March-April 03

Dolphin Runs & other unlucky trolling fish

March 5th- Will & Emily have been with us fishing the past few days. We caught a nice grouper on a swimming plug off the lighthouse a few days ago. Yesterday, we were completely skunked after losing fish on about 10 strikes. Today was different. We did not lose one fish.  The total catch was one 30lb Yellow fin Tuna, 27lb Black fin Tuna, three more football sized black fin tuna and a 18lb dolphin. Our first dolphin of the season.  There was a light breeze from offshore and a little to the south. Current lines were visible and a few Man-o-war birds were diving on the boiling tunas leaping for baitfish giving them away.

March 7th- Went out this morning from about 7am-9am, rising tide, light breeze, followed the edge and chased man-o-war birds most of the time.  Straight off, we had a hit that spit out the bait as soon as it hit. Then a little 15lb dolphin hit and Claude, our fuzzy French friend, reeled him in like a champ. Then we had a monster dolphin on, Claude again fought him like a champ. He was a large male and put up a great fight. After at least, 15 minutes of continuous reeling, Claude had him right up to the boat and Greg went to gaff him and he escaped. After such a let down, we had to stay out for one more. The last strike of the morning dove straight down, but Greg didn't want to declare it a Wahoo just yet and screw up his karma.  Again, Claude reeled it in like it was no problem, we really didn't think it was as big as it was, because this French ninja didn't even break a sweat. This Wahoo was 60 lbs and not a bad fish. 

March25th- Early morning was beautiful and calm. Greg and some Little Harbour neighbors took off in the Michael John for Dolphin Alley. Gordon, Kerry, Mark, Buck and Joe  worked like a team with Greg and it was worth it. With banker's hours and lunch at the pub these boys brought in 4 dolphin and 2 tuna, all nice sized.

March 26th am- Low tide rising in the morning at 7:30 when we left. The channel was choppy and there was a strong current with a thick weed line running east-west. It was very tempting to follow it, but there was too much patchy weed surrounding it. As it was, Greg spent the first hour reeling lines in to de-weed them. We turned our back on the weed and headed south to where Greg has had some good luck lately.  We started chasing one Man-O-War. A new mate on the boat, Ed hooked up and so did I. The lines got a little tangled so we danced back and forth from starboard to port, over and under one another while the fish jumped and we continued to reel. The lines finally got straight and Ed had his up to the boat first. He was so sure he'd be eating Mahi for lunch that he didn't know what hit him when the dolphin popped off the line. I still had a few minutes of pumping and reeling, this turtle beat the hare. My 30lb dolphin made it to the ice box in the boat and was my lunch and the other pub patrons lunch that afternoon.       

March 26th pm- Greg, Pete, Richard & Gordy go out fishing.  The wind picked up a bit in the afternoon, but that didn't stop them. They ran smack into a tuna frenzy, eventually landing 5 tuna and 3 wahoo. One yellowfin reeled in by Pete himself weighed 50  lbs, while Greg ran up on the bow with a spinning rod and caught a few football sized tunas.      

April 25th- Sorry about the lag in the log. We've had some technical problems. Greg rebuilt the transmission, then thought the injector pump needed replacement. He spent a full two weeks "fixing" the MJ, then helped a friend bring a boat over from Florida.  More fishing soon to come!         

April 28th- Pete, Greg and I went out on Jamaica Miss and her crew of Capt Kerry and Mark at about 6:30am. It was a beautiful morning and flat calm offshore. We got a few strikes, but otherwise the morning started pretty slow. Then a squall line with lightning and thunder started approaching from the south. Against our better judgment, we  stayed out. We still had plenty ballyhoo left, and we were following Man-O-Wars which were leading us to tuna boils.  Greg would jump up to the bow with a spinning rod and tried to snatch a tuna out of the bait ball, but had no such luck, especially with the encroaching squall line.  Finally, the line squealed and Greg did pull in a 35lb bull dolphin. Kerry did a fine job with the gaff.  The squall was dumping on us by now, but we kept at it, there really wasn't too much lightning and it soon cleared to just a steady drizzle. Then, all lines started to squeal, but Capt Kerry had the winning rod, at least for a few minutes, a 300 lb Marlin danced and jumped wondering what this little hook was in his mouth attached to a 40wide reel and 30 lb test. We had a good time while he was on. I was jumping as much as the Marlin! That afternoon, the boys headed out again and scored 4 more dolphin. The weather had cleared right up to a charming blue sky and dead calm. 

April 30th- Kimbo, Greg and I went out this afternoon, in a light drizzle, but calm waters. In the first half hour we hooked up two dolphin. Kimbo got his 20lber in first, while I inched mine in, trying not to reel over the drag. Finally Greg gaffed him into the cooler. Mine weighed in at 39 lbs.