# Bad bottom trip turns into first billfish, white marlin catch and release



## PeterParker (Jun 8, 2014)

Been a site lurker since ~2013. Mainly had been bottom fishing with some light trolling < 25mi range. To switch it up a bit we started doing some serious trolling last year further out. Caught some wahoos and plenty of mahi, but had a spread for billfish so it was only a matter of time. That said, yesterday we had decided we were going to bottom fish and pick up mingos and hopefully some scamp. While talking about the trip my buddy showed interest in trolling further out so I brought those rods/equipment and brined some ballyhoo as a backup plan. We hit a couple spots but the bottom bite was slower than we liked. Time to change gears.

Switched it up and ran out to the fads, had good and bad luck on them in the past but nothing really happening there yesterday plus we had porpoises hanging out following us around. They tagged along for a bit putting on a show, started to look like a bust day, but we didn't give up. Passed thru an area we caught some skipjack a few weeks back and almost at the exact same coords something smashed an islander/ballyhoo rig but didn't hookup. It came back and mouthed it again stealing the ballyhoo off then it switched back to a black bart lure for a small hit so we dropped it into freespool and bam... the marlin hooks up and proceeds to tail walk 3 times in a row.

After the aerial show it settled down a bit and didn't take too long to get it to the boat, maybe 10 minutes. However, it heated back up when it got close. Touched the leader and decided to give it some slack to see if I could let it (and us) off easy and within a half second it literally tossed the lure back almost hitting us. Can't say I blame him, would've done the same if I were it - no harm, no foul. The gopro video turned out terrible, these were the best pics I could muster from it, but the memory of my first billfish will last a lifetime. Gained a lot of knowledge on this forum over the years, thanks PFF.


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## OutsmartedAgain (Oct 12, 2018)

Awesome!


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## panhandlephinsphan (Aug 25, 2008)

Great post!! Glad it all worked out for you- i am also glad to hear you got your first bill- how awesome! 

If you don’t mind me asking can you share what day you went so I can go look at the conditions in that area? It will help me learn a little bit to see conditions under which ****** was there and hungry. 

Congrats again!


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## DoubleD (Oct 2, 2007)

Congrats on your first marlin!


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## jack2 (Mar 19, 2010)

congrats on your first billfish in the lake of mexico.
jack


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## DLo (Oct 2, 2007)

Was the water back at the marina cold?


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## PeterParker (Jun 8, 2014)

panhandlephinsphan said:


> Great post!! Glad it all worked out for you- i am also glad to hear you got your first bill- how awesome!
> 
> If you don’t mind me asking can you share what day you went so I can go look at the conditions in that area? It will help me learn a little bit to see conditions under which ****** was there and hungry.
> 
> Congrats again!


Thanks! Monday (4th), explosives dumping area
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DLo, seems like a trivial question? Hah! Assuming I know ya... there weren't many back (at the marina) that I was able to tell...


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