Buckled and Bent

On Sunday 22^nd April, At and I launched Avanti off Richards Bay. We were hoping to catch a few jube-jubes for bait for the cuda season. The forecast was for a perfect day. The water was warm and clean and just enough current to keep things active.

A 16kg Amberjack 

Our first stop was on the bait marks and it did not take long to get a hatch full of bait. We headed out to the ledge and started trolling a few small lures around. There was not much activity and almost no showing on the reef, so we trolled south hoping to find the bonnies. Eventually we spotted a few splashed and as we trolled through the area, all the rods went on with beautiful small bonnies. We made a few turns in the area and managed quite a few baits and a small yellowfin tuna, but they grey wary of the boat and sounded, so we continued trolling south. A short while later, the big rapala close to the boat was eaten. It came to the boat easily, and in the clean water, I could see it was a wahoo. Unfortunately, it made a run at the boat and the hook pulled. Things were very quiet, so we decided to put some live bait down for bottomfish. The current was just perfect so with one motor in gear and the autopilot on, the boat maintained position and we could both fish. There were no takers on the bottom, so I rigged a live maasbanker and put it out on the surface on my light spinning rod. After about 20 minutes, there was a big splash on the surface and the spinning reel smoked off. We chased after the fish which all but spooled the reel. When it finally slowed, the fish changed direction. I’m guessing the leader pulled across its tooth as the 40lbs leader cut off close to the bait.

At with a 23Kg GT 

There was a good showing on the sounder, but nothing was eating. There were a few splashed near us, so we put out the small lures again. At one stage, I was bringing in a bonito when something smashed it, leaving only the head. I flicked it back into the water and a wahoo streaked in and grabbed it, biting through the nylon. I quickly grabbed a dead bonnie out the cooler and pinned it on my light spinning rig. As it hit the water, the wahoo grabbed it and streaked off. I fed it a bit, but when I tightened up, the fish made a short run before the hook pulled. Knowing there were a few wahoo around, I rigged up a live maasbanker and put it out on the surface. Moments later, I was onto a fish but it turned out to be another small yellowfin.

A 20kg GT about to be released

At positioned the boat on a nice showing and held the boat there while I put a livie into the showing. As the bait reached the right depth, the rod buckled and the reel smoked off. I had 80lbs braid with a 12kg drag on the fish but it still made an impressive run. About 15 minutes later, I had a hard fighting amberjack of about 15kg in the boat. My arms were tired so I took the wheel while At put down a livie. As the showing came through, he went tight! The fish didn’t make a long run, but it was difficult to lift it. About 20minutes later At had a beautiful kingfish next to the boat. Unfortunately the fish was in the gills so we loaded the 23kg kingie. We had drifted off the showing so a fare was so I put out a small lure while At took us back. Just as we arrived on the mark, I caught a small bonnie which I rigged up and let out on the surface. Before I could get a second bait rigged, the reel smoked off but moments later, the main line parted. On closer inspection I could see that it was cut off. My guess was it was a wahoo that doubled back and swam into the line. I put on a new trace and threw a small spoon into the bonnies. Soon I had another bonnie on the surface. At trolled slowly north and almost on cue, the reel took off. This time it was a slow but strong run and the fish stayed deep. We both thought it was a shark, but I could gain a bit of line and after about 20 minutes, the fish showed itself. It was another big kingfish of about 20kg. Luckily this one was hooked in the jaw and didn’t have any barotrauma so after a quick pic, I released it.

Me with a 27Kg GT

Again we moved back up to the spot and managed to get another bonnie on the spoon so it was rigged and put out on surface. There was a good mid water showing so I sent a livie into it. While I was waiting for a pull, the bonnie was eaten and At took the strike. While the fish was giving him a good pull, my rod was almost jerked out of my hands by a strong fish. It made a strong run big head nods. Both of us were bending on fish so I tried to stay at the back of the boat while At brought his fish closer. We were both surprised when his fish came into view. It was a huge kawa-kawa of about 9kg. With the worry of burning off gone, I could move to the front of the boat and fight from there. Eventually the fish tired and I could lift its head. It started coming up easily and I could see bubbles coming to the surface. Down deep I could just make out the silver body of a big kingfish. When it surfaced, the stomach was hanging out its mouth and it had blown badly. I tried to get it back down but failed so we reluctantly loaded the 27kg fish.

At with his 19kg Amberjack

We had one decent livie left in the live well so I talked At into going back onto the mark. I let the bait down into the small showing and almost immediately went tight. The fish made an incredibly strong run against a heavy drag and extra pressure from me thumbing the spool. After the run, I managed to gain some line, but my hands started cramping so I passed the rod to At. He too started cramping up but managed to pull it off the bottom. The fish fought him almost all the way to the boat before giving up. It was a lovely 19kg amberjack!

That fish was the nail in both our coffins so we packed the rods away and headed home.