# North Coast 23 Mar -Chasing the Hoo



## grant ashwell (Apr 24, 2007)

This is about trying to catch a Wahoo but not succeding plus what happened instead. Over the last week I have been troubled by muliple bite offs that I held mackeral responsible for. Not being one for wire I perservered and caught a couple of varieties however, the speed that I hooked and lost these fish interested me. Went out yesterday armed with half a dozen traces about 10-15cm long. Well, never having seen a Wahoo before I was not sure however, the water was clear and a big purple cigar about 1.5-2mtrs long gave me a clue. Unfortunately my traces were too short and these critters engulfed the line beyong the livebait and the steel..I was geting darn sick of bite offs and king hits when I spotted another on the sounder (??) Dropped a wee Nanygai down to it and off it went but on tightening up it turned out to be a Marlin.
After about an hour it came alongside but all silver rather than black. It was spent and had rolled over. I pulled it's head up by the bill up but not a murmer. I decided to swim it and peddled and peddled and peddled. I was rather concerned about loosing my arm but about an hour plus later came to the shore where it appeared to be moving. I walked it for maybe 40 minutes but it just kept rolling over and to my sadness, I decided it was dead. Part of me felt quite embarrassed but people were supportive and 3 of us managed to lift it out. 
My troubles had not finished however. I got it down to a place known to me as the "washing machine" where I filleted one side. While bagging it the swell came through and took the fish into the sea. I was completely stuffed and didn't have the energy to drag it out. All I felt capable of was watching it and feeling guilty. Anyhow, I was standing there watching it float til a local fisho came by and took control. He organised a boat to pick it up from out where it was floating and they returned it to the ramp whereapon I filleted the other side. All the flesh has been eaten/saved so at least that was better than it just sinking back into the deep.
I should thus publically than thank the guy who organised the return of the fish, the boaties who recovered it and the several people who gave me lifts at different times. I was far too tired to properly acknowledge them.
I have never had a Marlin die before so not sure what I did differently nor do I know what the cause can be.

Multiple Wahoo caught by boaties so I saw one and will be better prepared next time.

Today I feel like I'm getting beyond this caper as I ache and have really debrided hands.

Picture attached taken by Geoff Whitford.


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## Dave73 (Dec 3, 2006)

Nice tale Grant. A philosophical look at the bigger picture.
Bummer about the wahoo, those pesky marlin!! Congrats.

Cheers David


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## RedPhoenix (Jun 13, 2006)

Unfortunately, due to the change in ownership of this web site and the lack of response by the owners to my requests to remove my email address from all administrative-level notifications and functionality, I have decided to remove my posts on AKFF. Thank you for the great times, the fantastic learning experiences and the many many fish. If you are desperate for the old content of this particular post, it is available below base64 encoded and bzip2 compressed.

Red.

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## GregL (Jul 27, 2008)

Bad luck with the croaker mate. It just happens sometimes. You've released plenty of healthy ones so don't beat yourself up about it - the buggers sometimes really do fight to the enth degree, which can lead to a heart attack - and that's that (I've seen it happen a few times from the boat).
Great effort all the same - cracking fish!
Good luck with the 'hoo - methinks a longer trace will be the ticket ;-) 
Best regards as always,
Greg


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## keza (Mar 6, 2007)

Great report Grant.
You did your best and as others have said you have a pretty good record with the fish gods. 
Pretty hard work with one of those after you hit the beach if you don't have a crew around you.
Great that the boaties helped, I thought you were going to say you saw the bull sharks tear it apart.

It would be nice to tick sailfish and wahoo off in one season. Are you on a mission now ?


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## Shufoy (May 28, 2008)

Great fish there Grant, inspirational stuff!

Well written piece too, really reflects the respect for these fish you obviously have.


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## billpatt (Apr 12, 2010)

If there were more fisherman with the respect for there targets, I don't think we would have half the green zones etc we have now.

Congrats on a great catch, would be worthy of the largest fish for the month in my opinion.


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## Marty75 (Oct 23, 2007)

Another excellent capture Grant.

Great report and good luck in adding a wahoo to your list.

Marty


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## paulo (Nov 1, 2007)

Nice one Grant. Youre on fire this season.
No-one puts the effort in you do. I wouldnt feel bad about eating the odd one. The way the authorities allow them to be killed you probably only deprived a few cats of a another meal of canned fish anyway.


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## Game fisher (Jul 5, 2006)

Grate report, with a good ending. Are there any go-pro photos?
I am sure you will hook up to a couple of Wahoo's this season. 
You should look on ebay  .....and get yourself a mobile freezer, :lol: .............to store all those fish. ;-)


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## carnster (May 27, 2008)

Awesome but can you send em back to the goldie now?


