Isla Report with Pics

**Bent-Bill** · 03-09-2010 12:59 PM

I want to preface the post with the fact I have never attempted to post pictures and I am a very mediocre story teller at best, so bear with me.

I picked my Brother up at quarter to 5 on Wednesday morning to begin the treck to Norfolk. By the Time we got out of Elizabeth City it began snowing. Before we got to the Virginia state line it was snowing to beat the band. We arrived at the airport in plenty of time, checked the bags and headed towards security. My brother must look like trouble as he began one of his trips many enhanced security screenings while i looked on with amusement. Get to our gate and of course flight to Philly has been delayed an hour due to snow, so they get us on a plane to Charlotte which was fine since Philly is the crappiest airport ever. The plane to Charlotte arrived late and we were forced to wait on the tarmac for an hour while they adressed some issues (which everybody loves to hear there are issues with the plane they are about to hit 30,000ft with). Plane finally takes off but is forced to travel slower due to whatever the issues were. By now its obvious we are going to miss the connection in Charlotte. We touch down in Charlotte 30 minutes after our Cancun plane has departed. I now have no way to tell my cousin who is going to be waiting for us in Cancun that we are gonna be seriously behind schedule. Finally we catch a later flight and touch down in Cun 5 hours later than planned. Cousin and friends have long since left the airport but I had already arranged the shuttle so we booked it to the ferry and made it to the island a little before dark. Get to the hotel and try to explain to the guy at the desk that my reservations were not in my name because 1 of the guys had went ahead and booked all 3 rooms. There was alot lost in translation as he spoke as much english as I spoke spanish. I am pretty sure he thought I was trying to rob somebodys room and I was having a hard time convincing him otherwise. He called all three rooms and there was nobody home. Eventually cousin showed up and we got in. Change of clothes later the drinking and eating began.

After short taxi ride we all arrive at the docks 6:45 the next morning to a welcome site of my fellow North Carolinians. I had not seen my cousin Jordan since last fall and after we pushed off we caught up some. I figured he and Jessie would have 3 days of reminding/yelling at me we aren't J Hook fishing so stop acting like it so i was prepared for the abuse. We ran about 8 miles north of the island and set out trolling. Fishing was outstanging by my usual Oregon Inlet and Hatteras standards. We went 16 for around 30 which was ok for the first day and the Sols were ice cold. You couldnt have asked for better fishing conditions 10mph breeze 75 degrees 3ft swell with just the right amount of chop. We called it a little bit early so we could have a big group dinner with everybody. Jessie and Jordan joined us for Filet and Lobster and a little bit of the island nightlife.

Day 2 began at the same time with a little bit of a swollen head, red eyes and a strong desire to hit the snooze button. Jessie decided over the previous nights dinner to run out and look for the birds and bait balls. We headed out of the canal steaming about 35 miles and finding lots of life. No dredges or squid chains, it started with a great volley of 6 or 7 fish within the first 30 minutes. Afther one of the sails got cut off in the rudder we continued trolling toward the birds in the distance. A few seconds later Jessie yells LEFT FLAT, SINK IT. My brother continued to reel up and sink it about 4 or 5 times. The fish was not interested in the bait, just continued to follow the boat. About that time my brother said "what are the chances that is the same fish that got cut off in the rudder" Jordy stuck his pole down and caught the line and it was sure enough the same fish. This was the only fish we brought in the boat since he was far from green. The fishing continued to be hot throughout the day. We totalled 36 out of i would guess 55 bites. I think i totalled about a dozen cervesas and 8 empanadas. The highlight of the day was one of the fellows named Keller who was along for the trip. He had no real prior fishing experience and was attempting to drop back to a few fish. The first one gave him a severe zing pow with a backlash so impressive that anyone would do a double take. So he decided he wanted to redeem himself a little while later. The next time he had one come after the right flat he fed him just like he ought to. Only he did not really know what a lever drag was. He decided he would stop the fish by using his thumb on the spool! Well he applied enough pressure to set the hook and the fish took off. Then he really set down on the spool hard enough to break off the fish and scream out in pain. What followed was the most gnarly blister i have ever witnessed. You could actually smell the burned skin. Possibly the funniest thing i have ever seen on a fishing trip.

We got back to the docks close to dark and left Jessie and Jordy to take care of the work while we headed out for another night on the town.

Third day started out like the second. Cloudy head and puffy eyes. We left the creek and steamed to where we left them biting the previous day. The fish gods would smile on us today. It started out kinda bad with us getting covered up with bonitas. These things were like bonitas on steroids, twice the size of what i am used to. At least we went 4 for 4

. We picked up and ran a mile of so to find the sails and it was game on. Not much time for beer drinking today. I dont really know how to explain seeing literally several hundred sailfish during the course of a day. Some cooperated some didn't, but they were everywhere. When we got to 40 we all knew 50 was a good possibility. It was no more going for doubles. Catch one, back down a hundred miles an hour, release, baits out again. Once we got to 50 Jessie and Jordy wanted to top there previos best of 52 so we kept the assembly line going ending up with 55 and left them biting.

I don't know what else to say about the trip. I usually catch 20-30 or so billfish in a year out of OI. I could hardly fathom 107 in a few days. Anybody that loves fishing needs to make the trip at least once. Jessie and cousin Jordy are outstanding at there craft. It was my first time ever fishing with Jessie, but cannot say enough about the guy. He can back a boat as good as anyone i have ever seen.

Sorry to be so long winded, but i will now end it with a few pictures.