Thanks for that intel' Muppet. Doesn't look too far out on the charts but if the wind gets up on the paddle back in after a 3 hr fight with a tuna, when the arms are already jelly, it could get interesting.
I've read Kerry Flowers' trip report about and seen the vid of, his marlin some time ago and if someone like him says the paddle back was the hardest he's ever done, boy oh boy have I got some training to do. Longest day so far is a few clicks under 30kms and I could barely speak let alone move and was a couch lizard the next day. Scary thing is how unco' I get when tired and the risks of making bad decisions when tired increase immensely.
As much as I love Kermit, a Stealth kayak is in the plans and I think it or something along those lines is essential for my plans. Hopefully will get one long before next Summer. I got real close to saving the $ a few weeks ago but the fishing fund sprung a leak.
Shane, thanks very much for that info. That's not a small livie but it's not a small kingi either ;-) The only time bigger livies I've tried have been struck, it's been sharks or one mystery, top-water missile that tail slapped my loaded braid 3m from the hook, after peeling over 100m on the first run and showing no signs of tiring or slowing while pulling me at the fastest pace my kayak has ever been dragged, leaving me shellshocked, shaking, and hanging out to feel that sort of fight again.
Also a big, big thank you for your offer of any help or support if we are in the same water at the same times. It means a heap to me as I'm an absolute greenhorn when into the tuna and marlin categories.
There is so much to learn and I'm only just starting to realise how ignorant I am and if you or anyone else reading this has any info or can offer any assistance or willing to put up with what will start as a trickle and likely become a torrent of questions, it would be so bloody awesome for me.
So much to learn and somehow figure out how to adapt to a relatively tiny fishing platform with 3" of freeboard powered by whatever I had for dinner the night before or manage to get in me during the day. Essentially I'm just trying to somehow find and then attach my float to a big fish, survive the first 10 mins, and then make it through the next however many hours and still have my wits about me when **** gets real and it's getting close to being leadered.
I don't think I could do it without a support boat. Especially if the fight drags into many hours and into the night. Also, one thing that worries me is if I actually do manage the pipe dream of leadering a marlin, it's almost a 100% certainty it's going to be knackered - there's not much chance of bringing a marlin yak-side green. I'm going to need a boat to attempt to revive it or get really creative if trying to do that solo and stay upright.
So many what-if scenarios to think about and prepare for. what if I can't find a livie, can't get through the sharks, get spooled, get towed too far from land, an unforecast weather change happens during a fight, a big fish dives and stays there, sharks turn up when the fish is getting near the yak, fish drowns and can't be released, etc, etc.