| In the summer of 1987 a personal friend of mine, Dr | | | | We caught our first fish almost right away, a nice 70 |
| Stan Rude, asked me if I wanted to go sport fishing | | | | lb. Yellowfin. Not long after that we nailed a couple of |
| for Blue Marlin. Without thinking a lot about it I agreed | | | | smallish Mahi Mahi. That's when the fun started. We |
| to go. Details about the time and place etc. would | | | | had a strike that appeared to be a fairly sized tuna. |
| follow. I didn't care. I have fished all my life so | | | | But Captain Dan who was spying up on the bridge |
| agreeing to go without thinking wasn't exactly a | | | | came flying down the ladder screaming "let the line |
| reach for me. But, after I stopped to think about it | | | | out there's a scoop on the line." This being a |
| to tell you the truth I had never been sport fishing | | | | nickname for Blue Marlin. We had hooked into a big |
| before, and didn't know much about blue marlin. But | | | | one and we were in for the fight of our lives. The |
| what the heck. I had been deep sea fishing before | | | | first time he made his jump out of the water it was |
| so I thought I was up for the challenge and besides | | | | at a distance of about 100 yards so it was hard to |
| fishing is always fun. | | | | grasp how big it was. Eventually we got it closer to |
| As I received the details about the trip my | | | | the boat and he made another jump right next to |
| excitement began to grow. We had reserved a 35 | | | | the boat. This fish was huge. Captain Dan's best |
| foot cabin cruiser called the"Miss T". She was a fine | | | | estimate was 800 lbs. |
| boat fairly new using top quality equipment and the | | | | Four and half hours later after tiring, we had it down |
| latest electronics with a flying bridge. The boat was | | | | to the first leader. This was a battle. All five |
| docked at the "South Jersey Marina" in Cape May, | | | | members of the trip participated by taking a turn at |
| N.J. We were scheduled to leave the dock at 2AM on | | | | reeling. My forearm was dead. At that point Captain |
| Aug 24th, 1987. At the time I didn't realize that this | | | | Dan went to each of us asking "do you want this |
| was the best time of the year for marlin fishing in | | | | fish?" None of us were ready for this. I know myself, |
| this area. We were headed for the Baltimore | | | | I just never expected to land such a big fish first |
| Canyons. This was about a 3 to 3 1|2 hour trip out | | | | time out. I think we were all stunned. We decided to |
| with the wind from the west at your back. Coming | | | | release this enormous, beautiful fish back to the |
| home took longer because of the west wind in | | | | ocean. After the release we all sat still and quiet for |
| usually in your face. | | | | quite sometime. I guess we were just taking it in. |
| Captain Dan and his mate Wayne were both very | | | | We felt good about doing a sportsman's gesture with |
| capable seaman and certainly gave everyone on | | | | the release. Why waste such a magnificent fish. The |
| board confidence. Not only in their ability as fisherman | | | | fact that the fish was brought to the first leader |
| but the ability to have a safe, accident free fishing | | | | make's it an official catch. |
| trip. Being that far out at sea almost anything can | | | | Captain Dan said that we would have the honor of |
| happy. Because of the boat having a mate he was | | | | flying the Blue Marlin Flag on the boat for the ride |
| responsible for all the bait, rigs and setting up all of | | | | home. And it was quite an honor and a thrill. |
| the outriggers. The famed "Canyons" of the Mid- | | | | Afterward I heard of fisherman who have fished for |
| Atlantic is a deep part of the ocean, where you can | | | | marlin for thirty five years and never get so much as |
| troll for Yellowfin, Longfin, and Big Eye Tuna along | | | | a sniff. Beginners luck I guess. I give Captain Dan and |
| with Wahoo, White and Blue Marlin and Mahi Mahi. | | | | his mate Wayne all the credit in the world. Very |
| This area is known for big fish. If you like big game | | | | professional and the "Miss T" was one fine boat. |
| sport fishing it is worth the long boat ride. Actually | | | | In case anyone would ever think of this as one big |
| the ride out isn't bad it's the ride back that's a killer | | | | fish story, we have the whole thing on video tape. |
| when your tired. | | | | Pretty cool saving this once in a lifetime memory. |