Blue water = blue marlin

Aleta · Jun-13-2007, 08:47 AM

Thanks to a Terrafin chloroyphill on June 7 showing blue water South West of Cabo Corrientes, Aleta was primed for a run to the Sand Bank. While a trip up to Isla Isabela would have meant jacks and roosters aplenty, the alure of early season pelagic action was too great to pass up. Josh and Herk had Sand Bank in mind for the Conquistador so we all headed out to Las Animas to put a few more pieces of bait in the tank and start the night run to the bank. A good thunderstorm rain and lightning made it feel the like the first trip of the new Summer season.

BuoyWeather.com was right on the mark - beautiful sea conditions with 5-7 knots of wind a long period SW swell for the trip. Just after grey light we come across four sleepers but a crappy cast by yours truly and they quickly sunk out. A short while later we had a knockdown and then an agressive blue into the pattern slamming multiple jigs until Manny dropped back a jet head and put the hook in. Drew made short work of the fish and we got a tag into Aleta's first blue of the season.

We found a bird pile with common dolphins and had high hopes for some tuna but didnt have any luck after working the area for a while. After another knockdown that didnt stick we changed tactics. Juan rigged up some dead bait and we threw out the teasers and reduced RPM's. Juan said the dead bullet tuna on the short rigger was going to get bit. Good call because not ten minutes later another blue pops up into the pattern and beelines for the tuna bullet. Game on - another blue hooked, fought and tagged.

We headed a little further South of the Bank and about 45 minutes later were shaken out of our stupor by a lit up marlin exploding out of the air on a dead cabalitto and missing. And coming back and missing a second time but finally inhaling it on the htird. As soon as I set the hook on the fish it went ballistic and started greyhounding towards the boat. Manny stomped on it and for the next 45 seconds and 1/4 mile, with the boat running at 2000rpm, the psyco blue did its best to run us down and stick its bill in our ass all the while putting on a incredible aerial display. Drew got some great shots of the action.

After she settled down we had a decent tussle before we sent her on her way with directions to PV. We had a couple of good strikes on plastics as we worked back up the line but could get another to stick. All in all, a great day of action.

We anchored up in a small cove inside of Corrientes for the night and broke out the BBQ and anejo. The next day we decided check out the local Banks so we trolled up to the Banco where we had good action on poppers and bait on tuna up to 50lbs. Later in the afternoon we worked Corbetenia where we saw some nicer grade tuna but couldnt get it to go. The water is starting to clean up and some tuna candy and choras were showing - good signs.

Hopefully the blue water will continue to push up and the season will kick off here shortly. Great fun and good fishing with Drew, Manny, Juan and Abel.

capt josh · Jun-13-2007, 09:29 AM

Fuckme...

Nice work boys...

sasman · Jun-13-2007, 09:33 AM

That first picture of the Blue out of the water is perf. Great post guys.

**Sherm** · Jun-13-2007, 09:44 AM

Nicely done.

lilharcher · Jun-13-2007, 10:38 AM

Very Nice Clarke!

Gmoney! · Jun-13-2007, 10:49 AM

Great post Clarke, and encouraging news about the water and tuna..

Congrats.

Bullshipper · Jun-13-2007, 11:14 AM

Yeehaw.

Thanks for the informative post and great pictures. I sure learned something.

**brantc** · Jun-13-2007, 12:12 PM

Good work senor. Things are looking good for a nice season.

tylerderdan · Jun-13-2007, 12:23 PM

Killer pics Clarke!

Pounder · Jun-13-2007, 03:04 PM

Sweet trip Clarke, Manny and Juan can run plastic and dead bait as well as anyone I've seen, it was lots of fun watching them get each line to swim just right. The bullet tuna we rigged were caught off of las Animas and would run as a school thru our lites at about 20 knots in the green water. Pretty wild looking.
Clarke's last Blue put on a fantastic show and like each of the Blues was as aggressive as any I've seen, just annhilating the baits and lures. The tuna was caught by Juan on the spinner with a 4 oz Ranger and he lost one about twice that size that nailed a Tady 9 on the surface and at the boat while he was fishing for bait, a quick left and a right and the fish had its' freedom.

Looking forward to the next time.

Capt Manny · Jun-13-2007, 05:38 PM

Good time guys,
Juan,Abel and I hade a great time,
Lets do it again...

Capt,
Manny

ALUMINATOR · Jun-13-2007, 06:43 PM

With all that talent on just one boat this didn't surprise me at all.

Great catching guys!!! I can sure see that I have a LONG ways to go and LEARN to be able to keep up with this crew!! You make it look sooooo easy. Thanks Clarke for the report and great pitcures!