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11-25-2020, 06:28 PM
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Join Date: Oct 2018
Posts: 7,699
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Waiting to see what you catch
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11-25-2020, 07:16 PM
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Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Oz
Posts: 2,201
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Quote:
Originally Posted by NCC
Coiloil,
Thanks for posting and please keep it up. Your photos and stories are really making me regret not taking the transfer I was offered to South Texas last summer. Looks like you made the right move. If you get out to hunt, most of us would be very interested in the stories and photos of those adventures also.
BTW, the 30-06 you sold me has been great. My 15 year old daughter shot a 50" moose with it last fall.
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Good to hear. That rifle was awesome for me from 2006 when I bought it until I sold it to you. I never missed an animal with that rifle and I took all of my personal best rifle kills with it. It was a regretful sale but I wanted to drop some weight with the kimber.
I saw a few dozen red deer on my way to work last time so I’m getting itchy to go find a property and do some hunting. It’s probably time to get my gun license too but I’ve got a few bows with me and I’ll hunt with them for now. Next April during the rut I’ll make sure I get into them.
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11-25-2020, 07:17 PM
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Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Oz
Posts: 2,201
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Smoky buck
Waiting to see what you catch
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Me too. No huge expectations though. While the waters warmed up to about 24-25 deg and most palegics should be here it’s still the very start of the season.
This is the second best moon phase to fish and the wind looks like it’ll behave so it’s time to give it a try.
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11-25-2020, 07:41 PM
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Join Date: Oct 2018
Posts: 7,699
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Coiloil37
Me too. No huge expectations though. While the waters warmed up to about 24-25 deg and most palegics should be here it’s still the very start of the season.
This is the second best moon phase to fish and the wind looks like it’ll behave so it’s time to give it a try.
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What species besides Marlin could you pick up on this trip
And if you go hunting pics are a must
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11-25-2020, 07:48 PM
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Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: At the end of the Thirsty Beaver Trail, Pinsky lake, Alberta.
Posts: 25,350
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Coiloil37
That bothered me too in the beginning. Heck I ran a kicker in Alberta just to get me home if the big girl broke down. Twins here are very uncommon and my transom wasn’t built for twins so it’s the single Suzi for me.
Given the option I would have two identical outboards on seperate fuel tanks and individual battery banks. This works though, I take care of the motor and so far it takes care of me. I also have plenty of tools and spares on board, my radio and EPIRB, anchors and a drogue. The coastguard is very good here too and worst case scenario they’ll come get me.
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Do you got a dingy or other means to stay afloat if your boat takes on water and you have to abandon ship....and don't say you got a bunch of pool noodles
Your in shark infested water with a boat that just sunk full of bait....hmmmm...
All kidding aside keep on posting as we dreamers can continue enjoying your thread.
__________________
Be careful when you follow the masses, sometimes the "M" is silent...
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11-25-2020, 07:57 PM
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Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Oz
Posts: 2,201
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Smoky buck
What species besides Marlin could you pick up on this trip
And if you go hunting pics are a must
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The typical trolling spread is targeting striped/black/blue marlin, yellowfin and longtail tuna, mahi mahi, wahoo, spotted/school and Spanish mackerel (king mackerel for the yanks), cobia, and some bycatch of skipjack and Mack tuna.
Realistically though most tuna are caught by throwing slugs or soft plastics to them when we see them chasing bait on the surface or targeted in shallower water with live bait via a kite, ballon or floating them somewhere in the water column. The yellowfin are caught more while trolling but occasionally I see them in a bust up.
If we jig we are in for over a hundred species but typically pearl perch, snapper, amberjacks, kingfish, red throat emperor, red emperor, nanogui, tuskies and yellowtail kingfish are the most prominent. I don’t bottom bash very often but might cause Nolan already said he wants to and a feed of reef fish would be good.
Momma bear just said she wants fish so that means we better catch something edible.
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11-25-2020, 07:59 PM
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Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Oz
Posts: 2,201
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 58thecat
Do you got a dingy or other means to stay afloat if your boat takes on water and you have to abandon ship....and don't say you got a bunch of pool noodles
Your in shark infested water with a boat that just sunk full of bait....hmmmm...
All kidding aside keep on posting as we dreamers can continue enjoying your thread.
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Nah mate. Just the anchor retrieval ball to cling to or life jackets. I’m about to jump in the pool with the little girl but I’ll tell a story about being in the water out there one of these days when I’ve got a bit of time.
