We were on the water by 04:00, ran the first 25-30km in the dark (slowly) and got out to the banks about half an hour to an hour after daylight. We set a spread of seven lines and trolled for about ten minutes when the port side rigger went off. He dropped that one pretty quick, jumped out of the water crossing the prop wash and smoked the long rigger. That one stuck and porter brought in a Spaniard for a horrible gaff shot. Same lure as last time, had just reskirted it and once again she’s fubar.
Somehow when he was cleaning the Spaniard he touched its tooth and sliced his thumb open. Next thing I see he’s rolling a cloth and electrical tape for a bandage. I asked if he needed gauze and he said it was fine. About an hour later this whole cloth was red. They have bloody sharp teeth.
We had only cleared two lines so we redeployed and had trolled another 4-5 minutes when the shotgun went off. Nolan brought in a spotted mackerel. I didn’t get a decent picture and the ones I have show the gills and bottom jaw ripped out. Not really a pic fit for the web.
Then it slowed right down. We marked bait and marlin but they wouldn’t come up to the party. The new teaser got attacked and has bill rash on it but we didn’t see that fish in the spread either.
A few hours later we had another strike and from the head shakes I thought tuna but surprisingly it was a little 25lb wahoo that didn’t have the signature first run. Luckily porter was running the phone and actually took a picture.
That was it for the day. Not a single billfish that we know of. There was one missed strike on the shotgun where it took some line and the gar but we never saw it. I guess after the last trip we have to pay our dues again.
The sashimi was fantastic. Like an idiot I forgot the soy and wasabi so we had to wait until we got home.
