That's My Story

I just spent the latter part of last week at the Western Outdoor News Tuna Jackpot in Cabo San Lucas. Fun time. If you were there, you know what I’m talking about.

I had nothing to do with it other than smile a lot and shake hands, but Pat and the rest of the staff sure put a lot of work into hosting a bang up event for everyone. If you only knew what goes on behind the scenes in putting something like this together.

Anyway, as I stood around in the afternoons at the weighing station mingling with the crowd, I heard a few comments from onlookers. Given that there were something like 125 teams and about 500 anglers, there really weren’t that many tuna weighed in. In fact, the largest tuna of the tournament was “only” 189 pounds.

Some of the crowd (many non-fishers) were saying how “small” the tuna were. I heard someone else say that “they saw more marlin caught during the marlin tournaments.” Another said that “maybe this was a tournament for amateurs” and “that marlin fishermen are probably better” which is why they catch more marlin!

OUCH! On behalf of all my tuna-fishing-brothers, I had to bristle a bit!

Only someone who has never pulled on a tuna would say that. I have nothing but respect for those who chase billfish. Bravo to you, my fish brothers.

Some would get in my face to tell me that yellowtail or roosterfish or some other species pulls a lot harder than tuna. However, I’ve rarely run into someone who consistently fishes tuna that would give the nod to some other species other than tuna.

Yes, marlin are surely the glamour fish. Any advertisement for tropical destinations shows a big gleaming sportfisher, a girl in a bikini, and (ta-DA), a marlin somewhere in the photo dancing across the water. They look darned good.

But, pound for pound, tuna are sluggers. I’ve caught and released over 100 marlin over the years including a 400 pound black, and nothing compares to the fight of a tuna.

Think about this. Marlin of 100, 200, 400, 500, and even a thousand pounds have been caught. Marlin under 300 pounds are not that uncommonly hooked. However, no one has yet to put a 400 pound yellowfin tuna on the decks. I’ve been able to put 100-200 pound marlin next to the boat in less than half and hour. I’ve fought big tuna for 4, 5 and 6 hours and never even seen the fish only to lose it!

I’ve watched strong men (and women) battle 200 pound marlin to the boat in ½ an hour. I’ve seen them battle for more than an hour with a “little” 70 pound yellowfin tuna. Yellowtail are brutes, but they won’t strip off 500 yards of line on their first run.

We’re not talking about being strapped into a chair with the boat doing most of the work. I’m talking man-up (only a figure of speech) stand-up style fishing where it’s angler vs. fish.

Here’s an example that one guy explained to me. Take your rod and reel. Tie a refrigerator to it and hang it over the side of a 10 story building. The frig is full of money. You don’t get the money unless you bring the frig up.

You are not allowed to let the frig touch the ground either. Now, add blazing sunshine beating on your face, arms and back like hammers. Now, hold that refrigerator and try to reel it up for one hour, then two hours. No help.

I’ve seen it happen time and again. We call it “praying to the tuna gods.” It’s where even the beefiest manliest man is brought to his knees. Hands are cramped into crab-like claws. Blisters have formed on fingers and palms. Veins bulge. Knees and back ache. Arms shake. And you succumb. You kneel down on the deck like a penitent sinner praying for relief…unwilling to let go, but unable to continue.

And just like that…ZING POWIE!

The line breaks. The fish comes off. The hook comes unbuttoned. Someone else saws you off. A shark eats your fish. Whatever. It’s gone. You get no credit for the time you fought it. If you’re in a big tournament like the one this week, fish still in the ocean don’t count. You get nothing but a pat-on-the back. All that time and money mean nothing.

Micheal Jordan once said that he has won many games with a last-minute shot. However, it’s the ones where the ball didn’t go in that he remembers the most. In fishing, you never forget the big ones you battled and lost. The big toads. The big sluggers. The huge gorilla tuna…the gorilla of your dreams!

There weren’t many fish brought to the scales this week because they are still out there…eating marlin for lunch! Many are hooked. Few are weighed!

That’s my story. If you ever want to reach me, my e-mail is riplipboy@aol.com.