Originally posted by bill erhardt
Not only are dorado on the chew east of town toward the canyon for anyone willing to run that far out and make an appropriate feathery presentation, but the marlin that appeared in force last week east of Punta Lobos are now biting. At least, one did this morning. I launched this morning at 5:30 and headed out to where the marlin were concentrated last week before the blow from the north began on Friday. The forecast was for calming conditions today with little or no wind. What I found, however, was a brisk 10 knots from the north with white caps and 3' - 4' seas. I started trolling east at daybreak and before 7:00 was hooked up. Thirty minutes later, after a photo op, I released my first marlin of the year. I would not have bothered with a photo for fear of salt spray on my new camera, but he was the first marlin of the year and as such deserved to be memorialized. I was unable to remove the hook with my de-hooker, so brought his head in the "tuna door" for the extraction. After a short resuscitation he was on his way none the worse for wear. After the release I continued to troll east for a short time until the seas built to the point that when in a trough the horizon was sometimes, but not always, obscured by the surrounding waves. I turned and trolled back toward Punta Lobos and was back at the marina by 11:00.
I would estimate the strapping striper at 110 pounds.
