Massive effort for big kingfish

A burning desire to see a big kingfish grace his lounge wall encouraged North Shore angler Danny Paddock to carry his 42kg kingfish for three hours catch across rugged terrain.

Fishing with his mates Dan Pierce, Correy Parrish and Zane Cundy at the Far North’s Cape Maria van Diemen, Danny caught his ‘fish of a 22-year lifetime’.

It was hooked in unusual circumstances. Danny had been working a Black Magic stick-bait around the kelp. He had worked it back to in front of where he was standing, and was waiting for the swell to pick the lure up and sweep it to him, when the fish struck.

“It smashed the lure, then nearly crashed into the rock, it hit so close,” Danny says.

Following the spectacular bite, it was ‘all on’.

The fish’s initial run took the line down through the kelp and reef in front of the angler, but then came free, enabling Danny to ‘give it stick’.

“It made another, less powerful run, but there were still some anxious moments when I could feel the line rubbing on something.” With the fish done, the next trick was to land it.

“A part of me wanted to see it swim away, while another wanted it on my wall.” His mates encouraged the latter outcome, and the decision was made to take it.

“Daniel initially went down to the rock’s edge with the gaff, but a previous experience had seen the extension shaft break at the join and doubt crept in, so he tossed it aside and jumped on the fish at the first opportunity.”

It had taken Danny less than 10 minutes to land the fish, but it seemed longer than that, with all the tension and drama.

With the yellow-tailed beast safe on the bricks, the biggest physical challenge was to get it back to their vehicle, a three-hour slog away up and over plenty of sand.

“I was pretty buggered when we finally made it to the road, but it is worth it.”

On hearing of the great catch, family member Martin Cleave told the boys they needed to get it weighed, so arrangements were made for it to be taken to the Bay of Islands Swordfish Club for putting over the scales.

Seven hours later, and having been bled out to make it easier to carry, the fish tipped the scales at 38.6kg.

“I was a bit disappointed, but also learned a bit about looking after such a magnificent fish.” He appreciated that had he not bleed it, used mono instead of braid, and been a member of a club, he would likely have had ‘pin fish’ added to the honour of this great catch.

Danny has been fishing with Martin for about three years, with the latter saying his young protégé has been a fast learner.

Initially, he only had a Penn Jigmaster reel and surfcasting rod, so a recent upgrade to a Shimano Saragosa 20000 loaded with 37kg braid on a Shimano Backbone Topwater rod, saw him far better equipped to successfully deal with any good fish that came along – which he managed to do!

“Danny and his mates have put a great deal of effort into chasing trophy fish at every weekend weather window opportunity, so it was nice to see them rewarded,” Martin says.

“It is great to see this generation of youthful anglers spending more time on the water than the local watering holes of the inner city.”