Shaneshac strikes again

[shaneshac]

I went spearing of one of our beaches as there are Gilt Head Breams (Orata) to be found in shallow water at this time of year.

After a couple of hours of aspetto using my Picasso 110 all I had to show was a 2 kilo spotted sea bass. I decided to cut my losses and hunt a few red mullet for lunch.

I changed to my pelagos 90 and proceeded to search the bottom. I spotted a couple of them lying on the sand so dropped to the 6m bottom and was gettin prepared for the ambush.

All of a sudden out of the corner of my eye i caught a flash. I turned my head and a 10 kilo Leerfish was swimming my way. AS i was using the 90 I thought it would be wise for a body shot as the hard head might take some power to penetrate. It was the right move. THe shaft went straight through and we began the hardest fight I have ever experienced with a fish. The AJ i caught last week was a pussycat compared to this.

I decided not to let it run too much as there were lots of rock and did not want it to get entangled.It actually took me under a few times and I was prating for the crimps and the flopper to hold as I was pulling with all my might. After a while I managed to grab hold of shaft and pull the fish under my arm. My hand grabbed in the gills and I spiked it with knife.

I was stoked. I have not heard of any local catching a fish of this sort but I hope it is the first of many in this area.

I will be posting pics tonight or tomorrow morning.

 

[portinfer]

Nice one Shane - can't wait to see the photos.

 

[Baur]

Good work Shane. Definitely sounds like another strike. Reserving my comments until I see the foto ( you have spoiled us).
Btw do you spear by boat or shoredive?
If you manage all these fish shorediving, im seriously putting a trip to Gibraltar in the program.

 

[shaneshac]

Shorediving it is Baur

The water becomes very deep very quicky over here and the only dofference in boat and shorediving is that you don't have to swim all the way back if you ahve a boat. On the other hand all that swimming keeps us in shape.

 

[Murat]

too bad i have to swim loooong loong way to get deep water... We swim few kilometers to get 30 meter of water, i can't dive that deep (yet) but i went few times with those who can. But we have crystal clear waters that most of you can even imagine Thats ends up with missed shoots many times but estimating the diastance wrong with drop technique.God thanks i don't make that mistake at the bottom


What is the leerfish by the way??????

 

[shaneshac]

A leerfish is "Lichia amia" a member of the Carangidae Family like the AJ. They can grow up to 50 kilos and grow to 2m in length.

 

[Jeff06]

Last year I lost one evaluated to approximatively 25kg :waterwork
It broke my flopper after having got all the string in the reel...in 5 seconds.

Nice catch Shaneshac!

@+
Jeff

 

[shaneshac]

Thats what I was shitting myself about. Also the wound was ripping apart and I though it would break.

was that the toughest fighting fish you have shot Jeff?

I shot something huge a few years ago in the same area but the water was too murly to make out what it was. It could have been a big one of these. Suffice to say after a 10 minute battle it broke free]#

 

[cece]

nice one, again...

 

[tuomo]

Shane strikes again, very good job.
Cant wait to see some pictures.

Tuomo

 

[shaneshac]

Here they are at last

 

[shaneshac]

And another

 

[shaneshac]

and the last one

 

[Alison]

Thats a handsome looking fish
Looks alot bigger that 10 Kg Well done mate

 

[Murat]

cheers mate.

I saw a local diver in the pics on the dive shop's wall with one of this bugger. From the position of the shoot i guess that you get it with drop off method. To get it in the kill range of the pelagos 90 you probably stalked it 2.5-3 meters. Its very nice.

 

[Pekka]

very nice fish Shaca!!

Pekka

 

[miles]

Hiya Shaca

Nice catch indeed!!!!

We get them here in SA as well. Not so common in Cape Town, but generally found all along our coast. Loves the shallow water normally behind the breakers on a beach. Unbelievably strong for its size!!!! (As you no doubt had the pleasure of finding out!!!) They're not like normal fish, they fight UNTIL you've spiked them. Always giving you grief!!!!


Regards
miles

 

[Baur]

Congratulations Shane. These fish are much harder to get within range than AJ. Memorable catch indeed. Nice clean meat and no scaling necessary! Hope you enjoy the feast.

 

[shaneshac]

Hey guys thanks

Murat, the entry wound is on the other side and closer to the middle of the fish but the fight cused a huge rip to appear. This is one instance where you wish you had a slip-tip.

It was shot from bottom to top as the fish appeared from the surface. It was only 6 meters deep and I aimed for the soft flesh just above the spine. It worked

 

[Murat]

welll... as long as it works...