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It was blowing most of last week and I was not able to get out where I wanted to be since I am afflicted with the small boat syndrome. I tried to get out 2 times before this past Sat but had to cut it short because of the beating I was taking.
I was able to head out this past Saturday 530 a.m. w/ dink rods, strip dredge and 3 dozen baits brined up looking to get into some inshore sails 20 miles and in. On our way out my girl turns green and says she does not feel to good. Turned back around and made the LONG run to drop her off at the Cape with her beach stuff and some drinks and snacks. I come back out of the hook and it is 830 a.m. better late than never I thought.
Put my spread out and the dredge on top of a bait ball I passed just this side of some ledges and live bottoms I was heading to about 20 miles out. Hugged tight to the bait balls and put 2 slinger dolphin in the boat. Still no sails. Kept changing out the baits, driving the boat, shagging grass off the baits and the dredge. When I got on the live bottom I was looking for I started marking good bait and put 3 more slingers in the box over the course of the next few hours. (slinger 10-12 lbs)
By now it was almost 11 a.m. and I had a few more baits left. I headed back over my mark and pounded it hard for the next hour. Noon on the dot, I keep doing my shagging ritual, RPM check and just keeping a good eye on my baits. All of the sudden I yell out " Holy Sh-t there he is all over the dredge"! (funny no one was even on the boat either). He moved from the dredge over to the short above and behind the dredge and starting billing the bait. I left the rod in the holder and freespooled and gagged him!. Gave it a few seconds pushed the lever up and cranked like mad. The line came tight and the sail jumped up and tail walked 80-100 yds behind the boat and then grey hounded for at least a 30 yd stretch. I took the rod out of the holder and kept good tension on it all the while clearing the other 4 rods, cranking in the dredge and keeping the boat tracking straight. I turned the boat at a 45 degree angle away from him but almost parallel to him but this allowed me to get the belly out of the line and start gaining back some line.
He comes up again off to port front side of the boat and goes bezerk for the 2nd run. The colors this fish were displaying were beautiful shades of light blues and purples. A few minutes later I am putting my gloves on and keeping the line tight as he settles down and I get him beside the boat porceed to make short work of getting the hook out making sure to keep him in the water the whole time. I estimated him to be 6' long fork to bill tip and it seemed to weigh as much as a 40-50 lb bag of dog food when I lifted his head out to remove the hook. After I held his bill and made sure he was revived, he swam away devoid of the bronze color he had at the boat, sail up and ready to fight another day...... 12:20 on the nose.
I probably could have stayed and tried for another one as most people say they tend to travel in schools but I had 2 baits left and got what I was targeting. I felt it was ok to finish on a good note.
Total for the day was 5 slingers and sail release. Numerous knockdowns as well from what I believe to be lil peanut dolphin. After I cleared all the rigs tidyed up the boat, stowed the rods and dredge and grabbed an ice cold dew out of the cooler I headed back to Cape release flag up at 12:45.
I have whiffed on a white, passed a white to a buddy once, jumped off a couple of sails, but this was my first bill to come tight and be released. I have always wanted to get my first successful bill on my own boat and I was very appreciative to have the good lord bless me with such a fine day of fishing. I cannot help but think that one of the main reasons the line came tight this time was from what I have learned over the past years from reading here and mostly from lessons learned from Capt Brian and Marty.
Ready to go again right now.
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Originally Posted by SeaBiscuit
