Bimini Memorial Weekend Offshore/Marlin Report @ BBGC

[TNT 71]

Just returned from our annual Memorial Weekend Bimini Trip. As many of you may recall from my previous years reports, we primarily target marlin, and have caught them on each trip to Bimini for the past 7 years. The first 5 years on our boat, TNT, the last 2 on a friends 45 Hatteras, Hillary Lynn. We left Wednesday morning out of Marathon to flat seas for the 109 nm crossing. We did manage to catch a marlin, but not the 5 blues we caught last year over the same weekend.

We have stayed at BBGC with the exception of last year when we stayeded at Bluewater, but this year, we were back at Guy Harvey's Big Game Club and were the first boat to arrive for the "Grand Opening". We were greeted by the VP, Chris Pollock and others, given a nice commemorative letter and invited to a complimentary dinner/drinks that night at the restaurant (which was excellent). It was kind of cool to be the the first, and only boat there that night, and treated so well from the start. The resort was clean, the pool was great and we look forward to going back again soon as it had always been our favorite place to stay.

We like to go over early and fish hard before the Weekend crowd arrives and the boats are everywhere offshore. We fished a combination of Ilander/horse ballyhoo combos and lures such as Marlin Magic Ruckus, Joe Yee Apolo Evil, Blackbart 1656, Pakula Sprocket, Polu Kais, Moldcrafts, etc . Wednesday we caught numerous dolphin to 20 Lbs and Thursday, my wife caught a stubborn 300+/- class blue marlin that did not want to come to the boat. It was a fantastic sight to see the marlin crash the starboard short flat line with a purple/black moldcraft chugger behind a fender teaser. It charged from across from the port side and was light up like crazy. The fish hit at about 7:30 AM in front, between the Batelco towers and the Pines in about 1200 ft. We fished until about 2 pm, and only managed a few 20-30 lb dolphin after that and too many barracuda to count. Spent the rest of the day spearing Hog snapper for dinner and snorkeling.

The next few days we fished, it was constant dolphin action, almost a nuissance, and we did raise 2 more Blues, but we never got a solid hookset on those two. Still a fantastic weekend and for all those asking about the BGC, its back, and I believe it will only get better. Chris and his staff went out of there way to please us and we will be back soon. Rumor has it that Guy Harvey will be there June 11th. Chris said bring over a picture of the marlin and he will have Guy sign it and place it somewhere at the resort as the "First Blue" caught under the new regime! Here are some pictures:


















[img]http://images2e.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp53835%3Enu%3D38%3C9%3E444%3E252%3EWSNRCG%3D32%3C58%3A869%3A343nu0mrj[img]

[gottaflylee]

Sounds snd looks like you had a great trip there. Congrats to you and your wife on the blue one...

How did the boarding with the CG go, guessing on your way back?

[TNT 71]

We left Bimini Tuesday morning around 10:00. We were about 4 miles out heading approx 240 degrees, large US Coast Guard boat about a mile further out than us is heading on a 180 course and passes in front. We slow to cross his wake and he turns on blue lights. We had stereo on and werent listening to VHF. Turn it on and they ask to board for a safety inspection. It took over 30 minutes for them to unload the dingy and 5 more minutes to reach us. As soon as dingy was in the water, the main vessel headed north to intercept 2 other boats.

6 agents reached our boat and wanted to check for human smuggling as they said it has heppened a lot recently. Checked everywhere...... under couches, mattreses, cabinets, engine rooms, bilges etc. Initially they said they would be doing a safety inspection, but never did. They did check our passports, documentation, and our "local boaters option cards".

Funny thing was that the other boat that was to be boarded after ours keept badgering the coast guards over and over numerous times and pleading with them to not board their vessel as they were in a hurry..... It was funny to hear them constantly ask "how much longer", "why boarding us", "please let them pass this time without being boarded" as their son was going to miss his dental appointment. It was really amazing that someone would ask this over and over.

[TomL]

Very nice report! Congrats on a nice blue and some good-sized mahis.