[ricki]

It is likely that it was a marlin about to be or just released. They have way too much energy otherwise. Good thing the guy didn't kill it by working it too hard. On the fish's side of the balance sheet, there was a much higher chance of aggressive sharks in the area after a fight.

Reminds me of another Australian we worked with in the late 1970's in the Biminis. This guy had a closed off 6 ft. long acrylic cylinder. It would act as a faring as he was towed backward behind a sportsfisherman trolling. He would shoot 16 mm film out the back of the "chube" of billfish and tuna striking bait behind the vessel and for portions of the fight. We came over to shoot cine of the operation for a BBC documentary on the Bluefin Tuna migration. It was an interesting (bizarre) trip. Didn't get much product in the can though.