one(s) that got away... land based harbour

[mitchie18092]

First time posting in a little while...

 

Have had a decent break over the cooler months, and with no access to a car over the past year have struggled to wet a line.

 

Had a crack both Saturday and Sunday morning.

 

Saturday: 

Got to my spot with a around 5am. Not a breath of wind, plenty of bait in the water; looked fishy.

Managed to pull up a bunch of squid with relative ease, as too some yakkas. None of real quality, bar one around the 20cm mark (hood).

Had a yellowtail and a squid out all morning for nada.

On one of my small spinning setups i did manage one nice little flatty which went back into the drink for another day.

Packed up around 8am - tried a few different ledges for squid and managed a couple which we saved for bait. 

 

Sunday:

Conditions perfect again.

Got to our spot around 4:45am - saw some flash lights down on our jetty and decided to try elsewhere.

Next spot, same thing - starting to grow frustrated at this point and ready to throw in the towel.

Thankfully our next spot was there for the taking, and out we went.

First bait in the water was the head from the largest of the squid caught on Saturday.

Pulled up a few yakkas and sent one out also.

Finally - sitting there with my small spin stick gathering bait. Notice out of my peripheries my line with the squid out hastily growing taut.

Am running 30lb braid to 40lb fluro - so felt confident in running tight drag (9-10kgs on a Sustain 4000FG). 

Quite a few moorings about so important i can turn it's head early. Anyway. Before i can put down my smaller bait rod, this thing start stripping braid like nobodies business...

Go to grab the rod out of the holder/hole in the jetty - bloody thing is so heavy and running so quick i can barely get it out.... 

It starts to turn, consequently rubbing my line up against the major pylon my rod was secured next to.

By the time i get it out and start to feel the weight of the fish, my braid pops about half a metre from the tip of my rod. Sent me hurdling backwards the force was so great.

Understandably, fisherman do tend to exercise some form of hyperbole in recanting their stories - but i can confidently call this one at a 20kg + fish (probably closer to 25/30).

The largest i've pulled off that jetty was ~13kg and 103cm, and this thing would have pulled it backwards.

Certainly a humbling experience...

About 10 minutes later, while i was still tying a new leader knot (shaking/trembling from what had just happened), my mate spotted a big king lurking under the jetty.

Wandered over to have a look, he hooks a yellowtail on the small bait rod, and here this bloody thing comes and snatches him off the surface - around 90-95cm with big broad shoulders.

Dusted within a few seconds, as i'm sure you can imagine.

 

Next time i guess...

 

Tight lines!

[masterfisho7]

Top report one nice flathead

[JacobyBream]

Great report mate! Better luck next time... Those Kings will get you when you least expect it alright. 

[Ryder]

Great report mate. I wouldn’t be surprised at your estimate, there are big ones out there, bruisers that refuse to get caught.

I know the big fish shakes when you lose one. Takes a while to get over, just thinking about what could have been can bring them back on, Haha.

 

[GoingFishing]

Great write up mate, hopefully next time you will be able to stay connected to those bigguns. though as Ryder says some of those big ones refuse to get caught. Fishing amongst the moorings is always a challenge.

Interestingly, I have read more than once that with kings your best off letting them go for a nice big run and not stick them early. again, a risk amongst the moorings and pylons.

[jenno64]

Great read....gets the blood pumping!!

[mitchie18092]

Appreciate the kind words all!

9 hours ago, GoingFishing said:

Great write up mate, hopefully next time you will be able to stay connected to those bigguns. though as Ryder says some of those big ones refuse to get caught. Fishing amongst the moorings is always a challenge.

Interestingly, I have read more than once that with kings your best off letting them go for a nice big run and not stick them early. again, a risk amongst the moorings and pylons.

Hindsight is a funny thing isn't it...

I must have replayed that fight (albeit a short one) over and over in my head 100's of times now. 

Think next time i probably will slacken off on the drag a little, and just hope i don't get run around the moorings... Really is hard to say.

Must say though, after a fairly demoralising start to the season, it's nice to feel some weight for once, and know i'm doing something right to connect with a few. 

Looking forward to getting back out there, that's for sure...