LAUREN AND JORDAN SHARE THE BATTLE
We looked for a marlin in the deep, didn't find one and instead ran into one of the biggest and ugliest scum lines I have ever seen. Stretching north and south as far as the eye could see, at least fifty yards wide and holding every last piece of flotsam imaginable, it was driven by a south-east current, not one we see very often.
A very large DORADO smashed one of our baits just like a marlin so we went round and this time the outrigger and the shotgun were hit with no hookup, a free-spool seemed our last chance and now we hooked our dorado.
Lauren tried her luck with a very strong fish, handed the rod to Jordan who then did battle and at last the fish was ours. An outrigger bait left in the water had been taken by a second dorado while two more followed it in; the hook pulled out next to the boat.
As our clients said later, "All the action took place in fifteen minutes". That's big-game fishing. We will go for two hours action with a blue marlin next time they come out with us.
ALL GOOD OLD BOYS
Robert came with four SGU friends and asked for six hours fishing on the reef. So that's what we did !
First strike came from a WAHOO which put up a strong fight and while the boat was stationery in the water, a second fish took a static outrigger bait. Turned out to be a small SHARK - both are in the picture with John and Robert.
Action then heated up with BARRACUDA coming in fast and finally a TREVALLY put up the best fight of the day.
Weather note : It rained almost all day. Good for our gardens after four months of drought.
A FUN DAY ON THE REEF TO BEND THE RODS
We caught WAHOO, TREVALLY, BLACKFIN TUNA and as many BARRACUDA as you can shake a stick at. Lots of action and excitement all round.
Nick was lucky to be on the rod for the wahoo and the trevally, the strongest fighters, and Glenn and Geoff will be looking to have their turn when we go into the deep for billfish on our next day out.
Or perhaps all three of them will have a go. You never know with big-game fishing.
GEOFF AND GLEN SHOW THEIR MUSCLE
Reports of big YELLOWFIN TUNA were coming in but they moved through fast and we did not find them. We had to make do with some hard-fighting and multi-jumping DORADO,but no-one is complaining!
Geoff and Glenn (report below) both had one to even up the score with Nick (who did nevertheless have his action with BARRACUDA) and now it's all to fish for on Day 3.
On top of all that, we had a smashing strike on the way back in as a BLUE MARLIN showed itself, took Mr. Purple on shotgun, ripped line for just thirty seconds and then came off. Next time for the boys.
BART, CHRIS AND JACK CLOSE TO A FIRST MARLIN
These three guys enjoyed themselves on a day out at sea. Some changeable weather, going from blustery squalls, to a deceptive calm and finally some very windy trades which sent us running back inside, could not cool their enthusiasm.
This sort of positive attitude is often rewarded and so it turned out again. A very aggressive marlin ran under the shotgun baits and took the flatline with a dramatic leap completely airborne. They all saw their fish.
By the time Bart had the rod 600 yards of line had disappeared and the weight of water was too much for the 50LB mono. Bart had just started to lean into the fish when the line popped.
To a man they were excited to see their first BLUE MARLIN and said they did not mind that it escaped. We will catch the next one.
AND WE HAVE TO TAKE THESE BOYS FISHING FOR SIX DAYS !
Paul and Sid, our very own Essex Boys, tried to wind us up for months before they arrived in Grenada concerning our ability to catch fish. We rise to a challenge like that and reckon we are slightly ahead after Day 1.
It did not take us too long to attach Paul to a large YELLOWFIN TUNA after Mr.Purple had done the business - back on form after a quiet spell - and we had to grudgingly admire Paul's 'pump and wind' technique as he took conrol of a very strong fish. In short order we had a 150 LB tuna aboard.
Sid on next, two strikes on the outrigger, one a SAILFISH, the other posssibly a BLUE MARLIN, but no hook-up, and Sid starts Day 2 still on strike.
Who will do the winding up tomorrow ? In fact Day 2 proved quiet, one good strike but the hook pulled out quickly and that was it. No doubt the balance tips back to the Essex boys but we reckon we still have our nose in front.
WE ARE NOW WELL AHEAD AS OUR LOCAL KNOWLEDGE COMES TO THE FORE
Sid looked edgy and was even being wound up by Paul his fishing mate. We stopped all that hooking four DORADO in quick succession, in fact the third one was a very nice WHITE MARLIN as can be seen in the picture. Sid gave the friendly fish a big hug before we released it back into the Caribbean Sea.
So that's a "result" for us and they have three trips left in the challenge. Whichever way it goes, we will do our best for Sid's first ever BLUE MARLIN.
FAMINE TURNS INTO A FEAST
DAY 4 was for spectators only. A large influx of SAILFISH produced only jumpers and finners but no takers. We saw at least 30 fish but had not a single offer on the baits.
