# 07/18-first blue marlin!!!



## bquared (May 25, 2011)

*07/18-first blue marlin (better pictures)!!!*

Okay all the followers on the Pensacola Fishing Forum, I finally caught my FIRST Blue Marlin! 

Eventhough, I billfished back in college (a long time ago) with some good friends, upon graduation I was landlocked in Montgomery, AL for over 20 years due to jobs! I so missed the salt water, the spray, and the anticipation of dragging up from the deep blue fish that would eat even the largest fresh water fish for dinner. However, by the Grace of God, I was able to get back to the salt water in 2004! Slowly I began to get back into the sport that I love the most...Blue Water Fishing. 

So here is the story:

We set out from the dock at around 5:00 am and began our run SSW after looking at Hilton's for two days to determine the best weed line, temp brake and rip we could fine. We hit the water with baits shortly after 9:00 am talking about catching some "meat" for the freezer instead of targeting billfish. Well not 30 minutes into the drag, a very respectable Blue Marlin crashed a 30W Shimano loaded with a lot of line. Thank God, for she came close to dumping the spool twice. As fate would have it she hit the cheapest, ugliest, wide range MoldCraft that we had in the box. I believe it was bought for $5.00! With no fighting chair and only standup tackle and a gut buddy, this old man was in for a thrill show. 

Here is where I have to give a great shout out to the guys I fish with: Rick did a wonderful job at the helm keeping me at a 45 angle in the stern. More than once we had to chase her in the CAT. Ben, who lives to raise and trick fish into bighting more than catching them ran the cockpit like a pro. Noah, new to the team was one of the best fishing buddies I have ever met and his experience was great. Mike was great filming, clearing and cheering along, and my son Ben was wonderful filming, keeping stuff clear and encouraging the old man to stick with it. :notworthy: 

We figured the fish between 350-400lbs., but not real sure. She was about 92" long and about 50" girth but I need you PROS out there to give me a best guess on the weight. It took about 1-1/2 hours to get this girl to the side, wire her up, photo and video the fish and send her back to the cobalt blue with wonderful colors and opportunity to fight another day. Hopefully, I will have a video up in the next day or so because I need my 18 year old son to do the YouTube thing for me. :thumbup:

By the way we did get some meat. We got a (1) Wahoo, (2) Mahi, and a deep drop mix of Tilefish, Yellowhead, Snowies, White Snapper and a Scorpion Grouper. Almost go our limit!


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## Downtime2 (Sep 27, 2007)

Congratulations!!!


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## Chris V (Oct 18, 2007)

Congrats! At 92" I'd say around 275lbs or so


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## Realtor (Oct 1, 2007)

Congrats!!!! Nice one.....


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## panhandleslim (Jan 11, 2013)

Nice fish. How long did the fight last? What kind of Mold Craft and what color?


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## MrFish (Aug 21, 2009)

Congrats!


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## MSViking (Oct 11, 2007)

Super cool Bruce! Catching any billfish, much less a solid blue marlin on standup is accomplishment! Using a common length and girth formula I estimate 300 lbs. No fuel back up and go get another one! :thumbup:

Robert


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## cliff k (Oct 1, 2007)

congrats of the blue! I want to see a pic of the scorpion grouper. do you have one?


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## cbarnes91 (Sep 7, 2010)

Congratulations. Awesome job!


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## DAWGONIT (Jan 16, 2009)

Welcome to the Club!
Pretty work & thanks for sharing.


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## my3nme (Oct 9, 2007)

congrats


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## Fish N Tales (Jun 14, 2012)

I wish I could say welcome to the club! LOL congrats dude! Maybe I'll get one soon.....


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## weedline (Aug 20, 2011)

congrats first day i fished for them we caught a white second day we caught 3 whites and a blue i thought it was like mackerel fishing lol but since that day in october 1999 i have yet to get another marlin i have caught about 10 sails but not a marlin with fuel prices dont get the chance to do it like i wish i could but its the most fun fishing u can do such a chalenge nice fish glad she swam away well


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## DISANTO (Oct 1, 2007)

Nice fish...congrats!


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## matttheboatman (Aug 25, 2008)

Yay!!!!!! Great fish. You are hooked like the rest of of now!


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## JMB (Jan 2, 2009)

Congrats!

You asked what it may have weighed....according to this

http://www.fishkona.org/calculator.html

287.5.

So, it seems that your 300 estimate was about right.


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## bquared (May 25, 2011)

JMB said:


> Congrats!
> 
> You asked what it may have weighed....according to this
> 
> ...


Thanks for the link to the Kona Website. My best guess was it 92" long but since I had a metal tape, I did not want to injure the fish trying to wrap around her shoulders. I measured from the top of the back down but did not account for the thickness of the fish. It might have been closer to about 60" in girth and at those numbers she may have been closer to 400lbs. :whistling:


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## JMB (Jan 2, 2009)

None the less...she was a great fish!

Releasing her safe and sound was definitely more important than the measurement. Glad you took that into account. 

Your first is the one that always keeps you looking for more!


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## cobe killer (Apr 13, 2008)

awesome fish!!! congrats!!


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