Thursday night fishing report, 0-2 Swords, 1 - Mako, Jan/12

[RiskTaker]

The weather forecast was calling for seas to be 2 ft. or less and light 5-10 mph winds from the NE. Capt. Ken's personal forecast earlier in the day, was winds a little more brisk, like 10-15 mph as he could see the water blowing on the pond. And it was still 10-15 mph out of the East by late afternoon. The seas were manageable but it was a little slower ride out to the swordgrounds.

We get the lines setup just about dark: a nice spread of squid, with 3 balloons and 2 tip rods. The green Swordlight is setup and a Block of Captain Davie's Fermented chum goes in the water too. The evening was pretty uneventful for an hour or two and the VHF started up with the racial jokes, another sign that things were not too hot elsewhere either.

We gathered up a couple of Tinkers that latched onto the Sabiki rig but we never saw very many. So we switched out the squid from the tip rods with the live tinkers. We started to notice some action with the tip rods but we never stay tight on anything. After checking all the baits, we realize all the baits had either been whacked or stripped clean. We re-rig everything, two more live tinkers and squid.

We have a few more interesting experiences and stories to tell but no swordfish are hitting the baits. So within the final hour of our fishing time the forward tip rod drags a little bit, Davie bumps up the drag to strike and the fish is running. This fish pulls line continuously for several minutes. This is starting to sound like a decent size fish. After a while Davie is able to start gaining on the fish and pretty much from then on out he is always gaining on the fish, albeit painfully slow... the fish finally comes to the boat, tail first. As the fish gets close to the boat, we realize the fish has no bill. Wow it is a Mako shark! We send out the hand gaff and send out the flyer and finally get the Mako into the boat.....











That was my first experience with a Mako shark, and it turned out to be a very interesting evening even without catching any swordfish.

[quack quack]

Nice job. They taste just like chicken :lol:

[Shark Tagger]

that is freaken awesome!!!! I stil have not caught a florida mako.

Thanks for the report.

[Blacktip Hunter]

Nice Mako!

[Deep_Sea_Gull]

Nice pictures guys.
Some of the best that I have seen of a mako. Colors show well.
Congrats and thanks for sharing.

[CaptKen]

I have some more picts I will try to get up when I get a day off and can work on puter probs.
All I can say is what an awsome night to burn into the memory bank!
They are the apex preator for sure, They will remind you that it is thier big pond and you are tresspassing ! They are simply a magnifficent creature, I always wanted to catch one of these, Even though I didn't wind it in, Davie did the winding, It was a group effort that took all 3 of Us to get him subdued and in the boat.
One thing for sure it did catch Us off guard, Even though We had a harpoon rigged and ready as always, It was tail wrapped and comming in backwards, Davie was yelling its a swordfish! Mike was ready with the poon, but didn't have a shot, Davie thought it was going to get away, He kept yellin its tail wrapped and its going to come off, Do somethin ! So I grabbed the swordfish by the tail and proceded to haul it over the side. About that time the swordfish wheels around and almost bites Me! Holy Sh__!!! Its A Mako ! Then I slam the Poon Home and it goes crazy ! and I am yellin for Mike to get the Flyer rigged, By then I have a Poon and a Straight gaff in him, Now Mike has the Flyer slammed in Him good and He is ours !
I will say that it takes some tools and some guys with thier game face on if you are going to mess with one of these creatures! Dont even attempt it half cocked without some tools, They are dangerous for sure, I learned a great lesson with some great Guys that night. It was a night that I will never forget.
And I almost forgot, We had one before this that had to be about 350lbs up in the light biting at the transome and the motor bracket, I was bouncing live tinkers dead tinkers off her nose for about 10 min,We could't make her eat a tinker for nothin. Just as well though, If I would have hooked that one, We would have had our hands full for sure.
Tight Lines!
Ken

[Islander]

damn nice job guys!!!!!!!!

[Beerman]

Yup, I agree they are bad ass!!! I got a little guy that just would not give up, it was insone!! I always say now, that if i hook one and get him near the boat, I am cutting his ass free.

Congrats on an awesome catch !!!

[FinalPoint]

Beerman, if you get one to the boat, call me on the VHF first. I'm looking for redemption on our "release" of a nice one after a 2 hour fight.

[Capt Ted]

that is great. pictures are awesome too

[GENERALturtle.]

WTG Kenny,Davie, RT and Blue Boat. The pics are great. Wish I could have been there. Where do i pick up the steaks?

[Sword Hunter]

Ive caught bulls off tom harbor cut that would eat that ! why even take a chance! mabye for a paycheck with 3 loaded bang sticks when ur in the cut ur way up gaffed and tied up to die for a few hours

[FishNFreak68]

Great Job Ken & Crew.... I wish I had taken you up on the offer to head out this you that night.... Work & the wifey would not have it though.

Great catch!!!

[hannaman]

Super work and super fishy. We caught a Hammer on the 48 line last night, went about 600lb. Kinda sucked.

[Capt Ted]

thats a big hammerhead to say the least.. we caugh tone about 300 pounds last year that took about 3 hours out of our night.. i know how you feel.

[cogzwell]

Nice Mike! Tail hooked em, eh?

[RiskTaker]

Cogzwell:

Nice teamwork with the three of us: Ken, Davie and a little help from your friend(s).

No, that (Mako) fish was not tail hooked. It was perfectly hooked in the jaw with a swordfish rig of Mono. No mono was inside of the teeth just the bend of the hook. But it was tail wrapped and harpoon looped by the tail as it was boatside.

We were thinking that it was a nice 200+ swordfish for quite a while, but all we could see was the tail end. At the last moment when Ken was reaching to get a handle on it, when it suddenly became apparent, no bill, just a pointy head with some chompers.

[swordboy]

great fish guys, still waiting for myself to catch one, i have had a few shots at a mako but none succeseful :D

[Lady Swordfish]

We had a mako on last month that swam to the boat with a tinker mackeral in its mouth.. we cranked fast and came tight to have the line cut in about a minute. the fish must of been between 300 and 400 pounds. Some of the seas coolest creatures for sure.

[LuNaSeA]

i love those racial jokes