Next we found a friendly HUMPBACK WHALE with his usual following of huge YELLOWFIN TUNA and thousands of birds. Again lots of lookers but not a single take. We found them but in fact got SKUNKED ! All square on the Essex front.
DAY 5 hinged on catching something. Another whale with the biggest shoal of huge tuna in a feeding frenzy we had ever seen promised but did not deliver.
Our trump card was clearly needed at this point and came good just in time. A long flash of fluorescent blue heralded the arrival of a most aggressive fish, the shotgun roared into life and our BLUE MARLIN was hooked up. Paul again was great on the rod and the picture tells the rest. Sid has one day to add a BLUE to his ROYAL GRAND SLAM list.
DAY 6 Afraid to say Sid blew it ! We attached him to an estimated 800 lb BLUE MARLIN,seen three times close to the boat, a fish of a lifetime, but the hook pulled out after one hour, after we twice chased the mighty fish with the boat. Bad luck,Sid. Sorry I couldn't drive the boat, look after the gear and operate the camera with my third hand all at the same time to get you a picture.
THAT MAN, CRIS, WALKS WITH HIS OWN FISH AGAIN
On our last trip we raised five SAILFISH and caught none. Today, with Cris along, we raised, hooked and released the first SAIL of the day, found two more lookers but not takers, typical sailfish behaviour, and came home from the north to avoid a very windy south-east blast.
Cris brought along Mike who enjoyed the comfort of our forward berth.
A GREAT TURNOUT FROM OUR SISTER CARIBBEAN ISLANDS
Fifty boats of all sizes - mainly HUGE - arrived in Grenada, received our usual friendly welcome, and then caught all our fish ! Just shows how good the fishing here is when there are boats to cover the water.
First two days catches totalled around 30 BLUE MARLIN, 14 WHITE MARLIN and 12 SAILFISH.
Is that good fishing or what ? And what did Wayward Wind do, after releasing two BLUE MARLIN on our practise day ?
WAYWARD WIND DAY 1
Lost a very large BLUE MARLIN, estimated 800 LBS, when the hook straightened. No more strikes as the fishing gods took revenge on us for not accepting their first offer.
WAYWARD WIND DAY 2
John The Crew hooked, fought and released a BLUE MARLIN after we had both free-spooled it and then gone round to cover it again. Third time lucky on that one. Our clients John and Mark had chosen to occupy the fishing deck while the fish came on the flybridge rod.
A picture of John's blue is in the 2nd half report below.
A strange thing. On both days we fished almost alongside a Bertram 28 all day (hope he doesn't have a copy of my waypoints). We are a Bertram 31 so that makes us two of the smaller boats, and both Bertrams attracted fish; in fact they outfished us 5 fish to 1, an excellent result for them. The name of the Bertram 28 ? "CRAZY BALDHEAD" ! Don't think I'll forget that one.
DAY 3 IS A LAY DAY
Only one boat went fishing while the rest of us enjoyed a great cookup on the the beach at the Grenada Yacht Club. The boys turned out the most delicious Grenada dinner we ever tasted. Thanks a lot for that and we will definitely return to your beach next year.
WAYWARD WIND DAY 4
Not to be for us again. We went out 20 miles because we knew the fish were there and fished in some rough seas. Sure enough the strikes came but no hookup, first on a nice DORADO, then a BLUE MARLIN which we really wanted for the points, and finally a SAILFISH which performed their usual tricks, hitting lures, taking one at last but not staying on the hook.
On another day, all three would have stayed on but - "THAT'S FISHING", isn't it ?
We enjoyed ourselves in a brilliantly organised event.
A BLUE TRIP ONE DAY TOO EARLY
Our GRENADA TOURNAMENT team had a dream trip on their practise day. John and Mark hooked a BLUE MARLIN each at exactly the same time, one hour later the two fish came along side and completed a marvellous double-header.
We estimated the weights at 300 and 250 lbs. The picture shows Mark's fish just before release. Both fish swam away strongly.
Now we just have to beat that when the tournament is actually underway.
LEE TRIES WARM CARIBBEAN IN PLACE OF COLD NORTH SEA
Lee must have done some sport fishing before unless he is a natural on the "pump and wind" when fighting our big,strong fish. A good female DORADO came quickly to the boat under his expert handling.
A nice WHITE MARLIN then took a shotgun bait but did not hookup and soon after a SAILFISH took a short cruise around the baits before swimming gracefully away.
An enjoyable quick trip for Lee and the brown old North Sea now awaits his return.
DRINKS ON CRIS - AGAIN
Cris caught his first MARLIN on this trip; a WHITE MARLIN around 80 lbs. Congratulations to him and now he needs to follow a good old fishing tradition. Ring the bell in the bar and buy us all a drink !
