365 days of fishing

(notice the pants and the jersy, weren't they in the lat picture ?){notice the tail of the Roman, been in a fight or what, was missing several areas of scales, brush with a seal or territorial fighting? )

Had arranged with Thomas to head over to Melkbos today, googled it last night to find fishing spots. Thank you Sealine http://www.sealine.co.za for such a fantastic forumand an amazing resource. There have been days and weeks where all my fishing was done online at Sealine , trawling through other peoples fishy posts, fishing using a vicarious rod.

I woke up at five , had some my favourite porridge for breakfast, vanilla Ace instant mielie meel. Stodgy, sweet and satisfying.  Then i thought it was far too early, though i would just have another 40 winks. 8:15 i wake up again. Late. Luckily it seemed as when i phoned Thomas to apologise and say i would see him after getting pumping some prawns at Milnerton, He ,of course, being a teenager, was asleep, and he was also still in Noordhoek. So fishing plans then changed.

He came over an hour later and after some coffee we decided, or rather I decided to take a drive to Simonstown, have a look at the sea and  check it's Kayakability....

.....aaargh just got into the bath expecting a long hot soak, alas not to be,  hot water had run out.

Anyways back to the sea, the sea was calm, much calmer than expected, the Snoek boats were close in off Millers Point, not close enough to go alone, but hope for the future, or at least when the Sea Calms Down. Turns out that today was the perfect window of opportunity, the swell period is going up to 15 seconds, and with 4 - 5 m ocean swell comming in from the north west, it should refract around into False bay tommorrow making conditions ideal for surfers but quite treacherous for woesy kayak fishers such as me.

Drove back from our spot check, loaded up the kayak, remembering to pack the anchor, paddles, fishing bag sinkers line hooks  waterproof ziplock, three different types of bait, big prawn tails, redbait and white mussel, bait box, wetsuits, pfd, chafe vests, orange oilskin, wallet, camera. I thought that about wrapped it up, just needed to stop or buy cotton, or rather latex elastic my bait binder of choice, it comes on these little blue reels, and at Jimmy Sports costs R 9 : 50 , what a rip off that place is, i swore i would not buy from them again, but forgot about the tackle shop at Simonstown and it was the only one on the way that i knew would have the elastic in stock.

So everything was taken care of.

but no swivels or SD card for the camera, the swivels werent too much of a hassle as I just used loops to attach the hook and sinker.  however the SD card was another story.Now i got this fancy pants water proof camera, keen to run it through its paces. Couldn't find silca gel that one is supposed to smear around the O ring to make it extra waterproof. My favourite hardware store Lakeside Home and Decor, for once were not able to help me, most unusual. Fancypants camera, took one photo of my Orange Synergy Fluid, and Thomas pensive with oar. Then when wanted to take more sitting out on the ocean, discovered that the internal memory of the Camera was full, after three pictures, I mean really why even have an internal memory. And it wasn't like it was on the most elaborate setting either.  Scratch that one and remember for next time. Take extra Batteries as well. Memo to self.

Thom looking pensive, Nervous? does he trust his Math Teacher?

Paddled out about 12 pm, elaborite mission getting the Kayak and the gear down the very steep grass slope to my chosen lauch site, It is just past Froggy pond in Simonstown, juyst outside the marine reserve.  On that fact hangs a story, Wilma and I "discovered" it one day. ( Oh thanks for asking things are going weell on the romance front, home is peaceful again and very supportive. )We had paddled from Log beach in Simonstown past the penguins and eventually were a bit tired, so anchored the other side of what i know now to be Spaniard Rock. Great fishing quick bites and if I remember correctly landed some Hottentot and our first Fransmadam, or Karel Groot Oog,

That trip almost ended with a sunk boat as for some reason, the boat filled up with a lot of water and i only noticed whilst trying in another spot near the harbour on the return journey. Almost capsised but made it safely ashore at Seaforth.

Back to today, fianlly timed the waves and had a successful launch, with erverything still on the boat that we started with. Paddled to the spot, now the time before last i had been to the spot by mysel i was chased away by an irate Marine and Coastel Management guy, waving frantically and shouting from the shore. Now i am normally very Law abiding and caring deeply about catching fish would never fish in a reserve,  i really understandf their importance as i have stood too long on too many out fished rocks not to understand, besides it would be great for Josh to catch his own fish when he grows up and not only have his Dads by then mythical stories.

