Our trip began before sunrise in late September. The air was still and the harbor was quiet except for a few captains and crews that prepared to fish. We boarded the 40 foot boat "Tools of the Trade" and made our way thru the winding channel and out the inlet to the open ocean. Our intent was to explore the deeper waters off the coast of Chincoteague Island Virginia in search of white marlin and other pelagic fish. Once in open waters, we made good time and within about 2 hours had found productive water and set lines to fish.

For this trip the captain and mate had assembled a group of experienced anglers, all of which knew each other well. This allowed us to fish as a team and deal with multiple fish at one time. We trolled a mix of artificial lures, ballyhoo and teasers. The tuna fishing had been poor thru much of the summer but billfish had made a showing and catches increased as the season went on. We fished several lines but most were intended to attract white marlin.

Not long after all lines were out, a small skipjack tuna attacked the closest line but pulled free before reaching the boat. Soon there was another, and another. The small fish lightened the mood and let everyone get warmed up and into the process of things when a line went down. Suddenly a marlin appeared behind the baits, stalking them and swinging its bill.

White marlin are very intelligent and colorful fish. When they appear behind a boat, minutes seem like an eternity. The fish sway back and forth, displaying their neon colors while eyeing the baits. They may concentrate on one particular bait or move from line to line, acting finicky and un-interested. A hungry or agitated marlin will dramatically change color, charge and bat its bill at the trolled offering.

Our first fish was somewhere in between these two states, interested, but not voracious. The crew dropped lines back, after the marlin's first attack. This technique often works as the fish typically slashes its bill at baitfish and then attacks any that are injured. In our case the fish had struck, but wasn't interested in our attempts to mimic a dying baitfish by letting the rigged ballyhoo sink.

A skipjack tuna or two came and went, including a couple for the fish box which we needed for smoking. By late morning I found myself rudely awakened from my nap by the captain, hurling himself and deck and speaking in a loud voice in response to a very agitated marlin. The fish was dead behind a teaser and had no intentions of moving. Other marlin appeared, seemingly waiting for the dominant fish to eat. The crew tried several tricks to entice the fish while I scrambled into the tower with a camera. Our mate, a female with extraordinary patience calmly did her job and within a minute, not one, but two large white marlin were jumping and taking line.

On our trip we caught and released 3 white marlin and raised several others. Late in the day the long line went down and  the fish took considerable line. The crew worked quickly to assist the angler and get him equipped with a stand-up harness to fight the fish. It went deep and pulled hard, alerting us that it perhaps wasn't a billfish. After a battle of give and take, a large yellowfin tuna appeared under the boat. The captain and mate communicated by hand signals and the team maneuvered the boat, finally gaffing the fish and getting it aboard. The tuna was a great ending to an exceptional day. The weather had been fantastic, the fishing was fast paced and the captain and mate were knowledgeable, courteous, and passionate about the sport.   

For more information about visiting Chincoteague Island Virginia to fish for billfish, tuna, sharks or other fishing, visit the Tools of the Trade website.

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