He says his arms are sore. We'll attach him to a BIG BLUE next time.....
It's been a billfish every trip so far. He just has to keep bringing on board that bottle of Laphroaig Malt whisky, Capt's favourite. It makes all the difference you know.
MICHAEL AND DEB HAVE THEIR FIRST TASTE OF BIG-GAME FISHING
And what a day it was ! Michael was quickly into the fighting chair and soon had a nice little BLUE MARLIN under control. We reckon about 80 lbs, very sprightly and fast away when released.
Next a SAILFISH took us by surprise with a crash strike hooking itself on the right outrigger. This fish came to the boat very quickly and consequently still full of energy but we managed to release it quickly before it dashed off again.
We then fished with hundreds of porpoises surrounded by a huge flock of birds, saw some tuna but had no strikes and decided to head back to port. Three more SAILFISH strikes - all on the right outrigger - came on the way but no hookups, that's sailfish but nice to know they are there.
Michael could not completely relax because we switched to a rapala on the flat line and soon hooked up with a good WAHOO. A "Three Flag Day" again on Wayward Wind.
AUSTIN DRIVES INTO A MESS OF FISH
A huge strike on the shotgun didn't hookup but then took the backup lure and jumped clear of the water. A large SAILFISH. It jumped three more times, took a lot of line on the 80 and eventually came to the boat. Austin was pleased with his first ever billfish. Read absolutely delighted.
We turned to fish for home and ran into a crowd of WHITE MARLIN. Mr. Purple sorted out the first one as you would imagine, the second teased us, the third made a big attack on the outrigger before throwing the hook, and then I lost count. Austin brought in the first one, a very good white around 60 lbs, to make his second billfish on his first day's sport fishing. He's a lucky fellow and will remember his trip on Wayward Wind for some time to come.
CAPTAIN KNOWS BEST - OR NOT !
Two days after writing my end-of term report saying the billfish have moved through, we did a trip offshore, raised, hooked and then lost a very large BLUE MARLIN, estimated weight 600 LBS, the fish being clearly seen close to the boat. Mr. Purple did the business as always.
We came home with 50 LBS of DORADO dinners.
CAPTAIN MIGHT KNOW BEST AFTER ALL
Next trip we hooked and fought a 150LB YELLOWFIN TUNA for 2.1/2 hours when the hook pulled out right next to the boat. Could we be third time lucky ? Yes !
Trip number three gave us a crash strike - on Mr. Purple, who else - and one hour later we had a 200LB BLUE MARLIN alongside. What a relief to actually catch one and not a bad few days sport, two BLUES AND one big TUNA hot on the tail of three DORADO caught at the start of the week.
MR. PURPLE - A lure famous in his own lunch-time ! Well, in the lunch-time of our BLUE MARLIN, luckily for us on Wayward Wind.
Everyone who goes fishing, has a favourite lure which catches and never seems to get lost. Ours is the big, original Islander lure in Purple, Blue and white colours. This lure moves enticingly in the water ! And attracts most of our blue marlin when trolled in the shotgun position at the back of the spread.
So here is a picture of Mr. Purple. Actually it's a Mr.Purple variant - notice the addition of a nasty, fluorescent greeny-yellow colour because we did lose the original to an 800lb blue marlin.
This was replaced by another purple-blue-and-white one - lost on Friday the 13th to a different blue marlin. Hence the nasty yellow one went out - and attracted a 500lb blue marlin !
I'm now looking for a couple more in the original colours. They cost about £15 each. Must stop losing them !
Some of you will be asking - "Why is that ugly old guy holding a bottle of hair conditioner and a large comb (we all know he has no hair) alongside Mr. Purple ?"
Answer -"Beauty treatment for Mr. Purple - at the end of each fishing day, his hairs must be conditioned and combed out." Pampered or what !
He does the business and "he's worth it."
GEORGE TOUGHS IT OUT WITH A HUGE BLUE MARLIN
George has a Polish surname which we cannot read let alone pronounce. It seems to consist only of X's, Y's and Z's so we have called him Dorado George since he caught a big pair of bull and lady DORADO on his first trip out with WAYWARD WIND.
Now he is George "The Marlin". Because today he caught a very large BLUE MARLIN, estimated weight we called 700 LBS but it could have been more,much more.
We chased the fish in forward gear at first, it stopped with five coils of line left on the spool, as near to being "spooled" as you can get. Then it took off again and we chased in reverse, a refreshing experience with white water all over the boat. It settled down at last and one and a half hours later we leadered the great fish next to the boat.
Well done, George "The Marlin", but we will always think of you as Dorado George.
Last Updated: Wed Jul 14 2010