[Billybob]

G'day all.
It's been a bit patchy up this way over the last three or four weeks so after a frustrating session in the bay yesterday getting bitten off by school mackerel and losing more rigs (yes I had a wire trace) than fish landed, I decided to do an early run today.
The fact that it was my birthday (yes, I'm now 57 years young) put even more emphasisi on having a successful morning and, fortunately, it couldn't have gone better.
I had my mind set on a quality Spanish Mackerel so I chose my baits carefully, re-did my line joiners, and hit the water at 5am.
Wide of the 'Shoal' just before 6am my Yellowtail Pike/Spaniard Special combo got hit hard by a fish that peeled more than 150 metres 20lb Fireline in less than one minute.
Fantastic stuff and a bit disconcerting considering I still had my helmet light on.
Anyway, everything held together, despite this feisty fish's efforts and ten minutes later I had boated this 19.5kg Spaniard.
I was back on Main Beach at 6.50am and home to my lovely wife by 8am, just in time to open my pressy's.
Yes, it doesn't get much better than this.

 

[Scott]

What a birthday present. You must have been good this year mate.

Catch ya Scott

 

[Peril]

Happy Birthday Billybob

 

[Freak]

Fantastic effort BillyBob.
I can remember readingin in one of your posts that after you gaf lift the fish you hold the gaf in one hand and the tail in the other and for the next ten minutes try to obsorb all the thrashing that the just boated fish throws at you. Im just wondering how the hell you managed to hold onto that sucker after just boating it? is that the hardest part?

 

[YakAtak]

I could say Happy Birthday mate, but looks like I don't have to! That's one hell of a spaniard, and you got your exercise for the day too, all before 7am! Awesome stuff.

 

[wongus]

Hi BillyBob,

Happy Birthday and congratulations on a great fish! May you have many more to come.

 

[Dodge]

Billybob

No better way to start another year mate, and all the best :wink:

 

[BJT]

Happy birthday billybob!! Great fish, i can't wait to get our there and start catching some fish once i get my prowler 15.

Cheers

 

[Billybob]

Thanks guys. I must admit, that has to be one of my most memorable birthdays... everything just couldn't have gone better from the minute I got up till I got home late last night from a great dinner out at the Noosa Sheraton.

Freak: Yeah mate. I find that the old 'drag 'em over the side and hold until settled' is still the best method for me. The real trick is to effectively exhaust the fish before bringing it to the side of the yak. Hard to describe at which point this is appropriate, as each fish is different. I must admit, this one was the fastest, strongest Spaniard I've come across so far... boy, did he take a lot of line in a short space of time! I'm glad I had 300m of 20lb Fireline to play with.
By the way, my gaffs are custom made with an extra long return. The point is linished, not sharpened to a point, so that it doesn't cut the fish. A cut, hurting Spaniard in your lap is not an exciting prospect.

meoldchina: I didn't measure the fish (should have done but there was a lot going on during the day) but my cutting board is 1.2 metres long and he was sticking out a good ways over the edge. I'd say about 1.4, maybe 1.5 metres?

 

[hairymick]

Great Fish Bill, Happy birthday mate.

 

[beefs]

Happy birthday Bill. I knew when I saw the post title "It doesnt get much better than this" and then that you were the author that we were in for a fairly special fish - thats an absolute corker!

 

[PoddyMullet]

Plenty of space on that spaniard for all ya candles to fit BillyBob, happy birthday. I don't really have any concept of a reel losing line like ya describe, but I reckon you've replayed the tune a few times in ya mind

 

[beefs]

...
By the way, my gaffs are custom made with an extra long return. The point is linished, not sharpened to a point, so that it doesn't cut the fish. A cut, hurting Spaniard in your lap is not an exciting prospect...

could you please explain for me what "linished" is Bill??

 

[Dodge]

but my cutting board is 1.2 metres long

Bill that cutting board says a lot about your fishing my one is 450mm and plenty big enough generally

 

[sig]

happy birthday mate, that is the most amazing hookup and all from a kayak! Sig

 

[Billybob]

scotty beefs: most gaffs are flat edge ground to give a hard, sharp point.
Linishing is done on a belt sander and means you get a 'soft', dull point with no hard edges. It's really no longer a gaff. I tend to call it my 'fish lifter' as that's precisely what it does.

I slide the tip under the gill raker and out through the mouth then lift the fish out of the water. Rather than provoking a serious round of body spasming and violent head shaking the fish seem a little bit confused at first. They still do their best to fight their capture but it's generally a lot more manageable than the fiasco you see on some boats when someone drops a large body-gaffed, seriously pissed off pelagic on the deck.

 

[Billybob]

Gatesy: Yeah mate, that was a PB Spaniard. It would have gone well over the 20kg mark if its stomach hadn't been empty.

 

[Davey G]

Gatesy: Yeah mate, that was a PB Spaniard. It would have gone well over the 20kg mark if its stomach hadn't been empty.

so are you saying it shat itself when it realised that it had been lured by the LEGENDARY BILLYBOB? :lol: :lol: :lol:

Mate, you are a champion, and Noosa tourism should be paying you a commission!

 

[fisher]

....and here I am thinking about chasing some garfish tomorrow.... :?

 

[Russ]

:shock: :roll: not bad not bad.

Many happy returns for the B'Day Billybob

PS...Ya better send out the invitations to ya 60th if ya want us all there :roll: hope there are a few Spaniards left for the rest of us by then :lol:

fishing Russ