Whats in a name?

[Marlin Mike]

Hi to all I am a newbie and would like to intrduce myself and share a tale (or fin). It all started last year in the Los cabos Billfish tourny. Just about to turn the big 40 the wife sent me to Cabo with my good friend Tower Todd, to fish my first tourny.Day one, prefish the day away with nothing happening on the water but hey thats fishing. as we get back to the dock the managaer of the charter company is there to greet us.Hmmmm kinda makes you wonder. he says theboat we are booked on has been double booked and we get a pick ofone of three others for the tourny for no addditinal cost. Sweeet! all the boats are Cabos and bigger too. This could be a reel good thing so one more day of pre fishing on the 31 Cabo express for free. sign me up. The next morning we motor out of the marina and out to the Sea of cortex about an hour out we hear Thump
katung katung not a good sound. Ok what did we get ourself into. ok now we turn around without even getting to the grounds and we are the on the slow boat too, well you know where. After inspection of the boat at the dock one of the diesels has a messed up fly wheel. With the dealeer being right in town all attention gets put to our boat. Boat finally gets fixed and a sea trial shows we are thumbs up for the tourny. phew whata relief.

First day of tourny: we all draw straws and i get the third position in the chair.Then before i know it with Tuna and dorado already on the boat it's mikeys turn. Wham a half hour into it, Mikey hooks up to nice blue, to small for the weigh in but first billfish of the tourny for the boat. After many tuna and dorado day one ends with one of our yellow fin making to the scales pretty cool for a newbie.

Day 2;
pretty much same story in the morning after drawing straws Mikey pulls the same position in the chair.just as my hour is about to end Wham left corner. put on my belt and before i know nice sailfish is along side the with a clean release.
Wow i really love this. Bring it on I think to myself. With more tuna and dorado on the boat we finish our day out.Then the talk starts Tower Todd starts in. Its like ridin a bike for Marlin Mike. Well old Tower then got his name cuz he spent his day in the tower spotting and coaching everybody as to where the fish were and to help them get them hooked up.
so now after day 2 score:

Marlin Mike 2 billfish
Tower Todd 1 bonita and a yellowfin


Day 3; Do the straw thing again and pull the same position.
Now remember the only reason I'm in the tourny is Because of Tower. So i pull him aside and say lets switch positions and see if we can get you hooked up on a billfish. Well his turn comes and goes with no action and I get ready for my turn he gets out of the chair walks down below he gets one foot in the cabin and you guessed it Marlin Mike it hooked up for the last time this time a nice strippey. we end the tournament with three 3 Billfish many many Tunas and many doradoes with all the billfish being caught by you know who.
thanks to all for reading sorry its so long.

Marlin MIke

[Super Fluke]

Welcome to ifish

[fyshndad]

great story Mike and welcome aboard

[Tower Todd]

It's like ridin' a bike, for Marlin Mike! Glad to see you finally came of the shadows and posted up your story. This year I'm gonna out score you!

Sorry I don't know how to post pics, but here are some links:
Marlin Mike puttin the heat on a fish:
http://www.machinerytrader.com/listings/...mp;OHID=5583172

Marlin Mike after landing & releasing a marlin:
http://www.machinerytrader.com/listings/...mp;OHID=5583174

Marlin Mike after a long, hot day with worn out arms (there must of been some strength left to lift this one):
http://www.machinerytrader.com/listings/...mp;OHID=5583175

A picture from the shotgun start, 2005 Los Cabos Billfish Tourney:
http://www.machinerytrader.com/listings/...mp;OHID=5583176

Here's the biggest tuna from the 2005 event, 277Lbs. Yellowfin:
http://www.machinerytrader.com/listings/...mp;OHID=5583177

Here's our group photo from the end of the tourney (NO - I don't want to go home!):
http://www.machinerytrader.com/listings/...mp;OHID=5583188

Way To Go Marlin Mike! I hope you can do it again this year.

Tower Todd

[Zodiac-Fisherman]

Welcome Mike,

Aint Mexico grand?

Just moved down here a month ago, and am lovin the fishing down here!