spirost Posted February 25, 2008 Share Posted February 25, 2008 Hi Raiders, Have been heading to Wanda beach for about four years and on Saturday night it finally happened. Sent the sms around on Friday that the moon was right for jewies and Wanda was the location after having seen a jew taken there on the last full moon. Got there about 8:00pm and found our spot in a likely looking gutter. Were fishing with ganged pillies (last two jews that I saw taken from Wanda were both on pillies) and there was absolutely nothing happening for about three hours. Then on the top of the tide I got a hit and struck straight away. As the rod buckled I called it for something big and my mate Leo did the honourable thing and pulled in his line. Not ever having caught a jew before I wasn't sure what to expect. The fish took off on his first run and I kept the pressure on. Finally turned him and with the pump and wind was gaining line. He then took off on his second run, this one to my surprise was longer than the first. Kept calm and again turned him and slowly got him closer to shore. I backed off the drag slightly as I was worried about losing him in the shore break. On my third attempt I used the waves to beach him and slowly walked backwards up the beach. Leo sprung into action and then called out the three words every beach fisho wants to hear "It's a Jew". In one motion he picked it up and like a footy under his arm he ran up the beach and deposited my first jew at my feet. I couldn't believe it and there were high five's, back slaps and (yes I'll even admit to it) a couple of man hugs. I don't have a scale but the fish was quite fat and measured in at 105cm. Spent the rest of the night on cloud nine happy that the drought has been broken with such a wonderful fish. Sorry for the lateness of the post but I am waiting for some photos from some nice fisho's who came over and took a couple of pics on their camera for me. For now the grainy shots from my phone will have to suffice. Cheers mr mojo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
humesy Posted February 25, 2008 Share Posted February 25, 2008 (edited) Sensational! You're a goner now. Great reward for four year's work. I can well imagine the dazed grin that has been plastered across your face ever since. Well done for keeping a cool head and playing the fish superbly by the sound of it. Top work. Edited February 25, 2008 by humesy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zen801 Posted February 25, 2008 Share Posted February 25, 2008 Hey man, One word - CONGRATULATIONS Reading your report reminded me of my first jew of the beach. By the way sounds like you handled the fight with the jew perfectly. Many a jew is lost at your feet in the shorebreak. At that length you might just have cracked the 10kg club as well. Beach jewfish is probably one of the most memorable and rewarding captures a fisherman can have. Cheers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrsswordfisherman Posted February 25, 2008 Share Posted February 25, 2008 wtg mate and I loved the mention of "man hugs" Cheers mrsswordfisherman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Soprano Posted February 25, 2008 Share Posted February 25, 2008 Awesome fish mate.....fantastic effort! The 4 years of effort has finally paid off for you... Well done again mate on a great capture from the sand... Cheers Tony Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chocofallon Posted February 25, 2008 Share Posted February 25, 2008 Well done mate! Great catch! Must have been exciting! I'd be smiling for weeks! Cheers, Joe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miller Posted February 25, 2008 Share Posted February 25, 2008 well done,great result all the time and effort you have put in finally paid off! cheers miller Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
STOCK Posted February 25, 2008 Share Posted February 25, 2008 Congrats and a hi five! Makes me wanna try beach fishing again =) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frizzy Posted February 25, 2008 Share Posted February 25, 2008 Congrats on your first Jew!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spirost Posted February 25, 2008 Author Share Posted February 25, 2008 Thanks guys for all the kind words. Yes, I am still smiling and finding it extremely difficult to concentrate on work. Another big thank you to all the raiders who have posted reports on their jewfish captures in the past. I have read them and tried to take note and it certainly helped during the fight. Looks like the four years of landing shovelnose sharks and rays paid off when it came time to landing the jew. Don't know how these pics will turn out as they are very small but just got them sent from my mate. Cheers mr mojo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
King slayer Posted February 25, 2008 Share Posted February 25, 2008 Well done, I felt just the same after my first king, I was shaking like an exited puppy . Still a Jew virgin though. I'll get there one day..hopefully soon. Good stuff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slinkymalinky Posted February 25, 2008 Share Posted February 25, 2008 Great fish and a top reward for dedicated effort. What is it about these Jew and Kings that send us all troppo? You never hear anyone refer to themselves as a Bream virgin or a Flattie virgin. I can't imagine someone putting in 4 years of effort to nail their first trout. Love the report mate. and love the way those scales shine. What a sight. Cheers, Slinky Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
