RBSBC Bonanza

[Ricus]

What a great weekend with some great fish coming out,
 
Day 1 : We did not manage any billfish but we did have one hook up on a nice Black Marlin,but the hooks pulled. also had a nice dorado but lost it at the boat....
 
Day 3 was rough with the sea not playing the part. We manage to get 2 nice size dorado, on a double up, 12.4kg and 15.8kg this
 
the Dorado was the bisggest game fish accoring to the benchmark system for day 3, which earned us R10 000-00

[Prego]

Nice fish well done Ricus, was the 30 odd kg couta not caught by someone competing? Any idea where this Couta was caught?

[Ricus]

Yes it was 31kg on 15kg line by a junior.
 
i think it was caught at Petingo, with live bait,
 
the Couta won the main prize I think it was R75 000-00.

[Kumz]

  ... 

[Big Van]

Hi Ricus congrats and sorry about the marlin lost. Next time will it sit.
Tight Lines

[Prego]

Thanks Ricus.

[Awief]

Tuesday, 10 April 2012
Piracy boost for fishing

STORY: Dave Savides

On top of the world! Dale Leenstra looks set for a world record with this 31.8kg king mackerel. Taking part in the uMhlathuze Fishing Festival on Friday, the 14 year-old junior angler landed the superb catch using 15kg line.

Anglers hit the jackpot on Friday as hordes of huge fish were brought to the weigh-in at the annual uMhlathuze Fishing Festival.  And a season that has seen unprecedented catches of marlin, yellowfin tuna and king mackerel has been attributed to…Somali pirates.  Deepsea angling veterans at Richards Bay believe the piracy scourge has scared off many long liners and other illegal foreign vessels that for years have plundered the east coast of Africa.  The same view is held by the fishing fraternity in Mozambique, where catches have also shown vast improvement of late. ‘It is a theory that seems very well grounded in fact,’' said a local angling guru.  ‘Besides being afraid of pirates hijacking their vessels,   the presence of pirates has in turn attracted a number of international navy vessels including warships, to defend their various maritime shipping interests.
‘These would obviously also deter illegal vessels.’ Sport tourism
  With perfect sea and weather conditions to greet the crews as they set off at first light on Friday, they got stuck in to some terrific catches, proving once again that the seas off Richards Bay are among the most fruitful anywhere.  The message was again underlined that angling as a sports tourism lure should be used to market an enormous potential to boost the local economy.  Organisers at the Richards Bay Skiboat Club were also impressed with the numbers who arrived to share the ‘land activities’, with one of the best crowds in years supporting the various stalls and cheering their appreciation at the weigh-in.
World record
  Adding to the excitement was the world record catch (still to be officially ratified) by junior angler Dale Leenstra.  The 14 year-old deepsea ‘veteran’ was fishing off dad Mike’s boat ‘Beluga’ when he hooked into a 31.8kg king mackerel, using 15kg line.  The catch was way above the 28kg benchmark, as was the 290.4kg black marlin caught by Wynand van Wyk off the boat ‘Scalas’, skippered by Arnie Nice.  Add to that numerous yellowfin way above the 50kg mark, including Cloet de Klerk’s 81.6kg giant and one of 71.8kg donated to charity by Johan Beukes and it would be a major understatement to say that the first day was indeed a ‘Good Friday’.

[Awief]

Tuesday, 10 April 2012
 Monster marlin misses the mark

STORY: Dave Savides

Although regretting they had not entered the Bonanza competition, the ‘Reel Magic Charters’ team was still proud to show off the monster blue marlin landed from the boat on Friday (back) Franco Cloete, Gavin van der Merwe - angler, Andre van der Merwe, Trevor Hansen - skipper (front) Divan Coetzee

No first prize for record marlin but charity is the winner A record 362kg blue marlin was weighed on the first day of the Bonanza fishing competition - but the ‘lucky’ angler had not entered the event.  Gavin van der Merwe was one five fishermen aboard SA champion skipper Trevor Hansen’s ‘Reel Magic Charters’ boat when he hooked into the huge specimen on Friday.  They were about 48km off the harbour, fishing in 1200 metres of water and it took a good two hours, some aching muscles and a couple of blistered hands to bring it on deck.  A huge crowd gathered at the gantry at the Richards Bay Skiboat Club, sympathising with Gavin over what would surely have been a winning catch - had he been an official entrant. In not being part of the competition, he probably forfeited around R40 000 in prize value.  But there were no real regrets, as he now boasts the record for the largest blue marlin ever caught at the club.  And there were plenty of other people left smiling at the ‘catch of the day’, as the fish was donated to charity and will feed many hungry mouths in the weeks ahead.  Well done to Trevor and the ‘Reel Magic Charters’ crew, for this wonderful gesture.  Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife members kindly filleted the fish and will assist the Zululand Observer’s DICE charity to distribute the marlin to the beneficiaries.

[shagnrelease]

Well done on the Dorado Ricus! Pity the bill did not stick, any more info on lures and hook-sets?