Sinking would be bad but not high on my list of possibilities. There are usually other boats around who could come lend a hand too.
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11-26-2020, 08:14 AM
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Join Date: Oct 2018
Posts: 7,699
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Coiloil37
The typical trolling spread is targeting striped/black/blue marlin, yellowfin and longtail tuna, mahi mahi, wahoo, spotted/school and Spanish mackerel (king mackerel for the yanks), cobia, and some bycatch of skipjack and Mack tuna.
Realistically though most tuna are caught by throwing slugs or soft plastics to them when we see them chasing bait on the surface or targeted in shallower water with live bait via a kite, ballon or floating them somewhere in the water column. The yellowfin are caught more while trolling but occasionally I see them in a bust up.
If we jig we are in for over a hundred species but typically pearl perch, snapper, amberjacks, kingfish, red throat emperor, red emperor, nanogui, tuskies and yellowtail kingfish are the most prominent. I don’t bottom bash very often but might cause Nolan already said he wants to and a feed of reef fish would be good.
Momma bear just said she wants fish so that means we better catch something edible.
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That all sounds like way more fun then staring down a hole in the ice. I know a lot of guys view them as a nuisance at times fishing warm waters but I would have a hard time not chasing sharks too
Good luck
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11-26-2020, 02:20 PM
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Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Oz
Posts: 2,201
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Well the club had a tournament last weekend. 14 boats, two days, only five marlin, 15 yellowfin and three mahi mahi caught. Most boats went heavy tackle which stipulates 200+ meters of water but the bite wasn’t there. Last years tourney there were individual boats catching 8 marlin a day.
We won’t head out that deep so maybe we can find something better but typically if the crowd goes wide it’s because there’s very little in closer. Tomorrow’s forecast looks more like calm seas, cold beer and some vitamin D but its impossible to predict and a mans gotta fish when he’s got time so...
These are the majority of the fish available to be caught
Haven’t really seen many sharks. I’ve seen two hammer heads from the boat and the boys had a kingfish sharked once.
More frequently we see dolphins and most guys say if you’ve got dolphins around there are no sharks. They come over and eat the fish we throw back so typically if you stop a dolphin will show up. I’m not saying we never feed them either.
I’ve seen lots of guys jump in and swim with them also. I’ve got a few videos of that but can’t post em.
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11-26-2020, 06:30 PM
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Join Date: Oct 2018
Posts: 7,699
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Looks like you have no lack of species to target
Though sharks would have been more common in QLD
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11-26-2020, 08:23 PM
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Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Oz
Posts: 2,201
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Well it’s not a good pic but we picked up a few gar this morning for tomorrow’s fishing trip. I’ve got another 15 or so resting in a bucket in the creek and I’m hoping they’re still alive tomorrow so we can use them as livies. If not we will run em dead and try to catch some yakkas, slimes mackerel or flying fish for live bait tomorrow.
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11-28-2020, 03:55 AM
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Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Oz
Posts: 2,201
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Well a 03:00 start and a 20:30 finish makes for a long day. Had some highs and some lows but ultimately found some new ground and there’s a bit of fish in the fridge. I’ll post something up tomorrow.
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11-28-2020, 09:31 AM
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Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: At the end of the Thirsty Beaver Trail, Pinsky lake, Alberta.
Posts: 25,350
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Wake up...wake up....hey.... ....stop dreaming....hey
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11-28-2020, 01:11 PM
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Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Oz
Posts: 2,201
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Skip the ice, let’s go bill fishing.
After prepping the boat and before waking the little man I walked over to get the gar we had stashed in the creek. Seemed someone else needed them worse then I did as the bucket was still there with the lid on top but the gar were gone.
Then my fishing buddy arrived ten minutes late and we stopped for fuel and snacks before launching the boat. On the water a little later then we should of at 430 and off to see what the day would bring.
We shot out to the first fad which is 10 nm off shore. We weren’t the only boat on the fad and while we could see mahi mahi they didn’t want to eat what we were offering. We moved on to the next fad and had a strike with no hookup. The next pass gave us two more strikes with one finally hooked up.
We tried the third fad with lures instead of gar and had one strike but no hookup. Then we shot east for another 10 nm to the banks and started trolling for the fourth fad. Again we could see the mahi but they seemed to have lockjaw. The sounder was showing a lot of nice fish in about 35m on the thermocline and there was another boat pulling two lines off downriggers. They landed a nice wahoo and mahi in the fifteen minutes we were there so perhaps the old scotties will need to take a ride out there with me next time.
