Box your socks of at Lazarus Banks

[TUNAMAN]

Ex local master in Pemba at work. Here he explains where they drop the bait and how they go to work to keep the fish away from the bricks.

Dogtooth tuna .Martin Visagie guides Harry to a Giant Dogtooth Tuna on St. Lazarus Banks, Mozambique

[WalkersKiller]

Great stuff  :sml:

[shamwari]

Thanks Neps and Nico yes we will see more and more of these doggies that will come out now that they are being targeted, the next step is to make sure that we release the fish properly after a long discussion the tour group operator decide that it will be better for the fish not to leave the water and all photos will be done in the water to minimise stress to the fish in my case it took some time to recover the doggie, I even took it for a swim. All fish was safely returned. A doggie texture is actually very soft and you can damage the fish just by handling it

Congrats Johan on nice quality fish - I really like your thinking on the release of these fish and had actullay just sent Tommo an E mail having seen this fish in the JSR newsletter, discusiing the very topic - before seeing this thread !

The Nomads guys in Ausy are successfully releasing these guys now and onto a tagging program - also recatching them I beleive as they are so territorial. Maybe worth trying to get their input ( Nepptune ?).

16 :1 is quite hectic and clearly the skipper on that boat need to have a relook at his tactics, boat postions, even bothering to fish that particular spot, etc,ect. But great job to you personally to get this guy in in obvioulsy very difficult terrain.

Well done !!!!

[shamwari]

Lazarus banks is not a place for Jigging we have tried it and other boats have done the same with limited success, I personally think that the water is to clear you have a 60 meter water visibility and the fish can see you to wile you jig from the side of the boat. Other than that I don’t know why the fish there is not so attracted to jigs. We used live bait (Bonito and Rainbow-Runners). The fish parted a 130lb line 200lb leaders straighten hooks burned off on the bricks, siezed up duel carbo-teck drag washers   

Doggies are notorioulsy fussy eaters and that is what makes getting them on jig all the more special - but sometimes requires hours and hours of work for one bite ( or 5)  at sunset !

Clear water, clear skies and high sun and yes they shy away from jig - throw in a thunder storm and  fish in the rain with some chop and theyll suddenly grab the jig.  They have always had the reputation of eating jig in low light - early and late - last 30 minutes of sunlight.

Current very important and the position on the reef you fish in relation to the current - big current, low light and they can turn on. I beleive that the live bait option is sometimes a route that skips may use to get guys into a Doggie quickly. The difficulty with livebaiting is how much to feed him before trying to pull the circle into the sciccors - too long a feed and you will get reefed as hes already bowed your line around some rubbish and too short a feed and he hasnt swallowed the livie so often pull it staight out again.

[fedu]

I am allways amazed how a guy in Zimbabwe with no saltwater around can know and theorize so much about saltwater fishing and specifically jigging!!!

Bruce, my friend, you allways amaze me with your straight to the point considerations/thoughts.


 

[shamwari]

Haha Fernando - thanks I appreciate the compliment especially from the west coasts best jig fisherman !

You right sadly we have to travel far to find salt water so have to make it count when we get there ! Plus side is  we have nice tigerfishing done on the lower  Zambezi and our Bass are quite good.

Keep well !

[ONDE ONDA]

ONDE ONDA can you help me out with a few particulars please. I was wondering what type of Live Bait rig you were using. Bridled the bait or two singles, size of hooks etc?

If you had to estimate the weight of the one you landed, what will it be approximately?
If you had to measure up the one you landed with the ones you lost, where on the scale would you place some of the ones lost?
Where on St Lazarus did you find the most Doggies. Between the two pins or Sea side of larger pin or inshore of smaller pin etc?

Just curious and would love to know.

