Its good to know all the hard work and long hours in very trying conditions eventually pays off. For the team on Reel Chase, after suffering two days of no tags in 3 to 5 metre seas and 30 knot winds, the group from the Heart Foundation Auction in Adelaide proved what tough salts they were by tagging two – a 400lb-er for Chris and a pretty 150lb-er for Graham.
On board Kekoa, we also found the fish on Number 5 Ribbon from the day before and were kept busy with a number of majestic bites from big fish before releasing an 1100lb-er for Angler Paul which marks the brand new Kekoa’s second grander in two trips.
The ferocious razor gang of Number 5 kept our Kiwi deckie Jerry (Jeremy) very busy going through nearly twenty baits for the day. When it wasn’t the wahoo or barracuda’s it was the big marlins. A particularly spectacular bite, which the whole boat saw, gave Andrew a quick but strenuous five minute fight on a grander before pulling the hook. The baits were barely back in the water when Capt. Luke brought the boat back over the same water and this time an even bigger fish came up, swallowed the freshly rigged tuna and Paul was on.
After some early erratic jumping, the fish went deep for much of the fight. Capt. Luke kept us all in the cockpit nice and wet backing into the 3 metre waves with the line crackling off the reel under 70lbs of drag. Paul never let up and gave it all the fight he had eventually raising the fish after 40 minutes for a few lightening fast jumps at the back of the boat on the wire – giving us all a close up view of the monster.
Five o’clock came too soon and we headed into Cooktown for the end of our trip. We left Castille, Viking II and Tradition still working the hot bite and am sure that many were caught between the three for the day.
On both Kekoa and Reel Chase, despite the appalling weather conditions the enthusiasm level even amazed Capt. Jim and Capt. Luke and every angler was keen to go each morning.
Reel Chase, fishing the bank with 4 other boats found an improvement from the past 2 days with just Sir Reel for company, and a number of fish were caught but not as many as further North on 5 where we were.
Reel Chase is in Cairns, Kekoa in Cooktown, both are out again Wednesday.
Photo top: Andrew steers the chair for Paul; above: Paul’s 1100lb-er shows it’s fat back
beside the boat and on the leader for Jerry with a very wash splattered lens.This photo of Grahams 150lb-er beside the Reel Chase.
