Years ago I hooked a young Billfish of some kind. I was in a Panga that some Mexican National guy's who were on vacation used to troll for Mackerel and a type of Bonita in the bay. It was very popular 25+ years ago to troll and hand line for them. The bay would be buzzing with local boats, and the bay full of fish. We had also dropped a net close to the mouth of the harbor before going out. Anyway I'd given these guy's some money for gas etc, and went out with them to do the local thing. After we'd caught a ton of these little guy's I asked them if we could fish on the bottom close to high tide by the rock bluffs north of sandy. I'd brought some medium gear, and they were up to trying those rod and reel's themselves. We used the fish we'd caught as cut bait and were having fun catching the usual stuff when this bright 3 1/2 to 4 to foot speedster stared circling the boat and scarin up bait fish. It was not a needle fish, or a Dorado, it was a young Billfish, but even the local boy's didn't know what kind. I had a rod(7 foot, Med action)and reel that I'd used for Steelhead up in the Pacific Northwest spooled with 15lb mono with me, and I quickly put on a nice big White feathered Jig and waited for him to cruise by again. When he did I tossed it out in front of him and he grabbed it on the run. As soon as he felt the hook he made a half circle, making everyone in the boat duck as he headed out to sea. I never turned him, not even close. That was the fastest fish I've I'd had on my line, before or since. I mean he stripped off line faster than I could ever imagine, and he never dove, he was always close to the surface and just hauling it! When I finally decided to try and slow him down by cupping my hand, and putting pressure under the spinning reel's face it was just a exercise in futility. It was like being hooked up to a little torpedo, and a fast one. He broke me off with no big fan fair, it just broke. I'll never forget it though, it was like being hooked up to a underwater rocket ship!