At that point we turned north and trolled for the areas we caught marlin last summer. We didn’t see anything useful, no bait balls, nothing really interesting at all besides a pod of dolphins.
I noticed a bit of structure on my chart a few miles north so we kept steaming in the 120m’s of water heading for an area where it popped up to about 90m.
Just on the south side of the area of interest in about 104 m of water we started seeing more flying fish then we’ve ever seen. They were coming off the water in front of the boat in schools (flocks?) of 50-100 fish flying away from us.
Then it finally happened. There was a big boil on the water 15m behind the boat where the long corner had been swimming and the 12” marlin magic ruckus was gone. The drag started howling and my buddy grabbed the rod. I started clearing the first line and this marlin came to surface about 70m behind us with his head sticking out of the water thrashing back and forth. It was huge. The largest fish I’ve ever raised and while I don’t know how big (I realise almost nobody’s going to believe me) I’m going to estimate 300+kg. He sat back there for about 20 seconds with his head and occasionally shoulders sticking out of the water thrashing back and forth. They’re was a lot of yelling about what we had hooked and I managed to clear two lines before the line went slack. Let’s just say at that point there was more yelling but it was more colourful.
That’s life though, typically boats are doing well if they can hook up on 50% of strikes. Nothing left but to set the spread and try and raise another fish. So we doubled down and I took the skipping gar off the short rigger and put another 9” coggin tado out there so we had some extra action in the spread. We worked the area in a bit of a loop and on the third pass through the same spot the long rigger went off. Initially we thought marlin again as the drag was screaming but then a mahi mahi started jumping behind the boat.
Porter was still on deck to fight the fish and he brought it boat side for me to gaff.
It was a nice fish but we could see another dozen or so in the water with him so I attempted to hook another before we pulled the first one out. They would chase my offerings but nobody wanted to hit it. Then we noticed how poorly the first one was hooked so we brought him in for the gaff shot.
We were then told by Nolan he wanted to catch the next one. I took the 9” lure back off the long corner, put a 7” tado behind a bird and deemed it a more mahi friendly spread and decided we could handle a few more if they were that size. After another pass or two I watched a green rocket shoot across the prop watch and hit that same lumo sprocket you see sticking out of porters fishes mouth.
This one was a bit smaller but the right size for Nolan. Unfortunately after a jump or two the hook came out and he was gone.
We trolled a little more, working the same area and finally decided we best head for port. We got back to the banks in about 50m of water that same sprocket on the long rigger went off. I hadn’t seen the fish and it didn’t feel very big so we left most of the spread out and Nolan landed arguably the hungriest mac tuna in the ocean. He was so small he had no business hitting a lure that size. I wish we could of caught some like him when out chasing marlin as they would of received a 7/0 circle hook in the face before being trolled behind the boat for that leviathan we had raised.
We ran back for the inshore fads. The first two had people fishing then so we hit the third one. We made a couple passes and finally got one hooked up. Nolan had decided the little tuna didn’t count as his turn so he took this mahi as well. For the record, I didn’t gaff this fish, I always aim for the head like the one above.
We then headed in for the clean up and some much needed sleep.
The water was still fairly cool at 24.5-25 deg and I didn’t mark much bait schooled up out there. Fishing on a weekend always sucks too because there are so many other boats on the fads. Typically during the week we have them to ourselves and do a lot better.
Last edited by Coiloil37; 11-28-2020 at 01:19 PM.
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11-28-2020, 10:19 PM
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Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: At the end of the Thirsty Beaver Trail, Pinsky lake, Alberta.
Posts: 25,350
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Simply awesome...thx for sharing.
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11-29-2020, 05:11 AM
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Join Date: Oct 2018
Posts: 7,699
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That looks like way more fun then staring down a hole in the ice
Do you fish inshore or freshwater
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11-29-2020, 01:03 PM
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Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Oz
Posts: 2,201
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Smoky buck
That looks like way more fun then staring down a hole in the ice
Do you fish inshore or freshwater
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Besides for bait I haven’t fished any river, canals or lakes since I bought the boat. There’s some good fishing available it just doesn’t interest me like the ocean does.
Don’t get me wrong, those dorado are good eating and a great way to break the monotony on the water but it’s the big fish that lure me out there. Specifically the billfish but also the trophy fish of most species. That mahi that porter caught is getting into that category, the 42kg wahoo I got last April fits as well. I haven’t caught one yet but a 100+ lb yellowfin would get me pretty excited or a big cobia... the list goes on and on. The thing they share in common is that they’re capable of putting up enough fight you don’t know if your going to be able to land it. There’s something about hearing the clicker scream as a fish is dumping hundreds of meters of line off your reel that has become an addiction.
