Barry Viviers gets his first black marlin

Barry Viviers gets his first black marlin

Fishing with Captain Derek Flaxman, from out of Cashew Bay Lodge in Inhassoro, Barry Viviers got his first ever black marlin Sunday last week!

After a real slow start at the south tip of 25 mile, where we were beaten by a nice couta and a GT that were herding some fusiliers, it was high time for some konas and a good spread out the back. We were only on our third rod when the real close kona started to really go. I did see a flash in the white water behind the magnificent Super Cat 38 we were on, but the fish never jumped until it got a food few hundred metres of line off us. By that time the other lines were cleared and Barry climbed into the chair. A few adjustments and we had Barry going back at the jumpy little black marlin.

At that size they really can perform, and this little guy was never gonna let us down. Luckily his antics seem to tire him quite quick, and soon Barry produced a leader! It took about twenty minutes on the nicely matched 30, and was oh so much fun!

The fish swam away with a new attitude to konas, and we had our spread back in order. Sitting atop the tower, I heard a shout from below as somebody spotted a sickle. Then we all saw it, I had such a cool view, as this fish, a much bigger and more fussy marlin came charging in but turning away at the last moment. This went on for a good few minutes when eventually she over took us in haste. It was a great encounter, but eish that was a big fish, and we already had one so it was back to gamefish a while.

Some angry skipjack gave us some serious revs. The couta were chowing the lures. We hit and missed on many frothing bait balls of scad and small bonnies, we wanted one for bait so bad!

Then I hooked a nice one and as I was passing the rod over, a shark came flying in. The bonnie got off. But the shark went straight for my beautiful halfbeak so nicely rigged on a #4 Mydo. It was a good fight and we got most of the trace back.

Fishing with Derek and his able crew is such a treat. And the huge Supercat 38, named Comforter, is just that. An absolute pleasure to fish from. Stay tuned, but the weather has been terrible. The after-effects of the cut off low that wrecked parts of Durban, is huge pressure differences, and so bad weather. And it’s been bad! Stuck on land!

To come marlin fishing with The Sardine team, click here.