Great Day On The Water A BAD DAY GONE GOOD - OMAN

[OmanGT]

Howzit Fellow BD'ers

My friend Dave and I headed out yesterday to try to snag a sailfish. There's been plenty around this year and we've released a few. We left the dock at 7:30 to fish a strong falling tide and the low tide at 1pm. Trolled for hours with the reels staying silent. We saw two sails in a current line about 5 miles off of Siefa but unlike the previous weeks no strikes. The ballyhoo we were trolling held up well and were skipping fine but no darn strikes.

Hour after hour and the feeling of despair grew and grew...nice clean water and cold beer but damn we wanted to hear that reel sign. We yelled at the fish and called them names...but no strikes...we prayed to the fish gods...but no strikes...we talked to those fish with endearing words...but no strikes...Dave even took a nap to try to generate a strike...but no strikes...we broke out the sandwiches...but no strikes.

About 2:30 We gave up and started to troll rapalas along the beach for the small kingfish (spanish mackerel) that were showing up in the market. No strikes...and then...no strikes...shyte time to reel in and head for home...

We were cruising at 28 knots and saw some balled up bait and birds working along the rock wall just west of Siefa beach in about 10 fathoms. I'd fished that area plenty of times with no results...Dave wanted to stop, I wanted to keep goin home..Dave kept saying lets stop and so I slowed the boat and put the rapalas back out.

After a few minutes my little Shimano with 30lb absolutely started to scream. I picked up the rod, a 25 year old Saber I had cut down and rebuilt, and the line was coming off the reel as fast as I've ever seen...holy shyte. We got the boat stopped and lines cleared and that bugger still was ripping the line off.

No head shakes just smooth power. I thought damn its a shark. Several long runs...Dave insisted it was a kingfish but damn the fish just kept taking line with really smooth long runs. After about 15 minutes we turned the boat down current as I couldn't get much line back and it worked and I started to gain line.

Great fight...after 20 minutes we finally had color and there is a nice sweet kingfish. I've been trying to catch a fatty like that for years now with no success. The bugger was foul hooked close to the anal vent in the fin....and thus the smooth power and long fight trying to pull em sideways.

Dave stuck him with the gaff and he's on the deck yeah baby. 40lber not huge but definitely put a big smile on our faces...totally stoked.

This story is about how many times we've all been fishing on a slow day...frowns growing...and then it all comes together when that reel starts screaming...instant mood changing excitement...the frowns disappear and the fight is on...the fish hits the deck and the high fives start up...and a few cold beers still left to celebrate.

Cut the tail off the fish to fit in the box and filled it with shaved ice from the ice house we'll cut it up this morning for some fine steaks....just one fish but totally made the day.

[Luhr'd Away]

I like it, nice report

[FAT CAT]

Well you tried ALL the approved methods to get the fish to bite. Good thing you stopped when you found the opportunity. Nice fish.

[Night Moves]

Not trying to be smart ass here, just provide some info. That fish is a confusing one for a lot of people and comes up often misidentified. That’s one thing I have learned from fishing all over the world is there is a lot of common names and fish that look similar. King Mackerel (Scomberomorus cavalla) like the one in the pic below ranges in the western Atlantic.


Your fish is most likely a Narrow-barred Spanish Mackerel. (Scomberomorus commerson) His range is included in your area. They are considered a better food fish than the kings and trophy fish for most indo-pacific spearfisherman. Here is a pic of a Narrow-barred Spanish Makerel.



Great catch and thanks for the cool report. Good reminder to always hang in there! Its not how you start the day, its how you finish!

[OmanGT]

quote: "Your fish is most likely a Narrow-barred Spanish Mackerel. (Scomberomorus commerson) His range is included in your area. They are considered a better food fish than the kings and trophy fish for most indo-pacific spearfisherman. Here is a pic of a Narrow-barred Spanish Makerel."

I spent 8 years in Palau in the Western Pacific so I guess it's the same fish as here in Oman....darned good to eat one of my favorites...barbequed a big steak last night and it was darned good.

Hey Jon just noted you're in Guam I was there from 1982 to 2000...how's the wahoo bite right now...November run of the rats I bet.

[Night Moves]

Brian, Yes they are the same as the ones in Palau. I'm sure them and the Kingfish are distant cousins! Man, Palau for 8 years! That had to be great. I love it there and visit as much as I can. Its crazy that Palau gets the Narrow-Barred Spanish Mackerel there, but we don't get them here. I wish we did.

As for the Wahoo, You're dead on for the season. I'll be headed out this weekend to give it a shot. There have been a bunch around for months now and most bigger than rats. I just posted a report. Its in this section.

[Stack M High]

Nice Fish

[BigJim619]

Great report,nice catch!!!