Author Topic: Lennies June 2014 (Read 7096 times)

christosch · « **on:** July 02, 2014, 10:14:23 PM »

After weeks and weeks of preparation, planning and excitement the departure day finally arrived!!
A 5ft trailer was packed to the brim - packed tighter than a Joburg taxi on peak hour traffic.
We departed on the 1000km journey out of a very cold Vanderbijl at 03:00 on Friday the 20th and the cold
weather didn't stop - reaching up to (or down to) -8deg on places. "We are going to freeze our asses off on the rocks"
was the only thought going through my head. Luckily weather started clearing up and at about 09:00 the last negative
temperature was seen. We arrived at Palm Springs resort at about 14:30 and met up with Frikkie van die Vrystaat,
Boeps (Justin) arrived soon after - the excitement written on everyone's face. Palm Springs is situated at Kidd's Beach just
south of East London. A beautiful place with lots to do for the kiddies and a stone's throw from the beach.
Accommodation was a 10bed unit - well equipped for fishermen right on the lagoon.

christosch · « **Reply #1 on:** July 02, 2014, 10:15:40 PM »

After a quick braai we decided to meet up with the Trendies who were camping on the beach. Crazy ugly buggers but what a decent
group of likeminded gents! These guys tell it like it is and boy oh boy do they know and love their sport.
After a bit of chit chat and warming by the fire, it was time to let the slides out - bait ranged from whole chokka, tuna, mackies, bonnies
anything you could think of. There was one pick-up but it was dropped again after a second or two. The rest of the evening was dead quiet.

christosch · « **Reply #2 on:** July 02, 2014, 10:16:37 PM »

Saturday morning we hit the water again, taking the heavy rods and slides again and an edible rod each.
The weather didn't play along and the conditions weren't all that good, nothing much came out. Boeps's
words echoed in my head - "If you blank here - sell every bloody rod and reel you own!!!"
Sunday morning we set out again - full of hope. Bevid caught his PB poensie before we arrived -
my hopes shot sky high. Today is the day!!! I put out prawn baits and immediately felt the knibbles on the
business end of the rod, but nothing wanted to commit. As some of the guys left, I had a really bad cast,
I placed the bait nowhere near to where I wanted to - old MR Happy Pants came to say cheers and said -
hey, maybe that's exactly where your bait should be!! And was he right - a minute after that I got my first
decent bite and my first Blue (Hottie), and was it a nice FAT one!!!

christosch · « **Reply #3 on:** July 02, 2014, 10:18:48 PM »

Monday Frik said "vanaand is die aand - ek voel dit in my maag" - I must say I felt something in my tummy as well but
I think it was the nerves talking!! Late afternoon we put our slides out and I pray - please let something happen,
but please not at my rod!! The stories of the big toothies there made me feel very ill prepared and nervous!!
So in the coldish weather we made ourselves as comfortable as possible and the waiting began. About 2 hours wait
and all of the sudden - ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ!!! Yep - my reel screamed like a rabid pig on steroids. What now????!!!
Frik was right on hand and guided me through the whole thing. What a knowledgeable and patient teacher he is!!
Without him there I would have lost the battle before it started. The first run was (for me) mind blowing. Having only
caught a 20-25kg Spotted Gully Shark before, this run was just out of this world!! As we tightened the drag and pressurized
the shark my arms instantaneously started to feel the burn - as most of you know I am not a big guy and I felt extremely
underpowered. At last the first run came to an end - had three strands of topshot left - the bimini joining the topshot and
braid peeking dangerously at me. NOW the work starts. Frikie shouts orders like a Major - PULL BATTY PUUUULLLLLLLLL!!!!!!
(Batty is my nickname) If YOU rest IT rests!!! Meter by meter I gain back the line - cramps starting to appear in spots I haven't
felt in a long time. As I gained more line the adrenalin started wearing off and reality dawned on me - I have to pull or I am going
to lose this fish!! The second run was just as awesome as the fish tried to get to the rip current, but Frik just adamantly said -
You don't give him the chance - PUUUULLLLLLLL!!! Now my arms and back are hurting, and we have to jump down the rocks and
onto the beach to land it. Luckily Frik is a big oke and grabbed me by the belt again and said - GO GO GO!!! Jumping down and
helping me keep balance - the whole time encouraging and advising me. On the beach I gave my arms a rest and put the rod over
my shoulder and walked it out. Knowing that getting it over the lip was going to be tough I prepared myself for a whole lot of pain.
As I turned to the beach I just saw Frik waist deep in the water "wrestling" a shark!! Could it have come over the lip so easily??
A Big sigh of relief and then a feeling of total euphoria came - IT IS OUT!! My first decent shark - YAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!
A Female Blacktip of approximately 80-90Kg.

