8/7/10 Report: 1st V21 Billfish!

[Blue_Runner]

After getting the motor fixed last week (fuel pump) I decided to trailer it down for the weekend to South Myrtle to take my nephew Ross fishing. It was me, Ross, his dad Robin, Flyfishin and Fly's brother Cory.

Saturday the 5 of us woke at 5:30 am and made our usual stops for coffee/biscuit, ice, bait and headed out. We pulled dead baits in the 79 degree water for kings and spanish at a spot 13 miles off the beach. We picked at the spanish throughout the morning but the kings never showed. Flyfishin threw a casting spoon off the bow and has about as much action doing that as we did pulling the baits.



Cory behind the wheel and Flyfishin casting up front




Robin



At one time we thought we had a king and put Ross on the rod. It felt like a big fish and he did a great job. Come to find out it was a 5 lb spanish that ended up in a shark or cudas mouth. The tension finally lightened and Ross reeled in the head!

Ross on the rod



Flyfishin showing Ross the ropes



The catch!




Here is Ross with another one he caught:





So everything was going as planned when at 11:59 am, precisely, I heard the right short do a 1 second BZZZT.....I asked if anybody did that, they said NO....so I quickly popped it into freespool in the rod holder for about 6 - 8 seconds. Rod started bouncing and I tighted it down...FISH ON!! Little did we know if was a SAIL! We quickly figured it out when Cory picked up the rod, started working him and he cleared the water with a huge splash. We worked him in fairly quickly - probably too quickly. Once beside the boat FlyFishing got both hands on the bill as I scrambled to get a pic. The fish seemed calm at first but quickly showed that he was GREEN and became furious about humans touching his bill. He thrashed for a moment then popped loose from Fly's grasp. The line snapped and he was free. I did get one pic of him on the way in with his bill out of the water.

First V21 Sail!



Back at the house it was time for a few pics.

Ross and the catch





Fish bag




Random shots





My new favorite seating arrangement...sittin on the throw cushion



Cool house