Epic Sailfishing in Weipa

Photos and story provided by: Ben Bright and Kristy Philliskirk.

Frigate birds gave the area away - below were dolphins, heaps of bait, and sailfish!

The sails were keen on skipping garfish (ballyhoo) baits.

Sometimes the only sign was a dark smudge below the surface

There's nothing more exciting than watching a sailfish hunt down your bait.

Hookup! The first few moments were often crazy with the fish doing all in it's power to escape the hook.

Circle hooks have a fantastic retention rate locating in the corner of the jaw and it is a rare event to jump a fish off.

This fish fell to a pitched live bait and tore the ocean up in its bid for freedom.

Idling slowly ahead and leading the fish boatside made for easy handling and control over the fish for tagging and photos.

One technique for speedy revival was to hold the fish's mouth open with your thumb and only lift its head clear of the water momentarily for photos.

Some sails exhibit more color than others - this one was one of the brightest I've ever seen.

Two happy anglers with their first sailfish ever. Just check out how different the fish's color can be.

These well chewed belly flap teasers were all we ran one day, and raised over 30 fish after lunch proving you don't need much in the water some times.

This is the best thing about teasers - just how close to the boat sailfish will come! Check out how steep the leader angle is.