Mystery Fish

Ok, so this is my first post after years... I haven't been doing fishing and decided that I need to get back into it... Anyway that's another story and this is long enough as it is...

Fast forward to last weekend. I fished a small dam with almost zero fishing pressure. The fish species in the dam are unknown and hence I was asked to come and explore and see what I could find.

I set up a few rods and managed a few talapia and small barbel. No bass yet but I'm planning on going again soon.

So I set up a 9ft rod with a 10000 size reel and 50lb power pro braid. I put the setup together for big cats and haven't used it in a while. The braid is about 5 years old. But it's only been used about 5 times. All in freshwater.

So throw out a chicken liver bait and wait. An hour or so in and I get a nice pull... Reel is going at a decent pace, so I pick up and give a bit of a strike. Boom. Bust off... Reeled in and saw that the leader is bitten clean through. No pig tail. No abrasion. Clean through at a slight angle. So the rig was 50lb braid, swivel, 30lb mono leader, 4/0 hook. Hook is gone. Ok, so maybe I struck too hard, don't think so, but what else can it be.

Retie a hook and cast again. Same spot. Few hours later, pick up... Let it run but this time don't strike. While it's on the run I stop the spool with my hand in anticipation of a strike. As I touch the spool, dead. Nothing. Reel in and the braid is cut through. What the... 50lb power pro!?!? So now I'm curious. Wondering what this could be.

I retie with a piece of 6in steel cable. The kind you buy premade in the tackle shop. Attach a hook, and throw. A few hours later, in the same spot, another pick up... Pick up the rod, hold the spook and strike. Feels like a good hook set, and then nothing. Dead. Reel in, same story, through the braid. No steel on the line.

So now it's almost dark and I've been outsmarted 3 times already. I decided to go big. Joined two 12in steel traces, 4/0 hook, and attached it to the braid. Big bait and sent it out, same spot. After a while, a small pull. Picked up and struck, but missed the fish. I can feel the bait is still there so leave it and start to pack up everything else because I'm going to head off shortly. When I get back to the rod after 30 mins it's half off the stand. I reel in and cut through the braid. No sign of my 24in of steel.

Decided to call it a night and to do some prep before I go back for this monster.

So, here's a few questions and thoughts.

Firstly, it's freshwater.
Secondly, there's no fishing pressure, especially not for bug fish. Maybe the odd small tilapia.
Third, I'm not sure what's in there. I know there's barbel and tilapia. Suspect bass and carp, but not sure.

So any ideas?

Someone said it's likely a big eel. That's how it swallowed the long leader to the mainline and bit it off. It's either that or a big barbel. On the third incident there was slight fray on the line.on the third incident, there was also a whole lot of tiny bubbles after the break off. Similar to what I've seen after a barbel 'farts'. It comes up in a line. That was the only sign of the fish.

I did not strike hard enough to break the braid. Also the leader and then braid was cut. So i doubt it's the line. Also went to the fishing show and the guy said the line looks perfect. No fraying or wear etc.

What fish do you guys think it is. Also what tactic would you use?
I'm looking forward to hearing some ideas.

Thanks in advance.

Very interesting. An Eel would be my guess. What area of the country are you in?

Madagascar eel, get to 50lb, teeth like a dog...

I'm also leaning towards an eel. I'm in kzn.

Very interesting. Probably an eel. Maybe try a circle hook? Chances are it may hook itself in the scissors and it may not be possible to bite the line.

My guess is also an Eel, a barbel would never go through steel. I have caught 10kg cats with a 12 lb leader in the Orange on my 5wt, it takes about 40 min to land them but the least of your worries is being bitten through. The bite off area would be terribly frayed as well.

Also agree with Charles on trying a circle, keep us posted

So looks like the consensus is eel.

I was thinking of trying a circle hook but it seems like it eats in the one spot and runs only after the whole line is swallowed. None the less, I'll give it a try.

Will update when I go again.

I had the same experience at a dam at Ifafa on the KZN South Coast. Over three consecutive days in different parts of the dam I failed to land the "monster/s". I surmised it/they was/were leguaans or giant eels.:shock:

Miskien 'n krokodil.

buchi wrote:

Miskien 'n krokodil.

Click to expand...

Everyone is forgetting that it could actually be a fresh water turtle, the bubbles is actually also associated with them and they have cutting teeth

Any update?

Ok, so I didnt get around to trying again but i am planning on going within the next few weeks. Will Update then.

My opinion 99% Catfish or 1% Eel

NEVER ever use BRAID as hooklink material for catfish. Their teeth although very fine are EXTREMELY SHARP and slice through the micro fibres of braid quicker than any sharp scissors.

A hungry barble of 5kg will swallow a baby chicken and 25-30cm of line in a single gulp and the slightest tension of braid over the fine teeth and the braid will be OFF.

Seen to many people make the mistake of going super strong BRAID Hooklines only to lose small and trophy barble alike through braid being sliced off in milli seconds

Oh and Brable don't fart.... their last gills have developed into rudimentary lungs inside an air pocket hence the reason they gulp air. Expulsion of this air is the bubbls you see coming up