# June 1 - Navarre Rodeo Mahi



## need2fish (Oct 2, 2007)

The wind got the best of me in the sound Saturday and all I had was a 15" spec (although I did loose a really good redfish yak side due to lousy knot tying...arrgh). 

Sunday was calmed down a little so I headed to the gulf. Wind seemed to be out of the NW as I launched at 5:30 - tough time getting out over a sandbar but made it out a little wetter than normal. Picked up some hard tails, but no cigs.

Trolled two hard tails almost 3 miles with no king hits....surprising. Got on a spot and pulled up about a 12 lb snapper who ate one of the live hard tails. Kept yanking up snapper that were in the 10 lb range and throwing them back hoping to get a money fish. Kept my torium 20 out with one hard tail on a mono leader circle hook as a fly line just to keep him alive. Was working a bite on my bottom rod and all of a sudden my fly line goes off. I look over and a mahi is tail walking about 60 feet at 9:00. Quickly grab the fly line and start working the mahi - he's jumping all over the place and all of a sudden my bottom rod gets doubled over. Haven't had a double up in a while and thinking of how I'm going to handle it when the mahi decides to run right over my bottom rod. After a few gymnastic moves to keep the line separated without going overboard, the bottom rod slacks up. Looks like the snapper or whatever was on it ran it to the bottom and broke off. Pretty relieved, I cranked the mahi to me fearful all that jumping and shaking was going to throw the hook. He put on quite a show.

Got him yak side and one good gaff shot he's in the boat. Not real heav (just at 12 lbs) but pretty fish and biggest Mahi I've caught in the yak. Good enough for first in the dolphin division of the inaugural Navarre fishing rodeo and some nice fillets.


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## Telum Pisces (Sep 27, 2007)

That right there is awesome. Congrats on the first place finish as well.


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## panhandleslim (Jan 11, 2013)

Nice catch. Way to hang in there for the W.


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## J0nesi (Jun 22, 2011)

nice fish man. i want to catch one of those so bad.


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## devinsroller (Aug 11, 2011)

Nice job. I would take loosing one fish for that any day.


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## BigRed38 (May 5, 2009)

Wish I coulda seen the look on all the boater faces when the yakkers were placing ahead of them!


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## Ultralite (Oct 1, 2007)

Nice Mahi and congratulations Mark!


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## dthomas142 (Jul 18, 2011)

Great job man, good looking Mahi too!


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## PAWGhunter (Feb 3, 2010)

Nice one!


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## JD7.62 (Feb 13, 2008)

That is a dandy of a mahi from a kayak. Ginzu has good success leaving his duster out/fly line but all I get are dern remora or sharks!


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## Ginzu (Nov 16, 2011)

Great catch! Looks like a bull to me.


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## ARslinger (Nov 7, 2010)

nice size mahi!! you all caught the monsters. mine was literally a foot if that lol


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## almo100 (Mar 1, 2013)

Good eating fish and 1st place.

Human 2 Fish 0


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