"Yeah, Chew On This Alright!!" Great News! The new boat catches Great Big Fish. Typically when I go out fishing I am looking to tangle with big inshore fish species. I have to have that challenge of knowing that the fish on the other end of the line has a chance to win the battle. Before this evening I welcomed all comers to bring the best they had. Well I almost didn't make it through the best they had.
There were four of us on the Shearwater this hot humid night. We had already jumped a Tarpon and hooked into several other nice fish when the knockouts began. I was fishing with my big fish rod with 200 pound test Fins braid and 125 pound test TeamFish fluro leader tied to Eagle Claw 9/0 Tuna Hooks. The bait of choice was 12 to 15 inch mullet. The first couple of cast nothing happened. Then I started to realize I wasn't putting my bait in front of the fishes nose. Once I began to put the bait in smelling range. THUMP!! FISH ON!! I slammed the hook into the fishes mouth and tried to run to the front of the boat to pull the fish away from the pilings. Stale Mate, he wasn't budging and my flip flops were stretching apart due to the high amounts of pressure on them. A couple of saws back and fourth and he was home free. Well, this type of battle went on for the next 6 or 7 baits. I lost fish after fish and eventually ran out of big bait.
Next I waited on one of the fellas to catch something that I could use to put on the end of my hook. Nelson was able to land a very strong 4 or 5 pound Canal Tuna with his spinner on a Threadfin. I thought it was to big to use as bait but they all talked me into it. I took the pliers and broke its tail apart to make it swim towards the bottom. I chunked the bait as hard as I could and it only went about 20 feet from the boat. The current was ripping so hard and as the big jack raced towards the bottom, I thought to myself, "am I just wasting my time with this big ol bait." Not 3 seconds after that thought I felt the proverbial THUMP. I couldn't believe it. I yelled out, "I got one." I reeled down and jammed the hook into the fishes mouth. What ensued after that was akin to what it would feel like when you see a water skier being jerked off of his skies and crashing into the water. I put as much pressure as I could on the fish but the lock down drag started to let line peel off the reel. I knew I couldn't let the massive beast take very much line or he would run into the structure. I thumbed the spool and pulled back as hard as I could. Fortunately after a minute or so of using everything I had I was able to get him turned around I thought. Once I was able to get him turned he made another dash towards freedom and I double thumbed the reel. The line started to burn my thumbs but I still held them down on the line because I knew I had to keep the monster on the other end of the line away from the pilings. I always wondered if it ever came down to me having to stop a huge fish one on one, if I could do it.
By no means was the battle even close to being over. I thought I was ready for anything. The big Jewfish just would give up, he would rest up and make surges towards his getaway points. Every time he did I would have to use everything I had to keep him from getting there. It seemed as if he would never come up. I was having to pull his massive body through a very strong tide. I think the fast moving water helped oxygen pass through his gills without much effort so the big fish as able to conserve and replenish energy much faster. I never knew a fish could beat me down like this one did. I started to get the Jimmy leg there on a couple of occasions. A Jimmy leg is when you are putting a ton of stress on yourself or straining very hard and one of your legs just starts shaking uncontrollably. The stress and fatigue I started to feel after the first 15 minutes of tackling the huge fish with lock down drag was amazing. Even as I write this, I still feel the effects of the battle. My arms are sore and aching as well as countless other bruises that continue to pop up ache. Remember this, watch what you ask for when it comes to how big of a fish you want to catch.
Eventually I began to gain ground. I would pull up and the fish would come up about a foot or so which is a lot for only 20ft of water. It seemed every time I would gain that foot or two the fish would always get it back. I did absolutely everything I could to get that monster to the top. I sat down on the leaning post and used my body as a weight to help hold down the rod but so I could reel. I am ashamed to admit it but on two or three occasions I even thought about asking for some fighting help. My hands and arms became so fatigued that I thought the whole rod could go in the water.
Finally I was able to put together enough burst for the fellas to see color. They were shocked with what they saw. One of them said it is at least 5 feet long. I was hoping at that point the fight was nearly over but I was wrong once again. Each time we would get a look at that Dinosaur it would go back down again. I was so fatigued that I couldn't do anything about it. Ten minutes later I had enough and put my own burst together with everything I had. I put the rod in between my bicep and forearm to get enough leverage to lift the fish out of the water. At first I would get 6 inches or so at a time. Then I put even more pressure on the fish and would get a foot or so each time. Lastly I began to walk the fish down the side of the boat while pumping and reeling with everything that was left. There it was a 200 pound plus Jewfish to the side of the boat. Nelson and Corey grabbed there Boga Grips. Nelson put one on the top lip and Corey tried to get a grip on the bottom lip but it just wasn't going to happen. He ended up putting it on the top lip like Nelson did. They both went to pull the monster on board but failed on there first two attempts. Eventually they were able to get it on board.
In conclusion, I wasn't able to pick that 200 pound plus monster up for a picture by myself. But, that was more than ok by me though, because I wanted us all to get in the picture anyhow. I never knew what it would be like to tangle with a fish under those conditions. Now I know lock down drag spool thumbing is not for the faint of heart or people who are not physical. I could not imagine having to do that battle for again for a long time. I would like to give special thanks to Nelson, Corey, and Shelton for making it happen. Here's to you guys. Here is one last pic of what I looked like after battle. If that is not one poor lost beat up soul then I have never seen one before. Tight Lines!!
