Fish On!!!

It was about 10 am and we just headed out of Turtle Bay and I heard “Fish On” from Trevor only after a 40 minute soak of the lure.  At first he thought he caught some kelp but after looking at the sonar (depth) we were in 400 feet of water and it was unlikely we hit a change in water temperature where kelp likes to grow.  I at the helm hand steering, Trevor was aft of the boat trying to keep the line and pole from out and between all the rigging that is present back there.  We finally had to put the boat in reverse as the fish ran.

To be completely honest, I was seriously freaking out!!! I had no idea what to do even though I had seen videos of other cruisers do it on their boat.   I was talking to myself, hyperventilating, and saying “oh my god” over and over again.

Trevor was instructing me to get the gaft (a stick with a hook at the end to spear the fish) and the squirt bottle full of denatured alcohol (you squirt the alcohol in the gills to “stun” the fish). Ultimately, Trevor brought the fish aboard with the gaft as I held the pole.  The pictures show the rest : )