My Dream Fish

IT 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

right. We had not seen the fish yet, but with much encouragement from the team the fish finally popped onto the surface and I heard the tone in Ryan’s voice change. There was great excitement as this was a fantastic fish which slowly came to the boat. Ryan and Dave hauled it onto the boat with much effort and jubilant shouting from the team.

A 93.8 kg yellowfin tuna, possibly an All Africa record on 15kg line — now that doesn’t happen every day.

Thanks to the team and especially to our skipper Gary; without his generosity and skill this would not have happened — he’d spooled new Suffix 15kg onto the Shimano 30 and tied up all the leaders. The custom rod, a Calstar 800 by BMK was a beaut, and although not designed for tuna it worked fantastically.

Although we did not win the competition we had a fantastic fish to celebrate as a team and that is what it is all about. My thanks to the Mynmanne Fishing Club Chairman Allan Beukes and the organising committee and sponsors for another great week.

Team Goloza with their dream fish. From left: Dave Rattray, Peter Harvey, Ryan Williamson, Gary Prentice (skipper), Dave Gaul, Geoff Woollatt and Gareth Reeves.