Kayaker Reels in 200-pound Marlin Following 90-minute Battle
OutdoorHub Reporters 01.22.14
Fishing for marlin from a kayak can be a daunting challenge for some anglers, but those who prefer it say the rush is well worth the exhaustion. Australian angler Tommie Styrdom is enjoying the afterglow of victory from a catch earlier this month off Coffs Harbor, where he hooked his first marlin.
“I thought I was going to lose him, to be honest; then it went down deep and it took about an hour to reel in,” he told The Daily Telegraph.
Strydom’s battle with the marlin took around 90 minutes, which is almost speedy considering the fish. Marlin and other big game fish have been known to tow kayak anglers for miles at a time, and is often a race to see whether which opponent tires out first. In 2008, renowned angler Jim Sammons and his kayak were dragged more than 11 miles by a 300-pound marlin. Sammons was one of the first pioneers of marlin fishing from a kayak, and states that it remains his favorite game fish today.
First-time marlin hunter Styrdom, however, admits it takes a lot of patience and arm strength. The Australian angler revived and released the fish after the battle.
“I don’t kill things I don’t eat,” he said. “If it was a mackerel, believe me, it would have been inside my kayak and on the dinner plate that night.”
You can see parts of Styrdom’s battle with the marlin below:
