We boarded Stanleys new 54' Bertram at 6:30 Tuesday morning full of anticipation. Mahi Mahi , Tuna and possibly a Marlin were the targeted species. Before leaving the bay Jack brings down the deck of cards to establish the batting order. Luckily I drew the # 3 spot on this trip.
Alway fun fishing with a variety of new people when I come down to the Caribbean. On this trip I fished with Kevin from the UK, a couple from Park City Utah, first time fisherwoman Lee from Conn and Garfield a local Jamaican from Montego Bay.
Sunny and flat calm as we left Negril in search of our first Tuna. Trolling at 9 mph with plugs skipping across the surface we get our first release 10 minutes into the Trip with a small Tuna.
Doubles go off and I get my first tuna of the day.
We are headed out to the weed line which is 7 miles out at 7000' feet when a rod starts dancing. ZZZZZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzz ,Brad from Utah reels in his first Mahi .. Jumping like a landlocked salmon
Then the bite shuts down as we trolled the weed line for an hour without a hit. Finally we spot a patch of grass about half mile off of the weed line. We troll by and nobody is home... I was on the second deck and the water is so clear you could actually see what was underneath the grass.
Next we troll past a 10' Floating log to find a school off Mahi beneath it. Stan cuts the engine and starts rigging light spinning tackle with 20 lb braided line.
The Brit was next in line to catch a fish. Kevin rigs up his own light spinning gear he brought over from the UK. As Stanley and Jack are rigging up light spinning rods you can see the school of 30 Mahi darting between the log and transom. Brilliant shades of vibrant Greens and Blue colors .
4 hooksets later and ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzz the Brit gets his first fish in the boat.
Click on pic to view the video
I'm handed a light spinning rig and hook into my first Mahi of the day, ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzz. The fish makes 3 strong runs away from the boat.. Like a typical Mahi my line goes slack as he comes full speed back at the transom..... I reel in the slack line and the Mahi was still on going straight for the prop. Jack gets the gaff out and snags my fish as I brought him to the surface.
I hand my rod to Lee from Connecticut and watch her catch her first Mahi. At this point it's a full on feeding frenzy and I don't have a rod in my hand and its driving me nuts. I look inside the cabin and find a bait casting bass rod sitting in a corner. Ya Mon! I grab the pole and start pitching the bait out towards the log to catch an additional 3 Mahi on a bass rod.. Still grinning as I write this post!
We boated 15 Mahi and 4 Tuna on a 4hr Charter.. Another memorable trip out of Negril.
Mahi Mahi are fast powerful fish and to get lucky enough to boat 4 of them with light spinning tackle was beyond my expectations!
Jack filleted my fish which I had for dinner with my wife back at the resort. Ya Mon!
