So Hoo is this Hooligan everyone is talking about?

[Nauti Natured]

Tired of all the keyboard jockeys trying to sway me one way or another about Hooligan Sportfishing I decided I would go find out exactly what this Hooligan Sportfishing operation was all about.

Met at the docks at 5am to a bright eyed, energized, Merry Marlin. Man, you can tell this mate is rip-roarin to go and the energy radiating from the excitement inside of this kid woke me up quicker than the colon-blow cup of coffee I had in my hand! We loaded up in the Jarrett Bay 32 and headed for the big water.

Before we made it to the stream we ran into a thick weed line with an impressive temperature break. We decided to pull her back and try to get some meat in the boat before we targeted big blue. So Merry Marlin sprung into action, riggin, jiggin, poppin, throwin lines in, flippin outriggers out, setting drags, perfecting the spread and before all the line hit the drink we had a school of shingle dolphin sky on our baits. Good stuff. Meat in the box and the sun was not even up yet.

For the next couple of hours we chased blue marlin. Went to the Big Rock and fished some of the biggest damn lures I have ever seen in my life. I knew if we hooked into something on those bad boys it would have to be big just to get its mouth around it!. We had one knock down by a sail who spit the hook as soon as the line came tight and he was gone as quick as he came. No luck on the blues and since it was going to be a short day because of the captain's meeting we decided to head towards home and see if we could find a weed line again. We found some scattered weed and a spot that looked promising so we put some ballyhoo back in the water. After trolling for a while and a few lost dolphin we were just about to get the lines in and head back in when....

all of a sudden both flat lines popped out of the clips at the exact same time. Merry Marlin yanks the rod out of the holder and yells SAILFISH!!! Two of them!!! he drops one line back, I drop the other back and his rod comes tight. I put my rod down and Jackie looks at me with an ear to ear smile on his face, hands me the rod and says "Enjoy your first Billfish!" I get a hold of the rod, Jackie clears the other lines in a split and it is on! All I can do is sit there and watch as line peels off of this thirty. This thing is BIG and he was PISSED! He had some impressive jumps and I could hardly contain my excitement. I think I actually jumped up and down like a little kid seeing the ice cream truck come around the corner. Line kept screaming ... I was down to about the last 15% of line so we tried to turn towards him a bit and right when we did that he turned 180 and ran right at us. I reeled my ass off only to find a little pink skirt skipping through the water.

Sorry for being long winded but this sailfish experience was one of my fishing life highlights..... something I will never forget.

To summarize .... The Hooligan Sportfishing Crew is for real. Sal is a nice guy with beautiful boats. We got out, caught some fish, lost some more and got back for less than an inshore trip would have been on my boat. Without a doubt ... the absolute STAR of the show was Jackie .... otherwise known as Merry Marlin. This kid is incredible. He knows more about fishing than I probably will in my lifetime and is dying to share his knowledge to put that rod in somebody's hand and say "Enjoy your fish!" Thanks Hooligan for a great day. Good luck in the Big Rock.

[ladyfish]

[QUOTE=Nauti Natured;360004

.... hands me the rod and says "Enjoy your first Billfish!" I get a hold of the rod, Jackie clears the other lines in a split and it is on! All I can do is sit there and watch as line peels off of this thirty. This thing is BIG and he was PISSED! He had some impressive jumps and I could hardly contain my excitement. I think I actually jumped up and down like a little kid seeing the ice cream truck come around the corner. Line kept screaming ... I was down to about the last 15% of line so we tried to turn towards him a bit and right when we did that he turned 180 and ran right at us. I reeled my ass off only to find a little pink skirt skipping through the water.

Sorry for being long winded but this sailfish experience was one of my fishing life highlights..... something I will never forget.

[/QUOTE]

Congrats on your 1st billfish! How big would you say? Did you get any pics or film?? Can you elaborate on the lures??

[Nauti Natured]

Thanks for the congrats but it was not officially my first billfish because we didnt get him to the boat. It was still a fun fight noe the less.

No pics unfortunately. That actually reminds me of a funny moment in the heat of the hookup. My father in law was on the trip with us and Sal hollered at him "You didnt bring a camera????" My father in law repiled " Hey ... you guys are the ones with the F'in web site!!!"

We hooked the sail on a pink skirted Ballyhoo, on the short, flat line.

[Robja]

Nauti,

If you ever get the chance you need to go to Guatamala to do the sailfish gig. 20-25 per day is common and they are all over 100 lbs.

[Nauti Natured]

Nauti,

If you ever get the chance you need to go to Guatamala to do the sailfish gig. 20-25 per day is common and they are all over 100 lbs.

That is a must! Thanks for the suggestion.

[knot for shore]

Nice job. You'll get 'em next time bro--