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Well another WMO is in the history books and Team Nimrod was happy to again contribute our monies to the winnings of those that were able to find big fish and put them on the dock! For the second year in a row our crew consisted of me, Capt Papa Gerorgio, F-I-L-L Phil (aka Philsy), E-Nuts (aka E-Mush), Fruit Stripes, and the Ricker.
Our game plan as of Sunday was to try and fish Monday, Wednesday, & Thursday. After reviewing the satellite shots and consulting with other SFC members, it was decided that we would go long and go deep….straight out actually. The ride out was a little sporty but bearable. About 70 miles out it actually laid down nicely and we found ourselves fishing in 1-2 footers most of the day. Water conditions were only okay – but what we expected.
The first fish into the baits was a nice white. It came up on the dredge and piled on our special bridge teaser. We tried for 3-4 minutes to feed it a dink but it was fixated on the teaser. Finally I got it to eat a guacamole rig with a circle hook and after a long drop back I eased up the drag and the fight was on. Fruit Stripes got on the rod and after the first jump we knew it was a fat fish and decided to ease it up for measurement. It measured long enough in the water so it came onboard for a second measurement. It wasn’t an overly long fish but it was fat and being day 1 it was agreed that this fish would go to the scales.
With the fish iced down we continued fishing and had a rat white come in on the same dredge and teaser. We pitched out a couple more guac dinks with circles and tried to get him to eat. I dumped mine waaay out and felt the line pick up speed. I figured it was the belly in the line since it wasn’t screaming off. I think I said out loud that I might be hung on the bridge bait as I eased the drag up. Then I felt more resistance and said – ‘Ahh guys…..I think I have a fish on here.’ This circle hook thing is kinda fun. The Ricker was on deck for this fish and after a brief fight we released our second fish. We picked up a little after 1400 and headed to the scales in less than favorable conditions. Sadly the fish missed the minimum by ½ pound and although it wouldn’t have won anyway it would have put us on the board until Wednesday afternoon. Oh well, it was nice to be back at the Harbour Island scales again and to see many friends there including Admin.
It was a relief to get to the fuel dock after a long day on the water and waiting at the weigh in. We were all looking forward to our Tuesday lay day when people started asking us if we were fishing tomorrow. When we said no they responded with ‘they changed the forecast you have to fish tomorrow’. Crap – there goes my recoup day.The crew decided that we probably should go and so we did. We decided to head to the same area Tuesday and found similar conditions and many more boats. Unfortunately we spent the entire day watching the boats around us catch fish while we enjoyed little more than a boat ride. I never saw a fish in the baits but suspect that the one mystery knock down on the left long was a white one that was calling. The only good thing about Tuesday for us was that the weatherman actually got the forecast right that day and we fished in very nice conditions.
Wednesday brought some much needed rest and regrouping. We geared up for Thursday – our Day 3 – and went over our game plan. With limited satellite information we relied on the good information from our SFC friends and again made the decision to go long and deep but this time a little further north. We were ready. Plenty of baits rigged, well rested eyes to watch the spread, and everything in place as it was on Monday when we had good luck – including the wearing of the exact same attire for every crew member as on Monday (washed of course)!!
We started off early with a nice fish up on the same dredge and teaser. Tried feeding it a dink but it faded off into the spread. My brother, F-I-L-L Phil, kept dumping a dink back while I worked a long rigger rod. All of a sudden the white aired out behind the right long and F-I-L-L Phil eased his drag up. FISH ON. The damn thing ate the dink and hooked himself on the circle. This fish was long but not real fat. E-Nuts babied it in and I got the leader but it came unbuttoned before we could get a measurement. I’m thinking low 70’s class fish that would have been weighable but not in the money.
Shortly after releasing that fish the bridge rod clip went off like an explosion. I looked back and saw a HUGE swordfish smacking a spanish. This fish had a bill that was 5-6’ long and looked like a small tree trunk at the base. It was if someone was waving a railing from a split rail fence from side to side 70yards behind the boat. The fish never came tight and I couldn’t decide whether that was a good thing or not. Hard to image battling that thing for 4-5 hours so early in the fishing day. The fish looked to be 400-500+ pounds but after looking at some pictures of fish caught it may have been bigger. Could you image the scene at the weigh in if we landed that thing?
Fruit Stripes released a second white around lunch time. This one hit a long rigger bait (naked bally with J-hook) and ate it after a long drop back. I was amazed that I actually remembered to set the hook on this one. Not too long after that one Fruit Stripes noticed a blue’s tail off to the port side. We started into a turn and she came cruising into the spread. We were headed down see in a 3-4’ swell and she just hung back behind the long rigger baits but in front of the bridge pole for what seemed like minutes. We watched her cruise along in the swells behind us – occasionally swinging out to peak at a long rigger bait. I keep dumping back the left long then reeling it back up. Finally the temptation proved to be too much and the left long came out of the rigger clip as I was dumping it back. I waited a little bit then reminded myself that this was a j-hook and pushed the drag to strike. I felt her there and gave 3 or 4 good pulls to set the hook. She went airborne and it was game on. We put the Ricker in the chair and Papa Georgio got to drive the boat in reverse for about 3 miles and enjoyed getting his cockpit crew good and wet. 50 minutes later we had the leader and a clean release of a 350-400 pound class fish - Ricker's first.
So ends our 2007 WMO quest. Could have been better…..could have been a lot worse. 1 blue released, 3 whites released and 1 DQ'd white. I think we ended up in the top 15 overall and the Ricker made it into the top 20 anglers. Not too shabby for a bunch of Nimrods.
One thing I know for sure is that without the resources I have gained over the past year from Sportfishermen.com we would not have been in a position to have done what we did in this tourney. I joined SFC this time last year and I have learned more valuable information and made more genuine fishing friends in those 12 months than I have in over 35 years of offshore fishing. I thank Capt John for his diligence in making SFC the premiere fishing site in the world and all of the members that have made contributions to me becoming a better fisherman. From rigging classes, to tackle tips and fishing reports, to fishing on other boats and learning new ways of doing things – this little place we call SFC has made a huge impact on me and the sport I love. I cherish the friendships I have made over the past year and look forward to the ones on the horizon in the years to come.
Here’s a few photos of the fight with the blue one we released on our day 3.
Now let’s go fishing! Nimrod……OUT.
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