# Snapper+ Sailfish memory of a lifetime



## nonameangler+1 (May 13, 2009)

Awesome day on the water. I’ll warn you up front, my story is a little long but I hope you read and enjoy. 

Departed out of Sherman’s cove about 0900 headed for the Dutch banks for a little diving and fishing. Crew consisted of Quinn (nonchalant), Fred (fjluke), Troy and myself (Nonameangler+1). Headed to the buoys to catch bait. First stop, no bait but holding a nice cobia (which we were not ready for). Hit a couple of buoys, caught a few, plus had plenty of fresh frozen. So off we head to the west ready for a day of diving. We get to the Dutch Banks, and Quinn, Fred and Troy start to suit up. 

I’m manning the boat since I can’t dive anymore so over the side they go and once they are clear I start fishing. After about 30 minutes back to the surface they come with the days first snappers.:thumbup::thumbup: So with the first dive complete, we all sit back, have a quick snack and proceed to enjoy a little more fishing and an overall beautiful day on our gulf. So with lunch time done and the top recovery time good, here go the guys for the second dive of the day. Over the side they go, down goes my whole menhaden to about 50 feet of water and I sit back to enjoy the day again.  Little did I realize that the fishing gods had other plans for me which I was soon to realize. 

So here I sit, all alone, waiting for what I hope to be a sow snapper to come enjoy my bait. As I look out over the transom, suddenly the water explodes with what I think is a king skying only to realize as my Penn 10KG two speed begins to scream that there is a Sailfish out there and it’s on the end of my line!

So I grab the rod, come tight on the fish and then the fun begins. I’ve seen Sails tail walking on TV shows all my life but nothing compares to the real thing a hundred feet away when your one half of the dancing duo. It does four of five more jumping exhibitions and then takes off on a serious run that spools about 2/3’s of the reel and then just stops:sweatdrop:About this time I’m thinking, oh crap, she’ going to run back at me and my brain is screaming, reel, reel, reel! She doesn’t thank goodness and we settle into a game of tug of war. They always say when you start thinking vice reacting is when your screwed. 

So needless to say, I start thinking. I’m alone on the boat; the divers have only been down about 5 minutes so they are going to be no help. How am I going to land this fish? How am I going to unhook it alone? How am I going to revive it boat side with an anchored boat? How can I make sure this beautiful fish of a lifetime swims away for someone else to enjoy one day? So finally the fishing gods speak up and tell me to just enjoy the moment and it will all work out.

So I reel, she takes a little back, I reel, she gives a little back. The whole time I’m looking over my shoulder watching the bubbles, hoping to see any sign of a diver on the surface near the boat. Finally once the sail is about 25 feet off the boat, I see a diver pop up at the transom. So here is Troy at the back ladder, and just about that time, the sail comes round the boat, and Troy is staring at the bill of a 6 foot sailfish. Troy gets into the boat and next comes Quinn, so I yell to him that we have a Sailfish and he says “Cool, I’m going to swim with it” and off he goes. The next up is Fred and he has his own face to face encounter with her. Lucky for us, Fred has a new dive camera so we grab the camera and he gets some pics (posted in the photo section) and hopefully some video. So everyone gets their moment with the sail and then recovers to the boat. I’m holding her steady and once Troy is out of his gear we bring her boat side and remove the hook. We hold her boat side for a couple of minutes, me with her bill and Troy with her tail until she seems like she is ready to go. We give her one final push and let her go. 

Showing us what a proud warrior she is, she gives us a quick glance and then quietly heads back down to her life on the Dutch banks, not knowing that for a brief period, she gave four men a memory that they will soon never forget. 
Total for the day, 8 Snapper, all between 6-9 pounds:thumbsup:, two great dives:thumbsup:, a good time with friends:thumbsup: and a fishing experience that this 48 year old lifelong fisherman thought he would never have. Damn, now I may have to plan a keys trip for my 50th.:shifty::clap:

Special thanks to Quinn for the trip, Fred for taking the great photos and Troy for helping me with my special moment with that beautiful Sailfish, especially watching her swim away. I don’t think I have stopped smiling yet. 

Also want to thank my neighbors John and Christy of Tight lines bait and Tackle on Pace blvd. Those snapper just could not resist those fresh menhaden I bought from you yesterday morning, plus John, sorry I called you at the store but just had to share the story with my fishing neighbor who I've learned so much from. 

R/Walt


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## Hibauchery (Sep 30, 2009)

Great story and post! Incredibly good fortune that you hooked that fish on a day when everything lined up for y'all to get those pictures. Incredibly beautiful fish, thanks for posting the pictures!:thumbup:


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## marlinchaser (Oct 11, 2007)

What a great story. Thanks for sharing. The first sailfish is always the story of a lifetime. I remember mine as if it was yesterday and it happened 50 years ago!!!


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## Worn Out (May 10, 2008)

*That is what its all about!*

Beautiful story....


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## nonameangler+1 (May 13, 2009)

Thanks guys. It was an awsome experience. But the best part is that she is still out there swimming, waiting to give someone else the fishing experience of a lifetime.
I still can't believe we were only about 6 miles off the beach.


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## Chris V (Oct 18, 2007)

Awesome report and congrats


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## jojol513 (Mar 30, 2010)

Nice story!! Glad I took the time to read it...You got to love the salt water, the friends that go with you,and the storys that you can tell your grangchildren as they sit on your knee...Thanks


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## SuperSpook (Oct 1, 2007)

Great story and pics, it is cool that the timing allowed you to get some pics afterall!


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## nonameangler+1 (May 13, 2009)

Yes it was very COOL. Sometimes everything just lines up for you and something special happens.


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## cobe killer (Apr 13, 2008)

That is truly a day to remember. I'll never forget my first(and only so far) 1 year ago today!!!


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## sail7seas (Oct 2, 2007)

congrats. that was a great read. a fishing trip you will always remember.


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## karma (Oct 26, 2007)

That had to be awesome! great post/read!! I am going to start fishing for sailfish soon and hope to have some success! :thumbup:


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## NoCatch (Apr 27, 2008)

Hell of a story! Good read. As ya say, Great Memory for a beautiful day on the GoM sharing with friends! Tks, John


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## Tight Lines Tackle (May 15, 2010)

What an amazing story Walt! Definitely a day to remember!


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