CHASING BILLS OFF SANTA MARIA

By Hailey Harris

(Originally published in the May 2025 issue of SKI-BOAT magazine)

THERE are fishing trips that are good, some that are great, and then there are those that change the way you see the ocean forever. My recent adventure in Santa Maria, Moçambique, was one of the latter – an electrifying journey filled with adrenaline, learning and sheer fishing magic.
After boarding Malakas with skipper Branden Brodell, I set out with one goal: to catch a marlin. Not only did that dream come true, but we landed four!
The trip started at The View at Santa Maria, a fitting base for an experience that would be nothing short of spectacular. As we made our way in and out of Hell’s Gate – a treacherous passage known for its shifting tides and strong currents – Branden navigated it with a confidence that only comes from years of experience. His knowledge of the waters, the fish, and the conditions was beyond impressive.
The first day started with a bang! At 8.30 a.m., we saw a fin chasing the first lure; no bite. We held our breaths as the marlin fell back, chased the outside long kona, and ultimately hooked on that – my first striped marlin!
The fight was intense, the adrenaline coursing through me as I worked to bring in my dream fish. This was a tough fight – one that tested my endurance right from the start. The marlin, put up an incredible battle, peeling line off the reel. Every time I made ground, it would dive again, forcing me to dig deep and keep my composure.
After an exciting fight, I finally brought it in – a truly unforgettable first marlin. It was everything I had dreamed of and more. That single moment alone would have made the trip a success, but the ocean had more in store for us.
Over the next few days, we hooked three black marlin, each one a lesson in power and endurance.
The second marlin was a completely different fight to my first with the stripey. This time the marlin was hooked on a light setup with 50 lb leader. I had to fight it differently, knowing that with 20 lb mainline onto light leader, the line could snap at any moment. This time it was not only a physical challenge, but one that would test my technical skills too.
Whilst reeling it in, I could feel this marlin had a different energy to the previous one – it was agile, making sharp runs that kept me on my toes. Compared to the first, it was a fight of speed as well as brute force, forcing me to adjust my technique to keep up with its unpredictable movements and immense power.
Finally, after about a 40-minute fight, I landed an estimated 120kg black marlin. The excitement aboard Malakas was unimaginable – not just marlin number two for me, but a black marlin, the fastest and strongest fish in the world!
We made sure to celebrate with a well-deserved local Mozambican beer.
The third marlin was the smallest of the blacks we caught, but it was just as fierce. Hooked in shallower water at 6.30 a.m. on the fourth day of my fishing trip, it surprised us with its acrobatics, leaping multiple times and giving me a chance to test my reaction times. Just because it was smaller didn’t mean an easy fight, though; it still had that relentless marlin spirit. However, after a shorter battle, we successfully brought it in, and it was wonderful to have another boat nearby, with those anglers screaming in excitement for us.
The last marlin of the trip, however, was the one that truly tested me. At 5 p.m. on that fourth day, Branden had just put out a live rainbow runner in the hope that something would bite, as we’d had a long, quiet patch. Just as we were thinking of calling it, the line screamed, and we knew we had something big.
Both Branden and I had seen a splash as we hooked it, but we couldn’t quite tell what it was. For the next 15 minutes I battled the fish, still unaware it was a marlin, making me wonder if I was just lacking strength from the last few days of hard fishing, or if this was something really big. My back was sore, and eventually we both started to wonder if it might be another marlin.
Just as the thought crossed our minds, the marlin breached the surface! It erupted from the water in a display of power, its body twisting and thrashing against the setting sun. The moment was mesmerising, but I had no time to admire it – I continued to reel furiously, knowing that every second counted.
Branden spoke me through the fight, his voice like a lifeline, reminding me to stay calm, to breathe, to keep fighting. For an hour I battled that fish, every muscle in my body burning and my mind locked in focus. Every time I thought I was making progress, the marlin would make another deep dive, stripping away all the line I had just gained, emphasising that this was a give and take relationship. The sweat dripped from my forehead as I pushed through the burning fatigue, refusing to lose this battle.
This marlin was the biggest of the trip. Estimated to be around 150kg, it was an absolute beast that pushed me to my limits. By the time we brought it alongside the boat, I was trembling from exhaustion, but the satisfaction of that final, massive catch made every aching muscle worth it. It was a moment of pure triumph and exhaustion.
Unlike traditional marlin fishing from a fighting chair, I fought all four of these giants on stand-up tackle, my legs bracing against the gunnel, my core locked to maintain balance, and my arms burning with every turn of the reel. Each fight felt like a marathon, pushing me to the edge of my physical limits; it was a test of willpower as much as it was a battle with the fish.
By the end of the trip, my hands told the full story – raw, blistered and sore from gripping the rod and working the reel, a testament to the sheer effort that went into landing every marlin. But every blister was worth it for the experience of fighting those fish, feeling their power through the rod, and ultimately witnessing them swim off strong after the release. It was brutal, it was exhilarating and it was unforgettable.
Beyond the marlin, the trip also delivered a bounty of gamefish – ’cuda, wahoo, dorado, GT and yellowfin tuna, each one adding to the thrill of the experience. The ocean seemed to be on our side, rewarding our efforts with incredible catches time and time again.
Fighting marlin is unlike anything else, and with Branden’s expert guidance, I learned the nuances of handling these magnificent fish – reading their movements, adjusting my technique, and enduring the physical challenge. It was a masterclass in big game fishing, and I relished every moment, including releasing the marlin and watching them swim away as the adrenaline rush in my body slowly turned to an overwhelming feeling of euphoria.
Many anglers go years chasing one marlin, and yet I managed to catch four in a single trip of four days. That kind of luck is something I will never take for granted. Fishing around Santa Maria with Branden gave me memories that will last a lifetime, and reinforced why I love fishing – the unpredictability, the challenge and the ultimate reward of landing a dream catch.
Beyond the thrill of the catch, staying at The View @ Santa Maria was an experience in itself. Every time I visit, I’m left in awe of its breathtaking beauty – the endless ocean views, the peaceful surroundings, and the way nature seamlessly blends into the adventure. It’s a place that never fails to amaze me.
As a woman who discovered a love for fishing only two years ago, I’ve been fortunate to land some remarkable gamefish off Santa Maria, including a 40kg GT, a 13kg green jobfish and a 24kg ’cuda.
I am still at the start of my fishing journey, and there is so much I have yet to learn, but Branden has been an invaluable teacher, guiding me through each trip and slowly helping me understand different techniques, read the ocean, and improve my ability to handle big game fish.
Branden’s expertise, instincts, and deep understanding of the ocean made this trip unforgettable. Every time he had a gut feeling about what we were going to catch, he was right!
As I look back on this experience, I know one thing for sure: the ocean has so much more to teach me, and I can’t wait for the next adventure.