Fish Sniffer On Demand Digital Edition Issue 3703 Jan 18-Feb 2 2018 | Page 26

18 Proven Kokanee / Trout Dodgers ! violently as a nice tuna headed for the depths . I was using a Cousins 7 foot graphite rod with a Shimano Trinidad reel loaded with 40 pound test Yozuri Hybrid line , and this fish tore line off the reel and headed straight down ! Bridget let out a cry and I saw she was also hooked into a tuna . After several minutes of intense battle , we both landed tuna of 20 and 25 pounds . Hurriedly we tossed bait back into the water and were immediately hooked up again !
240 different size / color combinations !
4 All Natural Scents ... Kokanee , Trout , Salmon & Shad
82 YEARS of Catching TROUT & KOKANEE 100 % Made in the USA
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FRESHWATER

24 Jan 18 - Feb 2 , 2018 VOL . 37 • ISS . 03
Fish Sniffer publisher Paul Kneeland with a 45 pound yellowfin tuna take on live bait in the Sea of Cortez .
Photo by Bridget Looney , Colfax .
we found the fleet ! As we slowly motored up to the group of boats , we saw several people hooked up , including Dave Barsi with a deeply bent rod and a big smile on his face !
Our captain slowed to an idle and the mate set up our rods with small sturdy hooks that he baited with a single sardina and tossed over board . We pulled line out of the reel so the bait would free line behind the boat and slowly sink out of sight .
When all our baits were out , the mate started throwing handfuls of the dead sardinas into the water . They sparkled and swirled and gradually sank like so many bright silver quarters . Suddenly , I felt my live sardine get nervous , and then my line started running quickly off the reel .
I put the reel in gear and reared back and struck hard ! My rod was pulled back

Trout ~ Kokanee ~ Salmon ~ Shad

18 Proven Kokanee / Trout Dodgers ! violently as a nice tuna headed for the depths . I was using a Cousins 7 foot graphite rod with a Shimano Trinidad reel loaded with 40 pound test Yozuri Hybrid line , and this fish tore line off the reel and headed straight down ! Bridget let out a cry and I saw she was also hooked into a tuna . After several minutes of intense battle , we both landed tuna of 20 and 25 pounds . Hurriedly we tossed bait back into the water and were immediately hooked up again !

This time , my tuna felt much stronger and heavier , and all I could do for several minutes was hold on tight as the fish tore 40-pound test off the reel and headed straight down . Bridget landed 2 tuna and 2 small bonito while I was just trying gain some line back . After a full 45 minutes , I was finally able to bring the big tuna to the gaff .
My arms were tired , my back was sore and I was sweating heavily – definitely time for the first cerveza of the day ! Hours later at the dock he weighed 68 pounds ! We caught several more tuna that morning , and weighed a total of 173 pounds on the dock scale .
Dave , Wanda , Ken and Dena had a very good day as well , with tuna , dorado and wahoo in the fish box . We all met at

240 different size / color combinations !

GONE FISHING continued from page 1

the lovely palapa bar next to the infinity pool and had wonderful margaritas and swapped tales of big fish from the Sea of Cortez .
We all went back to our rooms , took a short siesta , and went to dinner at the Bay View restaurant located at the south end of the hotel . Dinner was excellent , with choices from rib eye steak to coconut shrimp to fresh Mexican specialty dishes .
The next morning we were up and ready to go with another gorgeous day dawning brightly ! Brother Ken and Dena joined us on our boat today , and we headed out for marlin and dorado . We had more than enough tuna to bring home . The captain headed in a southwesterly direction , and we started trolling after about a 40 minute run .
We started trolling with 4 rods out – 2 on outriggers and 2 off the stern of the boat . The mate set up ballyhoo bait on the Cousins live bait rod and left it in the bait well for when needed . We put out an assortment of the Cousins trolling lures and settle down to wait for the first strike .
We had been trolling for only about 20 minutes when the port side outrigger popped off and the Penn Torque 30 reel started buzzing like a chain saw . Dena was first up , and she grabbed the rod and was into a spirited fight ! The fish tore drag like a tiger 3 different times , but then seemed to tire and Dena brought in a beautiful 30 pound wahoo !
Back on the troll , it was only a few minutes later that a long straight bill appeared behind the boat and slashed at the closest trolling lure ! The drag screamed for a second and went silent as the marlin missed the hook ! The captain immediately slowed the boat and the mate made tossed the ballyhoo out behind the boat , jigging it constantly . I could see
the ballyhoo dart each time he jigged it .
Suddenly I saw a tall fin behind the swimming bait and there was a huge splash . The captain gunned the boat and the mate set the hook violently three or four times . Fish on !
Ken jumped up and grabbed the rod and held on . The
40-pound test line was burning off the reel at an alarming rate ! Then , about 200 yards out , the striped marlin starting jumping and tail walking , skipping over the water in jumps that cleared at least 10 feet !
After about 30 minutes , we saw the dazzling electric blue stripes on the fish as it came to the surface , and the mate grabbed the bill of the 100 pound striped marlin in his gloved hand , gently pulled the lure out of his mouth and released him .
We were trolling along at the usual 8 knot pace when the lure on my heaviest Cousins rod with a Shimano Tiagra 2 speed reel was ripped off the outrigger and the 50 pound test line started screaming off the reel ! Bridget grabbed the rod and was amazed when a long blue and silver bullet erupted from the sapphire ocean and skipped across the top of the water like a Corvette blazing off the starting line in a spray of boiling water ! That marlin stayed out of the water for a good 100 feet before suddenly diving straight down toward oblivion !
The captain called out “ Blue ! Blue !” and we realized she was tied to a large , pissed off blue marlin ! The captain had to back down on this fish three times before we actually started gaining line and stopped worrying about being spooled . Bridget sat in the fighting chair and fought the blue marlin valiantly . The sweat was streaming off her face and arms , and I told her she was glistening !
She looked sideways at me and said , “ Don ’ t bug me !” and went back to fighting a fish longer that she is ! After about 15 minutes of just holding on and slowly gaining line , she was getting worn out , so Ken took over for a while . The three of us took turns playing the fish , until after an hour and 30 minutes , the big fish suddenly lost its power and came right to the boat .
As he neared the surface , I noticed that he looked kind of gray , instead of the usual luminescent glowing blue . The captain slowly idled while the mate held the great fish next to the boat , trying to get oxygen into his gills , but the fish was dead – he had fought so hard and long , that he died at the boat . Back at the dock , he weighed 280 pounds and was almost 12 feet long ! Marlin steaks for everybody !!
Back at the hotel , we had our usual “ margarita meeting ” around the pool , and exchanged stories . Dave and Wanda had a
3703

4 All Natural Scents ... Kokanee , Trout , Salmon & Shad

82 YEARS of Catching TROUT & KOKANEE 100 % Made in the USA

Without a DICK NITE ... You ’ re Not Fishin ’ Right !

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The author and Bridget Looney with 68 and 45 pound tuna caught in the Sea of Cortez . Photo by Dave Barsi , Oak Run