Thanks to Jaen van den Berg who with the help of the Maverick Team sponsored by Airmar caught a Marlin on Monday 12 February 2024. He tells his story in Afrikaans below which is the loose English translation.

Maandag gedurende hierdie kompetisie het een van my grootste drome gerealiseer -‘n gestreepte marlyn.

Al die lyne was in die water gereed vir aksie terwyl ons besig was om te braai en ek die marlyn in die spread raaksien. Alles is net so gelos en die groot adrenalienloop my beet pak … die marlyn is aan die longrigger! 

Die dek word vinnig opgeruim en alles is reg en uit die pad uit terwyl ek die marlyn onder beheer probeer kry.

Die geveg is aanen ek het ongeveer 45min gestoei en getrek met baie raad, bystand en groot opgewondenheid van die crew. Eindelik is die marlyn langs die boot getrek die hoeke verwyder, die marlyn getag en release.

Baie dankie aan die crew JP Groenewald, Ron Penninkoff en Juan Needham wat gehelp het om my bucketlist korter te maak.

English translation

On Monday, the first fishing day of this competition, my biggest dream came true. I caught a striped marlin!

All lines were in and ready for action while we were busy making a braai and I saw the marlin in the spread. We left everything as the adrenalin kicked in. The marlin was on the longrigger.

The deck was quickly rearranged and everything was sorted out while I tried to get the marlin under control. 

The fight continued for forty-five minutes with plenty of advice and support coming from the other crew members. The excitement was extreme.

Finally, the marlin was brought next to the boat and the hook was removed. We also tagged him

Thank you to the crew, JP Groenwald, Ron Penninkoff and Juan Needham who helped me to shorten my Bucket List.