"Without pain, we would never know joy..."

Car packed and fishing buddy in tow, we hit peak hour, wet weather traffic.  I had a bingle in my beloved car and my heart sank, fearing the worst.  After inspecting the damage (just a small dent in the bonnet and scuffed front bumper) and exchanging details we were back on the road.  Although dead keen for a fish, my thoughts were with my poor car 

Arriving at the spot, I was hopeful of a tailor or two.  Howling wind, plenty of wash and swell, anticipation was high!  The mulies were getting picked to death and we had caught nothing!  So I gave that a break and set up the heavier gear. As we usually do, if we’re gonna go home with nothing, we may as well have some fun with rays in the process.

Out went a whole sand whiting I had brought with me.  About two tinnies and a cigarette later something took interest to it, short little run then nothing.  Brought it in and the whiting was gone and the nylon on the nylon coated wire was stripped back.  Oh well, just another ray stealing my bait (…or was it???)

I was losing patience and just wanted something to stretch the arms so I switched over to 80lb Jinkai mono and Mustad Demons to improve my chances of a hook up.  The tailor fillets were getting picked to death and we were ready to concede.

Once last bait soak….  Not even 10minutes had passed and off she went!  Tightened the drag and away we go. 

Small ray I called it for, but what’s with these headshakes?!  I was telling myself it was a small ray because I didn’t want to be disappointed again, and the headshakes were probably just the wings. But deep down I knew it wasn’t a ray.  After a few good runs and that heavenly feeling of headshakes, I thought I’d caught my first ever toothy.  My mate and I were waiting to see what it was, then straight under the rocks she went!!!  F*CK!!

This is where adrenalin kicked in and (safely!) down the rocks I went.  Although on the sheltered side of the rocks, I was still getting belted by the water.  Laying stomach down on a rock to try and stay safe, I got wet from head to toe.  Leader in hand I carefully freed to the line from the rocks and cleared my eyes of the salt water.  Out popped this big pink head!! WTF!!! SNAPPER!!!!!!!!

Took me and a mate a while to carefully get us and the fish safely up the rocks.  We were soaked, but safe!  I was overjoyed!!  Fist pumps, hugs, high fives, screams of joy and the “Oh what a feeling! Toyota” jumps were plenty.  After we stopped carrying on like teenage girls, we got some photos.

So we only came home with one fish.  But a fish I never even dreamt of catching land-based!  If you cant tell, I’m on cloud nine and you cannot wipe this smile off my face. 

Big thanks to my mate.  It is as much his fish as it is mine because if it wasn’t for him I wouldn’t of ever landed it.  For the record, it went 86 cm.

Wednesday April 18th, 2012 is a date that will stick me with forever.  Thanks for reading

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