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What a week! Lots of big waves and horrible weather forcast. Monday was the report to end all reports 3-5 with 10-15 kt winds. What NOAA failed to mention was that they were using monday's forcast as a test of the metric system. We figure, cool, great day to start the big game. Headed out around 6 am to the 800 square in the Washington. Great ride out and even arrived about 45 mins before lines in. Scouted around as the wind began to pick up. 8:45 Just got the whole spread out and whitey comes knocking. Pops the long rigger and looks to be a good start for the week. Couldn't get him to come tight. 2 hrs later and 10 ft seas whitey comes up again. This time on the short rigger and she is lit up. Grabs the short rigger from the side, screams out line and then nothing. WTF is going on. Rest of the day comes up with no other bites, and huge seas. 3:30 comes around and we turn for OCI. Luckily we had a good angle on it and the 35 Contender came in at a great pace despite 10 footers and 25 kt SWesterly's.
Tuesday was a lay due to Crew fatigue. Even though forcast was blue bird we didn't trust it. Tuesday was spent repairing and rerigging. While rigging baits Harry from St Augustine Florida breaks out the secret weapon. This was the stupidest looking hoo rig I have ever seen. I am not one to try and use anything not tested during a tournament, but against my better judgement I let him rig 2 hoos.
Wednesday was forcast to be bad, but we were going anyway. Water that we had been fishing last week had finally moved down to within the fence. So it was 94 miles 92 degrees to the Spencer. We again arrived early thanks to the awesome sea keeping ability of the 35 contender. Scout for a little while and stumble onto some great looking water with flyers and slicks. 8:30 lay out the spread and nothing. We troll for about 1 hr and a half and Harry asks to put out the secret weapon. I figure what the hell and think that it ain't gonna do shit. Lets drag it for 1/2 hr and then get it out of the way. Drop it in and whammo 10:13 white marlin release. Unfortunately whitey cracked the damn thing and broke it. We had one more and it was sent out ito the spread. 1 hr later and wham secret weapon on the long rigger goes off. Didn't come tight. I am now a believer. Trolled the rest of the area and had 2 Wally bites that chewed through the leader. Again head in through some of the toughest condtions you can humanly bear.
We get back to Harbor Island and the search begins for more of the secret weapon. Every tackle shop in MD and DE is called. The only one who knew what we were talking about was Bruce at Capt. Macs. He however had none and we were planning on fishing Thursday and a run down to St Augustine was not in the cards. Re rig and get ready for tomorrow.
Back to HI early Thursday morn. to get a jump on the long run to the Spencer. Cleared the inlet at about 5:15 and jam to the deep. With SW winds we were able to make some time in the calm conditions. Again made it out to our numbers only to find some blended water. Nothing as nice as we were fishing in the day before. Scout around until lines in and begin the day. As soon as you could fish the radio is blowing up with releases. These guys were close so we headed south. Met up with the Nimrod a little south of our numbers and they were already 1 white release. We joined in and raised out first white. She popped up on the center Blue marlin bait and we cranked it out and she turned and made a B-line for the Secret weapon on the Long rigger. Hooked up we clear all of the lines and go after her. 5 mins later she comes un buttoned. We quickly get the spread back out and 5 mins later raise another HUNGRY fish. He piles in grabbes both short riggers turns and snaggs the left long on his way out the door. I don't know how none of the hooks didn't manage to sting him, but needless to say he never came tight. We now have a tangled mess with three of the rods out we quickly cut lines, rety and get the spread back out. We reload the secret weapon and about an hour later the long rigger goes off and is just peeling line. She pops up it's a tiny white. She hangs on for about 5 mins and then drops the bait. I don't think that we ever even had her hooked. Day is comming to an end when all of a sudden a monster blue airs out on our starboard. I mean huge blue airing out 15 feet in the air. She is about a 1/4 mile away and there is 3 mins left in the game. We turn and head at her and pray we make it in time. Buzzer sounds, but I know she is there. We hang out for a little while longer, knowing that the fish wouldn't count, but I mean she was huge. 2 passes over the area and the long rigger goes off like a banshee. Dad grabs the rod for the drop back sets the hook and game on for 5 mins. Busted leader and time to go home. Wrap things up and set course for OCI.
All in all it was a fun few days of fishing with some family and good friends. Had a great time docked at HI thanks to Chuck at Contender. Cool times and great fun. Can't wait until next year.
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