This is what I love about the last minute decisions - it is always full of excitement & fun ............
Well, a best pal of ours nl Ray , my son Kobus (16) & I decided late Sunday (11-10-16) morning to make a few casts with lures in the ever surprising AMATIKHULU river north of the TUGELA. Our aim was to target the ever aggressive Perch which has no limit when on the feed or attacking your larger livies or baited hook - anything else caught was to be a bonus & just pure excitement
It was near mid-day , weather not favorable , drizzle, wind , but yet fair temperature.
Tide was not a factor cause we decided to fish the holes , gullies & current found suitable when we get there..........
We will adapt to what the river offer us - unlike checking tides , & fishing the pushing & or outgoing during only certain time of the day................ as they say in Boere lingo -
“ Mogge troffe “
Arrived at the “old Prawn farm” at about 12:30 , rigged up , & took a stroll up the river in a southern direction along the rocky areas sticking out on the edge of the river. (River runs parallel to coast for a couple of hundreds of meters , then turns inland)
We spotted two local young boys fishing with their home made rods nl. reeds with gut tied to the end, catching small perch. I thought to myself - what a sight it will be if a huge perch or any species for that matter grabs the baited hook & doubles that poor thin reed over ................
Then I pictured this humorous sight in my mind of this large monster jumping out of the water swallowing the rod, line & angler
I had a good chuckle in my mind , though gave him 10/10 for trying -
After all , my friends & I also fished small streams that way at a young age catching bass, kurper & other small freshwater fish.
Their ever so loyal canine friends followed them from rock to rock in a manner as if being a daily routine ...... that’s a man’s best friend.
Anyway - I waded out to some slippery rocks while Ray & my son waded to an island in the middle of the river with a fairly strong current running on the coast side & out on the last hour of low. They opted to fish the current , & every now & then I would hear these almost foul words uttered by both of them ..............
I later shouted inquiring what the fuss was all about as I fished with my back towards them - and it sounded like fun, but then again I saw no action
.....it made me think they were playing me....
Not soon enough after my bad thought , I heard a loud WOW , YOH , WOW ....... ja ja I thought.....
I turned around only to see my son holding on to his 7'2" Shimano rod. It was a sight for sore eyes & I stood watching Ray coaching him till the fish was landed which felt like 5 minutes for me merely watching .......
As the fish became visible and in the shallower water, Ray shouted with excitement ...........
my son was extremely elated & I had to join them to see what it was all about. I could see a fish on the sand , but trying to see the truth at a distance of +- 150m could be quite a misleading picture. However, when I got closer I realized what the noise was all about ..................... a huge perch , a grandfather of a perch .........
Sorry B.tail
I have caught & seen many perch , but confess that this was the biggest till date in my life. My son did not understand our excitement till I explained to him that its not every day to land such a big specimen. Yes , maybe a common specimen of the river, harbors etc, & not a sought after fish by many anglers , but an aggressive taker & fighter of note on light tackle. It is almost like the tiger fish of the saltwater.
It weighed in at 2kg & measured 44 cm. Yes , I know large specimens are caught maybe in other waters , but a PB at 16 & in our rivers in Northern KZN of which we thought might be empty, is very good news.
Ray landed a smaller perch & Bartail-Flathead , & myself a 56 cm Pick-handle which gave me an awesome run for my money.
I suppose all outings & fish caught does not always give the same pleasure & excitement. Each trip though has its own meaningful remembrance. Well done Kobus.
PS : He does not look happy chappy on the pic (tired) , but believe me , he walks around very proud.
