TOP CATCHES By Peter Harvey
Peter Harvey with the 93.8kg yellowfin tuna he caught off Sodwana in March 2020, an unusually large tuna for that area and a possible All Africa record on 15kg line.
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T was the fourth beautiful day of the 2020 Qeqesha Mynmanne competition at Sodwana and our Goloza crew of seven were looking a bit weary, having undertaken the long trip to Black Rock on the three previous days. Skipper Gary Prentice suggested we try a shorter run south to “Rooi Valle”. We were lying fifth but we needed some weight and maybe a ’cuda or two to put us on top. After a few hours and only two small skipjacks, Guzzi fought a monster from the deep which was bitten in half by a big tiger shark. We decided to head back to “Diep Gat”. Gary tossed me a rapala-style lure made in Sodwana by Africa Lures, called a Blood Pearl, to add to the spread.
A little later, with three lures out and in 45m of water we were heading home a bit grumpy when my reel screamed off. Fortunately I was close to the rod as we had a few well known rod snatchers on the boat. It was lucky we were on a walkaround, because when this fish — we’d figured it was a tuna — decided to go on tour I had to follow, and with much shouting to clear the deck, I was able to do the 360. After an hour of fighting with no harness I was feeling the burn and I asked Ryan Williamson if he was sure it was a tuna. He replied, “Probably a small one hooked in the side.” Well, into the last 20 minutes the crew went very quiet. Dave was feeding me water and then I heard that we were only 200m from where the tigershark had eaten Guzzi’s fish . My pumping arm was dead and I was starting to think that maybe the Yanks are correct as they wind with the left hand and pump with the SKI-BOAT May/June 2020 • 35
