Fly fits the Bill!

[trueblue]

I gotta say sometimes swimming the fish is not the best option. I too have seen them go down hill after being towed along beside the boat...but also seen very tired fish come good. If they are obviously alive when they first come boat side, get rid of them asap. The 2nd photo of the fish shows it was still well and truely alive at some point.

Dont worry to much if they dont kick off at a million miles an hour. Most of them will just glide off into the depths. I once read some info about a blue marlin that had been tagged with a satilite tag. The fish was nearly dead and they held very little hope for it surviving. Once the tag popped off data showed the fish had sunk for 4-5 mins before righting itself and swimming off. (obviously not the ideal release but a successfull one).

thanks mate - all a learning exercise

cheers

Mick

[Apollo]

Good catch and effort fellas. You will get no flack from me about the fish not making it.

Steve

[jason p]

well done on the catch fellas and too bad about the release but at least you gave it your best, 1 down for experence wich will make you more tunned next time
jp

[Salty2]

I was out the day before and had the same thing happen with a fish the same size. It was my very first billfish and took me over an hour to bring it anywhere near the boat as I was on my own. It was still jumping about ten minutes before it went deep then just floated up near dead. I too tried for over half an hour to get it kicking but it just went stiff. I went from being pretty stoked about the capture to regretting not cutting it off at the hour mark.

I took it to the Fishery boys who passed it on to Juluin Pepperell to do a dna sample. I also caught a spaniard mackeral at the blinker that looked very sickly on one side so I gave them that too to see what was wrong with it. The black went 193 cm short and about 67kg. It was a very healthy looking fish so I think it must have had a similar thing happen.
I won't do that type of fishing on my own again. I can't believe how sore ever muscle in my body is today. Not to mention the groin - no belt or harness.

Hearing your comments helped me a lot to get a grip on this.

[trueblue]

Thats what Seans fish did - tail went stiff, and its eyes rolled back into a weird position like rolled back in its head - what blew me away was how fast it just gave up - one minute I'm thinking its going to start chomping and kicking its tail, but then it never did

[Midnight]

Have you eaten any of it Mick?
How was it?

Cheers,
Myles

[trueblue]

Have you eaten any of it Mick?
How was it?

Cheers,
Myles

yeah mate - it won't get wasted.

cheers

[trueblue]

Some photos of sounder shots of bait that we went over while chasing the fish - this was a good mile and a bit away from the grounds

[Midnight]

I just wondered how it tasted? I have often wondered if they die from exhaustion vs being donged on the head and brain spiked, whether the flesh suffered any deteriation from lactic acid etc.
We didn't knock a slab off the Blue we had that died, so I haven't tried it myself.
I guess the Stripies that the long liners catch would normally be dead, and their flesh is still sought after in Japan for sashimi....
I reckon a small Black should eat ok??

Cheers,
Myles

[brisbane_boy]

It starts with fish size myles, if you check out what price they go for in the countries that do eat them you will see under 100kg blues are considered a lot better than say a 200kg one, all blues are ratshit to eat compared to stripies. the flesh gets courser the larger they get, a 30kg black is ok to eat but the meat isnt first class by any means, a 70kg one is quiet a grubby feed and i wouldnt look forward to getting through one, if you think it tastes ok the first time round out of excitement by the time you get 20kg through the trunk the excitement is gone, they really arent worth eating compared to say a mackerel or wahoo fresh.

[finding_time]

Blacks are ok......... i guess but can be a little dry one died on us early in the season and we have had a few meals of it. probably the best way to cook it we've found is in a green curry, it hold togeather well and doesn't sem to be as dry this way! Blue marlin is a little better , and it's not to bad on the BBQ.

ian

[MyWay]

good going boys bit sad finish but next one will be ok R.I.P BM

[MyWay]

good going boys bit sad finish but next one will be OK R.I.P BM

[jeffo]

good sounder shots mick. Were they taken at around the same time? The first 3 shots looks like you have marked a marlin or 2 there. The last 2 shots are dolphins...or you are siting over the top of your hooked fish and lifting him.

[trueblue]

I just wondered how it tasted? I have often wondered if they die from exhaustion vs being donged on the head and brain spiked, whether the flesh suffered any deteriation from lactic acid etc.
We didn't knock a slab off the Blue we had that died, so I haven't tried it myself.
I guess the Stripies that the long liners catch would normally be dead, and their flesh is still sought after in Japan for sashimi....
I reckon a small Black should eat ok??

Cheers,
Myles

It tasted quite ok to be honest. definitely can not be overcooked or it goes tough. I did it in a marinade of rice wine vinegar, soy, fresh grated ginger, and garlic.

cheers

Mick