Armed with our new custom-made fishing rod and a brand new 9-0 Penn reel with 60 lb test, we set out with our favorite skipper, Felipe and reliable deck hand, Reggie. This was our fourth trip to Hotel Buena Vista, East Cape, Baja California Sur, and now, being experienced, we knew what to expect, - well at least we knew that the skipper and deck-hand knew what to expect. We threw some live-bait at a Dorado, and I had the video rolling. However, we soon noted that it did not fight or feel like a Dorado. No jumping, no video, - disappointment! After a short but hectic fight, we realized that this was no Dorado, but an 80 lb Wahoo. Reggie, we yelled, "What did you do?" "Where's our jumping Dorado?" As usual he simply smiled, shrugged and said - "That's fishing." Fine, we had never caught a Wahoo before, were delighted by his "goof," and considered this another successful fishing adventure at Hotel Buena Vista even though after five days of fishing our new pole had not yet been used.
On our next trip to Buena Vista in November we were awarded with the same skipper and deck-hand. We once again pointed out that we had our brand new, unused pole and reel, and Nancy wanted a BIG BLUE. Along the way to the BIG ONE, and still very early in the morning, we saw another Dorado, at least Filipe and Reggie saw another Dorado. Great fun without too much work. With video once again rolling, we said to ourselves, "let's see that guy jump," the Dorado and not Reggie! As always, Reggie threw out live bait with our oldest pole and smallest reel, a 4-0 with 40 lb test. He said that it was easier to cast live bait with the small pole and light line, especially for a small Dorado. Out flew the line, and down went the Dorado. Once again, NO jumping, NO video. What is that deck-hand doing? Does he think that we want a fish? We want a video!
At least it was still early, ca. 9 a.m., and we still had much time to handle this small matter, and move onward to the BIG BLUE!
With the line being stripped from the reel, we almost panicked. We determined that we had ca. 1000' of line, even though most of it was DOWN. What a Dorado this is! Well, we got it back near the surface, but still could not see the fish. For the next three hours, all that happended was DOWN and UP, UP and DOWN, DOWN and UP - ca. 1000' down each time. Oh that we had more line. Oh that we were using our new, custom-made pole, Oh that we had 60 lb. test. All that we knew was that this could not be a Dorado, that this fish would not jump, and, as the deck-hand said "Strong fish." Three hours of WORK, no idea what we had, and no desire to loose it without knowing what it was, Nancy and I became concerned. From here on, and very nervous, we alternated at fighting this creature, we - Nancy, I, and the deck-hand. On and on we fought. Up and Down went the fish,. Once Reggie said "Check the break." Being totally exhausted, I heard "take a break," and gladly turned the pole over to him once again. What a joy to have misunderstood his comment.
As the afternoon crept on we estimated that this fish had been near the surface approximately 25 times, and although we had seen him, he never jumped. What a fish, what a fight, what an ordeal. No more just UP and DOWN, but now, out and running, out with our line. Move it Filipe, catch that guy before we run out of line. Engines reving, full speed ahead, we chased that fish, - back and forth, forth and back. The poor fish, the poor anglers, the poor engine. At least he had been spotted, - not a Dorado as we had already determined, but Nancy's BIG BLUE . Back on the pole for Nancy. Fight that fish, rev those engines, get that fish on your funky, old pole, and 40 lb. test. Finally he started circling, what a relief. We knew from Hemminway "The Old Man and the Sea," that when a fish begins to circle, that the end was in sight. Round and round he went, up and down he went, out and in he went. Were we on our way to Mazatlan?
By approximately 5 p.m., as the sun was setting, Reggie, spotting the BLUE and pointing, like the skipper of Das Boot screaming "Alarm, Alarm, Dive, Dive" the BLUE didn't dive but took one last attack, this time not up and down, not back and forth , but at the boat.
Juk,
engines reved, full steam ahead, (not only the pole but also the
engines were steaming) and the BLUE just missed the end of the
boat by inches. Thank heavens for Filipe saving his boat from
the inevitable collision with a huge, sharp bill, and Reggie hanging
over the transom, pole in the water, as the fish sped by. So excited
was everybody that after a few more rounds even Filipe was down
on the deck yelling "Morte, morte." The BIG BLUE was
DEAD! We had WON! Almost. With our well-worn line slowly being stripped for the last time, we watched as we once again lost our 1000' of line. Again Down and Down into the depths with the last, dying gasp from the BLUE. Oh how sad. A nobel fish, doomed to the bottom.
Our experience had more than run out, but not that of the skipper and the deck-hand. Delicately with hand over hand on the line, Reggie began to retrieve Nancy's BLUE, with Nancy holding the now very heavy pole upright as PA slowly reeled in the line as Reggie retrieved it.
Fish tied off, darkness set in, and shrivering, back to the dock we headed, initially to be greeted by the total support crew of the hotel, with hot coffee spiked in true Mexican/German style.
At that time we discovered that the hotel had already had a second boat loaded with crew, food, gas etc. to come out and relieve us. Who needed relief, we had Reggie and Filipe. However, what service from the hotel, what a delight to have Nancy's Blue., and WHAT RESPECT FOR SUCH A NOBLE FISH!
ADDENDUM: Little did we know that during our 8 hour and 40 minute adventure, Felipe was checking in hourly on our "progress." Thank heavens that we didn't know. We were in no mood for added pressure, - to lose Nancy's BIG BLUE. The seas were rough, and everyone else was in the bar, presumably cheering us on. Who needed T-V with PA and Nancy bouncing in the waves,
enjoying their adventure, and being reported hourly? Finally, arriving back at the hotel, ca 8 p.m., even in the cold, dark night,everyone joined us for the weigh-in, and sweating and exhausted (not us
but them), - a 258 lb blue marlin, really not that big, but what a fighter.
We now can join Hemminway in his respect for a nobel fish, maybe not three days and 1500 lbs, but NOBEL, and after writing this, I too feel sorry for such a NOBEL fish!.
(If you want more info on Pa's fishin' hole, see Hotel Buena Vista Beach Resort.