Guadalupe Island 1963.....A fishin story Part three

I mentioned in part 2 aside from some good size blue-fin hooks ups in the morning and 30# plus yt,s the big hook ups were yet to come.

tonight would be our first night at the island and my first exposure to some real fun fishing

As I mentioned before most of the guys hit the sack early in the evening,to much sun and beer,not me or my buds,we would not miss this for the world,the guy with the monster rig would join us each night and become our mentor we,ll call him Bill.

After Bill showed us how to rig up with the big macks off the bottom,reels in free spool with the clikers on ,we were ready, the smallest rig we had out were penn 68,s loaded with 50# and 60#,now it was just a matter of time walking around with a cup in hand,shooting the breeze and wait.

We noticed Bill had on a harness which he wore every day while the island probablyto help him hold up the monster rig of his,we brought one also not having any idea we would need it,I was to find out differently.

About 10 or 15 min and a reel started to click very slow at first than speed up, not mine but who cared action,my bud hands shaking pick it up waited a bit more and stuck him,after a long fight we gaffed a yt of at least 35#,this was to repeat a few more times when my 6/0 started talking,I tryed to stay calm, picked it up and waited a bit and thought what hell stick him,it was 12:00 midnight when this started,line was pouring off the reel,keep in mind we were riding on the hook and could not follow!

My back which I had worked so hard to get in shape started to cramp up,by now it was a half hour and he was out there 200 yds or more and catching his breath.

I needed help and called for our harness,after the boys got it on me I realized it was not adjusted right and was pulling my head down,its 1:00 now and I,m dieing,we are in the bow on the boat now its pitch dark and I,m stumbling around tripping over things and I,m nearly out of line,450yds or more........Is this the life or what

Its 1:30 and I have visions of a world record black sea bass or some wonderous fish when the line goes slack,after winding it all back we find the steel leader cut all to hell,go to plan B,and so it went the rest of the night,large bat rays to 150# moss-backs 35# plus,but no more monsters this nite.

Maybe 2 hrs of sleep and to think this is just day 1

For the next 3 days the boat would get 4 or 5 blue-fin 50# to 60# when big yt,s the rest of the day with the exception of Bill,s black sea bass 350# weighed in San Diego and my black 175#,my biggest nonshark.

Maybe be 15 or 20 hrs of sleep in 4 days of hard fishing and loved every min of it,theirs much more to the trip but you should get the idea
BAITCAST
It is acceptable to abuse one,s equipment as well as one,s body in the pursuit of that ultimate hook-up

Sounds like a fisherman's dream come true.Thanks for the story.