However at the 120 north of the chicks, saw a large dorsal and tail on the surface. Was just wandering aimlessly. Wasn't interested in us and eventually sounded. From recognition charts, we think it was a Broadbill? In 120m and on the surface during the day? Happy to be told what else it might be but it was long, black on top, dorsal as high as the tail. Didn't get to see the front end as it sounded away from us... 

Basically, We dropped two XOS kahawai in at 100m off lims. Floated around enjoying the day when the deep kahawai(other was on balloon a fair way from the boat) popped up and started cruising quickly round the surface. For five mins or so I watched and started to wonder if it was actually sick as it began just the slowest cruising, then dipped down to 10 to maybe 20ft when bang it got hit. There was nothing for five seconds then it was picked up. I gave it a good 30secs or more to let a good swallow. 

On hook up we had the obligatory few hundy mtr run but heading deep. 

I started thinking it was a big shark, then, as I couldn't too much line back between runs(soon had the 37braid over strike), that it was a dorsal hooked hammer. I was thinking that it'd taken the ky that had a really long bridle so also wondered if it was facehooked but a look at the other bait showed we had a bridle with the hook right in it's face so I started to doubt with the amount of time holding the bait that it was anything but deep in the fish.

After about 1hr40, 10runs and 3-400mtrs gathered and lost, it died. We didn't realise for a while(this was the first possible marlin we've ever hooked by ourselves and I've never got one to the boat). 

We tried getting it off the bottom and soon had the drag on sunset. The boats fising the area all started to cruise past for home and the missus started to get a little concerned we'd be out here all night. I radioed what was happening and someone else suggested it was time to try and plane the fish. Phoned another mate who catches a lot and got the good advice.

Let the weight take 150 or so and eventually got the fish moving along the bottom. Then the angle of the line came up a fair way. We though it was working and would come up more and lost a lot of time waiting for more angle. Eventually I realised the most important part was sharpening then lengthening the angle with the fish moving for forwards, so line on the reel but the angle still long. 

We had to try something so one more back up and I think it touched the corner of the boat....

My wife and I just sat the staring at the water for 5mins. All that mayhem and chop coming over the back of the boat. Her good work running the boat and my physical destruction... for nothing. Not even a look.

For future reference I believe once the fish is that short we should have upped the speed forward very slowly to a much higher speed. But hey, that's life, if only we hadn't lost time earlier making the last bit be in the dark.

Yeah turtle, I wondered about that but thought it unlikely it'd be near the surface at 1am. I had a mate pick one up a few years ago mid afternoon on the surface to it's possible. But we'll never know. Missus was not impressed by the mystery ending

Awesome fish for Kyle, especially solo. Congrats.