Family had bach at mathesons/ leigh for years. Saw fish weighed as kid here. I'm old. Released 130kg est striped marlin today solo south of hen. Fight time shade under 3 hours. Very energetic fish that wouldnt give up easy. Swam away with hook off lure i had to cut off as wasnt coming out easily. Took a pukula fantom lure. They dont get many out Leigh these days.. but still there.[IMG][/IMG]

Cheers. Having a rum to celebrate. Few old boys round Leigh who always knew fish were here and gave some good oil for young fella where to go,are pretty happy as wellFish still meter or so under on this photo.

Well done Shane, pretty good to catch one where most people wouldn't even try. Personally I would have gone and bought a huge frying pan 

smudge wrote: Well done Shane, pretty good to catch one where most people wouldn't even try. Personally I would have gone and bought a huge frying pan

Yeah smudge. I was so knackered there was no way I could pulled in the boat by myself. My days of pulling them in boat by myself are well over. Completely forgot how hard they are solo. Still had arm cramps this morning and real tired so just went for snapper fish this arvo.

Excellent result for perseverance and sticking to a plan. Kudos to you.

Thanks alan and geoff.
Solo club .. been there before, and shortly after they stoped letting people do it in comps at tuts. And I was in fair bit trouble with marlin we eventually put on board that day. Its always better and safer to have someone else that I do know. Also meant I could got fish quicker yesterday if had someone else with me.. My wife does like to be on strike all the time .. so guess there is one attraction of solo fishing for me but thats about only one.. Its my 3rd solo marlin, probably the last.

FlawOne wrote: Great work Shane, right under everyone's noses! Next challenge the infamous Anchorite Black

Yes Flawone ... still looking for one of those.

Well done Shane 

Well done Shane. Yep solo can be quite a hand full. Awesome to get one down there. 

Who would have thought you would find water like this so close to hauaraki gulf ... actually been here most years around abouts around now,  I’ve just never seen it this good! Have a good look at water in first photo and last one.