Cape Verde – Noble gladiators of the sea

A fight, that can´t be harder. A challenge for muscles and emotions.

A twisting at the limit of the load for fish, humans and material: Big Game! Particularly desires: the Marlin. Gladiator of the seas. Read here the experience report of the Cape Verdian islands, a Eldorado for billfish of up to 1.000 (!) lb. Accompany Stephan Kreupl and Robert Rein, the authors of the book “Bluewater Fishing” on there fantastic trip!

Doublestrike. My Marlin jumps on the horizon, unfortunately without hook. I look to my left, Stephan´s “fish” takes line …slowly. The bite is untypical for a billfish, therefore none of us counts on a Big Blue. Suddenly it pulls Stephan almost over board and the game begins. The line shoots from the role. 300-400-500 ran off at least 600 meters now. We observe the horizon, Cepriane, our captain, can see the fish as the first: “Big Marlin at 8 o’clock”. The fish jumps with his whole size out of the water, for one moment it seems he stands in the air, just to splash back powerfully.

We have to follow the fish backwards. The Marlin dips off, Stephan fights very hard. The line is at the load limit. Now we are no longer far from the fish, the line-angle becomes flatter, it comes up. About 100 meters of us the Big Blue jumps out of the water in its whole length and beauty. Its blue-touch and the silver belly shine and gleam in the sun.

 

Wild Sword Impacts

The fish hangs only on one hook and strikes wildly with his sword around itself. Three, four, five jumps and again dipping off, the line rushes from the role, the Marlin shows still no tiredness. Stephan fights again. Suddenly: “Sh… away”. Stephan´s arms hang down. For about one year, in July 2000 he lost a very big marlin. He was sure it was the “Marlin of his life”.

We couldn´t accept that lost and so we started this new tour. Directly on our first exit, against noon with mirror-smooth sea, an enormous Marlin comes, from one moment on the other one, to the surface and attacks all the lures; even an 18 cm Rapala. Successively all roles start briefly; 2 minutes of peace and then the fish is back. Now the fish selects one, but it seems he isn´t able to get it.

 

With open mouth

Now, the fish attacks the lure with open mouth. The lure “drifts” in that big, open mouth and the captain gives gas. Full power… the Marlin hangs, jumps several times near the boat completely out of the water and races approx.. 300 meters away. Afterwards no more escape follwos, the Marlin behaves unexpectedly peacefully. After a good half hour the marlin is near the boat but the fish is not tired, however. Stephan fights the fish now already 1 1/2 hours around the tail. The crew tries again and again to pull it to the gaff – unfortunately in vain; the fish is still “green”! Now, only a good meter is missing. Once again, the fish “explodes” and jumps directly before our eyes several times in his full length out of the water.

 

View in his eyes

We have a deep look in his eyes and become soaking wet. After 2 3/4 hours, we try it again, with united forces we pull the double line and try to pull the head of the big fish in our boat. If it succeeds, we have a chance. Still another half meter. Then, a loud “Peng” – the line blew up and we fly on the planks of the boat. The Marlin dips soul-calmly off and disappears, shining in all its colours, away in the infinite depth of the Atlantik Ocean. After some silent minutes the crew estimates the Marlin on more than 1,200 lbs. Stephan was frustrated, I think we don´t have to to describe more. “that was it, the fish of my life”; the second time a Big Blue before Cape Verde lost. Next day, next luck, same square. Directly in the early morning we catch large Wahoos, see a large tiger shark and a hammer shark. Against noon again out of the smooth sea sudden comes a large shade from the depth and swims behind one of our lures.

 

The Lure is in the muzzle

A similar situation as yesterday, the Marlin has some problems to take the lure. The same game, we take back the gas and wait that the lure drifts in the enormous muzzle. Full power … the Marlin hangs and runs. The fish dips away, he takes about 600 meters. We are sure, it isn´t a small one. After 1 1/2 hours hard twisting the Marlin is near the boat. Stephan is soaking wet sweated and also at the end. We gaff the fish and try to pull it over the railing. Unfortunately, the Marlin is too heavy. To our luck three native Fischer observed us and come to assistance. Finally, six people pull it in the boat. This Marlin is however a good piece “smaller” than the one of yesterday !? We can´t believe it, – the marlin was over 1000 lbs; Immediately, the guys increase the weight of the Marlins of yesterday to … – but, I don´t want to talk …

 
Stephan Kreupl, October 2001