Vidal offshore report

[nico]

Hi guys,
 
I am posting here as the new subsections have me confused, as we often combine different facets under one trip - anyway, I guess this is a KZN Whatsup!
 
I went to Vidal from Saturday till Tuesday to do some fishing with mates and hopefully target billies. Arrived Saturday afternoon, to the news that the fishing that day was dead quiet.
 
Sunday morning we where up at 3:30, but the southerly had been blowing hard for a while and the sea was a mess, and launching would have only been done by punching a few waves so we decided to stay on shore. At low tide we walked onto the ledge and caught a few bags of halfbeaks, keen for the next day's fishing. As often happens on these non fishing days, we got bored and thus got stuck into some "refreshments".
 
On Monday we where on the beach a bit later, a couple of boats went out but it was porbably worse than Saturday. We decided to have breakfast first and only launched at about 9am. We couldn't find bait at all, and not only was it p'ing with rain, the southerly was pumping 15kn to 20kn. While looking for bait in 10m to 12m of water, a small boat next to us go a on on a trap stick with a cofee grinder. Obviously we thought it was a couta, until it jumped and we thought it was a baby saily. We moved away to give them some space to fight the fish. Turns out is was a tiny tiny striped marlin, under 20kg. Unfortunately the fish died after a prolonged fight on the light tackle. We where now really stuck as we didn't bring any bait and we couldn't find any. Eventually we borrowed some sardines from another boat and started fishing a slow troll. The sea was really uncomfortable and we were all getting bruised falling around, the rain was hammering down and the wind was pumping. After catching 4 dollies and dropping 4 we decided to rather head back to land and go for pizza in St. Lucia. The boat that lent us the sards had launched at 4:30 and stayed out later, they finished the day with 16 dollies and a couta. Bryant was fishing on this boat, and would do so again the next day.
 
Tuesday morning dawned beautifully. It was still cloudy in the morning, but the wind had dropped to a very gentle land breeze. We launched at about 4:30-5am and set off to Oscars to look for a tuna species to use for live bait. The boat that Bryant was fishing on was also keen to look for marlin and was doing the same. They got the first livebait, and set out deeper. Not long after we had two nice bonnies in the luna's and moved to the 100m mark where we set a live one out on a short tigger with loads of drop back. On the port side we set a dead bonnie on long rigger to skip and wallow. We then slowly made our way deeper. The other boat out radio'd that their bait had died, and they went in again to look for another one.
The dollies where a real pest, and kept on coming in, eventually killing both the livies we had. We went shallow again and where lucky to quickly have two well hooked livies again. The other boat couldn't find any bonnies, by this stage (and this was the last time I talked to them), they already had 11 dollies and no bonnies.
We headed out again, this time working 80m to 120m at deep Oscar's. Still the dorado came in to look at the skip bait, but they had stopped eating. We pitched halfbeaks at them with a little flick stick, but they would come look at it but not eat them. Even so, they where so thick that we caught 4 through the day, dropping probably 8 while trying to knit through the rigger lines and drop back loops etc.
By about 3pm we decided to call it a day and headed in towards Vidal. Just before we pulled in the lines a massive wahoo came through and cut out live bonnie cleanly off behind the head. Poor fish had been swimming safely for 6 hours!
 
We where all surprised that we didn't manage to raise a fish on the day. The conditions where perfect, except for one vairable - the current had dropped considerably. We all believe the current brings fish, so maybe that was it on the day.
 
Anyway, so the trip was unsuccesful as far as billfish goes, but at least we managed to have bit of fun with the Dorados. More importantly, I got to spend a lot of time with a well known, old school billfish angler and learnt loads. As a matter of fact, I came away from this trip feeling pretty humble about how little knowledge I have about fishing compared to these old toppies!
 
Tight lines,
./n

[John F]

Tough luck nico... but hey... you got something priceless instead... knowledge and experience.... and beer!!!! Great stuff!

[shagnrelease]

Tough trip!! loving that the dodos are a pest however!!!

never mind mate the billie will come!!

[REEFMAN]

Post moved to Reports...

[Capt. Hook]

Nice Report, there was a small Blue of about 30Kg that came out of Durban the other day.

This year the fish are wild, I agree about the current but something has happened and I am not sure but suspect the Somali Pirates are doing us a huge favour.

[jaenswart]

great report Nico

[nico]

And here is a pic of my mate Noel and I pretending that Bryant's catch is actually ours 

[jaenswart]

Don't you just love pretending. In 10 years time when you look at that pic, you will have convinced yourself that you did in fact catch it

[Ziggy]

Don't you just love pretending. In 10 years time when you look at that pic, you will have convinced yourself that you did in fact catch AND RELEASE it

[Cam Mundy]

Well done I hope the fish are there from the 15th

[TUNAMAN]

NICO I know what you are doing. You are saving up for a Super Slam at the Classic mate. That is all cool with me.

Great report and thanks for bringing it fresh to UA.

[TUNAMAN]

ZIGGY no one releases a DORRIE mate. By far not a threatened species. Extremely fast growing and huge dispersement. Anyhow one of the best table fare around.

[tkei]

Nico,
pitty about the weather, and that the bills dint want to play with you.
Ziggy. dorrado one of the only fish we should be keeping. their growth rate is crazy as they only live for max 4 or 5 years (if they are not eaten first, by fish or man.

[Ziggy]

ZIGGY no one releases a DORRIE mate. By far not a threatened species. Extremely fast growing and huge dispersement. Anyhow one of the best table fare around.

This I agree with! The point I was making is that in 10 years time maybe we will all be thinking otherwise - in terms of any species - once the commercials also strip the dorrie resources. I was not critising at all

[TUNAMAN]

This I agree with! The point I was making is that in 10 years time maybe we will all be thinking otherwise - in terms of any species - once the commercials also strip the dorrie resources. I was not critising at all

ZIGGY we did not see it as critisism mate. This is after all a new UA. Just helping out with the knowledge/info.

We all pray that you are not right but point taken for sure. When it comes to Dorries it is like asking an Alcoholic to put down his drink....

[nico]

When it comes to Dorries it is like asking an Alcoholic to put down his drink....

Put down my drink? I'd rather release a dorrie! 
 
I agree with Ziggy, we may one day rue the fact that we kept so many fish when they were around. I do think dorries are safe though.

[Ziggy]

Our fathers fished like there was no tomorrow - and now tomorrow is here...and see what happened

[tkei]

But luckily most of our "fathers" didnt fish deep sea so they didnt smash the dorado much.
I usually stop at 4-6 dorries. love eating them fresh but I battle to eat more than 4 a day.

[Ziggy]

Eish! That is a BIG appetite for fish bru - I cant even manage to eat a minnow - fish is NOT my favourite food - especially when it smells like fish. I can eat most gamefish though (except tuna), with my nose clipped closed with a clothespeg

[Big Van]

Hi Nico it is a great report. Can you think how must the guys feel that is going to Vidal this summer holidays. I cant think that they are working. They are already into some dories during office time. Congrats and even with poor weather the fish was on.
Cheers mate