The Marlin
Publisher’s Note: We hope you enjoy this article excerpted from Fishing the Wild Waters: An Angler’s Search for Peace and Adventure in the Wilderness by Conor Sullivan. Published by Pegasus Books. ©Conor Sullivan. Reprinted with permission.
■ My dad, Tim, my brother Pat, and I trailed across the island along the empty H-3 highway well before dawn, noting the full moon, Mars, and a sky full of stars. Arriving with just the slightest hint of day, we launched out of Ke‘ehi Lagoon near Honolulu, then transited another 15 miles to fish the deep ledges off Barbers Point. The last time I fished the area didn’t go so well. I lost a marlin on a solo trip and got clobbered coming home by the seas. This time would be different. I was hoping that with our dad along, luck would shine upon us and end our dry spell. We trolled west along the 40-fathom line for ono, and after two hours had nothing to show. I pointed the OHANA O KAI out a little farther offshore. I was surprised we had not crossed paths with at least one ono, but that’s fishing.
The weather was great, the sun was out, and I was in good company. I said a small prayer, asking God to bless us with a fish, knowing full well that the big man upstairs likely had more pressing matters to contend with. But still, I wanted to have Dad hook up with something. He later told me he too asked for some divine intervention. I swapped out
