Ambition Report 29th.December’24
December 27, 2024 Sydney 6 photos & 1 video
Dolphin (Mahi Mahi)
Dolphin (Mahi Mahi)
Marlin (Blue)
Marlin (Blue)
Tuna (Yellowfin)
Tuna (Yellowfin)
Marlin (Black)
Marlin (Black)
Marlin (Striped)
Marlin (Striped)

Trip Summary

After watching the weather during the week there hadn’t been any moderation, so I was a bit concerned about the day’s fishing on Friday. The marine charts also didn’t seem really good with the current coming from the South. The only interesting feature being the zero line around the fifty fathom line. I gave Mike and his crew the option to postpone the charter but they were keen so off we went. I think their excitement waned a little when one of them was sick as we went through the Heads. Sadly it wasn’t long before Mike was the only man standing. However he was still keen and we put the lures in and started trolling out. We were out in about seventy fathoms. The sea was a little angry as you can see in the video and fighting a Marlin was going to be interesting if not a little damp. I must say I was just thinking it didn’t look fishy at all, no bait, no birds and just over twenty one degree. As if to make a liar of me ‘Brad’ on the shotgun took at a rate of knots. Suddenly everyone was awake, and the excitement was palpable. To my surprise it was a Black Marlin and a good one too and it didn’t like the boat especially when Mark took the trace. After we released the Black we were on our way again and didn’t even have the full spread out when ’Brad’ was hit again, this time a Striped Marlin which put on a great show and was soon released. So, with two Marlin within a short space of time I turned around a to go back over the area again. Well it happened again. This time we raised two or maybe three Stripies. One hit the shot gun another the long rigger but the only one that stuck hit the short corner with ‘Black Betty’. Amazingly for a day which looked like a no go it turned out to be the best day’s fishing for these guys. Actually, a good day’s fishing by anyone’s standard off Sydney. Our final count for the day was six strikes, four hook ups and three released, all this with no bait and a horrible sea. I think the fish are just passing by in the current like us searching for the bait, and if you’re lucky you strike gold. By this time the state of the sea had overcome the excitement of the Marlin and the call was made to head back. Interestingly I think we spent more time fighting Marlin than actually trolling for them. Being so early in the season and with the best Marlin months still ahead of us one can’t help but be optimistic about the days ahead. Tight Lines, Ivan
Ivan Bennett
Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
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Other reports from this charter

Ambition Report 26th.October’25
Ambition Report 26th.October’25
October 26, 2025
What a remarkable day at sea today was. I took out Qing and three of his friends for their first day at Game Fishing and they had a baptism in fire. The video will give you some idea of the mayhem, but you had to be there to appreciate it. Bear in mind that these guys’ experience was only some small fish caught rock fishing. The day started slowly for us, but the radio was telling that the bait schools hadn’t moved on and that several Marlin had already been seen and tagged. I worked the bait schools for a while with no result so had decided to move on and that’s when we got our first strike, a blind strike on, surprise, surprise the Brad’J’ bullet. One of the guys took the rod and the others moved in to help him, one holding the rod, one winding and the other holding the guy with the rod, we were in trouble. It didn’t take long to realise it wasn’t a Marlin and as they brought it closer, I was surprised to see it was a Yellowfin around twenty to thirty kilo’s. Sadly, as luck would have it and with the help of some slack line the fish won its freedom. Though there have been a couple of Yellowfin taken around these bait schools recently it still comes as a big surprise to find any inside the shelf these days. So, we carried on and shortly after all hell broke loose. We had five, maybe six Marlin in the spread hitting the lures. Ron was running around like a chook with its head cut off trying to tease them into solidly striking the lures but to no avail. We had a couple on for a short time however not one of them stuck, but it was exciting to say the least. Sadly, the video does not do it justice. Fortunately, the day wasn’t a complete failure, we did end up tagging a Striped Marlin. Later in the day we had a double hook up and between the four of them on the rod they got one to the boat where Ron released it. The other fish was left to its own devices, the rod just left in the holder, so lost. By this time none of the guys were feeling terribly well so they decided it was time to go back in. A frustrating decision since it seemed the bite was happening with several boats hooking up as we left. Other than the seven or eight Marlin that came into our spread throughout the day, I saw another couple tailing down sea. Also, considering that three other boats, Rampage, Shoki and another whose name escapes me, had caught three when we left, not to mention several others boats with at least one to their credit it is hard to imagine the number of Marlin in the area. This Marlin bite has been going on for quite some time now and it is only October, the next few months could be quite something. The question is, are they holding in the area because of the bait or are they constantly passing through? Tight lines, Ivan • All lure used unless otherwise specified are Pakula Lures .
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Ambition Report 6th.October’25
Ambition Report 6th.October’25
October 5, 2025
Yesterday was a most remarkable day, for fishing anyway. After last week-end’s effort where we raised two Marlin with no hook ups, yesterday was a complete turnaround. Reports during the week had indicated that the Marlin and most importantly the bait were still in the area so hopes were high for today’s adventure. We headed out intending to catch some bait to use either alive or as skippies so as to get a more secure hookup. It didn’t take long to catch the bait and that achieved, we headed for the shelf. It was a pleasant trip with some fair weather for a change. As we neared the shelf the bait and searching birds started to build up. The plan was to start with lures and to change over to baits as the day progressed. So, out went the lures and it wasn’t long before I marked a fish, which actually surprised me, because it was nowhere near any bait. It was only a few seconds later that the Brad ‘J’ on the shotgun took off and after a good fight a beautiful Striped Marlin was brought to boat and released. Continuing on and searching for bait I noticed heaps of Mutton birds on and beyond the shelf and went to look. Most of the birds were on their migration South from Siberia but amongst them many were working on what looked like Striped Tuna. I worked these schools for a while hoping there might be a Yellowfin or two amongst them. The end result was we didn’t find any so went back inshore and to chase the Marlin. By the time I got back inside the shelf the bait had thinned, when as I was considering changing over to skip baits the Brad ’J’ took off again with another nice Striped Marlin tearing the ocean apart. This was a tougher fish than the previous one but it was handled well and eventually brought to the boat and released. By now the bait had thinned out considerably so it was time to put out the skip baits. Having deployed the baits it was time to keep the eyes peeled and be ready. Suddenly the bait on the Port rigger popped out but since it didn’t appear to have been a hit Rob wound it back and put it back up when the Marlin showed itself. It popped the rigger again but again no hook up. Then while Rob was winding the bait back the Marlin appeared again and this time Rob teased it and it aggressively took the bait. After free spooling for a short time, the drag was engaged and we had a solid hook up. This one was also eventually brought to boat and released. So, now we had three Marlin for three of the four guys on board. The last guy was more interested in catching a Yellowfin. As luck would have it a friend, fishing out wide, had just landed a fifty kilo Yellowfin so I suggested we might go out and see what we could find. The guys all agreed so out we went. In the deep water there were heaps of birds migrating but we found several schools of Striped Tuna which I worked to no avail. Continuing on I was just about to head for home when there was a bust-up a couple of hundred metres ahead of us. Expectations were high but after working the area with no other sightings it was time to go home. It had been a remarkable day’s fishing for us with three Marlin under the belt. Generally speaking I would say to get three Marlin in a day off Sydney is remarkable however, to have, as I would guess, over twenty caught in a day off Sydney in October is exceptional. Tight lies, Ivan • All lure used unless otherwise specified are Pakula Lures .
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