Uli’s Fish

[:en]The BRASILIA was „rigged and ready“ and in search of a blue marlin that could give our angler Uli Laux a shot at the 30 lb world record. The late Stuart Campbell’s 872 lb was the big number we needed to beat and August to September in the Azores is the right time and place to find such fish.

She showed up on one of the long teasers first before following the bridge teaser right to the corner of the boat where she cruised for a few seconds right below our feet before turning back to scoop up the pitch bait with a spectacular take, hook-up and we were on. The early part of the fight was perfect with short multi directional runs and plenty of jumps around the boat, during one of her shows, she doubled back abruptly to jumped across our stern trailing an airborne swivel to within 5 m of wireman Michael Frisch’s reach.

After the first 15 minutes, the fish settled down and swam southward at a depth of about 30 m. It was perfect – she wasn't going deep and we followed readily with just 10 lb of drag waiting for another opportunity to get closer to her at the surface. We knew our chances were good. We tried the usual pulling from various angles trying to coax or annoy her into jumping without effect.

Eventually 3.5 miles from the bank as we pulled from ahead of her on her starboard side she turned away from us and changed her course for a while before resuming her southerly course minutes layer. We tried the same again, this time free spooling her once she turned and let her swim away from the boat. This time she swam down sea and as we gently closed the gap it was obvious she had come closer to the surface as we had hoped. We homed in to get another shot at the leader but she was too strong and too fast for a second wrap. After feeling the pressure, she started swimming southerly and up sea again. After repeating our tactic for the fourth time we had had the short double line out twice and our second shot at the leader.

During the fourth hour of the fight and as the other boats headed back to port, the XACARA delivered a third gaff and wireman Marty Bates onto our bow to give us another pair of hands for the on-going pursuit. During the following hours our fish swam deeper at about 60 m and headed north to swim back over the bank close to were we hooked her and took us another 4 miles to the north west.

Uli Laux was doing a sterling job with the fish – he was solid and never faltered during entire fight.

During the 6th hour with the fish slow and deep at about 70 m we went up momentarily on the drag to 15 lb to see if we could get a reaction – we did, the fish accelerated and jumped once some distance from us. After keeping the pressure on at just over 10 lb. the fish was finally staying closer to the surface again and started swimming in different directions.

Shortly after sunset and during the twilight the fish accelerated and moved closer to the surface to give Marty bates a shot at the leader. On coming tight with a double wrap, the still strong fish made a sudden direction change that took Marty across the deck and slammed him into the corner of the cockpit as the fish went on jumping and collided against the side of the boat.

Our recovery was rapid and with the fish still on the surface we quickly approached her again for our 4th shot at the leader. With Brasilia wide open at 7 knots and reversing onto the fish we couldn’t close the gap between the Marty’s wrap and the fishes head and came undone again. Our next approach came within seconds, Marty wrapped like a tiger and we got close, but not enough for a gaff before the fish accelerated off again.

Yet another rapid charge and we were connected again – this time the fish changed direction whilst Marty was locked in allowing us to climb onto to the fish and we took our opportunity. Amidst a fury of white water and yelling the gaffs were plunged by Michael Frisch and second mate Marco Canu. The bill was half hitched whilst the fish was still kicking and finally after 7 hrs and 15 minutes, the fish was in the boat and our battle was done. Looking at the fish on the deck we were still confident that it could make the record – it certainly had more than enough length but the fish was lean and we knew too well that that can make all the difference.

Our exceptionally long fish fell short of our expectations when the scale revealed its weight to be 758 lbs. Nevertheless, our experience had been tremendous and our good friend Uli Laux can only be commended as an exceptionally dedicated and skilled angler who appreciates his fishing to the extreme.

(At the time the time of writing, I am wondering if this isn't the 2nd largest fish ever caught on 30lb line – I don’t have IGFA record books prior to 2003?)