PB marlin solo

[Jeremy]

Here is the short version of the report.

Went 2:2:1 this morning in 60-70 m SE off the Gold Coast. Caught a marlin 1900 mm short length which is 67.5 kg on the IGFA tables on 10 kg gear fishing solo.

Also had an unheard strike later on on a 4 kg outfit I was running a little bibless on and only realised when the line went snap at the end of the spool. Forgot the ratchet doh!

[Jeremy]

Here is the long version if you want to read it.

went out today off the Gold Coast for a session chasing bills and other gamefish out of my 14 ft Haines. Out through the seaway about 4.30 am and down to Marmaid reef first up to try for a mackeral. Had one bite off on a pillie, but there were alot of boats there which usually isn't good for fishing.

Headed East about 6 am and put two high speed lures in the water at the 40 m line. At the 60 m line I changed to a Pakula cockroach in lumo on the shotgun on my 8 kg outfit, a Pakula mosquito in secret squid on the short corner on my 10 kg outfit, and a small minnow on the long corner on my 4 kg outfit aimed at tuna. The Pakulas are resin head skirted lures which run on the surface and sub surface and wriggle along with a bubble trail. I had chosen the lures and set them where I wanted them where I knew they would work well, and they looked great in the water. The mosquito was only about 12 m behind the transom and the cockroach about 50-60 m back.

I headed SE-E at first and then N-NE in about 65 m. There was absolutely no bait, no birds, no dolphins etc in the area, so I nearly fell over when the 10 kg outfit went off at 8.10 am. Turned to see the splash from a fish hitting the surface after a jump and it was BIG. By the time I had cleared the other two lines and picked up the rod I had lost around 300 m of line and the marlin was jumping away on the surface. I turned to boat to try to get some line back and this is not easy, trying to point the boat where you want it to go at around 2-3 knots and wind the rod at the same time.

Twice I had to back the drag right off twice as the fish went around the front of the boat or under the boat and after 20 minutes I had the leader on the rod, but I just wasn't ready to grab it and the fish ran again. Finally after 30 minutes I was able to grab the leader and then the bill of the marlin and remove the lure. It was taken on a double hook rig and had both hooks in its mouth, one securely hooked in the corner of its jaw. It must have just smashed the lure.

Got a couple of photos at arm length and measured it using a rope along its body in the water as I kept the boat going forward. It went 1900 mm short length (fork to lower jaw) and 2500 mm long length, which according to the IGFA length to weight charts makes it 67.5 kg. It was definitely the biggest fish I have caught, clearly bigger than my previous marlin estimated at around 20 kg, but I am not sure whether it was 70 kg. I just don't have the experience to call it or any previous fish in that class to compare to.

I went back to trolling, heading N-NE and checked with a mate on the water to see how he was going a couple of times. Just after I put the radio mike down about 10.30 am I heard a sickening crack come from behind me and turned around to see what had broken. My 4 kg rod was now straight (no lure/line pressure on the tip) and the spool was empty!! A fish must have taken the little bibless lure I had rigged on wire and I must have forgotten to set the ratchet. I don't think the fish can have been on for long, but it wouldn't take long either. Kicking myself as I would have liked a fish for the table.

Antyway I kept trolling with two rods for another few hours but things were dead. No bait, no little tuna, no birds. Came back in around 2pm, great day overall.

- biggest marlin
- biggest fish ever
- first marlin on a lure (have hooked and lost others before)
- and all done solo out of a 14ft boat

[Jeremy]

photos of the marlin and lure used

[whatscracken]

Hard to beat on a solo trip mate, one to remember.

[ON-THE-CHEW]

Jeremy,
Well done it is always awesome to get a pb, but to beat your previous by 40kg is even better. You are keen going solo, I am banned from doing solo off shore trips, the boss keeps telling me how many things could go wrong, she doesn't go on about what could go right, I will have to show her your post.

Andrew

[Horse]

Thats a top effort Jeramy. There is a lot of satisfaction in getting a good fish solo. Congratulations on a fine catch

[sleepygreg]

Well done Jeremy. Solo fishing is very challenging. You did well to boat a beakie. Lesson learne though....always make sure the ratchet is on and working when fishing solo....I learnt that lesson way back in the 80's after being spooled twice in the same (solo) outing without realising it.

Great Pic by the way.

Cheers
Greg

[Jeremy]

I did it once before also Greg trolling a live baby mack tuna on 8 kg gear. It was taken by a cobe and the spool was half empty by the time I realised. I got that fish in OK. I guess the differences this time was the lighter line class and faster troll speed. No line crackling off the spool.

I hope I have learned by lesson by now.

Jeremy

[Angla]

You don't have to share any accolades when doing it solo. There's no splitting the catch either.
2 good reasons to go solo

I would think you had to be very well organised to accomplish the result. Great stuff

Cheers
Chris

[3rd degree]

That's a cracking effort by yourself Jeremy!

You'll be fitting outriggers to the Haines soon...

Cheers

James

[trueblue]

well done, and a fantastic solo photo

cheers

Mick

[Smithy]

Well done Jeremy. Good effort solo.

[TimiBoy]

Geez Mate, and that's on the back of your cracker Thready!

All hail the new Fishing God, JEREMY!

Cheers,

Tim

[kitty_cat]

well done jeremy
just to make you feel better we did it in a comp with 3 people on board and no one notice untill the spool went ping

[Grand_Marlin]

Niiiiice work Jeremy,

That fish looks very thick through the shoulders and in good condition.
I would call him 70+

Cheers

Pete