Huge Kob (Revisited)

App. 66kg

I just wanted to follow up on a post that I put up a while back regarding a monster Kabeljou (Kob) that was taken at Haga Haga in February 2010. I don’t think many people actually thought the above picture could be real, but rest assured, it was. It was caught by one Jonathan Timm who was kind enough to give us the full story. I hope you are all as jealous as I am! Here it is:

“I went to Haga Haga (Eastern Cape) this past weekend with a few mates. The sea was quite cold and the swell was quite big. No luck in the morning, but at about 12:30pm we were scratching for blue fish and I managed to hook this beauty on light tackle.

I really didn’t think it was an edible. I thought I had fowl hooked a Raggy or something. At one stage the fish was swimming to the right, down the coast towards a huge outcrop of rocks, BUT to my delight it changed direction and swam in the direction of “scattered brick” to the left of where we were fishing. Luckily this beast stayed beyond the rocks/backline in the deeper water for the majority of the fight. This powerful fish peeled at least 250 meters of line on its numerous runs.

Back to the water

The only way I could gain any line on the fish was to use the beach and walk back up towards the bush line. After 40 minutes or so, I managed to get the fish into the shallows. Seeing the large white underbelly from where I was fighting the fish from, I thought it was a huge Raggy swimming belly up. My mate shouted “KOB, KOB, BIG KOB!…” I couldn’t believe my eyes!!!!! I was flabbergasted…

I ran to my bag to get the camera. We took a couple of photos and took its measurement. I had my tagging kit, but in all the confusion and me wanting to release it quickly, I didn’t even think about tagging it… After 45 minutes of reviving the fish in chest deep water, the fish had gained enough strength to swim off.

What an awesome sight, seeing such an awesome specimen swim away.

Going home

Tackle used:

Rod: Errol Homes custom made high modulus stroke 4

Reel: Daiwa Saltist 40

Line: 0.40mm / 11.5kg Kingfisher Giant Abrasion

Leader: 0.60mm

Hook: 2/o Daiichi

Bait: Pink prawn

 

Fish Weigh/Measurements:

Total Length: 1.83 meters

ORI calculations: 66 kilograms”

Mr. Timm, we don’t know what to say. Catch of a life time!

Fly-reel Storage

Line wrapped around large empty containers

As a fly angler there are few things more infuriating than pulling out my dormant sets of reels at the beginning of a new season only to find irreversible degrees of curl in the fly-lines. It’s like we pay top dollar for the best of the best and then downgrade it to less than entry level line just by letting it sit idle for  a couple of months, coiled up on the reels.

Well, I’ve been testing a slightly awkward, yet seemingly worthwhile, and effective method of storing my lines, during times when I know that there will be big time periods between using certain rigs. For example my yellowfish gear, which I don’t touch during winter.

The method of line storage is simple, and entails using empty protein shake containers (or any other container with large round circumference). I simply cut a tiny hole in the containers, feed the leader end of the line through the hole and then on the inside of the container loop the leader end around a small long piece of wood (such as a piece of chopstick) to keep it secure. I then wrap the entire length of the line around the bottle very neatly, at a reasonable tension (but not too tight).

I must admit that it can become a slightly awkward exercise, and depending on how many reels you want to store in this way, storage space may be problematic. In saying this, however, the condition that the line comes off the container when needed is simply worth way more than the effort. Give it a try and decide for yourself.

Piping hot Magma (Banax)

We added yet another reel to our already sizeable arsenal of fishing tackle, the Banax Magma. I tested the reel out while on my V-boat a couple of weekends ago and I was impressed. Simply put this reel is enjoyable to fish. Banax is not a well-known brand by any means but I am starting to think that it is one of the most underrated ones.

The magma boasts a high speed 7:1 gear ration so is suited to jigging and worming in situations where you want to return a “dead cast” back to the rod tip as quickly as possible. I wouldn’t necessarily use it for cranking or spinner baits. There are those out there that will argue this point, but to me the ratio is too fast for these applications. The reel also comes with the now standard anti-reverse backlash systems and a twin breaking system.

The reel also has a nice solid build. No, it is not made of aluminium or any of the other strong metals used in your high end reels, these days, but it still feels strong and compact. It also shows off the odd metal trimming such as the gear lever and spool control mechanism.

Simply put, this reel casts like a dream and retrieves line at a phenomenal pace. We love it and at five hundred to seven hundred rand I’m going back for more!

Explorer Journey V-Boat

Journey V-Boat

So I tried out the Explorer Journey V-boat that the misses got me for my birthday (a catch I know), and I must say that I enjoyed it quite a lot. It was the first time that I have fished from such a craft and I will admit that I was sceptical about it. When I think about bass fishing I automatically think of SPACE. We always approach the water with more rods than we can handle, bags and bags of lures (most of which we don’t bother trying), and massive cooler boxes filled to the brim with food and, ummm, cold drinks *cough*. Now I found myself packing 2 choice rods, an acute selection of lures and tackle, and a tiny checkers packet with a tuna sandwich and a bottle of water.

