Yep, this fishing rod started the day with 300 yards of 30 lb test monofilament. And it sure didn’t end that way.
It all started on bright and sunny morning somewhere on the east side of the Exumas. We were heading up to Warderick Wells, one of our absolute favorite spots in The Bahamas. We motored out past the national park boundaries and put out both trolling lines. We have lures that we’re told are for attracting Mahi, Wahoo and Tuna. We were hoping for something, anything that we could eat. We weren’t starving, just wanted to “catch dinner.”
It was a nice day. No wind, so we were making our way nice and slow on a single engine. Jeff went below to see a man about a horse, when that beautiful clicking sound of the fishing line running began. I got so excited! What to do first? The line was running so fast. I tried slowing the reel, but I couldn’t stop it. I was yelling for Jeff, but he was preoccupied.
It didn’t occur to me to slow the boat down, which is what I should have done first. But I didn’t. All the while, the line is just running and running, faster and faster. The reel was getting hot, and the line was disappearing before my eyes.
Jeff finally came up and reminded me to slow the boat. He tended the tackle, I put the boat in neutral. As soon as he picked up the rod, I heard a sickening “snap” followed by a few choice words uttered from my fuming husband. The line broke. The lure was gone. And so was whatever was on it.
I felt so disappointed. I never even got to see what it was. Mahi don’t run like that, normally. Although what do I really know? I’ve only caught three in my life. I’m told that Tuna get hooked and dive, so maybe it was one of those. Perhaps a big Wahoo? They’re supposedly really fast and strong.
Here’s my theory. I caught a Mahi. It looked really yummy to the giant reef shark that was swimming beneath it. The shark came up, swallowed the Mahi, and made off with my fishing line. Yep, I’m going with that.
April 2021