Shaken not stirred

On Friday 9^th August, Wayne, Lorenzo, Julio, Luke and I launched “Galavant” off Cape Vidal. We were there for the long weekend, hoping to the target sailfish that were around. The beach was not launchable without a tractor, so we were very glad that Wayne had organized one.

The SW wind was blowing about 18 knots which made the sea uncomfortable. To top it off, there was a bit of rain about that didn’t help the situation. The conditions were however good for tailing sailfish. We had some time to kill while the baits defrosted, so Wayne stopped at the first flock of working birds and the laaities went about catching jube-jubes on the light spinning outfits. At one stage, Lorenzo went on with a fish that took a lot of line in a hurry. Wayne chased it down and after quite a long fight, Wayne gaffed a yellowfin tuna that was bled and put on ice for sushi.

A nice cuda on a sailfish bait

After we had enough bonnies and the other baits were rigged, we deployed the teasers and a good spread of swim and skip baits. Wayne worked the area between the point and the lighthouse and it didn’t take long to get a pull. This time it was on the bellystrip. Luke was on strike and had his hands full with something that took a lot of line and slowly headed to sea. After about half an hour, it started coming very easily and next thing just the head of a taxed yellowfin tuna popped up next to the boat. Not a great start. Trolling commenced and about half an hour later, one of the swimbaits went away. After a short feed, we tightened up. As the line went tight, a feisty dorado launched itself out the water. On the third jump, it spat the bait. Moments later the other bait went away and the same thing happened. We were left with 2 mauled baits and no fish to show. Wayne made a turn over the same spot and it was no surprise when we had another pull. This time I fed it a bit longer and the circle hook found the corner of the mouth. Lorenzo had a good fight with it and soon had it in the boat.

Bycatch while sailfishing

We were keen to see if there were more dorries around, so Wayne made a few more turns, but unfortunately without any luck. We worked north and in 40m, the far strip went away. Julio was now on strike and had a good tussle with what we thought was a tuna. When it came next to the boat, it turned out to be a nice cuda, a surprise to us all.

After the cuda, the weather turned nasty and the rain made it less that ideal so at 2pm we called it a day and headed back to have a warm shower.

On Saturday 10^th, the SW had gone but it was replaced by a similar strength NE wind. All the rain clouds that were blown up north the previous day were now on a return trip. The wind was however the same direction as the current so it kept the sea calmer.

The laaities were tired of being battered about trolling for sails, so we opted to troll slower with live baits, hoping for a sail but having more shots at gamefish to keep them busy. There were large shoals of baitfish on the backline and it didn’t take long to fill the livewell with maasbanker. I also managed to catch a single big mackerel. Knowing more or less what depth the fish were from the day before, Wayne headed to that area while I set the lines. On our second turn, the deep line went away. Luke took the strike and managed to catch his first cuda. At least the ice was broken. The current swept us south at quite a speed and we were just ready to wind up the lines to run back to the point when the far bait went away. This time it was a small yellowfin tuna which went straight onto the ice.

Luke and his first cuda

With the lines already reeled in, I suggested we try to catch a few jube-jubes to pull as live bait. I was hoping that these bigger baits would give us more of a chance to get a sailie or marlie. It didn’t take long to get 3 baits in the tube and with that we went back to the point and rigged 2 of them. I also bridle rigged the live mackerel on a circle hook and 100lbs nylon and pulled it on a spinning reel with 10kg line… just in case there was a billfish or bigger tuna around. 

It didn’t take too long for another pull. This time it was on a live bonnie rigged deep. Julio fought the a shoal cuda to the boat which didn’t put up too much resistance on the heavy tackle. Rerigged the baits and on the next turn, the same rod went away. This time there was a bit more speed and Luke had a good run around with what ended up being a 14kg cuda. The hatch was looking good.

