Poor tangled little Sailfish

[Fishing Adventures]

From the weather front I am pleased to report that the waters off Durban are cleaning up and warming up, I think that the West that blew over the weekend helped us out a lot.

Today was gorgeous with the wind only blowing at a mere 2knots, swells were rather big at 2.5m but spaced at 15 seconds making for a comfy day and the conditions were almost to nice. Once out past the inshore area were the temperature was around 24.5deg.C we found the thermocline and cleaner water at 27.5deg.C and decided to fish along this thermocline. There was lots of life in the water which made me happy after the last few dead trips.

The fish were not interested in our lures and so I dropped down some Yozuri’s on the deeper reefs and used some red bottom fish as live bait, including a 30cm soldier bream.
In the end the smaller live baits yielded 2 nice Dorado (Mahi-mahi) one being a Bull estimated at 8-9Kg (18-20lbs).

The best action was yet to come when a large Sailfish took the large live bait and ran across all our lines getting himself tangled in all 5 of our lines, with a team effort we managed to get the tangled Sailfish next to the boat where I quickly cut all the lines around him before any of the other hooks got into him and he was released safely, but to quickly for pics. The Sailfish is estimated at 55Kg (121lbs). I am glad I eventually got this fish as I have seen him around a few times and missed him twice already.

The Bull Dorado was the anglers first Dorado ever, and so he kissed it and I remember his wife saying something to the effect that he would never kiss her with this lips again.

[HOLWACHAGOT]

From the weather front I am pleased to report that the waters off Durban are cleaning up and warming up, I think that the West that blew over the weekend helped us out a lot.

Today was gorgeous with the wind only blowing at a mere 2knots, swells were rather big at 2.5m but spaced at 15 seconds making for a comfy day and the conditions were almost to nice. Once out past the inshore area were the temperature was around 24.5deg.C we found the thermocline and cleaner water at 27.5deg.C and decided to fish along this thermocline. There was lots of life in the water which made me happy after the last few dead trips.

The fish were not interested in our lures and so I dropped down some Yozuri’s on the deeper reefs and used some red bottom fish as live bait, including a 30cm soldier bream.
In the end the smaller live baits yielded 2 nice Dorado (Mahi-mahi) one being a Bull estimated at 8-9Kg (18-20lbs).

The best action was yet to come when a large Sailfish took the large live bait and ran across all our lines getting himself tangled in all 5 of our lines, with a team effort we managed to get the tangled Sailfish next to the boat where I quickly cut all the lines around him before any of the other hooks got into him and he was released safely, but to quickly for pics. The Sailfish is estimated at 55Kg (121lbs). I am glad I eventually got this fish as I have seen him around a few times and missed him twice already.

The Bull Dorado was the anglers first Dorado ever, and so he kissed it and I remember his wife saying something to the effect that he would never kiss her with this lips again.

COOL READ. I gotta know though....how do you recognize the same fish? Markings? Scars? Glad you got her.
Holwachagot

[Fishing Adventures]

COOL READ. I gotta know though....how do you recognize the same fish? Markings? Scars? Glad you got her.
Holwachagot

We do not have many Sails around here and in general I have found them to be territorial, so usually you will find the same fish hunting in the same area, I cannot be 100% sure but often if I spot one and go back another day I know it is there and then target it. The same goes for our Black & Blue Marlin, if you see it or miss it, usually you will get it on another trip.
It is just my theory and I have no way of proving it, but this is what I suspect.