I like fishing for many reasons but the main thing that drags me out there and the thing that makes me willing to tolerate hours of trolling around is knowing eventually that strike will come, there will be a drag screaming, the ensuing chaos on deck as you try and clear lines and start giving chase before you run out of line and the fight that ensues is worth it. Sometimes though it’s just a baby tuna that’s only good for bait and sometimes it’s a fish like that marlin we raised that has seared it’s image into my brain. I’ll chase a fish like that for as long as I’m able to just for the privilege of seeing it... although I would of preferred to have caught it.
Tomorrow’s looking like another fishing day, if not tomorrow then Thursday for sure.
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11-29-2020, 09:40 PM
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Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Sylvan Lake/South Calif.
Posts: 3,465
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Always nice to see those colors on the Mahi Mahi, but they don't last long.
Your kids will have forever fond memories of the time they went ocean fishin with their Dad, tks for sharing the pic's, brings back a few memories of some ocean charters I organized.
Cheers
D.
__________________
Z-z
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11-30-2020, 12:25 AM
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Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Oz
Posts: 2,201
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Zip-in-Z
Always nice to see those colors on the Mahi Mahi, but they don't last long.
Your kids will have forever fond memories of the time they went ocean fishin with their Dad, tks for sharing the pic's, brings back a few memories of some ocean charters I organized.
Cheers
D.
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I like the blue colour they are in the water when they’re fired up. The new iPhones get the pictures of them in the water but my phones camera doesn’t have the polarised lens so I can’t get it. By the time you pull them out of the water they’re green and then go gold as they die.
They’re always fun to catch but watching them in the waters pretty cool. There are usually a few dozen around the fads or any floating debris in the water and when we pull one in to the boat it’s always got a few friends with it.
Time to buy a spear gun, grow a set and try and forget about the sharks. Then it won’t matter if they’re hungry cause they’re very easy to shoot.
Headed out again tomorrow for another crack at a billfish. Also taking the downriggers for a try around the thermocline to see what’s hanging out down there at the fads.
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11-30-2020, 05:59 AM
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Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: At the end of the Thirsty Beaver Trail, Pinsky lake, Alberta.
Posts: 25,350
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See you need a dingy...that hammerhead could take a leg.....if I make it out your way I am going to buy a dingy just in case we sink...I ain't floating around hanging onto a anchor bouy acting like bait off a bobber
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11-30-2020, 11:31 AM
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Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Oz
Posts: 2,201
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Time to giddy up
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11-30-2020, 11:45 AM
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Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: At the end of the Thirsty Beaver Trail, Pinsky lake, Alberta.
Posts: 25,350
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The skies look dark and grey...hopefully they clear up.
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11-30-2020, 08:00 PM
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Join Date: Oct 2018
Posts: 7,699
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Coiloil37
Besides for bait I haven’t fished any river, canals or lakes since I bought the boat. There’s some good fishing available it just doesn’t interest me like the ocean does.
Don’t get me wrong, those dorado are good eating and a great way to break the monotony on the water but it’s the big fish that lure me out there. Specifically the billfish but also the trophy fish of most species. That mahi that porter caught is getting into that category, the 42kg wahoo I got last April fits as well. I haven’t caught one yet but a 100+ lb yellowfin would get me pretty excited or a big cobia... the list goes on and on. The thing they share in common is that they’re capable of putting up enough fight you don’t know if your going to be able to land it. There’s something about hearing the clicker scream as a fish is dumping hundreds of meters of line off your reel that has become an addiction.
I like fishing for many reasons but the main thing that drags me out there and the thing that makes me willing to tolerate hours of trolling around is knowing eventually that strike will come, there will be a drag screaming, the ensuing chaos on deck as you try and clear lines and start giving chase before you run out of line and the fight that ensues is worth it. Sometimes though it’s just a baby tuna that’s only good for bait and sometimes it’s a fish like that marlin we raised that has seared it’s image into my brain. I’ll chase a fish like that for as long as I’m able to just for the privilege of seeing it... although I would of preferred to have caught it.
Tomorrow’s looking like another fishing day, if not tomorrow then Thursday for sure.
