THE STORY OF JAW'S FIN

by Bob Russo

It was about 2:00pm when we heard Jaws 6/0 Everol let out the most mournful howl you could imagine.  The ratchet was screaming and line was disappearing at the rate of knots.  He didn't have to strike the fish he just lifted the rod out of the hole and it nearly got ripped out of his arms.  Heading North all Jaws could do was hang on.  We all pulled our lines in close so as not to waste the precious baits we had left but also it would give Jaws a clear go at this fish on the end of his line.  The fish slowed and a stale mate was in place.  The rod locked, the fish arcing a dead give away, Tuna and a big one at that.  The 50lb line could be heard singing over the wind and nothing could be gained but little bits at a time were being lost.

Eventually the arc broke after I suggested to stick it up this bludger of a fish.  I got Jaws to up the drag slightly and run to the other end of the ledge to put a different angle on the fish.  That did the trick it turned it's head and was coming his way.  I like to call it "Walking the dog".  (No not Arnie) Gaining and losing line was pretty regular for the next half hour but each time the tuna took line it was getting less and less.  Home and hosed we thought.  I started putting together the 21' flyer and getting a safety rope ready to put around me as I would have to climb down close to the water even with the big gaff.

Then disaster struck Jaws had an asthma attack and we couldn't find his puffer.  Eventually Lash found his one and had it going down Jaw's throat at the rate of knots.  Wow we thought that was close.  Another 15 mins into the fight disaster struck yet again the stupid handle fell off the Everol (Ah! That maintenance thing again).

Rushing to my pack I found a 6" shifter - The things a bloke carries in his pack! The handle on and Jaws was just about stuffed at the one and half hour point of the fight.  "It's now or never Jaws" we said and so he upped the anty on the fish and went for broke.  As the fish neared the big ledge protruding out in front of us I was getting Lash and Fossil ready for this would take the whole four of us if we were going to get this sucker.

Foss was going to take my life in his hands and hold onto my safety rope while Lash was going to take the big pole off me once I got the flyer in.  In case I went in, I stripped down to those blasted undies (AGAIN) BUT THEN all hell broke loose.  I was trying to work out the best place to go down and gaff the fish when Jaws yells out “There it is" " Struth what do I do here" I thought.  I got straight down from where I was screaming at Fossil "Don't you let me go".  It was hard to get down for Foss was holding the rope so tight I had to keep yanking it to move down.  Then Crap again.  A Big wave came in hit me and pushed the big fin under the protruding ledge.   ”Free spool, free spool " I screamed at Jaws the fish and line were at a horrible angle and I thought that it was all over, so close and yet so far away.

But "Bingo" as the big wave swept back, after what seemed like hours the big fin came out from under the ledge and would you believe it, the line was still in tact.  Jaws wound like a man possessed to gain the slack line and the monster fin was floundering in the wash.  As the line came back onto the reel I nearly died the line was shredded and all curly.  "I can't see your double Jaws" I said.  His reply stunned me, "What double”.  He never bothered to tie a double, how the line held together scraping under the ledge is beyond me.  It does say a lot for Tortue line though.

I would get one crack at this or it was all over rover.  With everything he had in him good old Jaws fought the big fish across to where I was on the tiny ledge.  As it glided past I hit it with everything I had.  The gaff went in the shoulder in front of the dorsal fin.

Talk about letting the cat out amongst the pigeons.  The big fin objected to having an 8" flyer planted in it's back and tried to take off with me still hanging on.  "Grab the pole grab the pole" I yelled and Lash did well as he was holding my safety rope with the Foss man as well.  Man that fish kicked and pulled but thank God the gaff hung in.

Now the hard bit, pulling the fish up to the safety of the upper ledge took a lot of grunting and moaning until the massive yellowfin was up on the ledge.  Jaws knackered, Lash and Foss hooting and screaming and me, well lets say I was glad to be up stairs on the safety of the upper ledge with the lads and only a few grazes on my legs and cuts on my hands and very very wet as the pics show, oops don't look too close eh!

The mandatory pics, handshakes and jibes about the lads not fishing to get the bung and we were packing up to get ready to get this Big Fin topside.  I went topside with Lash.  Fossil and Jaws stayed with the big fish and the gear rope.  Before going top side I put the big flyer through the eye sockets of the tuna and that was where we would pull it up from.  The hook cannot pull through owing to the skull and eye socket bone.

With the tuna ready I tied the gear rope to my bull bar and started reversing, up she came.  A few feet from the top Lash stopped me and we hooked a rope we had placed on the tail with our fixed gaff.  I reversed more until I cold see the head of the fish just below the roller on the end of the jib.  Lash had the tail rope and as I moved slowly fwd Lash pulled the big fish backward onto the cliff top.  Once it was safe and sound we pulled the gear up and waited for Jaws and Fossil to get topside with us.

From there we headed to the bowling club where we weighed Jaws yellowfin.  Needless to say people could not believe it came off the stones.  Then the long lonely trip back home for me wondering what might have been if I had fished on my own that day.  I'll never know.

"Hope you enjoyed the read"