On 10th December 2004, Dawie Snyman, Kibaan and I launched “Selfish” off Cape Vidal. We were hoping to get a marlin for Kibaan as he had never caught one before. We were through the surf and off to Oscar before 5:30am. There was a slight SW wind and a good north to south current.
On arrival, I put out a few bait lures and trolled around the pinnacle. It was dead quiet so I headed shallower where we had a strike on a feather. Dawie brought the fish to the boat where we saw it to be a cuda. As we were about to gaff it, the fish bit the nylon trace off... unlucky. At 8am, we were tired of battling for bait so I suggested we head to the point and look for some gamefish. Kibaan was super keen to get a Dorado, cuda or if it was his lucky day, a sailfish. I stopped in about 18m and we put down 2 sets of sabiki rigs to get livies. Immediately we went on with full strings and filled the live well. As Kibaan was bringing up the last string, a Dorado swam in and snatched a maasbanker off the hook. I grabbed the closest rod with a halco on it, hooked a maasbanker onto the back hook and flicked it out ... bang ... instant on! I passed the rod to Dawie and grabbed another rod. I pinned another livie and flicked it out. A second Dorado came out of nowhere and chowed it... on! I passed the rod to Kibaan and grabbed the next rod. It had a bucktail jig on it. Again I pinned a maasbanker and flicked it out. As luck would have it, another Dorado ate it, but this time I missed. As I retrieved the lure, another fish chased and grabbed the lure ... awesome! While this chaos was going on, I managed to rig another bait and get it into the water ... coconut every time! Four fish on with 3 guys! Major fun! When the dust had settled, we had 4 dorado in the boat and 2 missed fish. Things looked promising.
On arrival, I put out a few bait lures and trolled around the pinnacle. It was dead quiet so I headed shallower where we had a strike on a feather. Dawie brought the fish to the boat where we saw it to be a cuda. As we were about to gaff it, the fish bit the nylon trace off... unlucky. At 8am, we were tired of battling for bait so I suggested we head to the point and look for some gamefish. Kibaan was super keen to get a Dorado, cuda or if it was his lucky day, a sailfish. I stopped in about 18m and we put down 2 sets of sabiki rigs to get livies. Immediately we went on with full strings and filled the live well. As Kibaan was bringing up the last string, a Dorado swam in and snatched a maasbanker off the hook. I grabbed the closest rod with a halco on it, hooked a maasbanker onto the back hook and flicked it out ... bang ... instant on! I passed the rod to Dawie and grabbed another rod. I pinned another livie and flicked it out. A second Dorado came out of nowhere and chowed it... on! I passed the rod to Kibaan and grabbed the next rod. It had a bucktail jig on it. Again I pinned a maasbanker and flicked it out. As luck would have it, another Dorado ate it, but this time I missed. As I retrieved the lure, another fish chased and grabbed the lure ... awesome! While this chaos was going on, I managed to rig another bait and get it into the water ... coconut every time! Four fish on with 3 guys! Major fun! When the dust had settled, we had 4 dorado in the boat and 2 missed fish. Things looked promising.
We regrouped and rigged up with a few cuda traces and staggered the livies at different depths and distances. I zigzagged between 18 and 30m, working my was south to the lighthouse. It did not take long for a strike. This time, it was a deep bait that went and Kibaan took the strike. After a quick fight, he had his first cuda in the boat. I made a turn and when I entered the same area, another rod went with a similar size cuda which Dawie caught. Things went a bit quiet until we were in line with the lighthouse. 3 rods went away and there were Dorado everywhere! I grabbed a spinning rod, hooked a livie and flicked it out ... on! Again we were one man short but managed to get all 4 fish out. I worked the area for a bit longer without a strike so we upped lines and headed back to the point.
