Most memorable catch(es) on light tackle

[duckbill]

Right guys! This thread is Bloks-inspired! In case you haven't read his latest tread, he hooked and safely released a behemoth on the weekend  .

What makes his catch even more noteworthy is that he was using very light bass type gear and lures-a PB catch I hope he won't attempt to beat anytime soon.
Now recently I acquired a 10ft Shimano dropshot combo with 20lb braid which I intend to use for some gallie and kostert scratching, as well as spooning for the picky predatory species along the Southern Cape coastline. While on holiday there earlier this year I managed a decent kolstert at a deep water spot, as well as a nice run from what could have been a nice steenie or cracker. Long story short, the hook pulled on the cracker's/steenbras' run, but what a nice fight the kolstert put up also! White mussel did the trick and he was safely released.

More recently I landed, with the Shimano gear, a roughly 10kg spotted gully shark which put up an enormous fight. I've forgotten how powerfully they run, a result of only fishing for the edible species the last couple of years. I now have a new goal, which is to catch a spotty or smoothy heavier than 20kg on my new dropshot combo. In fact, this light tackle fishing for toothless sharkies thing is exactly the type of therapy I would recommend to Bloks after his traumatizing ordeal of the weekend.

Okay so now let's get back to the main idea behind this thread, i.e., big or hard fighting fish on the lighter stuff. Please feel free to share with us stories or pics of your most memorable catch(es) on light gear of 10ft rods and smaller.  I know Blikkiesvis always has an interesting story or two to share.
Duckbill     

 

[Foose]

Not a super light setup but a fight I won't soon forget. Made this weekend with my saltist power spin 12,6 and Quantum smoke inshore 40Pts and 30lb braid. Smoothy of 7kg battled like a spotty of 15kg and kept me on my toes!
Had a mullet out for a spotty but will get him next time....

 

[Houtarm]

My favorite catch on light tackle was my PB 56cm Galjoen caught at Blombos in Oct 2017.

Caught this one on an Sensation Short Range 11ft carp rod. with a Big Boss 5000 reel, and it put up a massive fight on the tackle in between the reefs.

I had made bait at Witsand the day before, and while looking for redbait and crabs on the reefs at low tide, I found a single big oyster in a pool, and decided to take it along to Blombos.

The next day at Blombos I fished the entire day with white mussel and red bait, only managing a few small gallies and kollies. As the day neared its end, I decided to try the oyster as a last resort, having never used it as bait before.

First (and only) cast with oyster delivered this fish almost immediately, a perfect end to the 2017 galjoen season. Released

 

[Bloks]

55cm Steenbras on 6ft rod. Sienna 2500 reel and 15lb braid on the rocks in Franskraal. Jumping all over to keep the fish out of the bricks, great fun

 

[duckbill]

Nice vangste manne.

Foose did you get that smoothy at Betty's Bay? There are very big spotties at Verwoerd Beach. The last spotty I caught before the one on light tackle was at Verwoerd Beach and well over 25kg. That thing had a belly of note.

Houtarm that is a bus gallie. Respect for landing it on that kinda tackle. Have you landed ineds on the Big Boss? I want to get one for my 12ft rod.

Bloks what bait did you get the steenie on?

 

[Foose]

duckbill wrote:

Nice vangste manne.

Foose did you get that smoothy at Betty's Bay? There are very big spotties at Verwoerd Beach. The last spotty I caught before the one on light tackle was at Verwoerd Beach and well over 25kg. That thing had a belly of note.

Houtarm that is a bus gallie. Respect for landing it on that kinda tackle. Have you landed ineds on the Big Boss? I want to get one for my 12ft rod.

Bloks what bait did you get the steenie on?

At Betty's yes

Plenty of big ones around all the time at verwoerds and silvers.
Managed a 33 and 38kg close to the end of last year. Proper fat ones :fst:

 

[duckbill]

Foose wrote:

duckbill wrote:

Nice vangste manne.

Foose did you get that smoothy at Betty's Bay? There are very big spotties at Verwoerd Beach. The last spotty I caught before the one on light tackle was at Verwoerd Beach and well over 25kg. That thing had a belly of note.

Houtarm that is a bus gallie. Respect for landing it on that kinda tackle. Have you landed ineds on the Big Boss? I want to get one for my 12ft rod.

Bloks what bait did you get the steenie on?

At Betty's yes

Plenty of big ones around all the time at verwoerds and silvers.
Managed a 33 and 38kg close to the end of last year. Proper fat ones :fst:

Well done that's a beast. Have you ever picked up a steenie or kobbie while fishing for sharks that side?

