6/19 Offshore Rudee Inlet

[jkelly]

Fished yesterday out of rudee with my brother, dad and a couple guys from our fishing club (cvsfa). The boat is a 32 albemarle named Hot Wasabi.

We left Rudee at 4:30 and headed out just south of the canyon. We dumped lines in at 50fa and trolled east hoping to pick up a tuna or mahi. Out over the ledge we joined up with the rest of the fleet in some good looking 74 degree blue water. Some reports of marlin were coming across the radio and hardly any mahi being caught.

Around 10 am our buddy Erik sees a big splash off the starboard side and we turn towards it and anticipate a bite and about that time Erik yells blue marlin and the left long snaps and takes off like a rocket. This fish was tailwalking and splashing around shaking his head and throwing water everywhere. I grab the rod and get ready for the fight while my bro and dad clear lines and get me a shoulder harness. I finally slow the fish down and get the fight going after he dumped nearly 1/2 of the 12/0 senator. It was a 45 min tug-o-war and he had a couple nice runs, but we were able to stay right on top of hima nd get line back quickly each time with the flat calm seas. Once near the boat my bro grabbed the leader and Erik came down to help handle the fish.

They brought the fish around to the transom and he was longer than the transom on the 32 albe by a couple ft. We got a decent lower jaw/fork measurement of 130". Huge fish! They guided the fish around to the starboard side and got the hook out safely and held on to it for a few minutes to let the fish get some strangth back. He shook his tail and headed asway safely.

It was my first Blue Marlin and the 3rd I've been a part of. It was amazing to see a fish this big up dancing on the water and shaking his big ole head.

[Nauti Natured]

Great report and beautiful fish!!!