(see http://www.findu.com/cgi-bin/winlink.cgi?KG4EYP for latest position)

I just reeled in (what I think was) a white marlin! Britt was below, looking at the chart, so when I heard the drag go off and saw the fishing rod bend, I leapt to take my turn at it. We could see it leaping behind the boat, and it ran out quite a bit of line before I could even start getting it in.

It didn't fight too hard, though it gave a few more spectacular leaps before giving up and letting me pull it close to the boat. (We interrupt this narrative to reel in more fish. Both rods just went off - the one Britt reeled in had a tiny mahi, so small we threw it back, and mine had a plastic bag which after a valiant fight was eventually subdued and added to our trash collection. [And we interrupt THIS narrative to reel in yet another mahi, which violently objected to Britt's attempts to
gaff it, and managed to shake out the hook. So we are currently 0 for 3 as far as fish kept/fish caught, if you don't count the plastic bag.])

Britt took a few photos of the marlin (hopefully at least one will be good) and then we tackled the problem of releasing it. It was hooked in the lower lip; we gave it slack on the fishing line, and when it jumped it released the hook - but wound the steel leader around its bill! Britt took the rod and shook it, trying to unwind it, and after a few minutes, the fish gave a mighty shudder, slid out of the line, gave us a dirty look, and swam away.
- posted by S/V Windom @ 6/10/2007 [link]