 

[Bloks]

Hey

I got the steenie on a wonderworm. Was hoping for a belman

 

[Foose]

duckbill wrote:

Foose wrote:

duckbill wrote:

Nice vangste manne.

Foose did you get that smoothy at Betty's Bay? There are very big spotties at Verwoerd Beach. The last spotty I caught before the one on light tackle was at Verwoerd Beach and well over 25kg. That thing had a belly of note.

Houtarm that is a bus gallie. Respect for landing it on that kinda tackle. Have you landed ineds on the Big Boss? I want to get one for my 12ft rod.

Bloks what bait did you get the steenie on?

At Betty's yes

Plenty of big ones around all the time at verwoerds and silvers.
Managed a 33 and 38kg close to the end of last year. Proper fat ones :fst:

Well done that's a beast. Have you ever picked up a steenie or kobbie while fishing for sharks that side?

Never at silvers but probably because I'm always fishing for sharks.
Recently started targeting steenies with worm but haven't had any luck yet (crabs) but hopefull that my day will come soon

 

[duckbill]

Bloks wrote:

Hey

I got the steenie on a wonderworm. Was hoping for a belman

 

[Bloks]

Houtarm wrote:

My favorite catch on light tackle was my PB 56cm Galjoen caught at Blombos in Oct 2017.

Caught this one on an Sensation Short Range 11ft carp rod. with a Big Boss 5000 reel, and it put up a massive fight on the tackle in between the reefs.

I had made bait at Witsand the day before, and while looking for redbait and crabs on the reefs at low tide, I found a single big oyster in a pool, and decided to take it along to Blombos.

The next day at Blombos I fished the entire day with white mussel and red bait, only managing a few small gallies and kollies. As the day neared its end, I decided to try the oyster as a last resort, having never used it as bait before.

First (and only) cast with oyster delivered this fish almost immediately, a perfect end to the 2017 galjoen season. Released

Daai is n monster, baie mooi!

 

[Fanie Crause]

Foose wrote:

duckbill wrote:

Foose wrote:

duckbill wrote:

Nice vangste manne.

Foose did you get that smoothy at Betty's Bay? There are very big spotties at Verwoerd Beach. The last spotty I caught before the one on light tackle was at Verwoerd Beach and well over 25kg. That thing had a belly of note.

Houtarm that is a bus gallie. Respect for landing it on that kinda tackle. Have you landed ineds on the Big Boss? I want to get one for my 12ft rod.

Bloks what bait did you get the steenie on?

At Betty's yes

Plenty of big ones around all the time at verwoerds and silvers.
Managed a 33 and 38kg close to the end of last year. Proper fat ones :fst:

Well done that's a beast. Have you ever picked up a steenie or kobbie while fishing for sharks that side?

Never at silvers but probably because I'm always fishing for sharks.
Recently started targeting steenies with worm but haven't had any luck yet (crabs) but hopefull that my day will come soon

Silversands few moons back, I have caught a couple cob there. One rod harder kop and the other for a cob. Steenies at silversands fishing at night.

 

[DocPhil]

Great catces and stories.
On holiday in Vanuatu a few years ago I went on a charter and got stuck into the yellowfin tuna. First day I had three fish up to 40kg on popper.

On the second day they weren't playing ball on the poppers so skipper gave me a light setup (6ft light rod and Saragosa 6k reel with PE2 line) and I started catching little skipjacks on a tiny spoon for livebait to put down deep.

I was reeling in a skipjack when something big grabbed it. Skipper said the skippie’s been taken by a big yellowfin, don't worry it'll come off in a second. Well, it didn't.
Epic run where the guide had to chase the fish in reverse as line melted of the screaming little 'Gosa. Then the toughest fight Ive ever had with a fish. How the tiny spoon held in it's mouth is beyond me. Guide kept saying "it'll be off soon" he was amazed that I got it in. I played it as gently as I could, imagining the tiny spoon hanging on a thread in it's mouth.

1 hour later I had it at the boat. It took one look at the gaff and dived 150m deep. Another 2 hours of a give and take battle I had it in the boat.
I was in pain but happy as Larry.

3 hours of sweat under the tropical sun!

Here's my video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0hY9hX8o1zI&t=27s

PE2 braid, Saragosa 6000 and a light spinning rod. 33kg yellowfin.

 

[DJP]

DocPhil that is just insane! Well done!

 

[DJP]

I had the bright idea of targeting kob and leeries on small (8cm) live mullet on the Strand reef end of the summer last year.
Let's just say the sharks really don't mind the size of the live bait, hooked and landed a 20kg plus hound shark on my 10ft Berkley Air and Shimano Calcutta 400 combo... next cast on the live bait was a hiding so I switched to paddle tails.

