to slide in behind a dying northwest blow that had gone around the clock in 16 hours. Vineyard Sound let us pass for free, but once outside the northwest set jumped up against a long slow southerly swell to slow the 28’ boat to 20-21 knots until we reached 150’ of water. After that we stayed in the water at 22-23 knots and started to eat up the 100 nmile distance; arriving at 4:45 to dead 400’ water.

We were looking for a 3-4 degree break somewhere just off the 100 fathom curve; a break we didn’t find till the next morning. Which was for the most part a good thing.

We slid past a lifeless set of flyers to the background refrain of unhappy radio chatter. The lights out bite of 2 days ago wasn’t happening today. The talk was of slow fishing and dead water.

Good team on board; with 4 of us looking for sign, all of us fisherman who know the smallest hint is all it takes to change the game.

Smoke, steam, a whale blow below. And another. There, a mile away 2 blows, long low backs as we approached; fast moving stealthy finbacks sliding barely visible through the calming sea. Circle down, circle up and nothing.

Now I started to see the odd bird; shearwater and storm petrel, all sitting or if flying, themselves searching for life. Partners in the hunt so to speak. Whales now above us as I slid into 1000’ of water; another blow a mile south and west; water temp mixed; not the hot, not the cold.

Southwards and bang, knockdown and hookup. With a seasoned crew of 4 on board we let the boat run 30 more seconds and got a second hookup. They turned out to be 2 20-25 pound yellowfin, rats, but certainly better than last week’s 10-5 pounders.

We found the life; circle the wagons! Around and around we went; whales not popping up all around us. Some of the spouts were low and forward. Hold that thought!

Circle and southwards; bam, wait, bam, bam. Wait a bit more and bam, bam, bam, 6 out of 8 down before I pulled back. 6 more rats, a couple for the box and most back in the water for karma. Hold that thought also!

A black boat below us had been trolling the area; I called him in to troll the area behind us; he stopped almost instantly as did another express who slid in also. More investment in good karma.

Prospecting now I started to chase those low forward blows and saw long low shapes on the water; waking the surface, barely visible black backs, that forward angle blow saying sperm whale. My experiences have been that while fishing around finbacks is good; fishing around sperm whales is even better. They are also incredibly cool to see up close with their square head and wrinkled skin.

This time I closed to 200 yards before first one, then the second one sounded; a vertical dive with a Moby Dick square tail saluting us as they dove. I kept coming to slide across their wake and the knuckle of water from their dive. Just as the lures passed into the knuckle; BANG, bzz – solid knockdown on the long. Again, expecting yellowfin I kept the boat going but nothing else went down.

This fish was in backing on a 50 and was staying high. Brian and Kevin said the strike was on the surface. Hmmmm; it stopped as we cleared, angle changing – up, and 100 yards out - a dancing billfish. “Whitey” I called as I watched the 2 leaps of what looked from a distance like a white marlin.

He came in easy; one more lazy set of splashing half leaps 30 yards from the boat and slid close to the transom, all lit up, ethereal blues and purples on the pectorals and dorsal as the fish swam 10’ down with the boat.

Jackson grabbed the leader and all hell broke loose. What had seemed to be a docile small white marlin suddenly turned into an angry and person sized 6’ billfish, exploding out of the water in a series of leaps and backflips as Jackson grimly hung on for the ride of the day. 4 or 5 times in a row the fish exploded on the 10’ leader leash, trying to swim forward of the boat and turning to leap backwards; trying to take Jackson with him.

Bigger shoulders, burly body; pointy fin “Is that a white – it looks like a small blue” I called down as Jackson continued to take one for the team, grimly digging in and hanging on as he tried to shorten the leader and grab the bill. The marlin, now a small blue hammered at him and the boat even when he got it to bill. Even with Brian also hanging on the marlin continued to abuse both of them.

This time, bill in hand, 4 on the boat we had time to savor the moment; getting a full look at the angry and lovely marlin as the boat slid forward at idle. Shoulders and points; perhaps a 150# male blue marlin. The tips of the fins were completely white out of the water; explaining after a couple dozen experiences why a marlin’s fin tips always have that nuclear blue look in the water. Stripes came and went on its flank; you could almost sense its anger as it swam with us.

Photo op’s and release time; a gorgeous clean release as he took his freedom in stride; turned off the boat, swirled and sounded behind us. High 5’s all around; a triumphant moment. “Its all gravy from here” said Jackson.

Almost sunset as we hammered the area. “Larry – marlin – to port!”. I looked left and back. 100 yards off the port a large blue marlin, not a baby, was slashing and smashing something, swimming on the surface, half out of the water as the bill bludgeoned something into submission. It’s a jungle out there if you’re a small fish and something just got eaten!

We doubled up on yellowfin at dusk in as rich a slick as I have ever seen. I hammered the slick over and over hoping to raise a big eye, but alas, only small yellowfin for us.

The night bite wasn’t, but quite honestly the dark and moonless canyon night was so wonderful, it hardly seemed to matter. Milky way looking like dust across the center of the sky, constellations rotating across the arc of the sky with the earth’s turn as the night progressed; satellites and shooting stars to keep us company.

Many night visitors; porpoises swam into the lights; a whale blew out in the darkness and a manta graced us with a visit; swimming to the lights and doing 2 backflips; one 10 yards off the transom to entertain us.

No sharks, no jig bite at dawn, a bit of a surprise but; that’s canyon fishing. You are there for the experiences; the fish caught are a bonus.

Trolling at 1st light I went southeast into the sun, presenting my lures in sillouhette to anything hungry below. I was also looking for the warm water I knew was below us. 1000’, 1200’ as I worked down and east. BAM, big run off the transom flat line, an orange yozuri got hammered. Thinking, hoping bigeye I kept going for the pack attack. 15 seconds and it was off; another large blue marlin leaping skyward; exclaiming its displeasure with us by punctuating the encounter with a marlin “f-you!”.

This day I zigged where I should have zagged; went to the wrong spot; left fish to find fish. The rest of the day consisted of a window shopping white marlin, a lot of whales and manta antics and hours of fruitless trolling. Glassy seas, the canyons were a bathtub this morning. Anything swimming was visible ½ mile away!

Shoulda , coulda, woulda – that’s canyon fishing. I’m not there to catch fish; I never touched a rod on this trip, but the experience, oh the experience; that’s what keeps me coming back!

[tunaddiction]

Great read Larry, it was awesome to catch that marlin. We just couldnt dind the fish yesterday. It is always great to be out in the somewhat blue water. Thanks for the invite.

Brian

[Ted Blount]

Nice report. Thank goodness for Marlin! They make great stories.
Ted

[Tuna Meltdown]

As always a pleasure to read Larry.

[backman]

here's a couple pictures for the armchair captains to evaluate. I know my bet.....this should be fun to watch

[scottmori]

Great story Larry!!Sounds like another awesome trip
Scott

[Tuna Meltdown]

Only been to the canyons once Larry and never seen a marlin in person but that looks like a slob whitey to me.

[dougsulser]

nope thats definatly a blue. Great Story- awesome read especially when im not able to be out there

[cappyD]

paddle like and extra long pecs...rounded dorsal fin(its cut so looks deceiving)...my guess is a whitey. Tuff 2 say..great story Larry. Will be back there 2moro

[Albiemanmike]

Who the hell cares you got a effin' Marlin!!! White, Blue, Pink, Green it was a freakin' Marlin in our backyard that is a Grandslam homerun in my book! As always a stellar read and more knowledge inbibed. Good on ya LB!