james7 Posted April 10, 2011 Share Posted April 10, 2011 Headed out late morning for a lazy day's fishing. Decided to troll for some bonito as our bait supplies were running low. Beautiful morning. I spotted this guy fishing off the cliffs. I can't believe how they do it. Amazing! I hate heights. We hadn't travelled far when my little Shimano Charter Special started screaming (and I mean really screaming!) At first I thought I'd hooked some weed as there was plenty in the water. I grab the rod and this "weed" was fighting. I yell to my mate Syd to head out to deeper water as we were close to shore. I notice the reel was looking a bit empty. How much line did I have out?!? After a good 10 or 15 minutes I eventually see some colour and that big yellow tail. It's a good king! I only had 20lb mono so I was taking it very slow and steady keeping the line away from the boat and the motor. After a couple more runs, it's within net range. Syd gets it in the net and as he's pulling it in, the net breaks! Luckily we both manage to grab it and drag it in. I've spent years trying to get a decent king, and failing ... (my pb was only 75cm). However, I finally get one when I'm tring to get a bonnie for bait! Unbelievable! I know many of you consider this still a small king, but I was absolutely rapt! On to the brag mat and it's over 90cm! Even better! Syd and I tried a "high five", but we've both got crook shoulders at the moment so it was a fairly pathetic attempt. Here's Syd holding my king. (The jealousy was just oozing out of him) Syd was very keen to get back and try for another one, but I told him that the chances of another piece of good luck was a million to one. My king was obviously a loner and I was just very lucky to get it. However, he shouldn't worry, maybe one day he might get the chance to feel the fight of a 90+ kingy! (Syd's pb king was only 68cm) I was enjoying this moment of glory. Anyway, back we go in close and we put the lines in. Now, where were those bonito? We really did need some fresh bait. It was less than five minutes and we both hear that beautiful ratchit sound as line starts peeling off Syd's TLD! Surely it couldn't be another king? Syd grabs the rod and I grab the wheel and start heading out to deeper water. Syd ups the drag and line is still peeling off. This one really wanted to fight. Every time he manages to get it close to the boat, it goes for another long run. After a great fight we get it on board. Syd looks like he's going to have a heart attack, but you couldn't take the smile off his face. What an amazing half hour we'd both had! On to the brag mat ... 95cm! (Bugger! Syd's outdone me again!) After a cup of coffee we decide to continue trolling. No more kings, but we manage a dozen nice tailor. We keep six for the smoker. Time for a leisurely flathead drift. We both manage to get heaps of babies, barely bigger than the bait. It looks like no keeper flatties today. Syd's rods starts bending. This is a good one he says ... Unfortunately, this is what came up. There was practically no drift, so we continue moving. The bait had just about gone so I put a soft plastic on one of the droppers of the paternoster. You never know I tell Syd, it might work. Eventually, I get a nice flathead, 52cm. Yahoo! A good flattie on a sp. I'm going to try it more often. Here's Syd holding my flathead. I continue to remind Syd about my superior fishing skills. I mean, he's not going to get one better than that ... is he? He may have fluked the kingy prize, but he's not going to do better than 52cm! Yeah yeah ... I've got to learn to shut up and not challenge Syd. This was his reply ... 58cm of beautiful blue spotted flathead. Then the jackets arrived. We get sick of losing rigs. Every sp I put on disappears or gets chewed to pieces. We decide to call it a day. On the flathead count, Syd out fished me by heaps, but we managed a good feed between us. I reckon we threw back a legal one for every one we kept. The sun was setting as we made our way back to the ramp. What a top day! Cheers Peter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
james7 Posted April 10, 2011 Author Share Posted April 10, 2011 Here's the final catch ... another "table filler"! Syd's king was just over 7kg. Mine was 6.4kg. The tailor were filleted and smoked (as usual). Delicious! And Syd decided to try kingy "sashimi" Cheers Peter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Krispy ! Posted April 10, 2011 Share Posted April 10, 2011 Well done mate! Great report and solid kings too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cut_loose Posted April 10, 2011 Share Posted April 10, 2011 That's pure awesome mate well done Words can not speak how jealous i am right now ! i was GOING to troll today, but instead fished Jibbion and only got baby Flatties, just 2 legal I am without a doubt going to try a troll next weekend, i am so keen Cheers for the report, puts a smile on my face and some hope of getting my first legal king before winter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brickman Posted April 10, 2011 Share Posted April 10, 2011 you guys crack me up great report and what a haul off fish i always enjoy reading your posts keep them coming gents cheers gary Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jordan.widz Posted April 10, 2011 Share Posted April 10, 2011 congrats on those kings guys, top effort, lucky you had the heavy gear gear out too Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Basil D Posted April 10, 2011 Share Posted April 10, 2011 Peter and syd take a bow, what sesh you guys had, well done. Syd take it easy with sushimi, you look like a caveman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marcel haber Posted April 10, 2011 Share Posted April 10, 2011 well done once again. You nether come home empty handed. twin 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chewie Posted April 10, 2011 Share Posted April 10, 2011 Well done! Always a Massive rush hooking one hood let alone landing two! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tf211 Posted April 10, 2011 Share Posted April 10, 2011 Great job - just one thought - if you load up a Charter Special with 300 yards of 50lb braid, then tie on a 30lb Fluoro leader, you will have a much more versatile rig. Better still, make a wind-on leader with the 30lb Fluoro. Also, if you replace the drag washer with a really good carbon fibre washer (greased) you won't believe how much really smooth drag you can get out of that reel. These reels are very much under-rated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eholdn Posted April 10, 2011 Share Posted April 10, 2011 Great catch guys, bet that put the old tickers into overdrive hauling them in !! Cheers Pete. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yaulpang Posted April 10, 2011 Share Posted April 10, 2011 Great report, Thanks for taking the time to post, I really enjoyed the read. Congrats on a great feed n catch Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hodgey Posted April 10, 2011 Share Posted April 10, 2011 Once again the table is filled with a great feed ... only this time there is new PB's lying on it as well! Congrats to you both on a memorable day on the water. That's a session you won't forget in a hurry Peter! Cheers Skip Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest DanT Posted April 10, 2011 Share Posted April 10, 2011 wooooo cracker kingy! verryy jealousss! that table full of fish is my ideal feeed! hahaha great report! now get the meter king! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stillrockn Posted April 11, 2011 Share Posted April 11, 2011 Great Read Whoo! hoo! Really enjoy reading about your Trips out of the Port .... Cracker Kings you pair ...Well done Tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raysenior Posted April 11, 2011 Share Posted April 11, 2011 Top Trip pete, great kings, and some really great crocs . I wonder how many kilos to break the table LOL cheers snr Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
james7 Posted April 11, 2011 Author Share Posted April 11, 2011 Great job - just one thought - if you load up a Charter Special with 300 yards of 50lb braid, then tie on a 30lb Fluoro leader, you will have a much more versatile rig. Better still, make a wind-on leader with the 30lb Fluoro. Also, if you replace the drag washer with a really good carbon fibre washer (greased) you won't believe how much really smooth drag you can get out of that reel. These reels are very much under-rated. Thanks for the advice Chinook Hunter. I've had the Charter Special for about 12 years and have been very happy with it. I only use it for light trolling (tailor, stripies, salmon, bonito etc), hence the 20lb mono. Before this trip, the biggest thing I've caught on it was a 4kg striped tuna and a 75cm king, and it handled them (relatively) easily. Syd has all the "heavy" gear. I think it was mainly dumb luck that I managed to get my king away from the reefy bottom and out to deeper water, then land it. To be honest, it didn't fight anywhere near as hard as Syd's king. His TLD would have had twice (or three times) the drag set as my Charter Special, yet his king pulled line off very easily. It was a real fighter. Anyway, dumb luck or not, I'm still taking credit for catching it! I had an amazing fight and enjoyed every minute, especially actually getting it on board after seeing the net break! I think it was just my day. Cheers Peter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TunaSickle Posted April 11, 2011 Share Posted April 11, 2011 Excellent report. Awesome Kings! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prawn* Posted April 11, 2011 Share Posted April 11, 2011 well done guys good to see some decent kings still lirking around congrats on the new pb in sure the next couple of years there will be some bigger models around!! love the photo of the sashimi nearly fell of my chair top report as usual well done!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bent_Rod Posted April 11, 2011 Share Posted April 11, 2011 the best report i have ever read well done Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sails Posted April 11, 2011 Share Posted April 11, 2011 top report Peter ,a great read, and a very productive outing. well done on the kingies, cheers Sails Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jewhunter Posted April 11, 2011 Share Posted April 11, 2011 Great report once again Peter! Congrats to both of you on your p.b's. They are very nice kings mate. What a top feed you ended up with as well! Well done on a fun day boys. Cheers, Grant. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arpie Posted April 11, 2011 Share Posted April 11, 2011 WOOHOO!!! Congrats on your fantastic kingie, Peter (and Syd!) Where's YOUR pic holding it??? Well done on a fantastic day on the water with a buddy! Roberta Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newbie Al Posted April 12, 2011 Share Posted April 12, 2011 Great job mate those flathead would have been delish! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Penguin Posted April 12, 2011 Share Posted April 12, 2011 Some nice fish fellas and congrats on your new pb's cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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