A Great Day Out!

A bumper day for Pacific Monarch’s fishing team last Saturday, 11th March, fishing off Whangaroa. Robyn Thorburn and Raelene Stirling landed 55.7 kg and 45.6kg Yellow Fin Tuna.

A couple of hours later, Jules Minkhorst was fighting her first Blue Marlin. The Blue was around 3 metres long, with an estimated weight over 200kg.

For Robyn and Raelene, this was their first time game-fishing. Pacific Monarch was fishing in the Cavalli’s Canyon off Whangaroa. Robyn fought her fish for 30 minutes in the game chair. Raelene then brought hers in. She was fighting stand-up with a chair rod - a fantastic effort that greatly impressed the guys.

Jules fought her Blue Marlin for a very intense hour and forty minutes, with the “double” up to the boat around twenty times. Each time, the fish would take off again, just as Kurt was leadering the fish. Jules was cheered on by her team, and also 5 women friends and crew aboard “Crowded House”, who captured the fight on video.

The marlin was tagged just before 5pm on Saturday. Despite a rush trip to the weigh station, all three fish were disqualified from the Whangaroa Women’s Competition as they arrived 5 minutes late. However, the women are delighted with their success as is their local Manukau Sport Fishing Club.

The lure of the day, which caught both one tuna and the Blue Marlin, was a Joe Yee Medium Plunger Pearl Head. This lure the favourite of deckhand Kurt, having already caught 4 striped Marlin this season.