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On Reel Chase its been a while since we’ve put the TowCam cameras in the water but with the weather easing off yesterday to glamour conditions, we did and were rewarded with some more good footage for the vault. Heading wide to avoid the outgoing tide and dirty water we found plentiful tuna outside Spur Reef and as with the last time we live baited, our first tuna only just made it into the peg before we had a bite. Unfortunately this was no grander (this size marlin was more suited to live yakka than tuna), and even though it ate the bait twice, it preferred to give it back than fight us. Further north of the famous Bus Stop, we encountered a number of tailing marlin and boats around us were hooking up. Soon after we had the bite of a good sized fish on the underwater camera. Unfortunately after a solid hook-up it all went pear shaped and the ‘flexible coupling let go’ ;-) With the baits straight back in, we continued to mark good fish and watch Watchdog and Reel Ripe battle fish. Watchdog released 1 from 4 at approximately 400lbs, unfortunately missing the bigger fish, all three that Brett put in 1000lb class. Reel Ripe went two from two for Richard Latchford from the UK and Jamie Pitmiller from NY. After releasing the smaller fish at 200lb the boys decided to have a sneaky champagne toast to celebrate the end of a successful trip when the snap from the rigger interrupted the celebrations. Soon after another at 800lb-er was released, well and truly ending the trip on a high. Later in the day, heading down the Ridge towards the anchorage and beer o’clock. We turned on some tuna to watch Capt. Tim Dean on Calypso hook up right next to us releasing a 700lb-er, one from two for the day, after a short fight. Very soon after, back on Reel Chase we got the bite, again on the big bait, and Julio was able to convert his third try of the day releasing one at 450lbs, his very first marlin after many years of trying.Pictures: a compilation of stills from Monday’s footage on the TowCam tow camera and pole cameras on Reel Chase.Capt. Dan on Moana III on an overnight trip ventured out wide among the long liner fleet and reported a lot of big eye and yellowfin tuna along with whale sharks and although he saw marlin being caught on the long lines, didn’t raise any himself.Down south, David Granville reports the Hervey Bay competition on the weekend was a big success with the winning boat, Keneka winning with 7 blues in the two and a half days of fishing. David reported seeing 3 fish over 800lbs and that most were in the 5-600lb range.