New PB, two years in the making.

Murray Cod, Australian Bass, Golden Perch and more.
User avatar
mazman
Rank: Murray Cod
Rank: Murray Cod
Joined: Mon Jun 18, 2012 4:45 pm
Has liked: 137 times
Likes received: 455 times

New PB, two years in the making.

Post by mazman » Mon Oct 22, 2018 7:31 pm

Hey guys, over the weekend I made the call to go for one last big trip before exams. Made the call to go for a bit of a drive and go for bass and Perch up high in the snags. After a ridiculously early start and a longer than I recalled drive, I arrived at the system of choice. My aim was to get there at first light but I ended up about 30 mins late. Made the walk down to the water in record time and prayed that the slightly overcast conditions had drawn out the change of light bite a little bit.

Found a snag that just looked right and flicked my first couple of casts at it trying to work my cicada from a few different angles but didn't draw a bite, adamant that this snag held a fish I popped a cast just up current and twitched the cicada on the surface as it pushed past the outside edge. What followed was an astonishing take and a lot of line being taken far to close to the snags for my comfort. After what felt like forever and a lot of spool palming it's head hit the surface and it was clear this was a very big fish. Now that I had a bit more control I slowed down and started to plan how I was going to get it in the net. I had made the cast from an area where I had virtually no room to move and didn't think I would be able to reach the water but my decision was forced when the fish shot under a small branch near my feet and I just had to go for it jumping in, praying I would stay on my feet, I lifted the branch unwrapped my line and netted the fish. A wave of pure elation hit me. Clambered back up the bank whipped the brag mat out and it hit 50cm. After popping the hooks out, grabbing a quick snippet of footage on my phone. I released her to keep terrorising everything that comes past her snag.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n_jv_x1Dj1U

I sat down and tried to soak it all in for a little bit before trying to retie a new leader, I ended up having to wait a little while to do this because I was trembling like a leaf. I worked my way upstream flicking at a few snags that took my fancy but none of them had that feel to them, after working my way up a couple of hundred metres I watched a small bug fall out of a tree and get smashed virtually as it hit the water. No sooner than that happened my cicada was flying through the air to land under the tree that dropped the bug. I left it there motionless while the rings settled, just as they dissipated it got demolished and a bass went airborne. This time the fight was in more open water and I could back the drag off and take things a bit easier, although it still gave me a bit of grief. A smaller fish popped up but it still went 40cm.
Image

After this the sun got up and the bite slowed right down, I kept fishing into the afternoon but didn't see anything or get any hits. I made the call to make my way back to the car at 2pm knowing I had a fair bit of walking in front of me and even more driving. I did get a little distracted on the way back watching a grayling sit in the bubble line and pick off some tiny insects as they drifted by for 10 minutes which was incredible to watch and capped off an unforgettable day.

Thanks for reading Alex
Youtube channel:Hawkesy Fishing

User avatar
Sinsemilla
Rank: Gummy Shark
Rank: Gummy Shark
Joined: Fri Apr 29, 2016 2:35 pm
Location: Northern Subs
Likes received: 272 times

Re: New PB, two years in the making.

Post by Sinsemilla » Mon Oct 22, 2018 7:37 pm

Man what a rush that would have been. I know those trembles all too well! Awesome that you landed it.

Hanging to get my first now!

Cheers, Anth

purple5ive
Rank: Premium Member
Rank: Premium Member
Joined: Thu Dec 08, 2011 1:59 pm
Has liked: 567 times
Likes received: 1011 times

Re: New PB, two years in the making.

Post by purple5ive » Mon Oct 22, 2018 7:55 pm

good work alex, thats a pig of a fish too.

User avatar
Truedogz
Rank: King George Whiting
Rank: King George Whiting
Joined: Mon Apr 11, 2016 6:52 pm
Location: Tabilk
Has liked: 32 times
Likes received: 247 times

Re: New PB, two years in the making.