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## spooled1 (Sep 16, 2005)

Holy mesmorosis Grant!
Don't let the 'hoo elude you too.


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## Physhopath (Jun 21, 2007)

Most Excellent Grant, well done, an enjoyable read too.
I agree with the above comments, it definitely has been a good year for you, good luck on your 'hoo hunt. ;-)


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## Game fisher (Jul 5, 2006)

I am sure you have caught more kg fish to date this year than most of us combined? e around 300- 400kg of fish, leaving out all the sharks and mac tunas&#8230;..and the ones you released.
I am nominating you as the first " Legend Heavy weight Fisherman"


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## blueyak (Jan 20, 2009)

Thats some very impressive by-catch Grant.
Goodluck in your quest for mr 'hoo'.


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## scater (Nov 24, 2007)

Awesome capture Grant, I love how nonchalantly you treat what would be the capture of a lifetime for anyone else here. You're in a different league mate!


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## tonieventer (Jul 27, 2009)

Well done Grant, you are a living LEGEND!!

All the best

Tonie


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## kas (May 5, 2009)

A true fisherman & it's obvious by the story you have told. No gloating/chest beating but guilt for not being able to let this great creature go alive.
champion effort either way it went mate, keep it up.

I gotta get up that way one day soon&#8230;&#8230;&#8230;&#8230;&#8230;&#8230;&#8230;&#8230;&#8230;&#8230;


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## Zed (Sep 18, 2006)

Wahoo is on my kayak to-do list. I have to travel 1000 or so miles S for my chance. I'd help you out with that marlin meat, mate. 
2:1 
brown sugar:salt 
Cover 4x1x8or10cm planks with salt brown sugar mix
chill overnight. Start up the smoker bright and early and smoke that stuff into some epic marlin jerky!
*droooool*


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## ArWeTherYet (Mar 25, 2007)

Nice fish Grant, not a bad by catch. :shock:


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## Cid (Nov 14, 2005)

Fuggin' marlin getting in the way... :roll: ;-)

Awesome capture Grant and don't feel too bad about the fish not making it. You did all you could and sometimes it happens, that's the nature of fishing.

Good luck with the Wahoo, I'm sure it won't be long before ya get one!

cheers,
Cid


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## avayak (May 23, 2007)

Not bad bycatch Grant. Its all good as long as you eat it in my books. If you want to get depressed just go to the fish markets.
Sometimes the line gets tail wrapped and they get pulled backwards and drown.


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## couta1 (Sep 10, 2005)

mate,your cool collective approach and the hours you put into your fishing inspires me


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## grant ashwell (Apr 24, 2007)

Thank you all for the positive comments.

I can assure you that I do get very excited when I hookup. In fact, I get very excited just being out there with a livie in the water because then, anything is possible. It is such hard work at the time and I say to myself that Cobia are easier and more fun but bill-fishing is very addictive Such awsome power and I'm connected to it by a thin nylon line while sitting on a sheet of plastic. This time was a bit sobering though when I had opposed emotions going. I have a little mantra of thanks that I say out loud every fishing day.
Because I fish alone, posting what I do gives me some sense of being able to share the event though I realise that offshore fishing is not everyones idea of fun. It means a lot to me if others are inspired to believe that they too could catch a billfish if their desire is strong enough. To be present for Paulo and Gamefishers successes was gold.
We all have different dreams/goals and there are equal or greater skill levels required in many forms of fishing-darned if I could catch Bream on 2 kilo line or Whiting on poppers.
I grew up in NZ baitfishing for Trout believing Marlin fishing was just for the priviledged. Well, that's my self talk to explain my obsessional behaviour. It was good to read that Micka has the same problem with Kingfish dominating his headspace.
No way I could write reports on all the zero days so even while I have boated a few fish over the years, last season I think I lost 4 to nil. This season I have yet to drop a fish.

The nurse is calling...I had better go and take my medication before I dribble some more.

Thanks again for your interest and feedback

Grant


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## Physhopath (Jun 21, 2007)

We need a clapping smilie, cause I am just sitting back & quietly clapping.
( If that makes sense )


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## malhal (Jul 8, 2008)

Grant you put in some serious hours and the fish are well deserved.

Cheers Mal


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## imnotoriginal (Jan 13, 2008)

You've treated that fish with the utmost respect and I admire your attempts to revive it. It's an extremely deflating experience to have such a mighty fish die in the struggle and I can only imagine how conflicted you must have felt at the time. Another friend of mine has just had the same thing happen with his first marlin and I'm sure he would also sympathise. Thanks for putting your report up, it's wonderful to hear from someone so dedicated.
Joel


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