Simon booked a full day Big Game Fishing on Gavito and we left Calheta Marina at 10.00 a.m. and headed for Ponte do Pargo via Jardim do Mar and Paul do Mar. We stayed around 3 miles from the shore in about 2,000 metres of water and ran a spread of 5 lines with a 6” Wiliamson rainbow coloured lure with a cylindrical head and flat face on the shot gun line, 2 Moldcraft 8” Chuggers in purple and black on the outriggers and 2 Islander Express 12” on the short corners.

We were trolling at 7.5 knots and once we reached Ponte do Pargo we headed out to follow a drop off line for about 7 miles from shore. We then headed East back towards the Marina, maintaining a distance from the shore of between 4 and 6 miles, running a zig zag pattern. At 3.10 p.m. we had a hit on the port side outrigger and this lead to us boating a Blue Marlin (baby) of around 100 lbs. The smallest we have ever caught, still it is a fish and with the Marlin being somewhat scarce up to now, we were delighted to have caught something.

The fish was photographed and then recovered and successfully released. We continued fishing until 6.00 p.m. but without further success. We were, however the only boat to have caught anything, so some bragging rights were in order and we proudly motored in with our Caught and released Pennant flying high from one of the outriggers. We hope that this is the start of a good run of fish, not only for us but also for all the boats in the Marina.