Post by Truedogz » Mon Oct 22, 2018 8:06 pm

Great effort mate. 50 cm bass out of streams are a real buzz. One of this country's best sportsfish!

Best Wishes

Truedogz

cobby
Rank: Murray Cod
Rank: Murray Cod
Joined: Tue Apr 16, 2013 5:39 pm
Has liked: 136 times
Likes received: 324 times

Re: New PB, two years in the making.

Post by cobby » Mon Oct 22, 2018 8:27 pm

Sinsemilla wrote:Man what a rush that would have been. I know those trembles all too well! Awesome that you landed it.

Hanging to get my first now!

Cheers, Anth
Do it! They're an awesome fish, and once over 40cm do they pull some string

Lightningx
Bluefin
Bluefin
Joined: Wed Oct 01, 2014 4:21 pm
Has liked: 72 times
Likes received: 976 times

Re: New PB, two years in the making.

Post by Lightningx » Mon Oct 22, 2018 9:12 pm

Nice work mate.
Congrats on your PB. What a beauty :thumbsup:

rb85
Rank: Premium Member
Rank: Premium Member
Joined: Thu Dec 08, 2016 8:08 pm
Location: The Ocean
Has liked: 412 times
Likes received: 609 times

Re: New PB, two years in the making.

Post by rb85 » Tue Oct 23, 2018 5:53 am

Great report mate well done.

User avatar
Sinsemilla
Rank: Gummy Shark
Rank: Gummy Shark
Joined: Fri Apr 29, 2016 2:35 pm
Location: Northern Subs
Likes received: 272 times

Re: New PB, two years in the making.

Post by Sinsemilla » Tue Oct 23, 2018 7:58 am

cobby wrote:
Sinsemilla wrote:Man what a rush that would have been. I know those trembles all too well! Awesome that you landed it.

Hanging to get my first now!

Cheers, Anth
Do it! They're an awesome fish, and once over 40cm do they pull some string
Definitely a fish a want to tick off the list this year. What kind of gear do you guys use to target them?

purple5ive
Rank: Premium Member
Rank: Premium Member
Joined: Thu Dec 08, 2011 1:59 pm
Has liked: 567 times
Likes received: 1011 times

Re: New PB, two years in the making.

Post by purple5ive » Tue Oct 23, 2018 10:48 am

Sinsemilla wrote:What kind of gear do you guys use to target them?
handlines are more than enough :tongue:
but if you must, then bream gear is what most use.

User avatar
mazman
Rank: Murray Cod
Rank: Murray Cod
Joined: Mon Jun 18, 2012 4:45 pm
Has liked: 137 times
Likes received: 455 times

Re: New PB, two years in the making.

Post by mazman » Tue Oct 23, 2018 11:19 am

Sinsemilla wrote:
cobby wrote:
Sinsemilla wrote:Man what a rush that would have been. I know those trembles all too well! Awesome that you landed it.

Hanging to get my first now!

Cheers, Anth
Do it! They're an awesome fish, and once over 40cm do they pull some string
Definitely a fish a want to tick off the list this year. What kind of gear do you guys use to target them?
I have a few different outfits now depending on where I am and what I'm throwing.
light spin 4-8lb 6'6 + 2500 reel this is my light bass rod if I want to throw any smaller lures or lightly weighted sps
heavy spin 5-10lb 6'6 + 2500 reel when I go landbased this is the rod I use 90% of the time, can still kind of cast light lures but heavy enough to get control of fish when you're not in a great area for landing them.
light bc 3-8lb 6'9 + alphas air Can still flick light lures but having your thumb on the spool helps to stop any first runs but still have drag set to not pull hooks in the back end of the fight.
heavy bc 4-12lb 6'8 + daiwa tatula spinner baits, buzz baits, big wakebaits.

That's just me though and I'm still learning about techniques.
Youtube channel:Hawkesy Fishing

Post Reply

Return to “Australian Natives”