Christmas Eve Monster

[FinalPoint]

Let me start by saying thanks to Capt. Ken for encouraging me to join him tonight. It was probably the most intense and incredible experience of my life. I can barely type. Also, Cary - don't feel bad about losing the fish on the 23rd because my story is much worse. I'll try to make a long, no very long story short. We missed a couple fish and a shark and then very soon after, the far balloon goes off. I start reeling in the fish from the rod holder and I'm gaining good line so I think it's a pup. I decide to put on the standup gear and whip him to the boat. Nope. He takes off on a blistering run (literally). After this point the drag is near 20 lbs and it is only 25 minutes into the fight. I'm doing everything I can to gain line on this sucker. I'm thinking it is bigger than a 100 lbs now. Each run gets stronger and stronger and I am hurting. An hour goes by. Then two. By two and half hours I am really hurting and I have the drag over 20, but mostly it is higher because I have my palm on the spool. By this point, seas had kicked up to 5-7 and things were getting nasty. This fish was hours from being done. I am probably pushing 30 lbs of drag and sometimes more when my palm is bearing down on the spool and I crank up the drag knob. I know this is the fish of my life, but it is too rough out there to take my sweet time. Dave was spotting me when we saw an occasional set of 7 footers coming straight at us. He was a key factor in my safety. 3 hours and 14 minutes into the fight....POP...the 80 lb test SNAPS. I fly into the center console and my ticket to the 200 lb club swims away with 50 bucks of gear attached to his mouth. A string of expletives exited my mouth, then we got ready for the nasty ride.
I don't regret this trip at all. It was an experience I'll never forget. I can't believe how green that fish was after 3 plus hours on drag that heavy. I wish we were able to just see the thing. I will be sore for a few days, but the memory of the battle with this incredible animal will never leave me. Thanks, Kenny.
-Pat

[Anonymous]

Kenny,
I am glad that I kept telling you to go and call everyone you know, you would find someone to go out fishing with you. I got into a huge aguement with Denise after getting off the phone with you. I wanted to go with you, she won by atrition (to avert a war) and I didn't go.

Pat I am sorry to hear that after all that time fighting a nice fish, you lost it. Especially since you had to endure some really bad weather while trying to get it to the boat. That really stinks :sad:. There is always Sunday night, maybe you'll get one before you head back to school on Monday.

Ken that's $100.00 worth of lights in 2 days that really Blows. Sorry that you lost the Beast. Merry Christmas anyway.

[Captain Joe McGivern]

THats too bad Pat and Ken...KEn i wish i would have known u were out there,i would have joined ya last night..ANyhow,Pat there will be another fish for ya soon,dont u worry..Ken U gotta start getting these fish to the boat,or i am gonna keep catching them all for ya! :razz:

[Anonymous]

Originally Posted by CHUMMINWITHCHUNK

THats too bad Pat and Ken...KEn i wish i would have known u were out there,i would have joined ya last night..ANyhow,Pat there will be another fish for ya soon,dont u worry..Ken U gotta start getting these fish to the boat,or i am gonna keep catching them all for ya! :razz:

Chum,
I told Kenny to give you a call, but at that point he wasn't sure if he was going because that front was coming in.

[RiskTaker]

Hey Pat:

Congratulations on getting out on Christmas Eve and fighting that fish; even though it got off. I just wonder why that line snapped?

Hey, last night we were at a friend's house for Christmas Eve. As traditon goes in that neighborhood, the neighbors light up candles and place them in sand weighted white paper bags along the side of the road, and the neighbors visit each other on the block and chit-chack and tost to the Holiday.

I just so happened to run into another swordfisherman on the block, J.P. Freeman, and I was expressing how happy we were to get one in the boat the night before on FinalPoint. He mentioned that he went out on Thursday night too. Not 1, nor 2 but 3 fish in the boat. So much for our fish story of Thursday night! 130, 110 and & 70 or something close like that.

Although it was fun to believe we had a triple header while the moment lasted. Are you going out again to scratch that itch? RT

[LHPfish]

Holy Sh*t Pat! I'm sorry to hear that. Looks like you got what you wanted this break though If me and josephina head out tonight we'll ring you up/

[kai akua]

DAMN, way to go get em PAT!

sounds like a killer adventure. you will get em next time.

catch em up!

Robbie

[hannaman]

Final,
Sounds like you had all kinds of drag on that fish, 30 pounds with your hands on the spool and cranking up your drag knob sounds like the reason your line snapped. When you are putting that much pressure on him every part of your gear counts, fresh line, and all connections. The only way to get that bad boy in the boat might of been to put the bow of the boat facing into the waves at slow idle speed and put your time in.
You will never be able to stop a big fish, they only come when their ready. Sporty night though.

[FinalPoint]

Cary,
We tried all kinds of tricks. The damn thing just wasn't ready to get hit with the harpoon. We weren't gonna keep light drag and take that kind of beating either. I have so much respect for these fish (don't worry, I know what kind it was ).

[CaptKen]

Pat
Let Me start by saying your welcome! You can go with Me anytime !
You forgot to menchon a few things,The seas went from being like a lake to 7 feet + in a matter of 2 hours.The wind was crankin at 25 + in the baddest blackest storm you could ever imagine.At one point I had the boat in gear past idle heading into the waves following the fish for at least 30 min with him still taking line with 30 lbs of drag.
Also did you forget about almost getting run over by 2 differnt freighters ?
one of them would have got Us for sure,I kept flashing a spotlight at him,He wasn't resonding,I tried Him on channel 16,nothing,{anyone know what channel they monitor?} I finally turned the light on his wheelhouse and left it there! He finally gave Me a few blasts with his spotlight and turned.
As for the line,It was 80 mamoi diamond,I have been told that it tests at or above 100 lb test. I would say pretty fresh,less than 10 trips,3 fish under 100lbs.I had just pulled 50' feet off the reel that day waiting for Pat to show up checking it for nicks, The only way to explain it ,when it gets that rough with that much pressure,maybe you need to back off some and follow more,With bow of the boat going up that high over the waves it would get tight as as bango sting.Pat played a tune on it more than once.
I can honestly say you did nothing wrong Pat,Hang in there your time will come!
I know there is no way I could have lasted as long as you did,You have the heart of a Tiger.This is one that will be burned into My memory bank forever.
Oh and one other thing,I dont even think you knew this,but at one point I had to back away when He went under the bow,We took a huge wave over the transome that filled the whole cockpit,That was a scarey moment ,and I have a full transome.
Until next time
Ken