(continued)
We arrived at the docks at 6:30 in the morning, a little late for Captain Efren’s liking as he planned on running out about 30-40 miles in search of warm, blue water where he hoped to put us on striped marlin and tuna. While waiting on our arrival Efren had already loaded up on live bait from the pangeros that supply the fleets and with no delay, we were on our way. Winds this time of the year can be unpredictable and on this day, the winds helped build a fairly large swell. We motored our way out to sea on a bumpy but dry ride to the fishing grounds. Once he found the water conditions that best provided the chance for large billfish, he switched driving positions to the tall tuna tower while Alfredo began to set out our spread of lures. Purple and orange Zukers set out at the fifth wake behind the boat, trolling feathers in pink and white and Mexican flag patterns on the third wake and a dark colored Marauder set close to the boat.

A few hours passed as we crisscrossed areas where colder water met warmer, Efren’s eyes trained on the surface scanning for signs that fish were near – circling and diving birds, the tail of a marlin cruising for its next meal, a pod of porpoise balling bait. None of the usual signs appeared until Efren’s eagle eyes spotted a feeder, a marlin actively working the ocean surface. A quick turn of the boat and a punch of the throttle controls placed us in the perfect position to present our spread of lures to the fish. The marlin took notice and struck one of the lures back at the fifth wake. The jigstrike started our adrenalin flowing and we scrambled to the deck to ready for a battle. The marlin let loose the lure just as Alfredo cast a live bait back to entice a bite. After a few tense moments, the marlin took the bait, the reel left in free spool in order to give it time to fully take the bait. Flipping the reel into locked position followed by three to four strong and sharp lifts of the rod tip set the hook on a good sized striped marlin.

Dolores took her position in one of the two fighting chairs mounted on the stern and within seconds the marlin was giving us a show. Several vertical leaps and violent shakes of its broad head and the fight began. The key to landing marlin is the hook set. Everything depends on whether or not the hook was in the right position when the hook set is made. Many times, the marlin takes the bait only partially and the hook never pierces the mouth fully when the set is made. Unfortunately, this was one of those times. Shortly after the first series of jumps was made, a second series began and on this series the hook was thrown and the fish was lost. Spooked by the encounter, the marlin sounded and was soon nowhere to be found. -- more>>>