For a long while now I've been absorbing as much info off this site (Double haul your posts have been awesome) and others, trying to crack this billfish thing. I have done probably 10 or more trips, spent about 70-80 hours trolling mainly around fenton patches with little to no clue. But as they say, you learn a little everytime.
Finally yesterday on a day off (shift worker), I wondered out to Bowra wide/Long lost on my own (again a shift worker curse). Got there a bit before 9 and had the teasers and lures in the water real quick as I was quite anxious due to recent good numbers of fish out that way.
An hour and a half later and the swell had been steadily picking up to well beyond being comfortable, and the 480 Quinnie was bobbing around like a cork, but I was on my own and had no one elses discomfort to worry about but my own. Then about an hour before the bottom of the tide I noticed the left hand rod do a larger than normal bounce and looked back to see a very interested sail having a go at the lure. But that was it he had a couple more goes and then disappeared. That already made the trip more productive than some of my earlier efforts.
Anyhow, continued my troll run from some of DH's points from last year up to Longlost and back. On the way back through where I had my earlier strike, I was staring out the back as you do when you are chasing billies, and whack. I saw that long slender bill hit the right hand lure and hard. The ratchet screamed, my jaw dropped and nearly wet myself.
So up I got grabbed the teaser line and halfway pulling the teaser in the other real aalso screamed. Cr@p, double hook up, what to do now.
Once the teaser was in I grabbed the first rod and pulled the boat throttle back but kept in gear to hopefully keep just enough tension on the second line. After about ten minutes later I had the first, and MY first fish in the boat.
Woo hoo, then grabbed the second rod, boat to neutral and pretty soon had them both on the floor together. Could not belive it, what a thrill, two fish. Felt like a huge weight lifted off my shoulders after so many disappointing trips, but they were suddenly all worth it, what a rush.Anyway, got the lines back out and did another few hours trolling in very ordinary conditions, (even had a barf once and I never get sea sick) had a few more strikes and another good hook up but didn't manage to land anymore. Headed home at about 3 in the arvo with a big smile all the way.
What a great day, and can't wait to have another go.
Thanks to evryone who has posted info on catching sails.
Adam...
bit like the lunar landing! 