 

[duckbill]

My best catch on light tackle thus far is a 54cm bronze bream in the southern cape. I got him on sand prawn on my 10ft Loomis and Franklin rod, Daiwa SL20 reel and 0.4mm Kingfisher Giant Abrasian line.

Last year I got a stone bream of close to 55cm not too far from where I caught the bronze bream. On this occasion I used my 10ft Loomis rod and Penn Fierce 5000 grind er with 30lb braid.

I still don't know how I managed to get those two fish out, as the area is quite foul.

Other memorable outings include getting 5 galjoen in 5 casts (southern cape-biggest one 56cm), 4 bronze bream in 4 casts (eastern cape) and 3 kobbies in 3 casts (knysna lagoon).

 

[Blikkiesvis]

Man Im enjoying this tread. With light tackle you might get busted up, but its the fish you land with light tackle that will stay with you for as long as you have a sane mind. The story of "Lucky" is probably one that will stick with me forever, sane mind or not!


A Fish called Lucky


The smaller rats and mice took it’s toll on our bait and the mud prawn stock were quickly devoured. After a few hours all that was left was a couple of stinky dead ones. Usually I wouldn’t even bother with these but I had a dream to fulfil so I pushed on. I took a bigger hook tied three dead prawns on it with some cotton and made a cast into the channel.

The bait lied still for a while when all of a sudden my rod dipped and the Stradic went into a screaming fit. There isn’t much that gets the adrenaline pumping like a reel that starts screaming steadily. Then a little faster and faster and then that millisecond pause when the fish realizes he’s hooked, just before drops another gear to sixth and starts peeling line off at a rate of knots. It might not be the sounds of a symphony orchestra, but it’s music to my ears.

I was doing some conducting with my fishing rod as the fish continued down river towards the mouth. In no time I was into my backing. This made me extremely nervous. I trust my knots but you never know! Luckily though the fish turned shook his head a couple of times and began swimming towards us for some reason. I don’t know why he did this, we joked that something bigger was probably trying to have a easy breakfast.

The fish also kept swimming close to the surface which was strange. Grunters normally like keeping deep but this fish was almost on the surface and every now and again would make a big swirl as it tried to free itself. I couldn’t see what it was but was a little conflicted. If it was a Grunter it was something that would make Pavarotti look like an Ehiopian. Maybe a Kob, they eat prawn sometimes and this fish gave some proper head shakes.

The fish came past us and was now headed upstream. Although the fish was doing just what he wanted I continued putting pressure on him. Just enough so my light gear wouldn’t fail while he tired out more and more with every run and head nod. I gained more line and he came close to the boat and towards the surface. Then there was a silver flash of something that didn’t look like a Kob at all. Something completely surprising...

“It’s a Garrick” Deon shouted with excitement! I also saw something looking like a Garrick before the fish dove under the boat but thought that my mind was playing tricks with me. It couldn’t be, Garrick don’t eat prawn and especially not the old dried out rotten ones. Or maybe something small was hooked and then he came to eat it and got hooked himself. I thought it could also be a big Shad since they have been caught on prawn before. Whatever it was I had to be extra careful because the hookup couldn’t have been too great.

The fight must have lasted more than twenty minutes when the fish eventually surfaced and we could see that it was definitely a Garrick. He went for another couple of ducks and dives before Deon scooped him neatly into the net. The fight was won but what followed absolutely blows my mind!

I moved my hand towards the mouth of the fish to remove the hook but there was nothing in it. Instead a 1 mm hook snood was dangling from the fishes mouth with a broken swivel on the top end. It wasn’t my mine and I was dumbfounded to say the least! I opened his mouth and by looking inside could see a rusted treble hook stuck in its gut, then the hook line followed and the trace ended in a broken swivel. But that was it, no other hook and no attachment to the strangers line. How did I then reel in the fish I wondered?

The fish was tired but I couldn’t let it go with a treble hook stuck in it’s throat. I stuck my hand in its mouth and unhooked the three hooks one by one, then pushed the hook a little deeper so I could turn it before carefully pulling it from the Leeries mouth. There I stood with rusted treble, 1mm line and broken swivel attached to nothing. We quickly measured him and gave him a number plate before taking a couple of picks. Then he was returned to the river and a long revival process started.

He kept on turning on his side with no movement. There was no sign of life and I thought he was about to die. But I turned him upright and moved him forward to get much needed oxygen through his gills. But every time I left him he he would turn on his side again and the whole process would repeat itself. I was loosing hope but Deon said we should continue trying. I turned him again and gradually he started showing signs of avoiding the bright light. He gave a little nod of the head and then he started moving his tail slowly from side to side. I held him for another minute or so to make sure he was ready and then I let him go.