We had just put the lines in when the deep bait went away. Unfortunately the hooks pulled after a few minutes. Oh well, we could not complain. About half an hour later, 2 surface baits were eaten and Dawie and Kibaan brought a pair of Dorado to the boat. One pulled hook but the other made its way into the hatch. We were almost ready to pack up when we had a smoker on the surface rod. Kibaan took the strike and brought in a nice cuda. After that, we upped lines and headed back to the point. Our livies were running low, so we decided to troll for another hour before calling it a day. We had just settled when I spotted a sailfish finning on the surface. I manoeuvred to intercept. I ran back to the closest rod while Dawie took the controls. I felt a heavy weight on the rod and freespooled for a bit. Dawie then gunned the motor and I tightened up. I was on for a few seconds then off! I couldn’t believe it. As the boat slowed, the far surface rod bent. I freespooled the reel and gave the fish a lot of time to eat. When Dawie gunned the motor, I hooked up ... solid this time! I passed the rod to Kibaan and cleared the other lines. Dawie followed the fish and we managed to get most of the line back. After a few head nods, the fish sounded, heading straight to sea. I took over the controls and followed the fish, trying every trick in the book to get it to surface. After 45 minutes, we were in 70m of water. The fish had not jumped so we were beginning to doubt ourselves that is was a sailfish. Slowly the fish tired and came to the surface. When the double line broke the surface, the fish shook its head and raced to the surface. The sailfish leapt clear of the water and tailwa
lked for about 30m. I managed to keep up with the fish and as it slowed, I stuck it with the gaff... BIG MISTAKE! The fish took off pulling me half way out the boat. Dawie grabbed my leg just before I went over. The gaff was ripped from my hand as the fish ran. Now there was a problem because we had no spare gaff. Whoops! The fish had luckily burnt up some energy on the surface and we could close the gap easily. Kibaan brought it closer and I gingerly took the leader. The gaff was still in the fish so when I grabbed the bill, Dawie got hold of the gaff and we lifted it into the boat. Sjoe! That was close. Kibaan was over the moon. He had caught the fish he was hoping for. Not only that, he had caught a Dorado, cuda and a sail in one day... a Cape Vidal Slam!
We headed back to the beach and weighed the sailfish. It pulled the needle to 40kg. Not bad for a first sailfish.
We had just put the lines in when the deep bait went away. Unfortunately the hooks pulled after a few minutes. Oh well, we could not complain. About half an hour later, 2 surface baits were eaten and Dawie and Kibaan brought a pair of Dorado to the boat. One pulled hook but the other made its way into the hatch. We were almost ready to pack up when we had a smoker on the surface rod. Kibaan took the strike and brought in a nice cuda. After that, we upped lines and headed back to the point. Our livies were running low, so we decided to troll for another hour before calling it a day. We had just settled when I spotted a sailfish finning on the surface. I manoeuvred to intercept. I ran back to the closest rod while Dawie took the controls. I felt a heavy weight on the rod and freespooled for a bit. Dawie then gunned the motor and I tightened up. I was on for a few seconds then off! I couldn’t believe it. As the boat slowed, the far surface rod bent. I freespooled the reel and gave the fish a lot of time to eat. When Dawie gunned the motor, I hooked up ... solid this time! I passed the rod to Kibaan and cleared the other lines. Dawie followed the fish and we managed to get most of the line back. After a few head nods, the fish sounded, heading straight to sea. I took over the controls and followed the fish, trying every trick in the book to get it to surface. After 45 minutes, we were in 70m of water. The fish had not jumped so we were beginning to doubt ourselves that is was a sailfish. Slowly the fish tired and came to the surface. When the double line broke the surface, the fish shook its head and raced to the surface. The sailfish leapt clear of the water and tailwa
lked for about 30m. I managed to keep up with the fish and as it slowed, I stuck it with the gaff... BIG MISTAKE! The fish took off pulling me half way out the boat. Dawie grabbed my leg just before I went over. The gaff was ripped from my hand as the fish ran. Now there was a problem because we had no spare gaff. Whoops! The fish had luckily burnt up some energy on the surface and we could close the gap easily. Kibaan brought it closer and I gingerly took the leader. The gaff was still in the fish so when I grabbed the bill, Dawie got hold of the gaff and we lifted it into the boat. Sjoe! That was close. Kibaan was over the moon. He had caught the fish he was hoping for. Not only that, he had caught a Dorado, cuda and a sail in one day... a Cape Vidal Slam!
We headed back to the beach and weighed the sailfish. It pulled the needle to 40kg. Not bad for a first sailfish.