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As long as you enjoy yourself is the main thing and big fish are a blast
Myself I look at the charts you posted of different species and would want to try fishing for them all because I enjoy catching new species
Good luck
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12-01-2020, 03:40 AM
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Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Oz
Posts: 2,201
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The overcast sky’s are a blessing. I’ve only had two overcast mornings to fish since I’ve been here and they’ve both been good. The last one we had eight marlin strikes in three hours. Today was the second overcast morning and it turned out to be a dolphin fish day.
We took off to the fads for a look around. The first one had four boats on it so we didn’t even head over but instead went to the second fad. First pass had a few strikes and one decent mahi hooked up.
A couple more passes produced a few half hearted strikes and no more hookups. We took off for the second fad and found some smaller sized fish and put a few in the kill tank. No pics taken.
We then headed out wide to hit that little hump where that blue marlin broke our hearts two days ago. I got the first two lures in the water and was setting the third out when we had our first strike and hookup. Porter took this one again and it was a nice bull mahi.
We then managed to put our spread out and kept going. A few minutes later we hooked up another one and I brought it in. Porter got beat up by it when he brought it in on the gaff but managed to wrestle it down.
We went back to that hump and found no flying fish, no bait and no marlin. The current was pushing out and there was a temp break a few miles east so we steamed out to about 240m where we found the temp break then zig zagged in and out of it heading south for another fad. Through it all found zero bait and nothing of interest. The sun popped out though and the seas calmed down.
We got down to the furthest fad and made a pass. Had a few strikes and hooked another cow up.
We trolled in another ten miles or so before giving up on the marlin and heading home.
All up we took a limit of mahi, threw a few back, lost a few and completely struck out on the billfish. Looks like fish tacos for the next week.
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12-01-2020, 08:00 AM
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Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: At the end of the Thirsty Beaver Trail, Pinsky lake, Alberta.
Posts: 25,350
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Dam ehhh...overcast and the bite was on...plus it was probably nice to be out of the direct sun....awesome thread...keep it up...us mere mortals can only dream of your adventures
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12-01-2020, 08:10 AM
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Join Date: Oct 2018
Posts: 7,699
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Sounds like bill fish are tough to sink a hook in
Still looks like you had a good day
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12-01-2020, 01:22 PM
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Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Oz
Posts: 2,201
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It is nice to be out of the sun too. Even when it’s overcast it’s not cold like the old country. It was still 25 deg at 04:00 when we drove to the boat ramp.
The billfish are always a challenge but it’s a lot harder when they aren’t here. Being pelagic we’ve got to wait until they show up in proper numbers before we have much chance at catching them. I’m no pro but from what I saw in two days of fishing, combined with the tournament results from a week and a half ago it’s my opinion they’re just not here yet.
Seems we might have to head back to Hervey Bay if we want to scratch that billfish itch this days off. I’ll see how it goes, need to service the outboard and spend some time with the family before I head out again.
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12-01-2020, 02:20 PM
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Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Sylvan Lake/South Calif.
Posts: 3,465
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I just drove down Lakeshore Dr, it's a bty sunny day here going to 0C but it's all white except for the Ab Blue sky.
Tks for the report & pic's, look forward to your next trip.
Have you checked out any of the golf courses, kids love swinging clubs & hitting balls ?
Cheers
D.
__________________
Z-z
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12-01-2020, 02:36 PM
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Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Oz
Posts: 2,201
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Zip-in-Z
I just drove down Lakeshore Dr, it's a bty sunny day here going to 0C but it's all white except for the Ab Blue sky.
Tks for the report & pic's, look forward to your next trip.
Have you checked out any of the golf courses, kids love swinging clubs & hitting balls ?
Cheers
D.
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Yes, I may have sampled a few of the courses up and down the coast. Beautiful, world class courses and cheap. I guess that’s one advantage to year round golf, they don’t have to charge a fortune to play.
I haven’t taken the kids though, usually a few buddies or the wife but the kids may get a turn one day.
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12-01-2020, 02:51 PM
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Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Sylvan Lake/South Calif.
Posts: 3,465
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Coiloil37
Yes, I may have sampled a few of the courses up and down the coast. Beautiful, world class courses and cheap. I guess that’s one advantage to year round golf, they don’t have to charge a fortune to play.
I haven’t taken the kids though, usually a few buddies or the wife but the kids may get a turn one day.
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Think I said this previously .... No Life Like It ....
Surprised the Mrs & kids haven't convinced you to take them out to the range or course, I'm sure that will change.
Kids here are out of school again, rinks & pools closed, more restrictions, Sylvan has 60 active/98 covid cases, R/D has 236 active/580 cases and it's going to get worst before it gets better.
D.
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