Roughly 6 years ago my rock and surf adventures began after moving to the Garden Route.
Watching old salted fisherman landing specimens that boggled my mind.Simply in awe how fish that big could come into casting distance.
Not long and I had a bucketlist of fish as long as my arm.Right at the very top was Lithognathus Lithognathus,more commonly known as The White Steenbras.
I was absolutely beguiled by this magnificent speedster after seeing one being landed by a fellow fisherman.
So at the end of April I decided that this winter I was solely focusing on this enigma I simply couldn't shake.
Session after session I simply couldn't get one to accept my finesse offerings.
After doing more research and tweaking rigs,trying new ones I started landing juveniles.I felt I was on route to getting a prized steamtrain.
Fishing partner phones one afternoon and invites me along for another session.We got to the water and saw immediately a working bank but was just out of reach but I decided to wade and clip in a small offering.
After the rod being in a while and seeing the peckers demolishing my bait I reeled in.Nothing all session.
So uncle mumbles and says "Another one of those days",I nodded in agreement...Right,one last cast.
Meaty bait with chokka tentacles clipped in,waded to a point where I could reach the bank,I gave it a whirl and watched my offering landing in the white working water.Feeling pretty positive I walked back.Rod in the pipe,went to dry myself off.
I see once again peckers going mad and knew it wont be long and nothing will be left and decided to hold the rod in my hand and see if I can land one of these small donners ruining my day.
Looking at uncle as he gets ready to bait up,he mentions how fresh the sardine is...then 2 thuds....
Hmmm bloody sandy or barbel Im thinking....
BAM!!! The power of this fish taking off stopped my heart and knees go weak,mouth dry I knew this was a good fish but could be a proper smoothound or spottie.
Not getting my hopes up,I watch line peel off my Saltist 40 at a rate of knots.The fish comes to a complete stand still turns towards a gutter to my left and screams off again.By now all guesses as to what this is stopped and uncle looks at me and says this is it boet,hold tight!
I feel the fish slowly turning towards me.Now time to win back some line and I crank on the handle.Getting back 20 meters or so...ZZZZZZZ....its off again....
This back and forth tussle goes on for about 10 minutes and finally I start gaining on this mystery with fins.
About 10meters out the fish swims in the shore break and uncle yells BIG CRACKER!!
By now Im shaking and ready for this battle to come to an end and hoping my thin fluoro trace doesnt part.Another decent shore break and uncle yells again...this time STEENIE,STEENIE...Keep your drag loose!Now I have no legs and knew this was it,gotta land this brute.Finally get the fish into the foamie and true to fashion it decides bugger this and gives me another heart attack,another 20meter run!
After winning back the line again uncle runs down and pulls my dream fish onto the wet sand.I was safe to say in another world.Shaking like a leaf I admired this old chap for a second and ran for my measuring matt.
96cm on the nose.6/0 demon circle fine in the scissors.
Unhooked,measured and posing for a few photos on my trusty Gopro I decided there is NO WAY I was going to kill this fish and tagged it.After reviving it for a few minutes it takes off as if it was never in a battle.
The sense of achievement and viskoors was boiling over in me.The best part of course...watching it swim off.
Im now fully addicted to chasing these fish!!
Watching old salted fisherman landing specimens that boggled my mind.Simply in awe how fish that big could come into casting distance.
Not long and I had a bucketlist of fish as long as my arm.Right at the very top was Lithognathus Lithognathus,more commonly known as The White Steenbras.
I was absolutely beguiled by this magnificent speedster after seeing one being landed by a fellow fisherman.
So at the end of April I decided that this winter I was solely focusing on this enigma I simply couldn't shake.
Session after session I simply couldn't get one to accept my finesse offerings.
After doing more research and tweaking rigs,trying new ones I started landing juveniles.I felt I was on route to getting a prized steamtrain.
Fishing partner phones one afternoon and invites me along for another session.We got to the water and saw immediately a working bank but was just out of reach but I decided to wade and clip in a small offering.
After the rod being in a while and seeing the peckers demolishing my bait I reeled in.Nothing all session.
So uncle mumbles and says "Another one of those days",I nodded in agreement...Right,one last cast.
Meaty bait with chokka tentacles clipped in,waded to a point where I could reach the bank,I gave it a whirl and watched my offering landing in the white working water.Feeling pretty positive I walked back.Rod in the pipe,went to dry myself off.
I see once again peckers going mad and knew it wont be long and nothing will be left and decided to hold the rod in my hand and see if I can land one of these small donners ruining my day.
Looking at uncle as he gets ready to bait up,he mentions how fresh the sardine is...then 2 thuds....
Hmmm bloody sandy or barbel Im thinking....
BAM!!! The power of this fish taking off stopped my heart and knees go weak,mouth dry I knew this was a good fish but could be a proper smoothound or spottie.
Not getting my hopes up,I watch line peel off my Saltist 40 at a rate of knots.The fish comes to a complete stand still turns towards a gutter to my left and screams off again.By now all guesses as to what this is stopped and uncle looks at me and says this is it boet,hold tight!
I feel the fish slowly turning towards me.Now time to win back some line and I crank on the handle.Getting back 20 meters or so...ZZZZZZZ....its off again....
This back and forth tussle goes on for about 10 minutes and finally I start gaining on this mystery with fins.
About 10meters out the fish swims in the shore break and uncle yells BIG CRACKER!!
By now Im shaking and ready for this battle to come to an end and hoping my thin fluoro trace doesnt part.Another decent shore break and uncle yells again...this time STEENIE,STEENIE...Keep your drag loose!Now I have no legs and knew this was it,gotta land this brute.Finally get the fish into the foamie and true to fashion it decides bugger this and gives me another heart attack,another 20meter run!
After winning back the line again uncle runs down and pulls my dream fish onto the wet sand.I was safe to say in another world.Shaking like a leaf I admired this old chap for a second and ran for my measuring matt.
96cm on the nose.6/0 demon circle fine in the scissors.
Unhooked,measured and posing for a few photos on my trusty Gopro I decided there is NO WAY I was going to kill this fish and tagged it.After reviving it for a few minutes it takes off as if it was never in a battle.
The sense of achievement and viskoors was boiling over in me.The best part of course...watching it swim off.
Im now fully addicted to chasing these fish!!
