Finally got a decent Landbased Dhu!!
What a mission this fish has been for me, I've been trying to tick one off that's a half decent size for year now. Average size for them down south seems to be 45-55cm when you do see them off the rocks so I wanted one a bit better than that. Finally managed to get it but the day and story that goes with this fish made is so much sweeter!
I flew home from work on Monday lunch time and I had been watching the weather for the south coast as I do and Tuesday and Wednesday looked magic! I had commitments Wednesday and needed to be home Monday night so I had one day to fish. I tried to find a fishing buddy but couldn't get anyone stupid enough to tag along and on such short notice so solo it was. Left home at 1:30AM in Perth yesterday morning. Drove past bunbury where I forgot to get bait and burley and going through manjimup nothing was open that early but I didn't realize I had forgotten bait and burley until I arrived at the spot at 6:30 somewhere between windy harbour and peaceful bay. Ah well to late to turn back now I planned on casting some plastics, live bait a herring and try for some groper on crabs anyway. Started the 2-3kg walk along the rocks which took me just over an hour and set up fishing at a ledge I have been trying to get to for years which my brother managed to go to 2 days previous and get a just sized dhu and a big sambo from so I was excited. Tried plastics for a while for nothing so I decided to try catch some wrasse for bait with tiny little hooks and bits of crab for bait. Bugger me is I could even get a wrasse! I got 2 blue groper of which one roasted the crap out of me on size 2 long shank whiting hook I was using. Still no wrasse so walked another 1km to a protected bay, caught 3 wrasse and walked back to the original location and planned on using those wrasse then packing up. 3rd cast with a wrasse fillet as soon as it hit the bottom I was on. Fought heavy and hard and tried to reef me a couple of times but on the pe10 gear it wasn't much. It popped up behind a bommie and a dark deep purple dhu was on the surface. It looked small but I was 6-8m up. Deadlifted it up the cliffs and it was much heavier than I thought and had me very excited. Swung it onto the ledge and screamed for joy for I had just ticked off a fish I had worked so hard for and made the 1100km drive and all up 4 hours walking oh so worth it.
not a monster by dhu standards but at 64cm and 4.5-5kg it's a massive achievement for me to have ticked off. Can't wait to find that 10kg one now!
always looking for a new challenge!!
Faulkner Family
Posts: 17869
Date Joined: 11/03/08
congrats , you would have
congrats , you would have been elated once it landed on the rocks at your feet. some deep colors in that one .
RUSS and SANDY. A family that fishes together stays together
Ryan C
Posts: 1575
Date Joined: 08/07/10
Great work Chris
you certainly earn all your trophies Chris , well done mate
crano
Posts: 696
Date Joined: 04/11/09
Well done
Must have been very exciting.
gruntre69
Posts: 533
Date Joined: 15/10/16
Legend effort mate. I'd be
Legend effort mate. I'd be very happy with a dhu like that off my boat!
Marine trimmer NOR (available for clears, tops, carpet, upholstery, custom equipment covers)
Chris fish
Posts: 847
Date Joined: 23/02/11
Thanks guys. I was so happy!
Thanks guys. I was so happy! Couldn't wipe the smile off my face the entire drive home knowing that all that effort for one single day payed off!
always looking for a new challenge!!
EricBananaMan
Posts: 176
Date Joined: 18/08/13
Nice little trophy for the
Nice little trophy for the efforts. Well done! This may seem like a dumb question but what sort of a fight do they give when land based compared to boat catching? Ive heard boat fishing they fight hard and then give up after a while once you get them up off the bottom.
Chris fish
Posts: 847
Date Joined: 23/02/11
Compared to most stuff we
Compared to most stuff we hook off the rocks they are very lazy. Feels like a wobbygong but with smaller headshakes with lunging powerful kicks. They don't give up either. This fish came out of 10-12m of water and swam for every bommie I had to pull him past and tried to tangle me up on everything it could on the ledge I was standing on. Very smart fish
always looking for a new challenge!!
ChrisG
Posts: 558
Date Joined: 30/12/11
Life time fish from rocks
Life time fish from rocks mate
Jadeo
Posts: 269
Date Joined: 08/06/15
Nice looking fish. The
Nice looking fish. The colours are unreal. 1:30 in the morning, that's commitment!
Chris fish
Posts: 847
Date Joined: 23/02/11
Commitment or stupidity I'm
Commitment or stupidity I'm not sure what haha
always looking for a new challenge!!
dano83
Posts: 790
Date Joined: 25/05/12
That's an epic journey man,
That's an epic journey man, well done.
meglodon
Posts: 5981
Date Joined: 17/06/10
You have joined a select club
A dhuie from the shore you have joined a select club, I've read of a few being caught from the shore but not to many.
Well done.
Chris fish
Posts: 847
Date Joined: 23/02/11
Cheers.
It happens more than we think. Mostly undersized or just sized fish. The decent sized ones from dongara area each winter happen a bit but for south coast most are small. I think this is my 4-5th one but first decent and second sized, my brother has 8-9 sized now but none over 60cm.
always looking for a new challenge!!
Colt_Striker
Posts: 624
Date Joined: 26/07/09
Good stuff mate, reward for
Good stuff mate, reward for big effort
rob90
Posts: 1522
Date Joined: 06/02/13
That's awsome! It's less
That's awsome! It's less about the catch and more about the commitment and effort to get the catch. But rewarding fish from the stones none the less, another awsome adventure to add to your growing book of adventures cheers for sharing
Hi my name is rob............. and I'm a........... fishaholic
Travis p
Posts: 727
Date Joined: 28/07/16
good job mate
nice fish whats the x fighting rod in the wrap not the maven the one on your last pic cheers.
wont catch em sitting at home!
Chris fish
Posts: 847
Date Joined: 23/02/11
Just a case I use for
Just a case I use for another rod that more padded the Maven is in the longer grey bag wrapped to that case.
always looking for a new challenge!!
Reel_Fishin'
Posts: 39
Date Joined: 14/02/17
Awsome catch you got to be
Awsome catch you got to be happy with that
azza1
Posts: 199
Date Joined: 30/04/11
Epic catch mate. Congrats.
Epic catch mate. Congrats.
dj dvd
Posts: 235
Date Joined: 27/03/12
That is one hell of an
That is one hell of an effort. Nice work and great story.
Born to Fish/Forced to Work. www.eatsleepfishrepeat.com.au/
Guardy
Posts: 381
Date Joined: 09/08/12
Well done Chris
You are always surprising us with the fish you catch. You certainly put in one hell of a effort to do so and I guess you certainly deserve those wonderful fish. Well done once more.
Chris fish
Posts: 847
Date Joined: 23/02/11
Cheers! Certainly a good
Cheers! Certainly a good feeling to be rewarded for the effort but the adventure is half the fun, fish are a bonus.
always looking for a new challenge!!