Moved off at the rangers insistance, but checked the map when i returned home, looked at the co-ordinates of the marine reserves, and it seemed the spot was well within the  legal fishing Zone. It took too visits to theparks board in Westlake to get finality and find out that yes it was fine.

Baited up today with large chucks of redbait, might of mentioned it before but at Haga Haga i discovered that a large bait ball was needed for a large fish. Bites from the first cast today, and by the second cast, Woo Hoo a size of a Hottentot, or should i call them Cape Bream the new PC term. The smaller cousin of the Blue fish or Bronze bream that i stalked up the east coast recently, also with redbait.

Thomas was fishing with a hand line and initially battled to catch the fish that were stealing his bait. Then, bam, I was on and the rod tip bent gratifying down with shudders and shakes, i knew it was a Red Roman, a great fish, the big ones don't mess around they just take your bait and go, real rush for a fisherman. Sure enough the beautiful Red shape came into view, netted and measured, Cool over 35 cm, thats a keeper. 30 cm is the present minimum.

Bam again, rod pulls and fish pulls, a great Hottentot. One of my biggest, unfortuantely our scale like my camera needs batteries, so all i have is the phot of the fish now. Well and two juicy fillets from that one wating with the other fish for a fish and chip night tommorow when my son comes around.

Thomas was not having as much luck as me, so i cast the rod and gave it to him to see if it would make a difference, sure enough within 2 minutes he was struggling to reel in a giant, a behemoth of a roman, measured a huge 38 cm, full bodied with the jaw and teeth of a killer. Bastard had the hook firmly in the corner of it's mouth, had to cut it out. Then it the process of squeezing the fish into the hatch the bastard bit me on the ankle.  Proudly  showed my wound to Wilma when i returned, my battle scar. She was very disdainful at the tiny dot of blood. Somethings  women dont understand!

Woa my hands still smell like fish and redbait.

2 and a half hours later after bobbing around on the gently rolling swell, chatting, talking shit and just sitting looking at the endless azure vista and the purple Hottentots Holland mountains in the disatance, catching thirteen sizers between ourelves, including some great Grootoogs, we had our traditional last cast, that always ends up being three or four.

Ahh listening to Leonard now, calming balm.

Oh yes and we had forgotton to take water so by now i was quite thirsty. So paddled in, I'm saying wisely, lets wait for the sets and time our beach landing, Thomas is going well why can't we just go. Watched a bit then thought oh hell these don't look too big.

" hard paddle, dig that edge in paddle paddle"

Oh hell look there is a wave behind us, crash it breaks, the boat goes sideways and into the swim we go. Luckily i was able right it immediately and my rod didn't even fall in, stupid lazy me had neglected to tie it down.

'the cotton the cotton grab the cotton' as the little blue reel goes floating towards the bay.

Laughing we got out the water, Thomas had a pair of rain pants and a jacket, but was soaked nonetheless. Me in a wetsuit i'm alright, grateful for the cool down. Sitting on the beach, i realise that my cushion, a green towel is not among the flotsam, so Thomas goes in and amazingly finds it. He didn't find his sunglasses though, realising when we got home that they had fallen off.

What a great fish and a paddle. Returnig home we stopped ant Simonstown Paddlers incidently just next to the bottle store as i planned to get a beer to celebrate. Perved at some great fishing Yaks, got to save up. Some waterproof bags that would also make a good investment. Got a beer from next door noticing that windhoek is cheaper than a bottle of juice the same size.

Sat at long beach drank our beer, watched the Submarine from the arms debacle doing defensive manouvres to avoid being run over by a yacht. Just glad to be alive, feet in the sand beer in hand beauty beyond and fish in the car. Life is good.

Cleaning the fish was a mission, had to clean Thomas's as he is a woes in that regard and doesn't want to touch the fish, i had to tkae all his of the hook. Fish cleaned, stuffed the Roam with ginger and garlic doused with oil and soya sauce and grilled and baked, mmmmm, mmmm, a litlle bit underdone, too eager us. still very mmmm, stick rice and veg, glass of iced sauvignon blanc, life is great.

(Karel Groot Oog)