Saturday T&L Storm Big Eye video clip

[JimmyG]

We were on a 200# Big Eye for 3 hours on a Shimano Thunnis spinning reel Saturday in the Lindy and had the fish to the transom but couldnt get the harpoon in it, then it sounded again and finally wore thru the 80# leader! the clip is degraded so it hard to see the guys facial expressions when the lighting flashed but turn up the sound and hear the thunder! http://www.youtube.com/user/jimmyg31b

[OffTheHookB&T]

Great video Jim! Shame about losing the fish, glad you guys made it back though!

[hotshot1]

been there done that, 200 big eye on 3/0 senator 30 pound line pulled at the boat after 2 plus hours

[Capt. Brian Daley]

To bad on loosing that fish Jim we were at the Toms when
that storm hit some good lighting landing next to the boat makes ya not want to hold a beer can or steering wheel

[Hucklebuck]

Thats fishing Fighting Angel style for sure.....Great job to you and the crew for staying calm and handling your bizness

[cascoli]

I understand Mike on the Sterling has a similar video except down at the Wilmington where the storm appeared to be a bit more intense. Waiting to see the footage.

[Jared D]

Yikes.... that was a hot bite in a hot sky! Glad you made it back safe. Too bad about the eye....

[Anngler]

Sorry about the lost fish, but glad everyone made it back safe!

[jbones11]

Cool stuff Jimmy. Big Will almost got to christen that dart and chuck the spear for the first time. Its been many years since Will has did anything remotely close that has involved his dart and the word virgin...I see the fight was on one of your favorite classic stand up spinners.

[tom@marlinstar]

Boys.....that's what fishing about! Zane Grey could not have wrote a better epic. This video brought back memories....memories that haunt my dreams all too often.


The year...1992

The place...Avalon Bank...inside of Catalina Island

The scenario.....Balboa Angling Club Report has talk of monster tuna being seen by swordfish spotter planes...

The time....Saturday, Sept 22(?)...8:30 am

All lines are set including mine....Penn 30 International...30lb test pulling a jumbo mean joe green softhead.

8:35......Strike!!!! starboard otrigger snaps,crackles,pops with a huge splash....30# rig on it's way to getting spooled

fish slows, 2 hours, Bluefin at the boat , hooked in the mouth but also tail wrapped (thank god for 12' leaders) Fish is huge, spotter planes circling,watching the action......

fish at the boat multiple times....pushing 400lbs......

at 5 hours fish released tail wrap and consequently puts the hurt on.....for 7 hours....we never stopped backing down on that fish...the tranny of those Detroits got a work out....that 42' Uniflite had ANOTHER monster hooked up.......7 hours on stand up 30#.....


Finally...the beast was straight down swimming her death circles....the lactic acid build up slowed her down. But for 7hours that fished worked side to side,port to starboard, bruised every muscle in my body,quarter size blisters on each hand, ah...Zane Grey couldn't write a better story....

So...what happened you ask................................?


Ok, let me tell you something. Mind over matter...control your mind and the body can do anything. I could have stayed on that fish for days.....it's what I live for.BUT....never rest your mind.

She was circling...40 feet below...port corner.....every short stroke brought her that much closer to the gaff. The spotter plane was still above and had contacted the media....

Short stroking.....fish was completely exhausted......bumping forward to neutral....forward to neutral....a blink....that's it....a blink of time to tell my brother to bump her forward...it never happened....

The 30# had been singing like a guitar string for 7 hours...and I literally mean singing..think of a Ukelele..that's what the 30# sounded like exiting my spool for the entire fight....

A blink.....and the mono touched the chine and everything went limp....."bump it"....and the gaffs would have been sunken into the flesh of this beautiful fish...ending in a triumphant victory for all aboard.

Instead............................................

That damn Bluefin..who had the circumference of a Killer Whale just sunk...not a kick in her tail...not a gasp of her gills...the lactic acid had spread it's toxin in her flesh and she perished.

Me.........?

Well...I unstrapped the stand up gear.....dropped the rod and reel onto the cockpit floor, scaled the ladder up to the flybridge and hurled myself off in perfect form head first into the water.......my blistered hands bled....my stomach tightened,my heart was broke, but the fire to duplicate that experience was ignited. As I swam the backstroke somewhere near the shipping lanes and the Avalon Bank......the beast was sinking.....below me. My brother watched in amazement as I floated on the surface...the once magnificent,powerful Bluefin sunk below 45,50,55,60,65 feet down and not a kick of her tail.....we both were defeated.

I will tell you this...that fish which I lost has done more for me
than any fish that I have weighed or released.Forever will I pursue the giants in hope of finding a worthy foe to do battle as this.......hour after hour....man vs. fish...that's what it's all about.

Peace