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There were four of us on the Shearwater this hot humid night. We had already jumped a Tarpon and hooked into several other nice fish when the knockouts began. I was fishing with my big fish rod with 200 pound test Fins braid and 125 pound test TeamFish fluro leader tied to Eagle Claw 9/0 Tuna Hooks. The bait of choice was 12 to 15 inch mullet. The first couple of cast nothing happened. Then I started to realize I wasn't putting my bait in front of the fishes nose. Once I began to put the bait in smelling range. THUMP!! FISH ON!! I slammed the hook into the fishes mouth and tried to run to the front of the boat to pull the fish away from the pilings. Stale Mate, he wasn't budging and my flip flops were stretching apart due to the high amounts of pressure on them. A couple of saws back and fourth and he was home free. Well, this type of battle went on for the next 6 or 7 baits. I lost fish after fish and eventually ran out of big bait.
Next I waited on one of the fellas to catch something that I could use to put on the end of my hook. Nelson was able to land a very strong 4 or 5 pound Canal Tuna with his spinner on a Threadfin. I thought it was to big to use as bait but they all talked me into it. I took the pliers and broke its tail apart to make it swim towards the bottom. I chunked the bait as hard as I could and it only went about 20 feet from the boat. The current was ripping so hard and as the big jack raced towards the bottom, I thought to myself, "am I just wasting my time with this big ol bait." Not 3 seconds after that thought I felt the proverbial THUMP. I couldn't believe it. I yelled out, "I got one." I reeled down and jammed the hook into the fishes mouth. What ensued after that was akin to what it would feel like when you see a water skier being jerked off of his skies and crashing into the water. I put as much pressure as I could on the fish but the lock down drag started to let line peel off the reel. I knew I couldn't let the massive beast take very much line or he would run into the structure. I thumbed the spool and pulled back as hard as I could. Fortunately after a minute or so of using everything I had I was able to get him turned around I thought. Once I was able to get him turned he made another dash towards freedom and I double thumbed the reel. The line started to burn my thumbs but I still held them down on the line because I knew I had to keep the monster on the other end of the line away from the pilings. I always wondered if it ever came down to me having to stop a huge fish one on one, if I could do it.
By no means was the battle even close to being over. I thought I was ready for anything. The big Jewfish just would give up, he would rest up and make surges towards his getaway points. Every time he did I would have to use everything I had to keep him from getting there. It seemed as if he would never come up. I was having to pull his massive body through a very strong tide. I think the fast moving water helped oxygen pass through his gills without much effort so the big fish as able to conserve and replenish energy much faster. I never knew a fish could beat me down like this one did. I started to get the Jimmy leg there on a couple of occasions. A Jimmy leg is when you are putting a ton of stress on yourself or straining very hard and one of your legs just starts shaking uncontrollably. The stress and fatigue I started to feel after the first 15 minutes of tackling the huge fish with lock down drag was amazing. Even as I write this, I still feel the effects of the battle. My arms are sore and aching as well as countless other bruises that continue to pop up ache. Remember this, watch what you ask for when it comes to how big of a fish you want to catch.
Eventually I began to gain ground. I would pull up and the fish would come up about a foot or so which is a lot for only 20ft of water. It seemed every time I would gain that foot or two the fish would always get it back. I did absolutely everything I could to get that monster to the top. I sat down on the leaning post and used my body as a weight to help hold down the rod but so I could reel. I am ashamed to admit it but on two or three occasions I even thought about asking for some fighting help. My hands and arms became so fatigued that I thought the whole rod could go in the water.
Finally I was able to put together enough burst for the fellas to see color. They were shocked with what they saw. One of them said it is at least 5 feet long. I was hoping at that point the fight was nearly over but I was wrong once again. Each time we would get a look at that Dinosaur it would go back down again. I was so fatigued that I couldn't do anything about it. Ten minutes later I had enough and put my own burst together with everything I had. I put the rod in between my bicep and forearm to get enough leverage to lift the fish out of the water. At first I would get 6 inches or so at a time. Then I put even more pressure on the fish and would get a foot or so each time. Lastly I began to walk the fish down the side of the boat while pumping and reeling with everything that was left. There it was a 200 pound plus Jewfish to the side of the boat. Nelson and Corey grabbed there Boga Grips. Nelson put one on the top lip and Corey tried to get a grip on the bottom lip but it just wasn't going to happen. He ended up putting it on the top lip like Nelson did. They both went to pull the monster on board but failed on there first two attempts. Eventually they were able to get it on board.
In conclusion, I wasn't able to pick that 200 pound plus monster up for a picture by myself. But, that was more than ok by me though, because I wanted us all to get in the picture anyhow. I never knew what it would be like to tangle with a fish under those conditions. Now I know lock down drag spool thumbing is not for the faint of heart or people who are not physical. I could not imagine having to do that battle for again for a long time. I would like to give special thanks to Nelson, Corey, and Shelton for making it happen. Here's to you guys. Here is one last pic of what I looked like after battle. If that is not one poor lost beat up soul then I have never seen one before. Tight Lines!!
