SOOOOOO Close

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    Posted: 08 Apr 2019 at 9:06pm
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So the plan was hatched. Me and our 15yo son, up at 4.30am sunday morning and head for Tauranga with the softbait gear. 4am came way to quick, however with the wife up ready to go to work I crawled out of bed and headed for our sons room. Aj, Aj you awake. I wanna sleep was the reply......****, my fishing buddy just pulled the pin.
 As I headed up the kaimais with a empty passenger seat I contemplated ringing my mate kitno, but it was early and didn't want to jepordise a friendshipLOL. I hit the water just on daybreak and headed the little stabi out the Tauranga entrance. Then the big question.....Left or Right .
 
Right it was and as I headed towards Papamoa the lure of the big Motiti island sucked me in, the stabi almost pulling me in that direction on its own accord. The further out I got, the glassier it got. As I cruised in close to the Island I started wondering what, if anything was going to happen. As the first cast hit the water I could not believe my luck, when after about 10 seconds I hooked up.  ****.....no one here to witness it haha. I landed a nice snapper of about 40cm. I was stoked. A few more casts and nothing so I shifted around the bay a little. Next cast and the same thing, hooked straight up. I caught 5 fish in the wash like this over the next hour......Then it happened.
 
 The lure had only just hit the water and there was a swirl behind the bait. Then the line went straight and before I knew what the hell was happening the reel started screaming. I looked around....****, no one here. I tried in vain to stop this brute but the big thumps were to much for the 16lb leader and as I put a bit more hurt on the fish the rod tip flew back and the reel went quiet. I stood there for a moment, just a moment then the language just started to flow automatically and before I knew it I was yelling at the rocks telling them to never...EVER use 16lb leader at Motiti Island. As I regained my composure and re-rigged my rod I actually had a weird sence of accomplishment that I had even hooked into that fish. WEIRD eh.
A heap more casting but nothing.  Then I moved about 50mtrs to a big rock that was getting a lot of wash around it from the swell. The first cast was a shocker and I had a quick look to make sure no one had seen it. LMAO     The second hit the mark, About a meter from the rock, as I started to work the lure back towards me I got a hit. But no hook up. I started to work it again.......Whack and reel screaming again. This fish had some serious HP but somehow I managed to stay hooked up. After twenty odd minutes I seen this magnificent fish. As it came to the boat we both caught eye contact for the first time....I thought, ****, you're huge. The fish obviously thought, ****, you're ugly because it took off on one hell of a run. Another 10 minutes before I seen him again. As he swam into the net I stood there in awe of this amazing creature. It seemed so wrong to keep him but I just couldn't get him to swim on his own again. Maybe I had him out of the water to long. I measured him and he was 78cm long.
 
As I arrived home I wondered if I was about to join the 20lb club. With my wife and son there for the official weigh, Was I disappointed with the 19.2lb reading. Hell no. I had caught a fish people strive their whole life for, Had caught it in rough terrain, , on 16lb leader and on a softbait and my knots held on. while fishing solo. SUCCESS??? HELL YES!!!
 
I will try to load some photos.
 
Cheers
Ivan.
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (1) Likes(1)   Quote kaveman Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 08 Apr 2019 at 9:16pm
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Great read Ivan and congrats on your pb, i agree that 16lb is too light for wash fishingLOL
ps, your son wont want to stay in bed next time i betWink

www.kavemantackle.co.nz
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Far Quirk Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 08 Apr 2019 at 9:20pm
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Kitno wouldn't have minded with fishing like that to be had.  Liked.
Far Quirk - I'm goin' fishn!
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote kitno Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 08 Apr 2019 at 9:42pm
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Never mind Ivan @#$_&_$##!!!!!!!
Congrats on the fish, it was a stonka. Kingy mish coming up soon, saw plenty on Sunday morning.
Top 10 finish
2024 Grunter Hunter.
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote smudge Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 09 Apr 2019 at 5:45am
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Nice work, 19.2 is a big fish.
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Sufishent Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 09 Apr 2019 at 6:21am
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Great story well told - liked :)
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Catchelot Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 09 Apr 2019 at 6:54am
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Well done SoleM8 a great readClap
"The sea, once it casts its spell, holds one in its net of wonder forever." - Jacques Cousteau
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote feeder Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 09 Apr 2019 at 7:22am
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Nice fish and the moral of the story, don't take a knife to a gun fightWink
 
Cheers
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Steps Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 09 Apr 2019 at 8:02am
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Moral of story if best fishing m8 can't wake up turn the bed over..

Good report.. Nice fish..
How many of us are sitting just outside the 20lb mark. I'm still 2 in the 19s PB 19.4kg
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Keith C Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 09 Apr 2019 at 11:34am
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Originally posted by Steps Steps wrote:

Moral of story if best fishing m8 can't wake up turn the bed over..

Good report.. Nice fish..
How many of us are sitting just outside the 20lb mark. I'm still 2 in the 19s PB 19.4kg


Might be 19.4 lbs Steps

Good read Sole M8!
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Steps Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 09 Apr 2019 at 12:04pm
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No not "might be"  Damn well isEmbarrassed .. typo..
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Espresso Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 09 Apr 2019 at 12:43pm
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Nice :)
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Snappa Geoff Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 09 Apr 2019 at 5:10pm
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Good Skills Ivan!! Liked...
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Sole M8 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 09 Apr 2019 at 6:35pm
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Originally posted by Snappa Geoff Snappa Geoff wrote:

Good Skills Ivan!! Liked...
 
Coming from you Geoff, that's an honour. Thankyou very much.Thumbs Up
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Sole M8 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 09 Apr 2019 at 6:36pm
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Thanks everyone for the comments, much appreciated. I'm still fizzing lmfao.
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Garry 23041 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 09 Apr 2019 at 6:45pm
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Great work... and an enjoyable read.

I find fishing alone to be pretty nice. You move when you want, you leave when you want and you don't feel like you have to produce fish for someone else.

Some of my best moments have been on solo trips.
I went out this morning and got a couple of nice pannies and motored out for a jig.

Produced a high teens early 20s kingi. Sometimes I think the fishing gods know you are on your own and show you something a bit special..
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Sole M8 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 09 Apr 2019 at 7:07pm
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Thanks Gary. It can be very special alright.
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Clifftastic Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 10 Apr 2019 at 2:26pm
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Great read, had me on the edge of my seat! Well done all round!
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Tagit Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 19 Apr 2019 at 4:45pm
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Great fish and well done. My magic number for a 20lber is 82cm. At 82cm and in average condition you are usually on the money. A really fat 78cm fish might make it, and I have seen them, but under 80cm usually comes up a little short. We got 5 between 19lb and 25.5lb a few weekends back and I think the 19lb fish was around 77cm. We weren't using 16lb leader though. 60lb leaders with 20lb & 30lb lines.
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Free-B Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 21 Apr 2019 at 2:28pm
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Awesome fish! Where abouts did u catch this one and have u used softbait often or r u a beginner?
How big was the chilly bin as i may need to get a bigger one to fit the big kahuna i want to catch..
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