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Blue MarlinUltimate Lady is fishing in Port Villa and reports that while there hasn’t been a lot of fish, when they’re on, they’ve been pretty good sized. It was looking very good in the leadup to the one-day World Cup Blue Marlin Championship (4th July – boats all over the world compete for the largest blue marlin) with one over 800lbs, others 750 and 600 and a few 450-500lb released. Unfortunately on the day of the cup, the tournament vodoo struck and the team did not see a fish. The Ultimate Lady crew have had a very interesting year in their travels around the South Pacific thus far, read all about it in Capt Tom’s Log. We look forward to catching up with them again on the Ribbon Reefs a little later in the year. [As a side note, the Blue Marlin World Cup was taken out by Ihu Nui in Hawaii with a 773lb blue.] A Pacific blue marlin greyhounds away from the boat and a Port Stephens striped marlin. Striped MarlinMeanwhile Port Stephens reports what Scotty refers to as Christmas in July – Capt Tim Dean released 6 from 6 striped marlin on Saturday, all bigger than every one he caught during the Summer/Autumn season and over the 100kg mark. Proving that the stipies are still there with bells on during the winter. 2 on lures and 4 on pitch baits. With Calypso on the slip undergoing preparations for the season up north, Capt Tim was at the helm of The Force with lady angler Deb. Husband Doug flew out to PNG the same day and missed all the action – apparently not too amused by the fish by fish reports of what he was missing! ;-) Black MarlinThe juvie marlin bite continues in Townsville if only the weather would let the fleet get out and catch them. The monthly club comp was again blown out but early last week Mick Meirs headed out in Princess C. While they released just the one fish, Mick reports that they were thick, at one stage they had 5 on at once–only still so small they were hard to get a hook into (10-12kg range) . In Cairns, Capt Ross Finlayson on board Top Shot reports similar good numbers of small blacks. On daily trips to and from the mackerel grounds recording 5-6 bites a day releasing 2-3, mostly small blacks in the to 30kg range with a few 30-40kg sailfish thrown in for good measure. Capt Ross says this is a very good sign for things to come – for the rest of the light tackle season and the heavy tackle season from September – particularly in comparison to last year when the smaller juvies were mostly non-existant and only the next size up coming through from August. Another boat also released one approximately 250lb. A juvenile black marlin at Cape Bowling Green, and angler Graham and his Weipa black. Last but certainly not least, Capt Ben Bright in Weipa reports an unusual catch (release) that is sure to raise even more interest in the fishing oasis on the other side of the Cape. While mackerel fishing last week his angler released an estimated 350lb black marlin which had eaten a 6kg mackerel they were fighting at the time.