| Hat Time |
It was the regular crew plus Freddy and a 7 am start. A blue bird day with a few scattered showers on the horizon. Frank the bait guy had us set up w/ 3
dozen live ones and we were gone....
The course was southeast to the edge and then southbound on the edge w/ wire line and fast trollers. Southeast again at the monument buoy and the
outriggers came out and we pulled back on the throttles.
Plenty of scattered weed and occasional birds. First blood was a nice schoolie under some little birds. What happened next was not too pretty as we were
able to tangle our lines and the schoolie did a self release. Not a big moment for the Hat Time crew.
More searching and we got on the trail of some small birds working some scattered weed about 10 miles east of Fowey. The little birdies were diving down
and picking at the scattered sargassum. We trolled by and next pitched live baits but to no avail. Jimmy insisted that we keep flinging pilchards under these
birds and that's when the magic happened.
A 30 lb class cow mahi mahi got jiggy with the pilchard on 20 lb spin and took off. That's where Freddy entered the fray. The dolphin put on exciting aerial
displays ending in crashing colages of blues, whites and golds. Despite having a tournament class dolphin on, Henny had the presence of mind to persist
fishing his live bait. Thoughout the manuevering of the boat and the heated battle Freddy was engaged in, Henny kept his pilchard clear of the animated cow
yet positioned for what he hoped was her mate.....Heidi saw it first...."a huge fish is jumping over there !".
An enraged 30 pound bull had downed Henny's bait and started doing cartwheels. This dolphin was not a happy camper. His next move was decisive. He
peeled off going for the horizon. The 20 pound spinner was buzzing like a machine. From the looks of it, that fish was a goner.
By this time, Freddy's cow was ever so slowly coming closer. His fish would have to be beat fast if there was to be any chance at Henny's bull. By this time,
Henny could see the spool of the Penn 750, and it looked like only 100 feet of line was left, and that bull was nt slowing down.
Freddy's fish circled within gaffing range and Jimmy hit it with the hook. As Freddy's fish was sliding over the rail, we dropped the throttles just as the knot on
the spinning reel was in plain sight under a few wraps. It was Henny's time to turn on the heat on his fish.
We pointed the Hat Time at the fish and Henny started reeling. As we approached with in 75 yards the fish went deep. Henny kept the pressure on and the
dophin came up again, jumping and thrashing. Too much time on target with these big fish is never a good thing. On 20 lb spin and having almost been
spooled once, the odds were in the fish's favor. Slowly but surely, Henny coaxed the big bull closer. At this time the Gaff man had a Lipton Ice Tea Break.
The bull got within range for a second, Jimmy put down his Tea and scored with the gaff.
Added to the list were 2 wahoo on the wire, 7 schoolies (typical chinese fire drill), a triple tail and barracuda.
Another enjoyable day on the Hat Time was in the books.
dozen live ones and we were gone....
The course was southeast to the edge and then southbound on the edge w/ wire line and fast trollers. Southeast again at the monument buoy and the
outriggers came out and we pulled back on the throttles.
Plenty of scattered weed and occasional birds. First blood was a nice schoolie under some little birds. What happened next was not too pretty as we were
able to tangle our lines and the schoolie did a self release. Not a big moment for the Hat Time crew.
More searching and we got on the trail of some small birds working some scattered weed about 10 miles east of Fowey. The little birdies were diving down
and picking at the scattered sargassum. We trolled by and next pitched live baits but to no avail. Jimmy insisted that we keep flinging pilchards under these
birds and that's when the magic happened.
A 30 lb class cow mahi mahi got jiggy with the pilchard on 20 lb spin and took off. That's where Freddy entered the fray. The dolphin put on exciting aerial
displays ending in crashing colages of blues, whites and golds. Despite having a tournament class dolphin on, Henny had the presence of mind to persist
fishing his live bait. Thoughout the manuevering of the boat and the heated battle Freddy was engaged in, Henny kept his pilchard clear of the animated cow
yet positioned for what he hoped was her mate.....Heidi saw it first...."a huge fish is jumping over there !".
An enraged 30 pound bull had downed Henny's bait and started doing cartwheels. This dolphin was not a happy camper. His next move was decisive. He
peeled off going for the horizon. The 20 pound spinner was buzzing like a machine. From the looks of it, that fish was a goner.
By this time, Freddy's cow was ever so slowly coming closer. His fish would have to be beat fast if there was to be any chance at Henny's bull. By this time,
Henny could see the spool of the Penn 750, and it looked like only 100 feet of line was left, and that bull was nt slowing down.
Freddy's fish circled within gaffing range and Jimmy hit it with the hook. As Freddy's fish was sliding over the rail, we dropped the throttles just as the knot on
the spinning reel was in plain sight under a few wraps. It was Henny's time to turn on the heat on his fish.
We pointed the Hat Time at the fish and Henny started reeling. As we approached with in 75 yards the fish went deep. Henny kept the pressure on and the
dophin came up again, jumping and thrashing. Too much time on target with these big fish is never a good thing. On 20 lb spin and having almost been
spooled once, the odds were in the fish's favor. Slowly but surely, Henny coaxed the big bull closer. At this time the Gaff man had a Lipton Ice Tea Break.
The bull got within range for a second, Jimmy put down his Tea and scored with the gaff.
Added to the list were 2 wahoo on the wire, 7 schoolies (typical chinese fire drill), a triple tail and barracuda.
Another enjoyable day on the Hat Time was in the books.
Dolphin/Wee-hoo/Triple Tail/Cuda
 | |  |
Happy Angler
Fuel -->
weehoo
| August 20, 2005 |