Saw this yesterday - pretty crazy when you see the wooden ladder ripped out and flung over the stern after rebounding off that guy's head! Good thing they had the 4 cameras set up to capture the footage.
The crew on that boat ought to be shot for doing that with a charter. There is no way they should have ever tried to boat a fish that green. It was way too lively, not to mention the way they backed down on it. The Captain backed down so hard he overshot the fish and instead of keeping the fish in front of the mate who was leadering it and behind the boat, the mate then had no control over the fish. Had the angler fought it a little bit longer, it could've been safely boated. Needless to say it looks like it's a legal IGFA release, the mate looks to have the leader in his hand.
Ladder That ladder was in fact the removable back rest from the fish fighting chair that must have been stored on that cushion forward in the Cockpit.
Being a bit hard on them. Skippers on the Reef run fish down hard becuse of sharks - a real problem as the Tiger sharks make short work of a hooked and or tired marlin. Getting the fish asap is standard up there. Also, that fish turned 180 pretty quicky, swam at the boat and jumped in. Maybe he should have gone forward as soon as it turned back on the boat, but even if he did, i am not sure it would have made much difference - it was quick and that boat is around 70 foot. They are good crews who chase big fish in often difficult conditions.On rare occasions you get unlucky. I cant recall anyone being hurt up there.
This is not the first time a "Green Fish" has jumped into the cockpit of Little Audrey. I kind of agree with Capt J on this. As much as there are a LOT of BIG Tigers up North, these guys almost catch the fish using the cockpit! A bit too fast on the back up I reckon, then again, I am no big fan of a fast back up.
Happy to stand corrected re Little Audrey. I have not fished with them. Fished on Viking II and The Force
Hey, No Worries Scrumpie, Still made a great video and I would fish with these guys anytime, just with an eye on the wire man and the other on any flying material! Meantime i'm looking forward to a good season on the Gold Coast! Cheers. George
sorta like fishing in the salmon rivers where the angler hooks a fish and the gilly runs 3/4 of the way into the river to net the fish..
That's an angry fish. Have a look at this: A hooked marlin sinks a fishing boat? Well, something like that This marlin sinks the boat.
Kafue is correct, I had a 180lb Black Marlin launch in the cockpit of Little Audrey during the Lizard Island Black Marlin Classic in 2008. Attack of the Black Marlin - YouTube
Made me want to cross my legs as it came aboard! Little Audrey might consider handing out cod piece protection
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