Fishing off the African Coast

[Wally Smith]

Would it help this forum to start a thread where we can post fishing reports, stories and details about fish caught off the African Coastline??

[Fishing Forum Admin]

go for it mate as its always interesting to hear about different fish / fishing

[Wally Smith]

Saturday morning, 01 April 2006, we prepared rods, equipment and the boat, Nadita, and departed Gordon’s Bay for the Canyon about 35 miles south of Cape Point.

For the “techies” amongst us, Nadita is a 32 foot Luhr with twin Cummins 330 hp turbo engines. She is equipped with GPS (Global positioning by satellite) navigation, two radios, radar and fish finding equipment. Nadita boasts state of the art fishing equipment with a selection of custom made rods (Mike, the Skipper and fishing guru is also a fine artisan and has built a selection of rods boasting impecable quality and workmanship) and Penn International reels especially rigged to ensure a worthwhile stand-up tuna fight.

False Bay was flat and we really thought that it was going to be perfect conditions out there. Because of these conditions, the trip across the bay allowed us to cruise faster than the average expedition to the deep. The reflection of the mountains on both sides of the bay added to a serene and absolutely beautiful Western Cape morning. The air was warm and the fresh smell of the sea as it lifted off the slight westerly breeze encouraged the emotion of feeling good about being on the Southern tip of Africa.

However, once we had fought our way through the bellows, a natural set of huge swells that occur at the mouth of the bay, just off Cape point, as the water from the deep Atlantic ocean pushes up to force itself into False Bay and further about 10 miles south of Cape Point, the sea was miserable! There was a cold front rising from the west with North to North West winds gusting. Over and above this, there was a +-3.5m swell running from the south in sets of about 7-8 swells to the minute. These weather conditions made for extremely choppy conditions with the wind chop and surface swell running at 90 degrees to each other.

Initially we trawled with rapalas. At 11h00, one rod started screaming – chaos perused on the back of the boat as we brought in the other five lines. Bertus, a mate, was handed the rod as he had never caught a Tuna before. He fought his fish hard and after about 30 minutes landed a superb 43kg Yellow Fin Tuna. Breathless, he sat back to re-gain composure and was initially quite white in the face and bewildered by the strength of his quarry. It took him 20 minutes until he could say anything other than answering our battery of questions with a grunt, or fatigued nod of the head. What a shock to the system to anyone who has never felt the pure strength of a Yellowfin!!

We carried on until we were approximately 20 miles south west of Cape Point. We noticed here that there were many birds, Gannets and Petrels, diving into the water which is an indication of a huge bait ball rising to the surface. A bait ball is a massive concentration of pilchard or sardine that have been “spooked” by an array of predators and form a massive ball to protect themselves in a “security in numbers” strategy. We pulled up down current, to the edge of the area where all the activity was happening, and put sardine on the hooks to let them drift off into the current.

Within a couple of seconds of the first bait been thread out, one rod started screaming… ”ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ”!!!!!! – I get goose bumps just thinking about the sound of a reel’s ratchet when it is being stripped of its line by a fast diving Tuna fish!

I took the rod. By the time I had settled the rod into the holster around my waist and taken my stance to prepare to fight this fish, It must have already taken close on 300 meters of line off the reel.

I must admit that the course of events after I had the rod under control until the fish was in the boat is somewhat of a blur to me because I think that I was fully focused on loading line back onto the reel and this fish was strong!! Needless to say, I was pumped on the largest overdose of adrenalin that I have ever experienced!!!

What I do know – and this was also my biggest learning lesson from this experience – was that my natural instinct to fight this fish kicked in and we were locked in an absolute “dog-fight”. The lesson I explain later.

I believe that the fish turned and started feeding again on our “Chum-Line” of sardine bits. This allowed for me to use the rock and roll of the boat on the swell to recover rather quickly the majority of the line back onto the spool of my reel. The last +- 90m of line was where the real fight kicked in. This put the rod and therefore myself, under incredible strain, and a desperate physical and brutal war of wills and pure strength pursued for the remainder of the fight.

It might be relevant to point out that we catch Tuna in the stand-up position, the back of Nadita is not geared with a fighting chair nor does she have large bait and equipment boxes that fishermen can sit on whilst fighting a fish – on Nadita you are forced to stand-up and face your quarry with no assistance other than your own legs to keep you upright.

Because of the roll of the boat, I kept on loosing my balance and the pure strain of this beast had me falling forward – each time that this happened, the fish gained more line and I lost more strength. My feet started cramping inside my shoes and there was absolutely nothing I could do to relieve the golf balls in the arches of my feet that were pulling at every bit of energy that I might have had with excruciating pain. Funny little muscles on the outside of my hip joints started cramping as well and my lower back felt like it was time to snap off! Dropping my behind towards my calves and as I heaved to stand up, used this motion to lift the rod so that I could reel and recover line as the tip of the rod then dropped towards the gunnel of the boat.

I managed to bring in enough line in this manner until I could see the double leader of the line start making its way through the runners of the rod. This meant that the fish was within 20 meters of the boat. The water out in the deep is a clear dark blue aquamarine colour. As the fish came closer to the surface, we could see it through the water as it surfaced and circled back – it was then that we realized that I had a "big one" on the line! Needless to say, this fish was not going to allow for itself to be surfaced and each time I saw the leader come through the runners, it took this back and some! This was daunting and left me desperate as with the cramps and now seriously running out of energy and strength, it continued to win back the length of line that I had retrieved with every sudden and quick turn. This must have happened ten to fifteen times – I would recover line, see the leader come through – visualize the end of the battle – and right then and there – this fish would decide that it was time to dive for the deeps again and with ease take back all the line that I had just battled to regain off it.

