More Tuna off Durban

[Cpt. Hook]

Today I took some Sealiner’s from Angola fishing for a short session that came to watch Portugal play in the world cup. You know these guys Fernando (fedu) and Julio (tremosso). Really nice guys which I enjoyed spending time with.

We launched at around 06h30 and where back by 09h30.

 

It was a nice calm in the morning with a NW wind, but from about 08h30 the wind shifted to a SW and the swells also started to increase in size and frequency. There was a time when there was no wind or current and the boat hardly moved as if on anchor.

 

We saw a lot of whales around some came very close to the boat and were even saw one do a magnificent jump about 150m away from us.

 

I went to the same spot where I have been getting all my Tuna lately and started of catching live bait, today we only caught very large Mackerel and there where several around.

 

It was not very long when the first line went and we landed a really large Eastern Little Tuna on our drifted live bait, shortly after that we landed another large Eastern Little Tuna and both these fish gave a good account for themselves.

 

Thing went quiet for some time and then I repositioned the boat, there was no more live bait around and we where just discussing going back when the one rod went and the guys decided to let me fight this fish which turned out to be a Yellowfin Tuna of around 5Kg. After this we headed home.

 

Here is a pic of me with my Yellowfin Tuna.

 

[Cpt. Hook]

Here is Julio (tremosso) with his large Eastern Little Tuna

 

 

[Cpt. Hook]

Here is Fernando (fedu) with his Eastern Little Tuna

 

[Redhawk]

Looks like some excellent fun guys!

 

[Glenn]

fab =)

 

[fedu]

Thanks Mike, like i told you, for me it was a lecture into live bait fishing for Tuna!

Allthough a bit beaten by yesterday celebration drinking we had a great morning in Durban waters.

We don't have the live bait tradition in Angola I learn more today about it than in the last couple of years, hope to be able to use the knowdledge at home.

A pleasure meeting Mike and afterwards Bennie & Nicos.

Mike is an acomplished angler, a true professional, someone you can really learn from, has an eagle eye for all the activity around you and with his light tackle these fish are actually quite fun.

 

[badprop]

why only 3 hours though if the fish was good?

 

[Cpt. Hook]

fedu wrote:

Thanks Mike, like i told you, for me it was a lecture into live bait fishing for Tuna!

Allthough a bit beaten by yesterday celebration drinking we had a great morning in Durban waters.

We don't have the live bait tradition in Angola I learn more today about it than in the last couple of years, hope to be able to use the knowdledge at home.

A pleasure meeting Mike and afterwards Bennie & Nico.

Mike is an acomplished angler, a true professional, someone you can really learn from, has an eagle eye for all the activity around you and with his light tackle these fish are actually quite fun.

 

Fedu, it was a real pleasure meeting you and Julio.

 

[fedu]

Here is my pic report of the fishing day in Durban with Mike and Julio:




Has Mike Told before we went to Durban to see the Brasil x Portugal soccer game

After the game me and Julio involved our selfs in celebratory drinking that seriously compromised our fishing capacity.

Julio went straight from the bar to meet Mike and I managed to get almost 2 hours of sleep

Mike "Fishing Adventures" went to pick us up at our hotel and then we went to Durban Port for a morning fishing

We launched at around 6:30

Me and Mike going out.

Went out and asked the tower permission to leave the port

Arrived at our planned fishing spot and started fishing for bait with sabiki rigs

Put our drifted live bait in the water and then suddenly a bird decided to fight with us for the bait

Here he is being towed by Julio's fishing rod

The bird won getting away with Julio's fish

Mike teaching us how he controls the depth he wants his live bait at

Suddenly Julio went on a fight with a fish instead of a bird

and this time he won, successfully landing the biggest Bonnie (Eastern Little Tuna) I've ever seen in my life

Me fighting my fish under arm rod jigging style (old habits are difficult to break)

Another nice Bonnie a bit smaller than Julio's one

Mikes turn to fight the fish, has you can see a proper bend on the rod and a bit of high sticking involved

His beautiful YFT

We said goodbye to our morning friends

Getting back to Durban port after asking for permission to enter

Some guys fly fishing inside Durban port

Taking the boat out of the water

Our beautifull rig for the day

 

[Cpt. Hook]

Nice Pictures.

