Captain Cook Bridge - 30/9/09

Every now and then, if you're lucky enough, you'll land a fish that's pretty special. I'm glad to say that yesterday I managed to land that special fish. After a fairly medicore start to the day where Stewart and I had gone to catch jewfish but ended up with only an average flattie and a squid (and Stewie caught both of those), we decided to head in to where the weedbeds reach the edge of the drop-off and attempt to spin up a flathead to add to the bag.

A TT Switchblade was my weapon of choice and seeing the water was a bit murky, I went for a bright colour to give the fish something to zero in on. I was using a Daiwa Capricorn reel, loaded with 6lb braid with a 2m leader of 6lb Vanish Fluorocarbon. We drifted with the wind, casting upcurrent and double-hopping the lures back towards us. Second cast and I hook a whiting. Finally I'm on the board. This guy put up a good scrap, mainly because I'd hooked him right near the tail. The next cast I hook up again but this one actually pulls some line. 'Nice fish,' I think and this time it's a real elbow slapper of a whiting, close to 40 cms I reckon. And that's all I'll be doing as it spits the lure back at me as I'm reaching for the net.

It's nearly time to head back and go to work. Three more minutes will do us. I put in an extra long cast and let the lure hit the bottom. Hop, Hop, wind in the slack, let it sink. Hop, hop and crunch! Ooooooooooh, this has some weight. Stewart is right next to me but is slowly left behind as I'm towed up current. The rod tip bucks as this beast shakes it head. 'Jewie?' we both think and it goes on another run, drag singing as it turns and goes with the current now. I try to lift her but she's hugging the bottom and I hope there are no large rocks down there where she can bust me off.

Basically, for the next 8 or 9 minutes it's a stale mate. I'll gain a few meters of line, then she'll take it back it a strong surge. We still haven't had any colour yet and an ID is being bantered about. Jewfish? Big Flathead? Maybe a Kingie? They have been getting them up at the mouth of the Cooks River lately. 'Bream?' I say with raised eyebrows!

Eventually I feel I'm starting to win and Stewart and I are both peering into the depths for first colour. And ever so slowly we see a dark shape gliding up. 'Holy S#%t!', I say, 'she's HUGE!' Two meters under the water we can see the biggest flattie I've ever hooked. My best to date is 82 cms but this girl looks bigger. She has a massive head, it looks as wide as mine. Luckily I've hooked her in the side of the mouth and my leader is out of harms way. I glance at my net and think no way we she fit in that. Stewart has one of the fish-friendly rubber nets and seeing as this girl will be released, we decide to use that and get some quick photos before setting her free.

I get her on the surface and guide her towards Stewart who does an expert job and scoops her up. A foot and a half of her tail is hanging out the top and she a big fat porker, too. Hoots and

hollers all around and we get a few snaps on the water before I put her back in the net and swim her to shore. Onto the lie detector and she is a new PB, topping out at 86 cms. Stewart has been taking the snaps (thanks, Stewie) and we don't muck about and ease her back into the water. She sits there for a few seconds, probably saying 'What was all that about?' and then gives a few quick beats of her powerful tail and scoots back off into the depths to scare the bejesus out of any baitfish in the area.

Woo hoo! I'm stoked. Catching a big girl like that is magic, and seeing her take off to fight another

day is even better. Landing these big crocs is all about patience and having good tackle that works well under pressure. The drag on my reel is silky smooth and the line easily played out when she went on her strong runs. If I'd have had a reel with a drag that stuck or had the drag too tight, she'd have easily done me over on 6lb. Making sure your knots are good is also essential in these longer battles.

I'm not sure on her weight (we didn't muck about with the scales) but she would've passed the old 10 lb mark easily. I can see how estimates of big flathead can be way off as in the water they look so huge. When she first came up I would've called her as close to a meter. Well, she was, but not that close! Now to crack that 90 cm mark and then... the 1 meter club! Happy yakkin, everyone!

cheers,

Cid