I Hurt! I was tired and I thought that I had nothing left in the reserve tank. My cramps were making my body scream with pain and my back had given in!
Anticipating at this stage that I was on the brink of a desperate declaration of peace with my quarry, my friends rallied around me and encouraged me to regain my rhythm, pull hard with my legs and butt and fight. I am told that there was a great deal of screaming and cheering going on at the back of the boat with me – but I do not recall a word even being whispered at that stage. I was now only functioning on adrenalin as my fuel and instinct as my guidance.

With a couple of surges – I really do not know where I found the strength – I surfaced the fish next to the boat and we managed to boat it.

I was spent!! – Through huge gasps for air, drenched in sweat, my eyes burning from the sweat that was running into them, I observed the most beautiful fish I have ever seen. A Yellow Fin Tuna has the most incredible colours, especially down the lateral line on the body combined with the bright yellow fins which give it its name.

I passed the rod off to someone, just managed to turn around and started heaving into the sea behind me. My stomach, feet, hips and butt muscles cramping with exhaustion.

I then went and lay on the floor of the cabin to recover my breath and try and regain some energy – it took me close on two hours of utter bewilderment to get back onto my feet again!!

We measured the fish and checked the charts – “78kg” – said Mike. This is a rough guide to judge the weight of a fish whilst still on the boat. Using a tape measure, the length of the fish is measured as well as the width of the girth around the pectoral fins. A cross reference of these measurements on a chart allows for you to judge the weight.

Not that we were surprised, as Mike is very respected in his knowledge of fish, especially Tuna, when we reached Gordon’s Bay harbour we weighed it on the scale and 78kg – 171.6 pounds.

To return to my important lesson learnt I have the following to admit and focus on for my next big Tuna: It is vital that you relax and do not let the fish take the fight to you. If you are too eager to boat the fish, you will burn out all your energy too quickly at great expense to yourself. Ensure that you take the fight to the fish. It is going to be far easier for you if you allow the fish to tire first. Landing a fish that is still “green” is a hell battle on yourself. Breathe slowly, focus on your rhythm by pumping your legs, with a straight back, and do this in sequence with the roll of the boat on the swell. Fighting the swell and the fish will exhaust you even more. Do not allow the adrenalin rush to make you panic and fight the fish aggressively. Pace yourself. You will “blow out” if you try and boat a big fish too quickly.

I always wanted to catch a 100 pounder! This was my dream – Saturday, 01 April 2006 I met my match!

I have lived!

Wally Smith

[pingu]

wow sounds incredible, what an awsome report
well done that man

dave

[Wally Smith]

Thanks Dave

Now I really want to venture into the North Atlantic to experience those huge Blue Fin!!!!.......I can only wildly imaging what a buzz that must be!!

cheers

Wally Smith

[biggun]

What a fantastic report, it was just like being there.
Well done on realising your dream fish and good luck with the Blue fin.

[baitmaster]

what a way to really introduce yourself to the forum wally


i hope you have many of outings like that cause i for one really enjoyed that read 110%

tightlines
baitmaster

[Wally Smith]

Thanks Baitmaster

FYI – I will be fishing in the Gordon’s Bay Offshore Classic from 25 April to 01 May 2005. Hopefully will be able to hook up with one or two more 100 pounders???

Lets just hope that the weather plays with??!!!

Cheers

Wally Smith

[Wally Smith]

Hi Guys

Well today, Thurs 20 April 2006, must have started off as one of the most incredible days that I have seen in False Bay for the past 5 years. Driving to work this morning, I work in a town called Gordon's Bay, the view of the bay was spectacular, the water was like a mirror and Table Mountain, across the bay from where I am, was an identical match to the mountain within its refelction on the water.

Well - I was bummed to be working today and not fishing!!!!

At about 09h30, I took a stroll down (not far from my office) to the harbour in Gordon's Bay to see what boats had gone out for the day.......and there were more out than what I was hoping - damn!!!

Anyway, standing in the harbour, feeling very jelous, I noticed movement in the water beyond the harbour wall. It was Dolphin, bottled nosed dolphin. First one, then two, then three, then after about fifty I lost count. I reckon that there must have been about 150 -200 of them feeding on bait fish that had come into the bay. Birds started flocking and in no time there was incredible entertainment both from the dolphins in the water and the birds above diving to get the morsels and feed on what they could catch. This was really spectacular.

I am now desperately waiting for 5pm so that I can go down there again have a few and wait for the boats to return. I am sure that there has been some incredible fishing today!!!!! (all of a sudden jealous once again!!!) If any good, I will let you know what they caught.

Just had to tell you that conditions were more than perfect out of Gordon's Bay today. No wind, partly cloudy, but high cloud, and about 24 degrees celcius.

I can't wait for next week - then it will be my turn - taking off work from Wednesday through the following Tuesday and will be fishing in the Gordon's Bay Offshore Classic competition.

Till later........

Wally Smith

[baitmaster]

nice 1 wally i,m the same we anglers see some very spectacular sights and i for one are totaly envious of your surroundings i bet the views are incredieble at sunrise and sunset too
just remember next time you have the urge to tell us over here of the sights or catches you have don,t hesitate to report as again for me i love to read about them what ever side of the big pond they might be .


so while you are at the harbour this evening having a beer tip your glass towards england and say cheers have one on me

tightlines
baitmaster