Madeira Marlin Season 2010 Round Up

Well just when we thought the fishing in Madeira was all over for the season I just got word of a late bite over the last several days. “HawkEye” put a big fish in the boat after they hit  her with their propeller. With a few chunks missing she pulled the scale down to 990#. Yesterday “Our Mary” fought a big one for an hour and a half before pulling the hooks close to the boat. And today “Pesca Grossa” boated a big fish they estimated around 900# but unfortunately they didn’t have a scale to weigh her. Looking back at the season it was pretty tough  fishing all the way through. When the fish did show up they would only bite for a day, maybe 2 days if we were lucky before swimming off again. The good water pushed through in May and with it came the fish. They bit pretty good for a few weeks then a big  storm came through in early June, rolled the water over and the conditions never really got right after that. The current was switching constantly and the water temp was never steady. Having said all that  Captain Frothy who runs “Pesca Grossa” kept a good record of all the fish caught in Madeira this season. He told me there was around 80 fish caught between the fleet with an average size of around 700#. Not bad when you consider how slow the fishing was. I  doubt any other fishery in the world this year would be able to claim that many big fish. Even the Great Barrier Reef which does have alot of big fish also has alot of small fish mixed in and this brings the average size down. In Madeira you don’t see any small fish. Every fish you raise is over 500# with a good number of 700# to 900# fish and with the odd grander thrown in its one of the best places to fish for big atlantic blue marlin. And its a beautiful place to visit. Madeira……..the land of the sleeping giant.

A Few Fish for the Boys

"There He Is"

600# Blue Marlin "Grander"

The fish gods have been looking after a few of us here in Madeira the last couple of days. Yesterday “Tightline” was on fire. We watched them catch 2 fish right alongside us, a decent one around 400# and a big one over 800#. They switched both fish off the teasers and the bigger fish was foul hooked in the pectoral fin taking them just over an hour to get her to the boat. Big congrats to all on board. We were both fishing off Jardim Da Mar and it’s looking the best it has all season. Today it was our turn on the “Grander”. Jonboy decided to run straight to the spot rather than waste time trolling up there  and it paid off. Within the first 30 mins of fishing we raised a nice fish on the long corner. After missing the lure a few times she dropped back and tried to eat the long rigger. She finally got it right and piled on the short rigger. Lainey did an awesome job in the chair and we had the 600 pounder alongside the boat in under 10 mins ready for a healthy release. After a few photo’s she swam away in excellent condition. “Our Mary” pulled the hook on a nice one right alongside us. Hopefully there are a few more fish starting to turn up.

Another Nice Bigeye Tuna for the “Grander”

  

230# Bigeye Tuna "Grander"

The fishing has still been a bit on the slow side for the fleet here in Madeira with only a few marlin seen over the last couple of days. “Margarita” let a nice one go and “Our Mary” pulled the hooks on a decent fish. “Pesca Grossa” was fishing to west of Calheta when they lost a big one. Andy told me the fish was over 800# and they only had it on for a short while before pulling the hook.Thats the beauty about fishing in Madeira,even though the fishing is slow when you do eventually raise a fish chances are it’s going to be a nice one. Yesterday on the “Grander” we found some bigeye tuna feeding out to the west. After missing one on the long rigger we stayed in the area and eventually hooked one on the stinger. After a good fight on stand up the fish came up tail wrapped.  As soon as I was able to get the line of the tail the big tuna took of again and when Anthony got the fish up the last time I pulled the hook on the leader-buggar! A little discouraged we put the lures back out and in no time we were hooked up again. This time everything went right and after a short fight we had a nice bigeye  in the boat. Back at the dock the fish pulled the scale down to 230# and Anthony was very happy with his personal best bigeye tuna.

Madeira & Bermuda Fishing Update

With the tough fishing we are having here in Madeira this season it’s not suprising that the enthusiasm level is getting  very low amongst the fleet. And because of this there haven’t been many boats venturing out, only  a few each day. “Our Mary” has been fishing well releasing 2 fish from 3 bites in the last 3 days. Captain Jose said they were both nice fish, one was around 800# and the other around 600#. Maybe a few more fish are starting to turn up. In 1994 there wasn’t a fish caught in June or July and then in August “French Look” caught 11 granders and  the “Chunda” released 54 blue marlin. There still catching a few fish in Bermuda. A couple of days ago 3 boats all caught 1 fish from 3 bites with a few nice fish mixed in amongst them.

