Jew Stalker Posted April 30, 2013 Share Posted April 30, 2013 (edited) Recently I was down Merimbula having a holiday with the family when I got some news off a few local friends (I lived there for a while and visit regularly) about kings being caught off the wharf early in the morning. Later that day I went to the aquarium next to the wharf and got talking to the guide who does talks in there. He told me that they not long released a metre and a half king back into the water nearby the wharf as he was getting too big for the main tank, He also confirmed that people have been bringing in the kings early in the morning but people were mostly being bricked out in the stones. Armed with this info I went down to the wharf early the next morning armed with my bream gear for spinning up slimeys and my 50lb jig stick loaded with 50lb sunline braid and 50lb leader. I was pulling up the slimeys one after the other and putting them straight on the big rig under a float. Using such big gear I was not expecting to pull up salmon after salmon on the slimeys and was getting a bit disheartened (even a big salmon is no challenge for the jig stick). Just before 8am I was hit by what felt like another salmon. I let him take the livey for a second before putting the hurt on and instantly I knew that this was no salmon. I was fishing close to the wharf and did not want him going around the pylons and snapping me off so I backed off the drag and gave him a bit of room to move... Big mistake. It came around the edge of the wharf out of my sight when 2 of the guys standing on the corner let out a huge "no f@rking way, that is huge". They seemed to think it was at least 150cm. It started to swim off into open water where I was feeling a bit more comfortable (about 50m out) when I put the hurt back on him to play with him in the open. There was only one problem with this... After it got a bit of wind in its sails I could not stop it. I had my drag tightened right up (20kg) and this fish was still pulling line out. 100 metres later I am starting to get worried, 150m I am getting really worried, half the line has come off my spool and the fish still does not look like stopping. About 200 metres out I am wondering if I am going to be able to stop it at all when I feel grind grind ping. It reefed me where the stones gave way to a 2 metre drop off into sand and as soon as it touched the bottom it was all over. I was howling, I have pulled in my biggest king on this rod which was about 89cm and the unit handled it with no issues. In fact that is the king in my profile picture. In my disgust I almost threw my rod into the distance at the fish but I quickly gathered my thoughts and realised I didn't need to lose a few hundred bucks worth of gear with the fish. I reeled in my line, took a look at the leader and confirmed my thoughts. The guys on the corner who actually saw the fish claimed it was about a metre and a half long and judging by the fight I am not doubting them. I tried again for a while longer but Mr King was well gone and did not want another piece of me. I packed up my gear and left after this but not before old mate from the aquarium showed up for work. I told him what had happened, he just looked at me and smiled and said, I bet you got onto the big fellow we let go. I dare say he was correct also as this fish knew exactly where he was heading and exactly what he was doing. I grabbed my rods and bag and went back home with this fish never more than a thought away from my brain. This was almost 2 weeks ago now and I still can not stop thinking about the one that got away. It would have smashed my previous PB by almost 60cm. It had to have weighed around 30kg because my 20kg of drag barely slowed it down. Unfortunately I couldn't go the next day as it was my girls birthday and the day after that I had to return to Sydney. I will not be surprised if I never see another king this size... It truly was a once in a lifetime fish. That fight and the errors I made will stick with me until my dying day I do believe. If only I had another chance at it I am sure I could beat it. Oh well, one can only hope that the chance will someday come again. Wish me luck. Luc. Edited April 30, 2013 by Jew Stalker Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CarlRak Posted April 30, 2013 Share Posted April 30, 2013 Must of been heartbreaking....my condolences. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jew Stalker Posted April 30, 2013 Author Share Posted April 30, 2013 It was Nibbles, and thanks. It felt like I was fighting a marlin off the rocks. Even now I can't stop thinking about it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
damian Posted April 30, 2013 Share Posted April 30, 2013 thats wat keeps u fishing. u'll get him next time Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
foolforjesus Posted April 30, 2013 Share Posted April 30, 2013 You'll crack em! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mangonui Posted April 30, 2013 Share Posted April 30, 2013 Mate I grew up catching kings off the mangonui wharf in NZ,my biggest off there 27kg and lost plenty bigger,theres no better feeling getting one landbased after pursuading them through moorings and hopefully holding them away from pilons, I only ever used 15kilo so you just have to be lucky and it all needs to go right for you, I used to find people using to heavy gear lost more fish cause when they are that big,the more drag you put on them the harder they go! sometimes its just up to the fish what happens? