Catch of the day [Fishing]
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…there are points of the day when you are in a trough of water that is over your head for what seems like minutes on end. Even if you could stand, you would not be able to see over the wave’s crests.
Daunting is very apt…sometimes you question your sanity.
But to be honest, it is an experience of a lifetime. The locals treat us as family. We catch fish which supports the village through their sale. The kids are there when the boats come in to help take the tuna to the scales and cold rooms. The men who can’t fish any more help bring the boats back to the beach. The fishermen all gather to see what’s caught and to compare notes.
There is a sense of community here that makes you want to come back. Even though last year was my first trip, when they saw me this year the greeted me like a long lost relative.
I appreciate what they do and how they live. I’m happy that I can share in a small part of that experience.
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To be honest, the entire fishing experience takes you out of your comfort zone. The days can be long, the conditions are shite, your body aches from the day before, and the lack of sleep builds throughout the week. By the end of the trip, you almost look forward to taking a day to rest.
When you leave, you miss it and want to go back…
The people involved (locals and friends) make it special…
I look forward to another trip and to settle a score or two…we are already discussing what needs to be done for next year. Those larger tuna need to watch out as we are coming prepared…
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Sounds like a great trip. I love an adventure like that.
I still have two major lost fish that still haunt me.
A big Nile Perch on Lake Victoria. Battled it for over an hour late in the day. I hooked it trolling on a jointed Depth Raider lure. Lost it due to the lure breaking in half at the joint.
Another Nile Perch a year later on Lake Nasser. Again hooked it trolling late in the day. I battled it for ages but may have got a little impatient as it was getting dark, gave it a little too much and straightened the 3X Mustad treble hook.
Both were probably 200 to 300lbs. Fishing on both lakes is not what it used to be due to commercial fishing and all the big ones gone which is a shame.
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@Giles In 30 years of fishing it is rare to see the butt section break in 2 like that, must have been mind blowing to watch!!
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It was like a bomb going off 2 feet from my head. I had put my belt on, sat down, feet up on the gunwale and was having the rod handed to me...The line and the ring bust at the same time, and the reel had seized for good measure, so I had burning clutch plate fumes wafting around too We got it rotating again, but there is a flat spot in the drag mechanism, so that needs to go in for a rebuild too.
I have been speaking to my friend in Ripple Fisher Japan. I asked if I could buy just a butt section. He said yes they could make one for me, but asked me to tell him what happened. His response....
"Are there any cracks, splintering, or delamination visible on the surface of the blank?
As for the visible damage, it seems that the foot of the bottom guide has pulled out from the wrapping. Considering that enough force was applied to pull the guide foot out, I believe the rod must have been subjected to a considerable amount of stress.
If you plan to continue using this rod for bluefin tuna casting, please be very careful when using it.
Based on the situation you described, the rod was likely subjected to an extremely high and sudden load, with the top edge of the rod holder acting as a fulcrum. This is quite different from the load normally applied to a rod during a fight.
For this reason, even if there is no visible damage to the blank, we cannot say with 100% certainty that there is no internal damage. There is a possibility that the carbon fibers may have sustained damage internally or that there may be other damage that cannot be detected from the outside.
Please keep this in mind and take extra care if you continue using the rod."
I also showed him a vid of me playing a fish earlier in the day, his response:
"I watched the video, and honestly, I can't even imagine standing up and casting on a boat like that! Haha.
I can't believe you're casting in those conditions. That's really impressive."So that made mw feel a little better....
