The day I got Wrecked

So today was the day we went to 'diepgat' a VERY secret spot off the eastern cape coast

 

It's a small plateau that rises from 140m to 110m. The trip is made twice a year to try conserve the resident fish.

 

Catches there have consisted of XXL carpenter, hake, kingklip, john dory, wreckfish and epic duckbill baits



 

 

Overall the fishing was poor today but I got a very nice surprise! We were struggling, jacopevers were in a frenzy so I

put on a Fladen Fjaderhackla (giant sabiki)



 

It has 3 hooks so when I felt the first one take I left it, second one on two winds to set the hook and drop down and bump bump beeeeend

zz-zzzzz-zzz BUMP BUMP BUMP... geez big carpenters got me now!

 

Fishing with sabiki I always back off the drag cos the hooks are usually small.

 

After a couple of metres I felt this felt very different to a carpenter, it was definitely a decent bottom dweller.

So I took it easy, and the 110m took me the better part of 5-10 minutes to retrieve.

 

Out pops a wreckfish! WTF how cool is that!!!  really didnt expect to actually catch one, let alone on an artificial!!

Being a protected species we quickly dehooked, photographed, measured (70cm FL, +-5kg) and downrigged this little fella with a jig and bottoms sinker.

WOW what a nice surprise! ::S



 

My main objective was to try a vertical jig but had 0 takers (carpenters dont count). Lack of interest probably due to us being anchored, a drift just does something to the action of a jigged lure that the bottom dwellers like.

 

We were fortunate in that there were no seals around today! (Cape Taxman)

 

Other catches today included 1 XL carpenter, 1 nice hake, a couple average hake and rat carpenters.

A very long drive for not much reward but I'm super stoked with the catch! :wfish

 

Another one for the list and that leaves kingklip and john dory on my most wanted list!

 

Hake for supper! 

First Wreck fish I've seen since I caught one in 1980 at the lighthouse in Simonstown

Well done and thanks for a great report, what you catch the Occie on? Hope you have more than on in the freezer?

Thanks Enigma!

yeah they are so uncommon hey, very glad I managed to bag one What depth of water did you catch yours in? Got a pic?

My dad got the occie, it was holding onto a jacopever he had hooked. last trip he got one of 6kg's. Nope unfortunately I havent had the chance to hunt some, but I've got pleeenty chokka

Mine wasn't deep at all was a freak catch, probably 40m tops Didn't have any idea what it was so it went into the hatch was great eating but Brian Cohen ID'd it for me

Well done, nice Wreckfish.

Nice one Aqua:SSS

Lekker species chris!

Why no coppers? that water looks right depth for them?

thanks guys

Kopstamp there are spots where the coppers roam but only 1 or 2 guys know when are where... They are so rare in ou neck of the woods now I dont think those guys really bother anymore even. Plenty babies but I mean sizers

tradewinds knows.....

also heard of only two spots!

had a lekker chat with a uncle who told me a story of I think eric and him discovered the Grotte...

you fishing on the weekend? aquacat style?

apparently there are shallow marks for them too, like 30m reefs where the big boys roam...

I might on Sunday, release that octopus with 2 x 20/0's

 

never been to the caves, would really dig to though.. epic kob station, poensies too

jip also heard about the 30 and 40m spots.

Will let you know when I do a cave session. It is their time now.

Might pull through, just have to check balance and logistics. But seems a couple of guys are interested...

cool man that'd be an awesome mission! my pb kob off the boat to sea is only 7kg, would love a 15kg+

or a 22kg one...
Will see to organise the boat for a day soon...

Keep you in the loop.

or a 22kg one ja! lol

cool man, I'll bring the fjaderhackla's

Ther is a spot between Kabels and gamtoose at about 50 - 60m that taffy knows where ther some real big busses roamin in the botton, hes fished theere twice i have herd and wont go back cause he doent want to over fish it.

There is also a wreck (wood) from back in the day that holds some big cobs that side.

There also the banks that hold some real good fish at the rite times.

J bay got some good spots wanna head down titsi some real good fish that side but have to be back in SA for that

seanvictor123 wrote:

Ther is a spot between Kabels and gamtoose at about 50 - 60m that taffy knows where ther some real big busses roamin in the botton, hes fished theere twice i have herd and wont go back cause he doent want to over fish it.

There is also a wreck (wood) from back in the day that holds some big cobs that side.

There also the banks that hold some real good fish at the rite times.

J bay got some good spots wanna head down titsi some real good fish that side but have to be back in SA for that

Click to expand...

if anyone knows where they will be its a Goldstone! lol

I'd like to fish the shallows around gamtoos for those big kob never fished that side

Yep and u never see or find where he goes on that little butt of his.

Gamtoos holds real nice cobbies but that rule of big bait big fish is so true. And they can be real picky too, need whole squid. Freshness is key. Live bait really good dependant on depth. Don't often find mullet I'n 25m water so macky live better I'n deeper waters. As for marks they not given out so easly.I've Spent a long time studien charts and talking to squid capts about ther anchoring experiences there.

Off gam mouth you get the white roofed house that you line up with the mouth roughly 25m tide into account, sounding is key as a cave is key.

Anchoring is hard and all considerations need to come into play, u want to be on that grot or u are going to battle.

Other than that the marks given out are fished and the ones you stumble across while sounding makes ur day.

As much as I hate it a night fish is so much better. (breeding fish I don't want)

Have fun down there and if it's choppy, hold on. ha ha ha back to the harbour is far and prob will need a kidney belt........ Ha ha ha

and hope the bronzies are not around! haha

thanks for the heads up Sean, I'll see if I can twist oom Eric's arm hehe