LUPO'S BACK WITH A TIGER!!!!!!!!

[LUPO]

So off to ZIM - Vic Falls - I went, with my in-laws.  I was looking forward to the break from work and celebrating my father-in-laws 60th.  For the last 3 months the thought of catching a TIGER has been scratching at the back of my head.

Finally we arrived on Friday afternoon and settled in, now my father-in-law enjoys his R&S fishing especially the eating part and my brother-in-law, not so much, well he enjoys the eating part anyway.

Since the trip was a surprise birthday present, I was not going to push anyone into TIGER fishing, but from the moment I saw that water, my @ss started to itch.

So, on SAT morning I walked around the town of Vic-falls and came across a shop that offered Tiger fishing. With a bit of negotiations I organised a trip for the three of us for Sunday morning at 7:45.

We were picked up outside our hotel, The Kingdom Hotel, and taken to the launch site about 10min drive.

So we climbed onto this ........hmmm raft ( for lack of a better word) with a 25hp outboard.  Our skipper ( Peter Pieletjies)was all to keen to get going an so were we, so off we headed to our first HOT SPOT ( NOT).  Here I used spinners for the first time in my life, tried retrieving at different speeds and casting in different areas. No Luck. The wind was blowing and the water was quite choppy. I asked the skipper if we could move to some sheltered area.  ( I mean what do I know anyway.) So off we put- putted across the river.  I quickly changed my spinner to the only fixed lure and started trawling it about 70m behind the raft.  My father and brother in laws did the same. ( the lures were not in good condition at all).  They put there rods in the holders provided and started to sip on an ice cold LION.  Not me china, I held that rod VAS. I had just spent 90 US dollars and if the fish was coming my way, I was not going to lose it.

BOOOM!!!!  VAS PAPPA !!!!!   My rod went flat and the reel started screaming.  I tightened the drag a bit and kept the tension on the line as TOMMO has shown us many times before on Inside Angling.  I soon realised that the burning smell that was wifting through the air was the strain that this tiger was putting on this poor outboard motor.  I instructed the skipper to cut the engine.  We had to still get home remember and there are hippos and crocs in the water.  No swimming allowed.

I slowly reeled in and next second.... slack line.... WTF....  NO, he was still on, keep tension and reel, focus.  Next second this fish jumps out the water about ten meters from the boat, out the corner of my eye I see a flash, it's a Yellow Beaked Kite and its swooping down for MY Tiger.  The sweat is dripping down my face, the Tiger dives and I keep reeling, Lupo 1 - Kite 0.

Just before I get the Tiger in the net it jumps again, my heart nearly stops.  I mention to the skipper if he loses this fish now, he is swimming back.

Fish netted and brought on board.  I carefully remove the treble hooks from it mouth, couple of snap shots and he was put safely back in the water to fight another day.

Hell, I still have a smile on my face this morning.  ( And its not because of the corn flakes)

[Homie]

Great Stuff Lupo !!!!

Place looks awesome !

[LUPO]

Thanks Homie!
It was an awesome weekend. I would have loved to have fished for more than 2 hrs though. LOL. 

Still very stoked with my 34cm Tiger.

Zim is so beautiful, it makes you want to cry when you see how poor the locals are and how one chop has managed to ruin such a treasure. 

As for the Vic Falls, well I have seen pictures and seen it on TV, but untill you are standing infront of them, one just can't imagine the beauty and power of the falls.

The Tiger fishing season has just opened there and what was great to see was how many small, juvinile tigers there were.  When spinning, as the spinner got close to the boat it would be hit by about 5 or 6 tigers about 7cm in size.  They were absolutely fearless. 

[WalkersKiller]

Awesome report Lupo, glad you got that tiger bru nice fish 

[Walt]

Shot,Lupo!Another addition to go on your species list with recent Steenbras.Awesome!

[LUPO]

Thanks Walkerkiller and Walt.

Walt it was me that you met a Bakhoven.  So finally my blanking has stopped and my species count has finally started.

[REEFMAN]

Nice one Loops!

[Mudcrab]

Lupo,great going

[Walt]

Thanks Walkerkiller and Walt.

Walt it was me that you met a Bakhoven.  So finally my blanking has stopped and my species count has finally started.

Perseverence Pays!!!Big Mistake!!!
Now you've been bitten Big Time,I Pity the POOR fish,lol!!!
Wanna chat to you about the Breakwater in CT Harbor,sometime!
Well done!

[G!enn]

Nice report lupo .. And excellent on your first tiger experience.  :sml:

[LUPO]

Perseverence Pays!!!Big Mistake!!!
Now you've been bitten Big Time,I Pity the POOR fish,lol!!!
Wanna chat to you about the Breakwater in CT Harbor,sometime!
Well done!

LOL!   Tell me one is allowed to fish at the break water again, or am i expecting too much Walt????