On Monday, the crew of “Miss Fishin’”, a 50’ Ocean Supersport out of The Marina at Edisto Beach, SC caught what had to be the most accommodating blue marlin ever hooked. We were fishing in 800 ft. of water just north of the Edisto Hole when the fish hit a pink and white Sea Witch type of skirt with a small ballyhoo coupled to a Shimano Tyrnos 30 loaded with 400 yds. of 30 lb. mono and backed by 800 yds. of 80 lb. braid. The marlin immediately stripped off all the mono and approximately 200 yds. of braid before we turned on him and proceeded to get line back. After putting the braid back on the reel and about 200 yds. of mono, the angler started yelling " The reel froze up! The reel froze up! I can’t crank anymore! I need a new reel!" Everyone went to see what was happening and, sure enough, the reel had locked up solid.
Needless to say, panic, confusion and pandemonium ensued. We decided to change reels in mid-fight… really. What else could we do? One mate grabbed the line coming off the frozen reel while the captain backed up, allowing him to get several yards of slack line in the cockpit while maintaining pressure on the fish. The rest of the crew then proceeded to scramble, getting another Tyrnos 30, cutting off the terminal leader and wind-on and tying the slack line from the frozen rig to it. With all of that accomplished, we fed the line back out slowly and, sure enough, “Fish back on!” The new line came tight and we’re putting line back on the reel. Mission accomplished… NOT! In the heat of performing such a daunting task, no one had the presence of mind to realize that the new rig to which we had transferred the line was itself already loaded. The angler could only put about 50 yds. of line on it before it was packed full and he could reel no more.
OK. Go to Plan B. The captain yelled, “Do it again but this time put it on a 50!” And that’s what the crew proceeded to do. We backed up again, the mate got slack in the line while maintaining pressure on the fish and we started over, this time with a