 

[fedu]

I think you and Julio will like this one also

 

[fedu]

And another one of Your YFT.

 

[fedu]

Bennie's plier in action.

 

[fedu]

The magnificent view, just before sunrise at the Durban port.

 

[Pargo Man]

BIIIIG FA: Thanks for your wonderful report and even more for the livy lecture delivered to my friends. Life baiting, that's a thing we just don't do in Angola, exactly as Fernando described it; no tradition yet. With your help that has changed now. Fernando and Julio will bring us the news and practice, then it's going out and finding fish... your bag that morning looks ever so tasty. From the images waters look cool, jackets pullovers and all.

Our Angolan winter is producing sst's now of around 20 Cs... even though you can't keep Ze Germanz Kidz out of the Atlantic...

Next weekend a fleet of Marlin World Cuppers will try to find the illicit Grander off Lobito and Luanda. Report to follow.

Cordially, PARGO

 

 

[Cpt. Hook]

Pargo Man wrote:

BIIIIG FA: Thanks for your wonderful report and even more for the livy lecture to my friends. Life baiting, that's a thing we just don't do in Angola, exactly as Fernando described it; no tradition yet. With your help that has changed now. Fernando and Julio will bring us the news and practice, then it's going out and finding fish...

You must post us the pics when you get these fish on live bait

 

[Pargo Man]

FA, you make it sound too easy!

if I'm not wrong, it all starts with the choice of life bait, then keeping them alife till you get onto structure or swarm. Even then the hook and leader etc etc etc... we tend to fish too heavy, except Fernando, who is a defender of balanced tackle. Fishing heavy will cost us the bite of the nice juicy tuna you caught off Durban. 

Tradition is a nasty inert force and up to now (for tournaments) the Angolan Sports Fishing Federation did'nt even allow life bait, chunking or chumming, engines stopped. That changes with the kick off of next seasons tournament fishing in October 2010. The Federation now allows all techniques except jigging.

Thanks again, Mike, for your inspiring clinic. Magnificent stuff.

Codially, PARGO

 

[Cpt. Hook]

Pargo Man wrote:

FA, you make it sound too easy!

if I'm not wrong, it all starts with the choice of life bait, then keeping them alife till you get onto structure or swarm. Even then the hook and leader etc etc etc... we tend to fish too heavy, except Fernando, who is a defender of balanced tackle. Fishing heavy will cost us the bite of the nice juicy tuna you caught off Durban. 

Tradition is a nasty inert force and up to now (for tournaments) the Angolan Sports Fishing Federation did'nt even allow life bait, chunking or chumming, engines stopped. That changes with the kick off of next seasons tournament fishing in October 2010. The Federation now allows all techniques except jigging.

Thanks again, Mike, for your inspiring clinic. Magnificent stuff.

Codially, PARGO

On 30lb, use a 0.90 (110lb) wind on leader about 10m long. Use a strong 8/0-12/0 hook tied directly to the leader with a figure 8 knot and make sure you have a good loop.

 

[fedu]

Jan,

For a long time I've been thinking on getting some downriggers for my boat (something we also don't see here that much), allways thought we could increase our grouper and cubera trolling catch by using them.

Had a nice chat with Mike and two other sealiners (Benniejordan and Nicos) and allthough they target diferent fish my mind is now made up, I'm going to get two, it makes perfect sense for this colder months fishing....

 

[Pargo Man]

SEALINE celebrities! Good stuff.

Fernando, silly Question: "You'll see Portugal-Spain in CT today?"

Have fun down South!

Jan