It's Like This

To tell this story, I want you to picture yourself riding in a boat on a very blue ocean. Sit and watch the wake of the boat as the day goes by. Sit there for about four hours.

Suddenly you hear the sound of your reel. It's a loud and heavy grating noise, like that of a jake brake being applied. Then the boat surges as the throttle is jammed forward. The engine races, the reel- drag groans and suddenly a huge blue marlin launches out of the water 10 yards off the starboard aft rail. It happens as quick as a wink of your eye, but the image remains in your head in slow motion.

The marlin shoots like a torpedo out of the blue, the line is slack from his evasive move, and you watch as your big lure drops into the ocean. You look around at Gerry and the rest of the group and their eyes tell the story. Big fish! Moments of excitement! Then back to watching the wake behind the boat.

That's how it went yesterday. Our radio confirmed several marlin caught, we witnessed two, but nothing for us. Just another great day on the water.