christosch · « **Reply #4 on:** July 02, 2014, 10:19:38 PM »

christosch · « **Reply #5 on:** July 02, 2014, 10:22:08 PM »

christosch · « **Reply #6 on:** July 02, 2014, 10:23:19 PM »

After a quick photo and removing the hook, Frik tried to release the shark, but it just didn't want to go back. I dropped my rod and reel and went to help - this shark DID NOT want to go back!! 5, 6, 7 attempts, every time taking it deeper and deeper but it turned around every time, coming back to shore. Both of us being tired, we tried once again and pulled it in to even deeper water and at last it went back in. After much deliberation and phone calls it seems there could have been something after the Blacktip, hence the ease of landing it and the difficulty with the release. But ja, we'll never know.
The rest of the week we had a couple of successful morning edibles sessions, nothing record breaking came out. Species caught between us were Steenbras, Cracker, Stumpie, Zebra and Blues. Night shark sessions were very exciting. Frik had a huge pick-up, first thinking it was a massive Raggie but later on realized it was most probably another blacktip - it had a massive run but unfortunately was cut off about 10min into the fight. He lost almost all of his topshot on the Talica and after rebaiting and casting you could see the braid peeking out. His other rod with a pimped Trinidad40 also went out again. This time the Trini started screaming - this was not an ordinary shark! He shouted "DUSKY" and all hell broke loose. With a locked drag that dusky made mince meat of the Trini, Peeling off line at a tremendous speed. Knowing this was one fight he could not win, he had to break off the line before losing all the braid as well. Two hidings in one night was enough and we opted to go to bed rather. For the rest of the time we had no luck with the toothies.
This is a wonderful piece of coastline and very sad to hear that some people do take advantage thereof and pillage the resources. I will definitely be back to get my HUGE Raggie one of these days.

christosch · « **Reply #7 on:** July 02, 2014, 10:29:13 PM »

Rods/reels used was a Purglas 350/3 with a Daiwa Saltist BG35, Purglas 350/5 with a Trini30A and a Loomis Dropshot with an Okuma Salina SA40.
Thanks again to all who organized this trip - it was well worth every penny.
And thanks to Reefs for the tut on the Trini as I had to service the reel after laying the rod/reel down in the wash.

Thanks again to Frikie and Boeps and all the Trendies for all the advice and help.

kevf · « **Reply #8 on:** July 03, 2014, 05:36:52 AM »

well done christoch,

Rory · « **Reply #9 on:** July 03, 2014, 06:14:08 AM »

Awesome report and very well done with that Blackfin Christo - smashing fish!

REEFMAN · « **Reply #10 on:** July 03, 2014, 06:29:52 AM »

Great report Christo and excellent catches!

Well done!

CLS · « **Reply #11 on:** July 03, 2014, 06:32:59 AM »

great report well done.

maasbanker · « **Reply #12 on:** July 03, 2014, 07:36:57 AM »

Lekker report !!

Viskoors running high here in Cape Town !!

WJ · « **Reply #13 on:** July 03, 2014, 07:41:33 AM »

Lekker report Christo. Was nice meeting one of the new trendies.

isivuba · « **Reply #14 on:** July 03, 2014, 08:16:56 AM »

Nice one Christo,

Reaper · « **Reply #15 on:** July 03, 2014, 09:49:41 AM »

Love reports like these!

Bigben · « **Reply #16 on:** July 03, 2014, 10:28:44 AM »

Quote from: maasbanker on July 03, 2014, 07:36:57 AM

Lekker report !!

Viskoors running high here in Cape Town !!

Lekker sports there mate..Congrats..

@ MaasiB....It's almost varklilly tyd.....28 days to go

Homie · « **Reply #17 on:** July 03, 2014, 10:39:26 AM »

Awesome Christo !
Well done !

Lofty · « **Reply #18 on:** July 08, 2014, 05:03:41 PM »

nice report there Christoch,well done on you're p.b. shark...

MIKE PIKE · « **Reply #19 on:** July 08, 2014, 06:55:33 PM »

great report Christo , and congrats on the PB blacktip , awesome catch and a decent weight to box with off the rocks , looks like u had a great time ...