Just returned from 2 weeks of Marriage/Honeymoon/Fishing... Married in Negril Jamaica, and honeymooned in Castries St Lucia!
While staying in Jamaica we decided to head out for a little 6 hr trip spur of the moment off the coast of negril. While trolling in around 4000 feet of water we get bit and the drag started screaming. After what seemed like 5 minutes of drag screaming, which was really about 300 yards of line, in the distance we see what we had hooked. A big, beautiful Blue Marlin jumping off in the distance.
Needless to say, this is one of my " bucket list" fish and I was really excited. Because I was the groom they let me jump in the chair for the rodeo. After about 40 mins of grueling action, we began to see a blue reflection starting to come up. At first we thought it was a monster because most of the time smaller marlin jump and put on great shows while coming to the boat, and the bigger ones act like this and stay deep.
Once we finally got it to the boat unhooked it, tagged it, got a couple of pictures, and successfully released it back to the deep blue ocean. It was a trip and fish I will NEVER forget.
It was the only fish and bite of the day, but I wouldn't trade it for anything because it was so special to me. This was my 3rd time marlin fishing, 2nd hook up and first one landed. Estimated to be 7 ft and around 150 lbs, the tag will be registered in my name and if ever caught again, updates will be sent to me!
Next up was the honeymoon trip
St Lucia was amazing, and my new wife and I got a chance to get out on the water last Friday for a day of fishing that we will NEVER forget. Within about 15 mins of leaving the dock we get our first bite and I put her in the chair! Turns out to be a little Barracuda, but still, we wouldn't get skunked on this day! She reels it in, and we re-rig the spread. About another 30-40 mins and we hear the line screaming again. This time, the couple we invited to go with us, Matt and Amber, are up. Matt jumps in the chair and fights a decent size Wahoo to the boat in about 5 mins. Sounds like dinner for the night to me! By this time it is about 9 am and we are heading out over the deep ridge that goes from 350 ft to over 3000. My new Wife is starting to get a little sea sick as the ocean rolls from 2-3 footers to now 6-8 footers so I ask the captain to head back to the first ridge and settle that I may not catch another Marlin on this trip....
About 30 mins trip back to the ridge and all of the sudden we hear drag SCREAMING, for about 20 seconds and then nothing...... And as we start to reel that line in to check the bait I see a HUGE marlin come back and nail it. Captain, first mate and everyone else on board start screaming and I jump in the chair. Everyone else is reeling the other lines in as fast as they can. After all of the other lines are in the first mate looks at me and tells me I am in for a long battle! After the previous week, I was pretty sure within the hour we would be tagging, taking pictures and releasing my second Marlin within one week......
After 30 mins of fight, I relinquish the rod to Matt who has a go for the next HOUR!!!! Then I join back in the fight for what seemed like an eternity, and upon getting out, I ask the captain how long it was and he told me 1.5 hrs. No wonder the first thing that came out of my mouth was, " I feel like I just got hit by a dump truck!" Matt jumps back in control. By this time we had seen the fish 2 times, and knew it was HUGE, but at this time still did not know the extent of the prize we had on our line! Matt battles for the next 38 mins, pushing our time with this beast to 3 hrs 38 mins, when we get a good glimpse! The beam of the boat we were on was 14 foot, and this BEAST was longer than the beam of the boat! The captain and first mate are getting giddy with joy, as they tell us this is potentially the new Island record, and will make them somewhat famous around the island, and certainly boost their business! Just was we think we are over the hump and have her tired enought to pull on board and take back the the St. Lucia game and fish commission for accurate weight and record potential, she make another run! And the fight is back on....
About 20 mins later within 2 mins of the 4 hr mark, our roller-coaster of emotions starts to happen with a loud snap that could make a grown man cry. Much to my suprise, and everyone else on board, the rod snapped about 5 roller tips down.....
The first thing I can think of is back down to her as fast as possible and any chance we might get to grab her, all hands on and get her in the boat....and as I am thinking it, the captain starts yelling at the first mate in Patois(their native dialect) and he looks at me and says hold on! At this point we are probably traveling at troling speed ( 9 knots) backwards into 3-5 foot waves and we are getting hammered! Matt is reeling with everything he has, as myself and the first mate try and hold the broken rod tip inline with the rod as much as possible to regain as much line as we can.....
This lasts for another 15 mins, and the inevitable outcome happens......the line breaks
After a couple minuets of crying( literally by the mate), nauseous feeling and the realization that the fish of a lifetime was now gone, we headed back to the dock, 2 hrs over the time we were supposed to be back, and proceeded to end this day..
It was, and still is a VERY...well I dont really know how to explain it, but the captain and first mate invited us to come back for a half price trip to try and catch her again, and even 2 days after the trip, people on the island were still coming up asking us if it were true we almost caught a 18 foot 1200 lb marlin.
Of course we had to set them straight as the captain estimated it to be between 14-15 foot and 800-900 lbs! The current island record is right at 14 foot and 846 lbs.
And now for the pics!
And a couple of the wedding and our Jump off of the world famous Rick's Cafe Cliffs afterwards!!
