# Birthday Trip She Won't Forget!!



## rustybucket (Aug 18, 2011)

This weekend was the wife's birthday. A couple weeks back I asked her what she wanted to do, condo on the beach? B&B? Dinner at fancy restaurant?...etc... She decides she wants to go tuna fishing!! :thumbup: damn I'm a lucky man!!

Our son was out of town at summer camp, so it was just her and I. We did an oil rig trip many years ago with just us two on our old center console and it worked out well, so I figure what the heck, might as well try it in the new boat.

Pulled out of Pensacola about 10pm Friday night and motored our way south of the spur. Arrived at the break at about sunrise and first lines in the water. After being up all night, just getting the spread set, I was headed in to make a pot of coffee and looking forward to the break and to relax a little... when all hell broke loose!! The WAAAAYYY back shotgun rigger clip pops and the reel starts SCREAMING!!!

Now... I have 8 rods out, the mono top shot long gone and getting deep into the braid backing on a 50w. I beat on the door for her to wake up, she's got a fish on!! We start frantically clearing lines, once clear we start backing down and gaining some ground on the fish. She fought it back to mono top shot and had had all she could stand. I took over and quickly realized this was a NICE fish. After about 30mins we had the fish in the boat! Scales put it at 110lbs at the dock!! The lure was a dink ballyhoo on a white/blue iilander head. The hook was halfway straightened and fell out of it's mouth when the fish hit the deck!!



Lines back in, she gets coffee going and we start zig zagging the rip. The rip was not well defined, went from green to blue over a half mile or so gradually, was very blended and mixed. Very few actual 'rips', mostly just blended calm beautiful water!



Just before lunch the starboard long rigger clip trips and starts screaming. She mans the rod and fights the fish in as I clear lines. About the time I get all lines clear she is almost at leader. The fish is acting strange but I'm able to leader it and realize it is a billfish!! We are uncertain if it was a white or blue marlin but it was the first billfish in the new boat!! AND her first Marlin EVER!!







After the quick photo-op, the fish was released to fight another day!!

Made our way along the rip to the rigs without much else but a couple of knock-downs without hookup.

The goal was to tuna fish the rigs Saturday night but the seas kicked up and it was just too rocky/rolly to be comfortable, so at about 10pm we pulled the plug and made our way back to McRae to spend the night and get some good calm shut-eye!!



All in all, it was an awesome trip!! Should go down in the memory bank for a while!! She's now got bragging rights to the biggest tuna on our boat, and the first billfish!!


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## Achim2 (Apr 25, 2011)

What a great trip! Congrats to both of you and thanks for sharing!


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## jcasey (Oct 12, 2007)

Great trip and memories ! Any woman who will take a fishing trip over any other offers is a keeper in my books.


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## Michael f sights (Jun 19, 2012)

Great trip & awesome wife, Congrats!


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## bcahn (Jan 10, 2013)

Congrats and Happy Bday to your wife. Killer pics!


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## cobe killer (Apr 13, 2008)

awesome way to spend her B-day!!!! good job.


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## Kevinwwings2 (Mar 3, 2016)

Sounds like a GREAT trip. Congrats to her for several firsts. Looks like she set the bar pretty high for you, so you better keep at it if you want to earn the bragging rights back. Don't worry I am in the same boat with my girlfriend. She has a Sword, and a 118# YFT in her books. No Sword for me and my biggest YFT is right about 50#. Just gives me more drive to keep at it. 
OOPPPSSS... almost forgot. Happy Birthday!!!


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## WhyMe (Apr 21, 2013)

Wtg. Nice pix.
Whyme


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## NoMoSurf (Oct 2, 2007)

My wife's #1 bucket list item is a Tuna Trip. Number # is a Marlin...

And yeah, mine routinely outfishes me too...


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## MrFish (Aug 21, 2009)

Nice job! 

Looks like a ****** with the rounded anal fin.


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## SouthernAngler (Oct 5, 2007)

Awesome trip! The two remoras on the white are pretty cool.


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## Snagged Line (Sep 30, 2007)

Great report...


...


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## NoCatch (Apr 27, 2008)

Yup, beautiful post - pics are GREAT!


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## Knockdown (Oct 26, 2008)

*What a Catch!*

Man, you're a lucky husband. If I had just one that fished, I would not be single now!!!


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## bdyboarder86 (Apr 25, 2013)

You gonna eat all that tuna? Haha nice report!


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## rustybucket (Aug 18, 2011)

bdyboarder86 said:


> You gonna eat all that tuna? Haha nice report!


Yup, all the tuna is MINE!!


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