# Destin Offshore 22 May 2011



## Aquahollic (Sep 24, 2009)

I fished today with 3 other people on the boat. A friend that has been offshore a hand full of times, another friend that has been out once, and his 15 year old son who has never been out. We left Destin and ran south-ish towards the Squiggles. I found a school of Bonita and put the boy on one so if we got skunked the rest of the day it wouldn't matter. After he brought it in we went back to running out. We found a 2X4 sized log floating in 160 ft and put out 2 baits just to see if something was home. First pass, the Pink stretch 30 gets smacked and the 300lb mono leader is cut in two. Second pass we see a school of Peanut Dolphin under the board so we pitched baits at them for a few minutes and put 3 in the box. We continue to run south-ish and put the full spread out in ~380-400 feet. We trolled for about 45 minutes when we came across a broken weed line. My buddy starts yelling that there is a Swordfish in the spread. I told him it isn't a sword and he's probably seeing things. No sooner do I get done saying that when the man in the blue suit decided to eat my smallest bait on my smallest rod with the smallest reel filled with 30lb mono and a 4 foot piece of # 6 single strand wire. I grab the rod and watch the Penn 330 get dumped as I ran to the bow and someone else took the helm. Long story short, I got him to the boat twice but no one else knew how to leader him in so I had to try to get him by myself. After an hour and 45 minutes, twice to the boat and twice being being dumped he broke the line.
Oh well, I'm going to count it as a catch although I never physically touched him. I would have been great to have had some experienced people on todays trip. How do you estimate weight on a marlin? I have an 8ft beam and he was significantly larger than that. He was about 10ft long. I didn't take the plunge in the water for the simple fact that I thought I might drown from shear exhaustion. It was fun but I'm sore now.


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## Head Kned (Mar 21, 2011)

Holy cow, that right there is why I always over tackle. Sounds like you handled him pretty good, just needed another hand.


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## Mattatoar (Apr 30, 2008)

Sounds like it was pretty darn awesome! Yes, most of us have been there; wishing somebody else on the boat had some experience when "it" happens or "it" swims by... giving you the fin.


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## neuby (May 8, 2009)

Does your penn 330 still have level wind on it? I am afraid to troll anything with a level wind for fish larger than spanish mackeral- pretty impressive you got that fish to the boat...


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## Aquahollic (Sep 24, 2009)

neuby said:


> Does your penn 330 still have level wind on it?


yes. I think the real is shot now thought. We had to pour water on it twice and it was still extremely hot to the touch 15 minutes after the fight. I think I'll take it to Half Hitch in Destin and have it checked out and serviced.

I guess I should have specified a little better. He was on his way back to the boat when he broke off. I think I lost maybe 20-30' of line. Its not like that really matters though. I have to get it re-spooled anyway. At least he doesn't have a lot of line hanging off of him.


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## cobe killer (Apr 13, 2008)

awsome report!! that had to be a rush.


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## Biller48 (Oct 1, 2008)

"A" for effort brother, i usually have the wife and kids with me when i hang somthing that i wish i had buddies to help me out with, i know the feeling. Still had to be awesome sight and fight. Good job dancing the boat to gain on him. I am headed to south Florida for the Memorial Weekend, we will have to plan some trips in tandem when I return. Good luck and tightlines.:notworthy:


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## how2fish (Jan 21, 2008)

Outstanding !! :notworthy:


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## fishsticker (Jan 11, 2009)

a blue marlin on a 330 penn is like using a tothpick to kill a grizzly bear. hell of a job and some luck to have that much fun with him. congrats on an awesome experience


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## Aquahollic (Sep 24, 2009)

Thanks everyone. 

Biller, hit me up when you get back and good luck.


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