Hi Gang,

Rock Cod Rick and I hit the 9 mile bank Wed. for our weekly marlin hunt.  We had a little encouragement from a buddy the day before and hoped to capitolize on the dope.  We baited up and headed for the middle of the 9. 

The Jigs went out at 6:30 am and we began looking.  We found good bait, porpoise schools, birds, sealions, and kelp at 32.34 and 117.28.  At 9:00 we found a huge kelp with 30 terns sitting on it.  We slow trolled a mackie around it for nothing.  After cranking up the jigs again the line popped out of the port rigger and line slowly came off the reel.  It was likely a dorado.  As I began to wind it in a stiper came up jumping and we were on.  Unfortunately it fell off after a few jumps.

We worked the area for another hour for nothing and started to expand our area.  SST showed a break a couple miles outside of us.  We hit the break and found 2 nice kelps at 36/30.  We trolled past both and a quarter mile past all heck broke loose.  We had a jig strike.  Rick dropped back and then another jig went off.  He put the drop back rig in the rod holder and turned to clear a line and the bait rod went off.  We were now on a triple.  Another fish flew through the corner.  The second jig fish fell off leaving us with a double.  After 30 minutes both rigs had less than 100 yards left.  Unfortunately, Ricks bait fish unbuttoned leaving only a single hook up.  10 minutes later we tagged and released the fish.

We started up again and within one minute we had another one on.  Same story as the others, if fell off after a few jumps.  Jig fish can be so humbling.  We went 30 minutes without any action.  We trolled back down the the original numbers and had a double jig strike.  Again, we had them fall off after a few jumps. 

After another 30 minutes a spot of feeders popped up and we got a bait on it.  Two fish passed up the bait and attacked the pink EAL on the corner.  The one that ate it ripped off 100 yards of line and let go.

We put bait on another feeder for no luck and we ran over a fish that squirted out from under the boat.

All in all we were very excited to have had so much action within 10 miles of the point.

As of today, Friday, the fish are still there and biting.  We are all hopeful that this is the begining of an extended bite.

More Parker adventures to come.  I hope!

Doug