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest hawkesbass Posted April 30, 2013 Share Posted April 30, 2013 Unlucky luc as said above the harder you go on a king the more stubborn they are i have found next time experience will be in your favour Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wizza Posted April 30, 2013 Share Posted April 30, 2013 awesome report reminds me of seeing giant king in a freezer at lord howe in 1979 over 6 feet in length standing on its nose.what agreat experience for you cheers wizza Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jew Stalker Posted April 30, 2013 Author Share Posted April 30, 2013 Thanks guys, you are making me feel a little better about it all now. As far as the more pressure on kings the harder they go... I had no idea, I was just trying to turn his head. Ahhhh next time indeed! At least now I have a better idea on what not to do hehehe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Longfish Posted April 30, 2013 Share Posted April 30, 2013 Unlucky mate, Better to have hooked and lost than to never have hooked at all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ssantoro Posted April 30, 2013 Share Posted April 30, 2013 bad luck champ, you'll get him next time! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scratchie Posted April 30, 2013 Share Posted April 30, 2013 Jewstalker, reading your post made me feel excited and then sick! Now I'm sitting here thinking of all the ones that I have had zoom off and then lost them due to errors! I understand when nibbles said my condolences! Although, it's better to have hooked and lost, than never hooked at all. Cheers scratchie!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robinsoi Posted May 1, 2013 Share Posted May 1, 2013 Wonderful write up mate I was on the edge of my chair reading your post and was anticipating a happy ending! Sorry to hear about the unfortunate bust off. At least it must have been a thrilling experience while you had him on. Thanks for sharing and better luck next time and I hope you land him. Ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jew Stalker Posted May 1, 2013 Author Share Posted May 1, 2013 Unlucky mate, Better to have hooked and lost than to never have hooked at all. Indeed it was a killer fight. I am grateful that I got a chance to hook a massive hoodie. It would have been awesome to bring him in but it is something I daresay I am not going to forget. bad luck champ, you'll get him next time! I hope so! Jewstalker, reading your post made me feel excited and then sick! Now I'm sitting here thinking of all the ones that I have had zoom off and then lost them due to errors! I understand when nibbles said my condolences! Although, it's better to have hooked and lost, than never hooked at all. Cheers scratchie!!! It made me feel somewhat sick too. I thought I could still get him until that last moment. I felt excited, happy, sad and angry all at the same time. It was quite bizarre. Wonderful write up mate I was on the edge of my chair reading your post and was anticipating a happy ending! Sorry to hear about the unfortunate bust off. At least it must have been a thrilling experience while you had him on. Thanks for sharing and better luck next time and I hope you land him. Ian Cheers much, I like to share my experiences with you all in detail so you get a taste of the action. I was anticipating a happy ending also but unfortunately it wasn't to be, It was unlike any fish I have ever fought before. It was an absolutely amazing experience. I hope you all get to experience it too... But with a happy ending. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mulcahya Posted May 3, 2013 Share Posted May 3, 2013 Truly bad luck, but at least you had the experience of monster on the line. I'm still waiting for that. Just wondering, other than not taking a knife to a gun fight, what would you do differently next time? Would it have been an option to completely back off the drag, flick the bail, and free spool for a bit to see if he slows down and comes back to shore, then start the process again? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul fishfeeder Posted May 5, 2013 Share Posted May 5, 2013 Mate bad luck and I know how u feel.droped a live squid at the oil wharf one morn hooked up,squirted 200 m plus away with 20 kg of drag on but no goodn,heh wouldn't stop.but they all fight different.been fishin jb the last couple weeks getting a few ranging from 70 to90 and some of the smaller go as hard as the bigger.arrrwell it happens. Catch many and let just as many goooo.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jew Stalker Posted May 5, 2013 Author Share Posted May 5, 2013 Truly bad luck, but at least you had the experience of monster on the line. I'm still waiting for that. Just wondering, other than not taking a knife to a gun fight, what would you do differently next time? Would it have been an option to completely back off the drag, flick the bail, and free spool for a bit to see if he slows down and comes back to shore, then start the process again? The only thing bigger I could have taken to that fight would be a Tiagra, to be honest the outfit I used I figured would be well up to the task. I think in hindsight I would have let it freespool until it was well past the ledge and then fight it over open water and hoped I had enough line to do so. Mate bad luck and I know how u feel.droped a live squid at the oil wharf one morn hooked up,squirted 200 m plus away with 20 kg of drag on but no goodn,heh wouldn't stop.but they all fight different.been fishin jb the last couple weeks getting a few ranging from 70 to90 and some of the smaller go as hard as the bigger.arrrwell it happens. Catch many and let just as many goooo.... Good to know Jb is firing also, It seems there are more around this year of decent size. I hope the trend continues. Huskisson is a bit of a freaky place too like Eden. You always get good fish when they are running. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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