News from South Africa

I caught this Couta at Umhlanga off Kwazulu Natal on a live mackerel just behind backline on Sat 10 May.
It weighed 20.5kg's

On Saturday 10 th May I went fishing with my girlfriend and my mate T-Mullet. We launched early at Umhhlanga (approx 05:45) and paddled out to the Barge 1.2 km's out. On our arrival we were 4 fishing ski's (Kayaks) and two motorized boats.

We saw a huge yellow fin tunny shoot out the water and the one guy on the boat was on.They followed the fish about 500meters from us when we heard F@#K...F@#K ..F@#K.......

They then returned to the spot and showed us one huge tunny head.....taxed. He was still showing us when his reel screamed off again and they followed the fish again...this time returning with a 18kg tunny.

We heard a loud roar and noticed over 50 motorized boats heading in our direction...we then later heard that it was an interclub competition. Our spot was overcrowded and i did not even catch any bait yet so T-mullet gave me a live mackerel which he just caught. I pinned it and started paddling towards my girlfriend who was lying down on her ski. She then told me she is feeling ill and she was shaking a lot as she had diabetes i told her we should paddle back.

I did not even tell t-mullet that we were paddling back. I trolled the live mackerel all the way up to backline very slowly. As we got to just behind backline i told her that she should beach and wait in the car as i just wanted to take one or two paddles up and down to the lighthouse....I was still telling her this when i noticed my rod bending...i then paddled faster to settle the hooks and suddenly heard the ratchet ZZZZRRRRRRRRRR

It took a lot of line and i knew I was in business with a monster couta as it peeled off line at a crazy speed and i started going into my backing. My ski turned around and it started towing me at one helluva speed that my girlfriend could not keep up with me. Suddenly it slowed down and i felt no resistance. I reeled in faster and as she paddled and caught up with me my ski spun around and the fish towed me in the opposite direction and once again peeled the line off like only a steam train can. I told her this would be my biggest couta ever if i landed it.

It took two more serious runs and then came in easily. As it came up from under my boat my Telma (Girlfriend) said...."is that the thing towing you like that....HOLY S#@T " - I left my gaf at home so as it came up i had to position it nicely to grab it by it's tail. I then noticed that the fish had bitten through the trace wire and that a single hook hooked in the skin just behind the head. I maneuvered it nicely and grabbed it by the tail.

Head 1st into the hatch and then came the scream........"YEEEEEEEOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!"

• it beats my previous biggest couta by 0.5 kgs.
• It weighed 20.5 kg's.
• it took me approximately 30 mins to boat it.
• My largest fish was a sailfish in November 2007 in Paindane Mozambique.
• It took me 57 mins and according to my GPS it towed me 3.7 km's deep sea.