inhlanzi Posted February 25, 2008 Share Posted February 25, 2008 Well done mr mojo Now you're stuffed - Beach Jewie Fever! Enjoy the feeling! Only known cure is to spend a few hundred more hours on the beach at night. Cheers inhlanzi Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jewgaffer Posted February 25, 2008 Share Posted February 25, 2008 A good report Mr Mojo, nice first jewfish and a very descriptive read. I rang a regular Wanda jew fisherman as soon as I read your post and he informed me that he knew of over ten jew of similiar size caught at Wanda, only in the last couple of weeks and that is what has attracted a lot of jew fishermen back after a relatively quiet summer this year. This is a good sign that the jewfish schools in this size range will come in to both rivers as it appears the cooler autumn weather is upon us early and I believe the jew fishing will be excellent, particularly in light of the fact that the warm currents have been hanging in there well outside. Wanda beach is one of my favourites. It's a legendry top of the tide jew spot especially when the peckers suddenly go strangely quiet. Squid, in particular larger whole calamari, is the best bait by far to use up there and pilchards as an alternative on other rods spread out in rod holders, have always performed well if you're short on whole live baitfish. Well done mate and you should strike them again off Kyeemah on a cooler night fairly soon on the run out tide land based to save you the Wanda walk. Cheers jewgaffer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luderick59 Posted February 25, 2008 Share Posted February 25, 2008 congrats on 1st jew top of the tide allways good jew time of the beaches peter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yting Posted February 25, 2008 Share Posted February 25, 2008 Yeah nice fish mate, looks like I'm half way then. I've been trying off Wanda for nearly 2 years now. Last week I fished Mon, wed, thurs, and Fri night. Should have gone the extra night too. Spose you just need a bit of luck eventually. Nath. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
g.t. Posted February 25, 2008 Share Posted February 25, 2008 Congratulations Mr Mojo!!! Sounds like a VERY well deserved jewie. A beach jewie is certainly a box I'd like to tick off my list of fishing dreams and aspirations. Enjoy the high!!! Cheers, Geoff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jenno64 Posted February 25, 2008 Share Posted February 25, 2008 Well deserved and a great story too Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roosterman Posted February 25, 2008 Share Posted February 25, 2008 well done mr mojo thats a real nice beach jew and a great report... got the blood pumping and makes me want to go down tonight and hit the sand for couple hours.. the way you played that jew was spot on... as zenman said many big fish get lost in shore break and backing drag off is always good idea... a headlamp torch (to check for toothy critter)and sharp gaff is something i use in my arsenal in the great jew hunt from the sands..... i bet that smile will be there for some time and deservedly so.... congrats once again... cheers.... steve..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spirost Posted February 28, 2008 Author Share Posted February 28, 2008 A good report Mr Mojo, nice first jewfish and a very descriptive read. I rang a regular Wanda jew fisherman as soon as I read your post and he informed me that he knew of over ten jew of similiar size caught at Wanda, only in the last couple of weeks and that is what has attracted a lot of jew fishermen back after a relatively quiet summer this year. This is a good sign that the jewfish schools in this size range will come in to both rivers as it appears the cooler autumn weather is upon us early and I believe the jew fishing will be excellent, particularly in light of the fact that the warm currents have been hanging in there well outside. Wanda beach is one of my favourites. It's a legendry top of the tide jew spot especially when the peckers suddenly go strangely quiet. Squid, in particular larger whole calamari, is the best bait by far to use up there and pilchards as an alternative on other rods spread out in rod holders, have always performed well if you're short on whole live baitfish. Well done mate and you should strike them again off Kyeemah on a cooler night fairly soon on the run out tide land based to save you the Wanda walk. Cheers jewgaffer Hi Jewgaffer, Sorry for the late reply but was away interstate for work. Thanks for the tips, will definitely give Kyeemah a shot if I can drag myself away from Wanda. mr mojo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ali Posted February 28, 2008 Share Posted February 28, 2008 Great effort, congrats on getting your first jew. Its a nice size too Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arpie Posted February 28, 2008 Share Posted February 28, 2008 Well done Mr Mojo - terrific fish after lots of 'training'! I've been busted off on the breakwalls here & live in hope of getting one off the beach!!! Only real chance I have of getting a decent one in! Great Report! Cheerio Roberta Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kiwi Dan Posted February 28, 2008 Share Posted February 28, 2008 well done mate, that jewie is a thumper Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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