# Snapper and Marlin on same trip



## marlinchaser (Oct 11, 2007)

Just another ho-hum trip Monday on the good ol Gulf of Mexico lol!!! Got through the Perdido Pass around 6:45 and headed for our 1st trip to find the endangered and elusive ARS. We ran for about 45min in a slight chop and took 5 of us two hours to catch our limit of ten snappers, a triggerfish and a couple of vermillions. Decided to try a spot further out for some B-liners but didn't work out. One of my fishing buddies talked me into taking the off-shore trolling gear along so after another 30 minute run to an area of 300' of water north of the elbow, we started to put out lines. Got outrigger and flat line out on starboard side and was putting teaser and flat line on the left when one guy says there is something after the right flat line. I look up and see this big blue marlin fin after the bait. As I move to the right side, he peels off and leaps totally out of the water and crashes the outrigger bait. I drop the bait back for a few seconds, come tight and the fight was on!! (Since I had previously had marlin strikes on the flat line over the last 6 months, this trip I put my 6/0's on the flats and my 4/0's on the rigger). You noticed above what line he hit, yep the 4/0 on a Penn slammer rod). I never thought I had a chance. Fortunately, the seas had got slick calm, and we start chasing after this guy. He stripper 250 yards of 65# braid and was well into the mono backing (thanks Out cast for a great job of joining the two) before I started getting line back. He pancaked a couple of times way off in front of the boat and my line was still out the back!! After 2 & 1/2 hours, finally got him close enough to get a couple of pics. Was able to turn him into the boat and when one of the guys got the leader, the fish turned toward the boat to dive and he became unbuttoned which was Ok. The only thing we missed was a close up pic of him at the boat. What an epic battle; a 4/0, limber rod, no belt (the one I had was for a gimbled butt, this was a straight butt), and stand up fight.:thumbup: (my estimate was 350-400# but my neighbor, (operations manager at Zekes) said that based on the length (9 ft leader plus bill plus tail 11-12 ft), he thought it was more than 400#. I just know it was big!!!!


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## Chris V (Oct 18, 2007)

I love that pic! Congrats guys!


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## PaulBoydenCustoms (Dec 3, 2008)

That's Awesome


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## Scruggspc (Mar 20, 2013)

Nice


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## jbs_bama (May 24, 2010)

That is awesome. That's a good pic of him as well.


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## Fish N Tales (Jun 14, 2012)

Good work man! that is awesome!


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## MissKristy (Dec 1, 2007)

What lure did he hit


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## marlinchaser (Oct 11, 2007)

MissKristy said:


> What lure did he hit


A pink and white Illander with a medium ballyhoo in about 330 feet of water.


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## marmidor (Mar 15, 2008)

Outstanding trip and even better pic!


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## Lexcore (May 5, 2012)

:thumbup:AWESOME Picture:thumbup: Thank you for sharing your story and pic:yes:


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## Huff (Jan 17, 2008)

love it!!!!


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## MSViking (Oct 11, 2007)

That's how you do it!! Water looks awesome!


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## samoajoe (Dec 28, 2010)

You gots to love a Monday fishing trip!


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## RogueAngler (May 12, 2009)

That's awesome. I saw you coming in and out of the canal on Memorial Day weekend, the boat's looking good.


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## eddy2419 (Oct 28, 2007)

That is exactly what I was thinking about doing in a couple of weeks when I go back down. Good job on the blue.

Are there plenty of snapper on the Yellow Gravel?


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## Fish Eye (Apr 4, 2013)

Good trip.


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## how2fish (Jan 21, 2008)

Congrats ! That is a great pic !


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## GAGE (Mar 4, 2008)

Beautiful pic, congrats!


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## Aquahollic (Sep 24, 2009)

Good job and I feel your pain. I had something similar 2 summers ago on a Penn 330 on a Penn Mariner stand-up . Mine too was on the outrigger. The following weekend same rod and reel combo on the opposite outrigger and I hooked up again. I didn't get the second one. I use my lite lines for my flats now.


John


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## captbuckhall (Oct 18, 2007)

Every year in the spotter section of Florida Sportsman, I preach in my articles that you don't have to have Tiagras or Internationals to catch billfish...thanks for illustrating that point and congrats on an awesome fish! buck


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## cobe killer (Apr 13, 2008)

great report and blue!!!


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## sniperpeeps (Mar 5, 2011)

That's really awesome! Congrats on the blue!


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## fishsticker (Jan 11, 2009)

Great story an pic to go along. Heck of a catch on a 4/0. Just like fishing in central america with snapper and marlin in same day on same tackle.


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## ashcreek (Oct 4, 2007)

Awesome


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