The very first thing I noticed was the convenience of it all! Not only did I not have to think about a thousand things to pack, or manage a large boat, but the burden of lure and technique selection also dissolved away. This was effortless, number one, AND it also forced me to choose and spend time on only one or two techniques! I mean how often do you find yourself changing fishing patterns more than your line is actually in the water? A lot of us just don’t give a particular technique enough chance to work before we change!

The next thing that worried me as far as space was concerned, was the ability to move around. I was used to stepping around a boat, choosing my vantage points with ease. But I found that, first of all, the sitting position of the V-boat was not only comfortable, but I could also position myself in any direction that I chose. This does take some practice though, I must say. Once you get the hang of manoeuvring yourself about, the V-boat begins to afford you a ton of convenience.

One of the downfalls that I found was that if you are into pitching grubs and worms subtly into cover, underhanded, then you will have problems. Obviously the sitting position is too close to the water for you to do this. I would say that the V-boat is more suited to power fishing. Cranks, flukes, spinner baits, and also finesse fishing, if you don’t mind a bit of a splash on the water, which I do not. In saying that I believe that it’s true power will be unleashed when fly fishing for trout on still waters in winter. How many times do we fish a body of water that is near inaccessible from the bank? Too often.  This boat will eliminate this problem entirely and also allow you to fish in windier conditions as you can position yourself with the wind no matter where you are.

In closing I think I will enjoy fishing off the craft in winter for trout, and also during summer for bass, and I would fully recommend it too any angler looking for a craft of this nature. And at a price of under R2000 it is well worth the money you pay. Enjoy.

Yellowfish on Fly: Vaal River

The Vaal river is fast becoming the fishing destination of my dreams. A fishing buddy of mine, the talented Chris Le Roux, took me out a couple weeks ago around the 8^th October 2011. I thought I knew small mouth  yellowfish fly fishing, but the reality is that I just didn’t, until now. We fished a new venue near Parys, which was unlike anything I have experienced before. I’m used to targeting yellows but catching more muddies than anything else. This was different. For sure, being a self proclaimed amateur yellow angler, i’l admit that I struggled to get into the fish. Up till lunchtime I never saw so much as a golden scale. But once the water warmed up and we found the honey holes, the fishing was beyond beautiful! Chris landed a large number more than I did, but the number of times that I got broken off in the rapids by some of the strongest fish I have hooked into was immense. I loved every moment, and learnt a lot from Chris in the process.  Between us i think we must have landed close to 18 small mouth yellowfish, only four of which were mine…

Beutiful catch

TIPS

For beginners I would suggest starting with a pretty hefty leader and tippet. I went with 3 kg leader and tippet, but it was just too light for me. I’d suggest around 4 to 5 kg line, JUST to begin with. I can see all the experienced anglers cringing while reading that, but it’s my advice take it or leave it. Pulling motoring yellows out of strong flowing current is challenging enough as it is, let alone with light line. I guess it does depend on current speed and therefore the slower the current the lighter you can afford your tippet. I would also suggest a three fly Czech Nymphing rig (see Czech style here). This method allows your flies to behave more freely in the water whereas the more commonly used New Zealand trace is known to hamper natural movement. When it comes to fly selection a common technique is lifting up any lose rocks that you feel under your feet in the river. As Chris explained, under every rock is a clue to what flies you should be fishing! Simply lift a rock, and match your flies to the colour, shape and size of the creatures that you find clinging to the bottom. These are the bugs that the yellowfish are intercepting as they get washed off the rocks in the strong current.  Makes sense!

Golden

NECESSITIES  

Some advice and this is something I have mentioned before in a previous post. There are a few things that you simply CANNOT go without when targeting yellows on the Vaal. I cannot stress how important they are. Do not even think about wetting your feet in the river without:

1. Wading boots

Proper wading boots are a MUST.  They are not cheap but they are also a necessity. And don’t skimp on this, they must have felt soles, ankle guards and a hard toe. TRUST me the rocks in the river are treacherous and it’s easy to roll an ankle, slip or even break a toe or two.

2. Wading stick

This is basically a walking stick that allows us to negotiate the unstable and unpredictable river bed a little easier. It literally acts as a third leg which helps you to balance. There are many makes on the market made from a variety of materials: aluminium, graphite, wood, etc. However you can quite easily just make your own out of an old broomstick or a branch from the garden. In fact Chris believes that wood is the only way to go as commercial sticks are over-priced and the aluminium variety make too much noise clashing with rocks under water.  If you don’t think this is necessary then give the river a go without one and let me know how it goes.

3. Sun screen/ buff/ hat/ shades

The sun is unforgiving out on the water. Dont risk it, you know the drill. just put sun screen on and cover your face.

4. Landing net

Finally, the landing net. It’s hard enough trying to keep balance and fight a fish on some seriously tough underwater terrain, trying to land a large yellowfish without a net at the same time is damn near impossible. It’s not worth chancing and you WILL lose more fish than is necessary.

My fish

And that’s basically that! Follow these guidelines and pack the appropriate equipment and you can’t go wrong with smallmouth yellows. Tight lines.