# First trolling trip report



## Daydreamin (Jun 20, 2008)

After more than a year of reading posts,buyingtackle, two trips out with other people, I finally felt ready to strike out on my own boat to try for some billfish. The trip started out on a sour note when my fishing partner had to back out at the last minute. My wife and her best friend volunteered to get up early (huge deal for my wife) and go with me :clap

OK so plan B is in play...head out of Orange Beach at 4:15am after checking radar and dodging a small shower at the mouth of perdido pass. Water is a little rougher than I expected (where the hell did a tropical storm come from?). The girls settled in on the bean bags and we headed to the nipple. I am keeping an eye on the sirius weather and on the 48m radar and we are on our way. We arrive just after sunrise to some storm cells.










I've seen much worse and the weather radar is showing very scattered stuff so not concerned (yet). As others have reported, looked like a parking lot and channel 68 is full of chatter about "anybody spot a parking space I can slip into?" I get the girls up and they drive while I set the spread out. I set the port rigger, black and red Ilander with ballyhoo, set the port corner, chugger, set the starboard rigger, blue and white Ilander with ballyhoo and hear a "pop"...look up and the port rigger line has popped. I grab the rod and nobody home...:banghead

Re-rig and reset and get the shotgun line in the water and we are trolling :clap










We had 3 knockdowns as we picked our way between the rain showers and all the other boats...one hookup that lasted about 2 minutes before the hook pulled. The storms finally started consolidating into one huge cell and it was closing in around us. I hated to make the call but lines in and we have to go NOW! We managed a few really nice pictures including this one.










We made it through the small gap in the cells and managed to stay out of the rain. Made it home safe, didn't break anything and finally got my first trip out of the way. The girls had fun (in spite of having to get up so early) and might even want to go again :clap


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## Dylan (Apr 15, 2008)

That picture with the yellow sport fisher is incredible!


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## true-king (Oct 2, 2007)

Thanks for the report


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## M L (Nov 16, 2007)

The fishing was about like my day but I bottom bumped for some grouper and scamp. Can't wait to get 'em next time.


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## recess (Oct 8, 2007)

Nice report and glad you got the girls out. If you look real hard (just kidding ) behind the yellow boat you will see us. A friend of ours was out there with us and said he was just west of us. I told him he was confuse that we were 5 miles from him. He said Gene I see your large CC dark color with white bottom. I now see were he made the mistake. Our bottom is a dark not white. We had called him over to us because of the bite that was going on. I hope he didn't follow you to close. We were not so lucky that day with the strom had to go right through it back to the pass.


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## Daydreamin (Jun 20, 2008)

Gene,

I'm the guy that bought those two Tyrnos 30's from you. They still haven't been used to reel in a fish but I hope to remedy that real soon!


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## Georgiaboy (Oct 4, 2007)

very cool pictures. almost feel like i was there.


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## mpmorr (Oct 3, 2007)

Great pics and congrats on a your first trip, that is awesome. Great call on keeping your crew safe.:clap


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## MSViking (Oct 11, 2007)

I was out there in the parking lot as well as a matter of fact I was just off your starboard side in the next parking spot as you were getting outriggers in to run back, I paid attention because I thought at first you were fighting a fish but then realized you were getting ready to bug out, we left moments after you did.



dont give up, for every rough day there are those days of 1' or less that make it all worth while.



MScontender


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## wild wild west (May 21, 2009)

we left o.b. about 6.30 after that little storm came thru. we 12 knt. it out going around those storms . we gave it about 4 hours in that area with only one knock down on port rigger never pulled drag. enjoyed be on water but a bitt slow. we were the blue century 32


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## Bigg J (Nov 7, 2007)

Nice report...that pic with the sportfish is sweet!


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## sail7seas (Oct 2, 2007)

nice report. glad you beat the bad weather. there is always next weekend, which is looking much better.


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