Joel removed the feather before releasing the marlin after a long battle off Stuart from a 14-foot skiff.
December 05, 2025
By Kenny Holliday Jr.
During the summer months, when the ocean calms down, we like to take our 14-foot Wahoo skiff offshore to fish. The weather report was good for the morning of August 18 ahead of Hurricane Erin, so my oldest son, Joel, and I decided to go out to catch blackfin tuna out at Push Button Hill, about 10 miles east of St. Lucie Inlet in Stuart.
We trolled back and forth across the ledges for an hour, but with no luck. I told Joel to reel in the lines to make a move, but noticed a current rip and some weeds ahead, so I told him to wait. As he was letting the long line back out, the outrigger clip violently snapped, and 40-pound braid started peeling off the reel.
Joel immediately took command of the rod as I turned the boat to give chase, trying to gather back as much line as possible. I had first thought that he had a large blackfin tuna, then Joel saw it jump and said, “That’s a marlin, Dad!”
Joel and Kenny tuna troll another day. Our mood and tone shifted. Things became serious, and the work began. For the next hour and 10 minutes, the battle went back and forth. The fish would dive deep, then rise slowly to spectacular jumps. Joel kept relentless pressure on, despite having relatively light spinning gear, no fighting belt or chair. He fought the fish largely from the top of a cooler!
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Joel is locked in, perched on a cooler. Joel battled the marlin on a 6-foot Star Rod matched to a Daiwa BG 5000 reel. We used 40-pound braided line connected with 80-pound mono leader and a homemade purple tuna feather to fool the fish.
After an hour, the marlin was circling 50 feet directly below the boat, and 10 minutes later it was on its side beside the boat, bronzed and whipped. I grabbed the leader first, then handed it to Joel. After a few seconds of admiring our first blue marlin, I took hold of the bill and Joel removed the lure in perfect coordinated teamwork. We watched as the fish slowly swam down and lit up a beautiful color of blue before disappearing into the depths, capping a most memorable day offshore!
The blue marlin tires after a fight that lasted more than an hour. Editor’s note: Watch an edit of the Hollidays’ family marlin achievement on YouTube at
@kennyhollidayjr5206 .
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This story was featured in the November 2025 issue of Florida Sportsman magazine. Click to subscribe . Send Us Your Story If you have had an interesting, exciting or funny experience in the outdoors, tell us about it and send us a picture: It might qualify as “An Outdoor Happening.” If your story is chosen, you’ll receive a Florida Sportsman gift pack worth over $100. Email your story and one or two photos to editor@floridasportsman.com . Or send your story by mail to Outdoor Happening, Florida Sportsman, 3725 SE Ocean Blvd, Suite 202, Stuart, FL 34996.
