kingfish101 Posted August 16, 2020 Share Posted August 16, 2020 Santiago went 84 days without a marlin in 'the old man and the sea'. I've been 97 days without a good fish - until this week. An early morning mid week departure from Apple Tree Bay ramp and nobody else in the car park or on the water. My initial plan was to catch some squid, tailor or mullet early on and fish the points and holes in Cowan for jewfish on route to the Hawkesbury, but I didn't catch any bait until lunchtime. Finally filled my tank with a dozen perfect bait sized mullet but by then it was too late to paddle to my fishing spots in the River. Plan B was a leisurely paddle back through Cowan with the flood behind me, and drift fish the likely points. One of the benefits of fishing from a kayak is you can work very close to the rocks and I got a big hit just a few metres from the shore on a 15cm live mullet. The first run was very strong into deep open water which had me thinking I'd hooked a shark but then it changed its mind and dragged the kayak back to the rocks. Not much stopping power in a light kayak and I ended up gouging the fibreglass on the oysters with the fish visible beneath me. It's usually a 'one that got away' story when a kingfish gets in amongst the rocks but this one hadn't read the script and went out wide again. After 10 minutes or so I was able to use the gaff. My leader was well cut up and another run would probably have finished it. Got the strike in the middle of the flood and although I was close to the rocks the water was around 6 metres deep. I was on a slow drift fishing directly below the kayak a metre off the bottom. A 60 gram running sinker and a long trace line to a mustard circle hook. 27 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackfish Posted August 16, 2020 Share Posted August 16, 2020 Congratulations that's a cracker of a Fish out of the Yak. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yon Posted August 16, 2020 Share Posted August 16, 2020 That’s a monster! Well done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JAKSShark Posted August 16, 2020 Share Posted August 16, 2020 Ytfb 🤩now thats a mint fish mate well done! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
big Neil Posted August 16, 2020 Share Posted August 16, 2020 Great catch...no easy feat from a kayak, I imagine. Cheers, bn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scratchie Posted August 16, 2020 Share Posted August 16, 2020 Great report and great fish. Well done 👍 cheers scratchie!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zmk1962 Posted August 16, 2020 Share Posted August 16, 2020 Top report to match a top fish 👍👍worth the wait I say. cheers Zoran Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yowie Posted August 16, 2020 Share Posted August 16, 2020 That is a great fish from a yak, congratulations. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rebel Posted August 16, 2020 Share Posted August 16, 2020 Great report and Super photos. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dlvbw Posted August 17, 2020 Share Posted August 17, 2020 Simply awesome. Well done mate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whiskey299 Posted August 17, 2020 Share Posted August 17, 2020 Well done! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Squidy Posted August 17, 2020 Share Posted August 17, 2020 What a capture, well done indeed. Rich Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wizza Posted August 17, 2020 Share Posted August 17, 2020 And you kept a lot more of the fish than Santiago.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike89 Posted August 17, 2020 Share Posted August 17, 2020 Awesome fish mate well done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beachwormer Posted August 17, 2020 Share Posted August 17, 2020 That's hard core! Fish of a lifetime, just awesome. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pickles Posted August 17, 2020 Share Posted August 17, 2020 Top effort 101, a meter Kingie is never an easy fish in shallow water. God was smiling on you that day (every day). Brilliant. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Volitan Posted August 17, 2020 Share Posted August 17, 2020 My dream Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jenno64 Posted August 18, 2020 Share Posted August 18, 2020 Insane post, great fish...how did you catch the mullet at this time of year? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
savit Posted August 18, 2020 Share Posted August 18, 2020 Awesome catch from a kayak, and a free ride on top of that! What was the gear that landed the fish? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
corro Posted August 18, 2020 Share Posted August 18, 2020 Bravo! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Guest123456789 Posted August 19, 2020 Share Posted August 19, 2020 Congratulations! i love this report for a few reasons: * level of difficulty: extreme * quality of catch: excellent * success after lots of setbacks * a plan B catch * environmental impact: very low * sustainable fishing. congratulations again on an excellent catch and report 👍 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham Posted August 20, 2020 Share Posted August 20, 2020 And from 14 degree water. Amazing catch. How'd you catch mullet at this time of year! let alone the kingfish. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dunc333 Posted August 21, 2020 Share Posted August 21, 2020 👍 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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