# Marlin season kicks off with a bang in Guam



## Night Moves

<P style="BACKGROUND: white"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: #1f5080; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">I've been talking to my buddy Randy for weeks about fishing the June full moon. Well, we got out Saturday, three days before the full moon and we were not disappointed. I brought a few of the guys from work David, Carlos and Kirk to help haul in the big ones. <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-comfficeffice" /><o></o><P style="BACKGROUND: white"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: #1f5080; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">Hoping for a good Marlin bite, we decided to head out deep and troll the buoys up to the point. We ran to #2 and put the lines in when the buoy was in site. We got all the lines set just as we approached the buoy and BAM. Stinger with Randy's Joe Yee lure gets bit and the 70vs starts peeling line. We clear all the lines and David grabs the rod. David is no little boy and routinely wins the base muscle man contests, butI didn't know how that would translate to fighting a big fish.All I can say is, poor fish. David reeled for 20 strait minutes without stopping. He was sweating, but never slowed. Got the fish along side, removed the hook, snapped a few photos and sent him swimming away. Nice fish maybe 180-200. What a way to start, 30 minutes into fishing and the day is a success already!<o></o><P style="BACKGROUND: white"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: #1f5080; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">We are only a half mile from the buoy so we start heading back toward it andstart putting the lines back out. Get 4 lines out and have the fifth in my hand and ZZZZZzzzzzzzZZZZZzzzzzzzzZZZZZ, Stbd flat goes screaming with another Marlin on. Clear lines and Kirk jumps on the 12/0 on a short bent butt rod.It doesn't work well in the harness so he fights it from the gunnel.Even with only single speed, Kirk kept a tight line the whole time and cranked his fish in about 20 minutes too. Little smaller at around 150-160, but still a nice fish. Pictures, release, swims off, high fives. Its not even 7:30 yet and we have two Blue Marlin releases!!!<o></o><P style="BACKGROUND: white"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: #1f5080; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">From there we head up to Ratidian Point and then on to <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-comffice:smarttags" /><st1lace w:st="on">Rota</st1lace> banks. On the way we see lots of birds and spinner dolphin working bait pretty hard. In any fisherman'sbook, that combo spells big Yellowfin Tuna. Well not if you havecommercial long liners taking them all. No Tuna after working the school for half an hour. We head on up to the banks andlots more birds working large schools of Skip Jack. We proceed to get3, 4 and even 5 bangers over and over. Fishing heavy drags for Marlin, we lost a bunch of fish, but we were not really after the skippys. We did manage twoYellowfin in the bunch of around 25 fish we put in the box. <o></o><P style="BACKGROUND: white"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: #1f5080; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">After getting tired of chasingthebirds, we headed over to the high spot of the bank in 195' of water. Couldn?t find any drastic relief, mostly sloping bottom. On my third drop I hooked up to something big. Figured it was a Grouper the way it fought, but ended up being a 4' shark. Heck of a fight on the jigging rod and I gave this thing no quarter trying to get it in and push the rod and line to the limit. Randy hooked up a few times and one I thought might be a big dog tooth, but ended up biting off. After a few lost jigs, we set out trolling back. We chased the birds a little more and then trolled the two hours back to #2 buoy. No more takers and It was getting late so I said 5 more minutes as I headed in toward shore. I could tell everyone was done and was ready to pull in the lines so I told Randy that I wanted tohold out as long as possible because I already wrote the fishing report in my mind and said we caught 3 Marlin. After a minute or two I put my hand on the throttles to pull them back but stopped and told myself "ONE MORE MINUTE." 3 seconds later the Stbd flat goes screaming and David yells "It's a big Marlin, I saw its sail" Sure enough the water erupts with a nice 300lb range Blue jumping all over the place. It spent the first 2 minutes out of the water while we cleared lines.Randy Jumps on the rod and touched the reel and yelled that it was HOT. We poured some water on it and settled into the fight. Had the fish at color in about 25 minutes and were usingsome boat tricks to gain some line. Just about the time we were getting to look for the leader, she comes unbuttoned. Reel in the lure and the 11/0 hook is bent out and side ways! Thats a big hook to bend out. Not sure how itwas in the fishes mouth, but the drag worked great the whole fight. Would have liked pictures of that one being a bigger fish for <st1lace w:st="on">Guam</st1lace>, butexciting, good fight and a healthy release. No one was too disappointed. <o></o><P style="BACKGROUND: white"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: #1f5080; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">I heard one of the charter boats got three on Sunday and all the other charters were flying Marlin flags when I drove by yesterday. Too bad they don't release them! Hope the bite stays hot til this week end!It could be a good summer in <st1lace w:st="on">Guam</st1lace>!<o></o>


----------



## biggamefishr

great report....its always nice to see (even better to help) someone catch their first billfish. just imagine what the fishery would be like if there was more catch and release and less long liners


----------



## TCAT

Nice...that's a blue marlin smack down. 

Keith


----------



## HighCotton

Very nice. Wish I could make it back out to Guam. Had a blast last time out.


----------



## jim t

GREAT story and even better pics Jon!!!:letsdrink:letsdrink:letsdrink:letsdrink

Unfortunately I'm moving to a new airplane so my Guam layovers are gone...

I might be able to show up a day or two early on a trip that deadheads to Narita.

Jim

PS... Congrats on making Senior Chief... What took so long???? You 'da MAN!!!


----------



## The Duke

Another great trip. It doesn't end with you Jon Congratulations! Keep the reports comong.


----------



## Night Moves

Thanks Earle! There not Red Snapper, but still fun to catch. 

Jim, Say it aint so! I was expecting you this month. Are you still coming for 1 last trip? Jon


----------



## SheYakFishr

Wow.. great report! Congrats!!! :bowdown :clap :letsdrink


----------

