Cigar 20 Jun 08

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Original plan was to fish on Saturday but the forecast went downhill only later to improve but changed to Friday. Crew was me, Tom Kidwell, Tony, Dr. Ike, and Carl. I had been trying to get Tom out for a long time and glad he was able to make it finally.

After looking at the SST, the best shot was south of the cigar 000-900 line so we headed there. Woke up at 2 am and saw storms forming on the state line and south heading east. Crap, we will be going straight into them. Also saw the predicted SW winds were sill SE at 12-14 knots. So I'm cussing the weatherman who called for no rain and SW winds 5-10. But decide to launch departing at 3:30 am, smooth ride out of the bay was smooth but a bumpy, tight interval head sea from CH to the cigar so it was a long slow ride. Was able to track and dodge the storm using XM weather staying ahead it of it.

Put lines at 30 fathoms at 000 line and worked SE 73 degree water. Lots of short bites, probably chicken mahi not much bigger than our hoos. 74.5 degree water at 100 fathoms. Picked up some bailers on the way. Decided to try to find the warmer and shoved overboard. No hard break but temps when to 77.5 out of 400 fathoms but no weedline or hard break so we worked it without a pull and went back inside the 100 fathom curve where we at least were getting bites.

Once we got back inside, at the 900 line at 75 fathoms, Carl watches a white marlin commit suicide on the starboard short. Dr. Ike gets the honor to crank on my Tiagra 30 and we all watch a spectacular aerial display as this 100 lb (est) whitey jumps a dozen times airing completely out of the water. Now is when we wish we had an SLR camera as too long a delay on a regular digital camera to get good shots. This fish is giving the Tiagra 30 a workout taking all the mono top and is into the braid in no time. Get the fish whitey boat side and he is still lit up giving Tom and Tony a tough time getting the hook out which was firmly through his bill. Dr. Ike gets his release citation.
 

Continue our slow pick of bailers and Carl cranks in a nice 24 lb bull that gave him a good fight (1 lb shy of citation).

Tom fails to get out of the way of the big bull going crazy in the cockpit and gets bit. Tom said he can now no longer give Jake a hard time for letting a wahoo bite him wearing flip-flops.

Another white marlin attacks our starboard flat and Tony drops back to him and hook him up. Pulls the hook and Tony skillfully keeps working, jigging and sees him again, drops back and hooks up again. Takes a lot of line and jumps a few times with our second aerial display of the day but eventually the hook pulls. Oh well 1 for 2 on whitey not bad.

Keep working the area for more bailers, nothing hot and heavy, just a pick now and then. Pulled lines and ran to the Gulf Hustler since it was on the way home to see if we could coax a few spades into the boat. They are there but they didn't seem to want Ike's frozen sea clams.

My wife is always worried about me when I'm offshore so I got here the Find Me Now Spot tracker. She can log on and track my progress and when I hit the OK button, she gets a text on her cell saying I'm OK. I don't believe this is a good substitute for a EPIRB but it does give her peace of mind when I'm out there.
 

Got back to the dock and we completely forget to creek Ike so Ike, you owe us one buddy. Great day on the water but where are the tuna. Tuna already north of us and south of us but what about VA? Love me some mahi but want me some tuna. Glad I got Tom Kidwell out there as it's been too long since he has gotten out.

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