Hot and Cold Fishing in Madeira

The fishing has been a little up and down over the last few days. There was a good bite 3 days ago, I heard of at least 7-8 fish raised for the fleet with 3 nice one’s released. “Omega” pulled the hook on a big fish they called over 900# and “Cabo San Jaou” caught 1 from 2 bites releasing a 700 pounder. Yesterday the whole fleet was out and there was only 2 fish raised. “Balancal” let a nice one go and “Xareu” pulled the hook after their fish swam around a fish trap float. Very unlucky when you consider how long you may have to wait for a bite in this place. Today we took my wife Lisa fishing and she caught her first atlantic blue marlin. After a late start we decided to fish in front of the marina. Jonboy started marking a few small bait schools and it didn’t take long for us to raise a nice fish around 700#. The big girl had a hard time trying to eat the lure and after a very clumsy bite we had her on for a short while before pulling  the hook.A little disappointed we headed back to the bait and quickly raised another one. This time the fish ate the lure the right way and after a 20 min fight we released a healthy 550 pounder in great condition. Lisa was stoked and Jonboy and I were very happy with her efforts in the chair.  After lunch we missed  another fish around 500# topping off a great day!  Also today “Katherine B” let a big one go around 1000#.

550# Blue Marlin "Grander"

Another Grander for Bermuda

 

1005# Blue Marlin "Que Mas"

I just got word of another big one weighed in Bermuda. “Que Mas” was heading back to Florida when they got piled on approx. 50 miles south west of Bermuda. They fought the big girl into the dark and after a tough fight they put her in the boat. They ran back to Bermuda and weighed her on the “Madam”. She pulled the scale down to 1005# and is the 3rd grander weighed there in the last week.Big congrats to all on board. It would not surprise me if there is a few more big fish weighed there before the season’s over. There was a few more fish seen here in Madeira yesterday. “Sorted” released a nice fish they called 600#,”Katherine B” broke line  on a big fish that they said was around 1000# and “Tightline” raised a decent fish that would”t eat. I also talked to my good mate Jason Holtz yesterday and he was saying the fishing in Kona has been slow this season. They have been catching around 4-5 fish per day between the 20 -25 boats fishing.

Nice Fish for the “Grander”

Yesterday we finally had some luck on our side. Fishing off the cement factory near Funchal we raised a nice fish on the teaser. We wound in the teaser hoping she would fade back onto the short lure’s. Instead she was down deep watching the propeller’s. I quickly handlined up the short corner lure and she piled all over it, awesome bite right on the first wave. The big girl fought hard and she did some nice jumps around the boat and on the leader. Mike did a great job in the chair and he was stoked to catch his biggest blue. After about a 20 minute fight we let her go in really good condition. We all agreed she was a solid 750#. As we were fighting our fish “Hawkeye” hooked up a nice fish right alongside us. They fought the fish for a while and when they finally got her to the boat they couldn’t revive her. They decided to put her in the boat and she weighed 649#. Even though their were a couple nice fish caught the fishing in general is still slow for the fleet. Today “Hawkeye” released a big one they called 850# on 80#.

750# Blue Marlin "Grander"

On the Wire

Fish on the chew in the Canary Island’s

There have been some good report’s coming in from Gomera over the last week. The local boat’s have been enjoying 3-4 fish day’s with a few nice fish being released. One boat caught one they called 900# on 30# test line. It would have smashed the existing record (870#) but for whatever reason they decided to let her go. Today another local boat caught 2 fish from 7 bite’s. Hopefully a few of those fish will swim over to Madeira.

Bigeye’s still biting

Well the marlin fishing has slowed down over the last 5 days but there are still a few bigeye tuna around. They have been feeding late afternoon after most of the fleet has returned to port. We decided to stay out  and it was worth the wait. After missing one on the stinger we hooked a double header and had them both in the boat after 45 mins. They weighed 180# & 150#. Beside’s that there hasn’t been much else around. We are all just patiently waiting for the next wave off fish to come through.

Leslie Watkin's Personal Best Bigeye Tuna 150#

Cabo Garou

900# Blue Marlin "Omega"

Madeira heating up for the World Cup

 

900# Blue Marlin "Omega"

Big Girl

With the Blue Marlin World Cup only a few day’s away the big fish have showed up at the right time. Today the fleet saw a handful of big one’s released. “Omega”  added another nice fish to their season tally that they called around 900#. Fishing along side them,”Pesca Grossa” let one  go around 750# . The crew on “Balancal” caught a decent one around 600# shortly before “Katherine B” got one around the same size. Also heard of another boat releasing a 550 pounder but not sure of the name. All the action was off Cabo Garou. Yesterday afternoon Jonboy and I live baited the same area and the bait was stacking up all along the ledge and the currents pushing the right way. Hopefully it’s Madeira’s turn to take the cup this year, it’s been a long time between drinks!