Rolled out of Dewees at 6:35 with a heading straight to our scant weedline we found the day before at 1000 feet. My crew consisted of my brother,Jeff, his 13 year old son Lucas,(never been offshore fishing),my 12 year old son, James, my brother’s friend and client, Nick Smith from Greenville, and my friend, Brent Wood who mated for us. We were prepared for a 60 mile run as I explained that we would pass tons of boats on the ledge and then another group in 200-300 feet. Informed them that we crushed them on this line the day before, and the line was moving inshore and north at about 1nm per 3-4 hours and could be 4 miles or so away from our heading. If we couldn’t find it, we could always head back in and join the fleet. After a 32 knot run, we passed our spot by 2nm and put lines in with no weedline in sight. Started trolling inshore in hopes of intersecting our line and within 10 minutes, Lucas had fought and boated his first offshore fish of his life - a 15 pound gaffer. Boxed four more, and at 9:30 we found some scattered weeds. From the tower I told Jeff we had weed on the marlin lure on the short rigger - as he wound it up, the line wrapped around the first two eyes of the rod tip and then a prop wash sized splash swallowed the lure. I yelled “It’s wrapped around the rod tip!!”, and as the rod doubled over, the line popped. I lost it, and yelled out how expensive that lure was and we had lost a blue marlin. Silence came over the entire crew for the next five minutes. As we circled around and worked the area, I was double lining the rod from the tower when my brother said, “There he his” - referring to what he thought was a dolphin. Neon blue pec fins were lit up and then the blue engulfed our teaser. As we wound it up, she followed it all the way to the boat. She hung around right behind the boat with pec fins locked down, hit the right flat, hit the mouse trap, then pounded the left short pink chugger and started peeling line off the 30 TLD. After chasing the fish for over an hour, witnessing spectacular
Way to go Mel, half the size of that grander you caught in Puerto Rico.
Nice report. Felt like I was there.
Loved reading the report, beautiful fish! Glad you were able to snap a few pictures for us – thanks for sharing.
WOW!!! N
Nice report Congrats guys
Dinnertime,Capt. Al - give credit on the grander(1089lber)to the angler and my good friend, Roger Medlock - I was the wire man.
PS. Ready to do another overnighter with you - but no thunderstorms this time!!
Capt. Mel
Great post capt!
cheers.
King Fish
31’ Fountain
Great report and great pictures:sunglasses: Those boys will never forget that day.
Sorry about your Mom.
Capt. Larry Teuton
Cracker Built Custom Boats
Small craft surveying and repair
Great day indeed. Sorry to hear about your Mom.
Tight Lines,
Jason
Doesn’t get any better than that! Great report and good job out there.
Doesn’t get any better than that! Great report and good job out there.
Nice one Mel!!
Great catch. …It always amazes me how people here who catch one marlin a season can so easily guesstimate the exact poundage of a fish, yet a blue marlin at that so easily. Whatever, iI’m just being jealous!! Good job!!!
“If you can’t stand behind our soldiers, then try standing in front of them”
That is excellent work! Great photos and great recount of the story. Can’t wait to get back out there
2008 25 Sea King
Twin 150 Yamahas
“Just Released”
a-fish-a-knot-o = “A-Hemm-ing-way” a great story and very well told. ever considdered writing a novel?
liquor in the front, poker in the rear!
awesome write up and congrats!
Great story, and beautiful fish! I agree with Andy- felt like I was there with you while reading that report. I know your mom was smiling just as big as you and Jeff on Saturday. As for the guesstimate on the weight, I suppose you have to put her on a scale at the dock before everyone can accept your estimate. A day that you, your brother, and your boys will never forget, but hopefully repeat in the near future!
ktpusateri - I didn’t pinpoint the exact weight - my post title is “500 pounds plus” - could have been 625 - All I know is that it was less than the 1089 lber that we gaffed in Puerto Rico and bigger than about 30-40 marlin I have caught(or been part of a crew who has caught) since I have been offshore fishing for over 36 years. These zingers are why most the charter captains don’t post anymore.
Thanks to everyone else for the nice replies and comments about my mom. See y’all out there!
Capt. Mel
It was awesome. Mel told us the plan on Friday night and he put us on the fish early and it never let up. Mel knows where the fish are and I’ll never forget that marlin experience. Truly amazing. Anyone who may doubt Mel needs to go out with him if given the opportunity. I was told the day before, “You’re going out with Mel? He’s going to put you on the fish, have fun.”