Wayne had just straightened out after a shallow turn when the deep live bonnie went away quite slowly. I picked up the rod and felt some weight behind the fish. Unfortunately after a few seconds, the hooks pulled. I could feel that the bait was still there so I fed it back but nothing. On further inspection, we saw the tell tail sandpaper like billfish marks on the skin on the bonnie… Damn! 

Lorenzo with his first Sailfish

Just then, Wayne noticed the spinning rod with the live mackerel starting to bend. I immediately opened the bale and fed the fish a bit. We were pretty positive we know what it was and when I tightened up and the line ran off the reel, a beautiful big sailie jumped out of the water. It turned down sea and absolutely smoked off. Lorenzo took the rod while the rest of us cleared the other lines. There was a lot of line off the reel and getting less by the second. Wayne got the boat up to speed and Lorenzo managed to put some line on the reel. After chasing the fish from the beacon to past the slides, it finally slowed down and we could get it close. Wayne closed the gap between us and the fish and just like that the leader came out the water and onto the rod. I grabbed it and hoped to get it on the bill for a quick release, but the fish had other ideas. It took some more line then sounded and headed to sea. The swell and wind was against us and it took another twenty minutes of big pressure to get the leader up. Lorenzo did a great job, not giving up when the fight was not going his way. I took the leader several times but had to let go every time as the fish was still too green. Eventually the fish tired and I could coax it up and get hold of the bill. By the time I managed to get it under control, I was a more shaken than stirred, but eventually we could tag it and take a few pics before releasing it. It was a quality sailfish of close to 50kg. Not bad for a 9 year old on 10kg spinning tackle.

After the release, we were close to the bonnie shoals again so we quickly caught a few and ran back to the point. We had one pull on a live bonnie, but it missed the hooks when it grabbed the head of the bait. Apart from that, there was no more action so when the rain started again, we packed up and headed back to celebrate the great catch.

Thanks to Wayne and the boys for a great trip. I will remember it for a long time to come.

First garrick of 2019 season

On Sunday 4^th August, At, my Dad and I launched “Avanti” off Richards Bay. There had been reports of Garrick so we decided to give it a go.

We stopped at the pipeline and quickly caught a string of shad. Within minutes, half the fleet swamped us and the bait showing disappeared. After some time, we were alone again and the bait reappeared. We managed to get some beautiful bait, then headed up north. We wanted to get away from the crowds and hopefully find some cleaner water.

The further we ran, the better the water became and when we arrived at our spot, were greeted with a lovely rip packed with bait. I rigged up a few baits while At trolled along the backline. After about half an hour, the far livie went away. After a quick feed I hooked up to a fish and passed the rod to my Dad. He had not fished in a while, so he enjoyed the fight with our first Garrick of the season. When it was next to the boat, I grabbed the tail and popped a tag into it before a few pics were taken and it was released. What a great start.

The lines went out again and while I was letting out the last bait, it was eaten. I fed the fish and when I tightened up, the fish spat the bait. On closer inspection, the single hook had turned into the head of the bait. Just a bit unlucky… At turned over the same spot and almost on cue, the close bait was eaten. I fed the fish which ran quite fast before stopping. There was no tension on the line so I started winding. The line arched to the boat and the line came tight right next to the boat! The fish immediately surfaced and again spat the bait… the hook had turned again! Frustrating to say the least. Oh well…

Things went a bit quiet so at 11am we ran to another rip further north. The last line was just set when it went away. I fed the fish and hooked up. My Dad took the rod and had a hard fight with a really nice Garrick of around 12kg which was also released.

The next pull came soon after the lines were set, but unfortunately the fish didn’t swallow the bait and we were left with a mauled maasbanker. The marks did not look like a Garrick though. We had an idea of the species, but would never know for sure. A short while later, the close bait went away and after a short feed, we hooked up. Again, my Dad was on the rod and had a very stubborn fight with what turned out to be a kingfish (GT). I popped a tag into it and sent it on its way.

The wind had started picking up and the sea became choppy. We decided to head home before it got too uncomfortable.