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Author Topic:   Whaler Flipped After Catching Marlin.

LuckyLady posted 10-14-2008 09:38 PM ET (US)
Aloha!
A man fishing alone South of Kona in his 15' Whaler flipped his boat after hooking up a 120 to 150 pound Marlin. While fighting the Marlin his engine stopped and he couldn't get it started. Was pretty busy with the fish.
His first plan was to release the marlin but this was his first billfish.
He got it to the boat and stuck it with the flying gaft, that's when all heck broke lose. The Marlin pulled downward against the gaff rope cleated off the stern. His weight sank the corner down futher. Everything shifted over to that side. "It filled the boat and we capsized just that quick."
He got up on the capsized boat with the Marlin still tied onto it.
To make a great story short, the Hula Girl charter boat spotted him just by chance. They got him, and most his gear that was tangled up in all the line. They then towed the boat and Marlin all the way back to Kona.
Bob's life-threatening ordeal was over except for the shakes he is sure to get whenever he thinks about how bad it could have ended. Especially if a school of tiger sharks had come for the marlin.
The full story came out in our local paper, but because the author has sold it to several magazines, I was unable to copy it from the paper.
At least it didn't sink with all that gear, fish and him on top.
He was near the tip of the Big Isle.... on his way to Tahiti.
contender posted 10-14-2008 10:54 PM ET (US)
His mistake, rope tied to the rear cleat... If it would have been tied to the front one he could have sat back and had a beer while the marlin pulled him around for a while...glad he came out of it ok
Casco Bay Outrage posted 10-14-2008 11:23 PM ET (US)
I'm glad I don't fish.
alfa posted 10-15-2008 01:08 AM ET (US)
Never, never gaff a 'green' marlin. And little ones get often crazy.
my 0.02
cgodfrey posted 10-15-2008 01:51 AM ET (US)
Boat didn't sink (obviously), got the fish, didn't get sharkbit, tourist filled rescue boat was there immediately, story rights will pay for a new motor.
Best damn day of that man's fishin' career for sure.
deepwater posted 10-15-2008 03:47 AM ET (US)
in some places its called jug fishing but you use a milk jug not the whole boat
Dan posted 10-15-2008 09:24 AM ET (US)
Too bad Hemingway isn't still alive, he could write a great novel about this one.
c_mccann posted 10-21-2008 05:46 PM ET (US)
Don't kill marlin and that won't happen.. What a great story, but a successful release would've been another great story. Glad nobody was hurt.
pglein posted 10-21-2008 06:44 PM ET (US)
Yeah, I thought it was illegal to gaff marlin. Am I wrong? Aren't they a threatened species?
LuckyLady posted 10-22-2008 09:00 PM ET (US)
No they aren't. Wish they were.
When you get one to the boat and they look up at you with that big eye, it's all over for me. Never brought one into the boat and never will.
Most people will keep their first ever caught.

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Author	Topic: Whaler Flipped After Catching Marlin.
LuckyLady	posted 10-14-2008 09:38 PM ET (US) Aloha! A man fishing alone South of Kona in his 15' Whaler flipped his boat after hooking up a 120 to 150 pound Marlin. While fighting the Marlin his engine stopped and he couldn't get it started. Was pretty busy with the fish. His first plan was to release the marlin but this was his first billfish. He got it to the boat and stuck it with the flying gaft, that's when all heck broke lose. The Marlin pulled downward against the gaff rope cleated off the stern. His weight sank the corner down futher. Everything shifted over to that side. "It filled the boat and we capsized just that quick." He got up on the capsized boat with the Marlin still tied onto it. To make a great story short, the Hula Girl charter boat spotted him just by chance. They got him, and most his gear that was tangled up in all the line. They then towed the boat and Marlin all the way back to Kona. Bob's life-threatening ordeal was over except for the shakes he is sure to get whenever he thinks about how bad it could have ended. Especially if a school of tiger sharks had come for the marlin. The full story came out in our local paper, but because the author has sold it to several magazines, I was unable to copy it from the paper. At least it didn't sink with all that gear, fish and him on top. He was near the tip of the Big Isle.... on his way to Tahiti.
contender	posted 10-14-2008 10:54 PM ET (US) His mistake, rope tied to the rear cleat... If it would have been tied to the front one he could have sat back and had a beer while the marlin pulled him around for a while...glad he came out of it ok
Casco Bay Outrage	posted 10-14-2008 11:23 PM ET (US) I'm glad I don't fish.
alfa	posted 10-15-2008 01:08 AM ET (US) Never, never gaff a 'green' marlin. And little ones get often crazy. my 0.02
cgodfrey	posted 10-15-2008 01:51 AM ET (US) Boat didn't sink (obviously), got the fish, didn't get sharkbit, tourist filled rescue boat was there immediately, story rights will pay for a new motor. Best damn day of that man's fishin' career for sure.
deepwater	posted 10-15-2008 03:47 AM ET (US) in some places its called jug fishing but you use a milk jug not the whole boat
Dan	posted 10-15-2008 09:24 AM ET (US) Too bad Hemingway isn't still alive, he could write a great novel about this one.
c_mccann	posted 10-21-2008 05:46 PM ET (US) Don't kill marlin and that won't happen.. What a great story, but a successful release would've been another great story. Glad nobody was hurt.
pglein	posted 10-21-2008 06:44 PM ET (US) Yeah, I thought it was illegal to gaff marlin. Am I wrong? Aren't they a threatened species?
LuckyLady	posted 10-22-2008 09:00 PM ET (US) No they aren't. Wish they were. When you get one to the boat and they look up at you with that big eye, it's all over for me. Never brought one into the boat and never will. Most people will keep their first ever caught.