On Saturday 25th June 2011 at 7:30am, we launched “Worth While” off Mapelane. We were fishing in the annual Mapelane Junior interclub, representing the Richards Bay U/16 team. The skipper was Stuart Worthington and I was the manager. The team members were Sean and Dale Leenstra and Kelvin van Rooyen.
After an uneventful launch, we looked for some livies on the backline. There was nothing at all so we headed for Mapelane Lighthouse. About a kilometre from the spot, the water went brown and we abandoned the idea, changing our heading to the 50m ledge. The water was still an off green and not too promising. We rigged a few wala-wala, bonito and mackerel and put them out. Stuart slow trolled along the ledge working north hoping to find a cuda. After an hour and a half without a strike, we upped lines and headed for “Chisa”, a section of the 50m ledge straight off the launch.
There were already several boats there but nothing was happening. We set our lines and joined the fleet hoping for a fish. By noon, there was still not a single fish caught by the competition boats. We upped lines and moved to Dingo’s ... another spot on the 50m ledge. The water looked much better so we put out a few baits there. A few boats followed us and slow trolled around us. At about 12:30, the wind changed to a SW of about 5 knots. Within minutes of this change, two boats near us hooked fish. We had to get a fish here. Not long after, the deep wala-wala rod bent and the reel ran. Dale took the rod and we cleared the other lines. This fish was precious and we knew we could not make any mistakes. Dale brought the fish closer and I waited with the gaff. The cuda circled under the boat and when it came out, I stuck it with the gaff and brought it aboard. 
Finally ... some points on the board. Lines went back in and 20 minutes later, the deep bonito was eaten. Sean took the rod and this time the fish fought deep and never gave an inch. After going up on the drag, a few times, we were at stale mate. The fish headed out to sea and all we could do was follow. After an hour, we all agreed that it was a shark and pushed the drag to full. Another 10 minutes passed before the line parted. By then it was lines up and we headed for the beach. There were only 3 fish weighed. Ours happened to be the biggest at 14,6kg.
Finally ... some points on the board. Lines went back in and 20 minutes later, the deep bonito was eaten. Sean took the rod and this time the fish fought deep and never gave an inch. After going up on the drag, a few times, we were at stale mate. The fish headed out to sea and all we could do was follow. After an hour, we all agreed that it was a shark and pushed the drag to full. Another 10 minutes passed before the line parted. By then it was lines up and we headed for the beach. There were only 3 fish weighed. Ours happened to be the biggest at 14,6kg.The next morning we launched at 7:30am again, this time on Herman Olivier’s “Mitsufishi”. We looked for livies and managed to get a single live shad. We headed to Dingo’s and put out similar baits as the previous day. Herman trolled over the ledge for a while without any luck. The current had 
pushed us back so we upped lines and went back to the start of the ledge and reset lines. There were a lot of birds following us and eating our surface baits. Unfortunately several were hooked and we brought them to the boat where they were unhooked and released. About halfway down the ledge, the rod with the surface bait bent and the reel ran slowly. We all assumed we had another bird. Next thin the reel dropped a gear and really took off ... it was a fish! Sean took the rod and we cleared the others. The fish fought deep and it finally came to the boat. It was a yellowfin tuna. As I tried to gaff the fish, it took off on another run. Sean brought it back in range and I gaffed it. It looked like a border line case as the minimum weight for tuna was 5kg. This was our last strike for the day and at 12 o clock it was lines up. We headed to the beach and weighed the fish. It was 5,4kg ... sjoe! Just made it.
pushed us back so we upped lines and went back to the start of the ledge and reset lines. There were a lot of birds following us and eating our surface baits. Unfortunately several were hooked and we brought them to the boat where they were unhooked and released. About halfway down the ledge, the rod with the surface bait bent and the reel ran slowly. We all assumed we had another bird. Next thin the reel dropped a gear and really took off ... it was a fish! Sean took the rod and we cleared the others. The fish fought deep and it finally came to the boat. It was a yellowfin tuna. As I tried to gaff the fish, it took off on another run. Sean brought it back in range and I gaffed it. It looked like a border line case as the minimum weight for tuna was 5kg. This was our last strike for the day and at 12 o clock it was lines up. We headed to the beach and weighed the fish. It was 5,4kg ... sjoe! Just made it.The 2 fish we weighed in the competition helped us into 1st place and Dale took top individual. This is a great competition and would recommend all juniors who like deep sea fishing to participate next year.