My personal best Leerie of an 87cm fork length swam away, not so strong. He gave a slow kick of the tail and disappeared into the brownish river with a relieved “YES” from us. We named him Lucky! He was unlucky to be caught but lucky that we removed the treble from his gut and then set him free again. I reckon there’s a 50/50 chance that Lucky would make it but we figured he had a much better chance in the river than on the boat, especially with his luck.

I was still confused and wondered how the hell I managed to fight and land the fish with no hook in its mouth. I moved my eyes up my leader looking for some clue as to what happened. Then I saw a little loop right where my 10lb leader was attached to my 6lb braid. Then in astonishment it dawned on me….

Somehow by some huge miracle my line that is always kept straight had made a single loop and, I don’t know how, got tied around the head of the broken swivel… When we lifted the fish into the boat with the net, there was no more tension on the loop and it came loose just like that. I took my leader in one hand and braid in the other and with the smallest of tugs it broke. I guess when a fish has your name on nothing will stop you from landing it!

Sometimes all you have to do is just have a line in the water, and who knows, you might get Lucky…


(Gear used was a Shimano Stradic FJ 3000 loaded with 6lb fireline and a 10lb leader and a 8ft Shimano Vengeance rod.)

 

[jonathanw]

Epic story Blikkies, enjoying this post a lot

 

[TimJan]

A couple of years back was at the breede and bored so I went and sit in the bend just to pass time and enjoy the sun.Put out my 14ft rod with a mullet before the sand bank and a 6.6ft rod with a mullet filet hoping for I don't know what and cast it 5m from the side just off the ledge. The 6ft bass Shimano Nexave rod had a diawa firewolf on with 18lb line

After 30 mins the 6ft rod pulls away after an epic 15 min fight I land =- 15kg diamond Ray and I am completely blown away.
Re-bait and cast in the same place 10 mins later the small rod pulls away again and this time I have a FIGHT. half of the time I can't do anything but look at my reel empty whilst holding on the tide has turned and when the fish swims out with the tide its like it does not even know it is hooked.
So after an hour I land a 50kg+ diamond take my pics and release the ray.

The reel was busted after that fight and how the line held up nobody knows as at times I locked the drag and stopped the spool with my thumb as I only had maybe 10m left knowing it must break but it didn't.

What makes it even more special the ray goes and sits just on the ledge in about 1m of water just before the drop off. I try and get it to go over but leave it there as it was tired after the long fight. 10 mins later a MONSTER Zambie swims past me less than 2m from the side in the 1m where I stood trying to push the diamond over the ledge.
Needless to say it still sits in the back of my head when i pump prawn upriver where they actually hunt.

 

[Blikkiesvis]

Ok, one more... The gear wasn't too light being a Stradic FK 5000 with 20lb braid and a Penn Regiment 10ft, but for the fish and the fight it had, it was epic!


This is an extract from the story "Dam Smoothy" on www.blikkiesvis.com


As I walked back I heard my reel screaming again. From the moment I picked up the Penn Regiment 10ft I knew this fish was bigger and I was in for a serious tug of war. He must have ran at least 100m off my Stradic 5000 FK when I decided to start running after him as well. I was afraid I might get spooled.

I had an idea that this might be another Smoothie so I tightened the drag further and hoped that my leader knot would stay intact. The drag didn't bother this baby one bit and she just ran even harder and faster. There is no better feeling, than when "something" starts running and you think it should be tiring and then it just goes into another gear and line starts peeling even faster. All I could do was give a nervous giggle.

It took me at least 15 minutes before I could confirm my suspicions. The fish just showed itself for a brief second before taking line again. She got close and tried to cut me off on the numerous oyster beds that sits right at the side of drop off. I had to go and stand on top of one of these oyster beds to have enough height on the fish so she couldn't carry out her plan.

I thought I had her won more than a dozen times but every time she just took of again. I don't target sharks at all and I don't have any experience catching them, but this thing was just unbelievable! The fight can probably best be summed up as majestic duel with a hand full of brutality. I have read that Smoothies are pound for pound one of the best fighters you get. Well, I can now confirm that it's absolutely true!

Probably 20-25 minutes later a fellow fisherman grabbed her and picked her up before passing her on to me. Picking up is one thing but holding on is a total different thing. They spin and try and wriggle their way out of your grip and believe me they are strong. I got Smoothie rash on both arms and legs.

I carried her to the bakkie to measure, don't know if I was just tired but wow she felt really heavy. She measured 172cm. What a fantastic fight and fantastic fish! After a quick pic she was tagged and released her back into the lagoon.

After I released her I was so bloody tired that I packed my stuff and went home. I was done!