DAY ONE.
We had an awesome briefing for the TGFC One Base, the new open tent layout was much more easier than what they have had previous years. The weather forecast was touch and go but some boats headed to Mayor that night.
After a few rums we hit the sack ready for a 5:00am wake up call, we had a new crew member Jarred (PITTS) on this trip, so he was all ready to go first thing, the kettle was on the captain was awake with bit of a wine headache, but of course he came right.
Headed out with about 15 - 20 knots blowing from the north so a plan was hatched to work our way up to the Aldies. We saw nothing but managed to pick up few skippies to use as fresh bait for a snapper session.
We were over the crap weather by then. So a Snapper fish seemed like the best option, we got some nice pan sized snapper over the arvo and set anchor in a small bay on the southern side of the island. smoked marlin Pie for dinner. Thanks Wright family.
Later on, after few rums we got a few squid and flyers in the spotlight, had some fun, put few in the bin and some Squid for the frying pan.
DAY TWO
Woke up to perfect day with a 5 knot verbal forecast, Coffee was brewed and we hit the water aiming to get some bait before working towards the 250m mark north of the Aldies where our mates on BLACK LABEL had tagged one the day before. Straight away it was looking fishy as we headed over the knolls.
The boat just inside us had a hook up and all was looking good, we worked our way up when a fin came in behind the lumo on the shotgun, SHOTGUN SHOTGUN I yelled. Ray turned to look as it popped back up, he slightly changed the boat angle and she took the lure. HOOKED UP.
Gear was cleared as we had good tension and drag on the fish; I was on the rod and when I got set up she came to the surface. Nice little stripey around 90 - 100kilo. Shaking her head side to side as we held our breath. Line slack. FUCK.
She shock the hook.
Man I love that high when they come in the lures.
With the fishy feel and boats calling fish nearby we deployed 3 baits and worked our way towards the Hook.
Everything went quiet, and we slowly headed north as the Whitianga game channel fired, and the hook went off. Black Label and Cobra tagged one each and plenty of boats dropped fish. We got closer around 12 miles of when the back balloon exploded and the line peeled of at a high rate. Not one of us saw the fish and it headed deep.
We had Captain Ray on the rod who has played plenty of fish but nothing like this. Fishing 24 kilo meant we could only put so much on the fish. After two hours of trying to get this fish to the surface and get it out of its rhythm, the stale mate continued. Ray called it as a massive shark but as it had not bitten through the nylon trace the through of a BIG BILL was still in our minds.
We hooked the fish at 4pm and as we headed over the four-hour mark the light was starting to fade and this fish was not slowing. Rays legs were tiring and he had a good 14 - 15 kilo of drag on the fish but she would not come up. We tried heading shallow towards the Red Merc's but at 9:15 she finally bit through and we came to realize that this was a monster of a fish that we would never see.
We made our way to the Merc's for the night and set anchor next to another 40 boats around 11pm. Ray was stuffed an bed was a welcome relief.
DAY THREE
With a pretty tired team and a 25-knot forecast we decided to hang around the Merc's for the day. Jared and I have never been there and it's pretty amazing place. We got a few snapper here and there and did some snorkeling picking up some awesome size Paua for dinner and some Kina for Burley.
We had our Mates from Ocean Mozzie over for dinner with few rums and beers being sunk.
DAY FOUR final day
With the same forecast and howling winds we stuck with Ocean Mozzie for the 60 mile trip back to Tauranga, We fished the 200m line behind the Aldies along the way, with plenty of skippies loaded into the bin we managed to fill it on one bungee. Had a hit on a C2 lure that a Mate had given us.
Was an awesome trip with plenty of boats heading far and wide from Ranfurly Banks, Waihau Bay to the Mercury islands.
The winning fish was a Blue Marlin from the Hook, off the boat Whoppa Stoppa weighting 232.00 KG
Thanks Again to
TGFC, and see you next year
