Summer must be here- I actually went fishing.
Went out the back road to one of my big snapper spots. The sea was still a bit big though and I was forced into a quiet corner.
I had natural flies (fur with brown rubber legs) to test against my usual bright interceptor type flies.
Lost the fur fly on a rock after fishing it for twenty minutes with no hits. So tied on a pink/yellow/orange/white interceptor. Fished it for twenty minutes then nailed a nice squid. Very happy to pin that one on the single hook. Other squid turned up but they weren't so easy and I'd failed to remember my squid jigs. Damn!
Then a nice snapper flew out of the kelp at my feet and nailed the fly just beneath the rod tip. Strip struck hard and nailed that one. Held it hard and didn't let it run much as I was worried about the 16lb tippet touching any rocks. I should have really changed the tippet up to 20lb at least but was too lazy.
Checked the tippet after that fish and noted it had a few knocks and scapes but still failed to change it. "She'll be right" I said to myself.
Continued to fish on and was watching the sea build in my quiet corner as the tide rose. Figured I'd have to leave soon.
At that point an absolutely humungous snapper that was an easy 12 kg erupted out of the same patch of kelp at my feet and absolutely monstered the fly - again straight under the rod tip. I struck it with a clinical strip strike that was probably more reflex action than anything then pointed my rod out to sea and held the stripping line out in order to clear line as the big fish tore off out into the ocean.
I didn't fancy my chances, and quickly realised that this was where I was going to pay for not changing that 16lb tippet, but a fish like this in this kelp jungle was going to be a mean feat on any tackle.
As it was I did manage to stay connected for a good ten minutes before it smashed the leader with one of its head shakes down in the kelp. I didn't mind too much. I would have released it anyway and it was nice to see the monster rather than just have a blind tackle destroying hit.
Sea was rising and I went home after that. Sun was warm and it was a great morning to still be alive.
Oh ... and yes - pure fly all the way.