Thanks Johan

The live bait ring was 3 single hooks on the bonnie one through the mouth small hook one on the one side and a another on the other side spaced apart,lager hooks. The bite-trace 200lb mono. Main line jig man Ultra Pe8 113 lb. simple rig, mono to hook lead crimp 
The fish landed and lost was all at the same place, and the ones we lost are definitely bigger that the one we landed. The doggie we landed was on the banks itself

The length of the fish 1.9 meters and we estimate 90+kg but the Weight does not matter to me it was a monster of a doggie to me, one moment of fishing to remember for a lifetime the same for the sailfish I landed. Memories are made of this!!!     

The boat we fished from used to belong to Martin Visagie until he had a terrible accident, Martin left all of his knowledge and knowhow to the new boat owners Lukas and John, GREAT skipper and excellent Pro Guide John Nell, at the moment there is only 2 boats that fishes Lazarus and takes 4 anglers, pro guide, skip and deckhand, the other 6 anglers, skip and deckhand. When it comes to fishing I rather be on the smaller group your turn to fish is much quicker than the larger group!!!

LAZARUS BANKS FISHING TRIP OF A LIFETIME         

[jaenswart]

The live bait ring was 3 single hooks on the bonnie one through the mouth small hook one on the one side and a another on the other side spaced apart,lager hooks. The bite-trace 200lb mono. Main line jig man Ultra Pe8 113 lb. simple rig, mono to hook lead crimp 
The fish landed and lost was all at the same place, and the ones we lost are definitely bigger that the one we landed. The doggie we landed was on the banks itself

The length of the fish 1.9 meters and we estimate 90+kg but the Weight does not matter to me it was a monster of a doggie to me, one moment of fishing to remember for a lifetime the same for the sailfish I landed. Memories are made of this!!!     

The boat we fished from used to belong to Martin Visagie until he had a terrible accident, Martin left all of his knowledge and knowhow to the new boat owners Lukas and John, GREAT skipper and excellent Pro Guide John Nell, at the moment there is only 2 boats that fishes Lazarus and takes 4 anglers, pro guide, skip and deckhand, the other 6 anglers, skip and deckhand. When it comes to fishing I rather be on the smaller group your turn to fish is much quicker than the larger group!!!

LAZARUS BANKS FISHING TRIP OF A LIFETIME         

Johan, seems like next time you need to take some 50 ton cables for those meneer doggies. Jeez I think there are some smokers swimming around there.


good stuff

[ONDE ONDA]

Johan, seems like next time you need to take some 50 ton cables for those meneer doggies. Jeez I think there are some smokers swimming around there.


good stuff

Jaen it is mind boggling seeing is believing and when you see the power of this fish you dot believe it can do that, good luck for the anglers after me, Laz will see me next year I have booked it but next time I go with a another trick, maybe it works Better!!!     

[TUNAMAN]

The live bait ring was 3 single hooks on the bonnie one through the mouth small hook one on the one side and a another on the other side spaced apart,lager hooks. The bite-trace 200lb mono. Main line jig man Ultra Pe8 113 lb. simple rig, mono to hook lead crimp 
The fish landed and lost was all at the same place, and the ones we lost are definitely bigger that the one we landed. The doggie we landed was on the banks itself

The length of the fish 1.9 meters and we estimate 90+kg but the Weight does not matter to me it was a monster of a doggie to me, one moment of fishing to remember for a lifetime the same for the sailfish I landed. Memories are made of this!!!     

The boat we fished from used to belong to Martin Visagie until he had a terrible accident, Martin left all of his knowledge and knowhow to the new boat owners Lukas and John, GREAT skipper and excellent Pro Guide John Nell, at the moment there is only 2 boats that fishes Lazarus and takes 4 anglers, pro guide, skip and deckhand, the other 6 anglers, skip and deckhand. When it comes to fishing I rather be on the smaller group your turn to fish is much quicker than the larger group!!!

LAZARUS BANKS FISHING TRIP OF A LIFETIME         

It is incredible that the one you got was a smaller specimen. Cannot fathom the monsters you lost out on.

Martin taught me how to fish we go back a long way. I will give you a call re. his ex island and the 38 foot Supercat you might have in mind.

Bet you wondering now...lol