As we reported in an earlier blog, we have had no luck catching any fish other than barracuda. So, when it came time to leave Long Island and head for Georgetown, we decided to take the deep water route rather than the one close in shore (where we were sure to catch more unwanteds). As we approached the turn (just southwest of Cape Santa Maria -- where Columbus is said to have made his first landing in the New World), we prepared to set two lines, running ballyhoo for bait. In order to have better and easier control of the boat when we hooked a fish, we were sailing under jib alone. We made the turn and Van set out the lines. No sooner had he returned to the cockpit than both rods bent over and line started to run out. Van got control of one rod, but the other one kept loosing line until whatever hit it took the entire line -- hook, line, and sinker. We slowed the boat by luffing the sail and Van brought the fish -- a nice big Mahi Mahi -- to the boat. Unfortunately, he was on one side of the outboard mounted on the stern rail and Lauren, with the gaff in hand, was on the other. As a result, we were "fighting" each other, the gaff slipped off, and the fish got off the hooks and got away. We felt badly because it obviously was wounded in the process.

Van set another ballyhoo and we quickly got another hit that stripped the bait off the hooks. That in itself was an impressive feat because the double hooks are rigged inside the fish. Because it was pretty rolly (3-4' seas in 17 knots of wind) we decided to try one more. Again, the line was set, Van returned to the cockpit, and just as quickly had to return to the aft deck to fight yet another fish.

This one was huge and, for a while, we thought it might have been a marlin because of its brilliant blue back. It took about 40 minutes to bring the fish to the boat, and there was a question who would tire first, Van (on a rolling deck) or the fish. Finally, we were able to bring it alongside, hook it with the gaff, and bring it aboard. Lauren applied the alcohol anesthetic,and sadly, we watched the color drain from the fish as it succumbed. Because it was so big and the boat was moving too much, we decided not to try to filet it outside, but stand it in a bucket of water with its tail and body well lashed to the boat. We did not want to lose it!

We entered Georgetown and anchored near the outside to fillet our beast so that we would not attract sharks to the boats and swimmers located in the harbor. There, we measured (58", probably 35 pounds) and filleted the fish, putting up multiple bags for the freezer. Then, we moved in to anchor off Volley Ball Beach amidst the 300+/- other boats in the harbor. The next night, we had two other couples (Steve and MaryAnn from Living Well and Burt and Pru from Exuberant) over for cocktails, dinner, and after dinner, a game of Farkle. Fun evening, and excellent fish!