Blackfish′s patrol was quiet until 12 October 1944, when she made contact with a Japanese Minekaze-class destroyer. At 22:39, when dead ahead of the destroyer, Blackfish fired four torpedoes from her stern tubes. To Sellars’ astonishment, all four missed. Oddly, the attack also did not result in any retaliation from the destroyer. Blackfish continued to stalk the destroyer, and just after midnight on 13 October fired at it again. This attack also failed, and moments later Blackfish secured from battle stations. Both disgusted and mystified by the misses, Sellars decided it prudent to refrain from "wasting" more torpedoes on the destroyer and Blackfish returned to her patrol area empty handed.
