For a few years now I've seen photos and reports here on FW of Mulloway caught in the Swan. Everything sounded awesome except the amount of hours people had to put in to get one (and how many people haven't yet got one at all). I'm also predominantly a lure over bait fisho and trying to get one on a lure could take even longer. A few weeks ago I decided to finally give it a crack for the first time ever so I called a few mates, bought some mulies (because I'd tried and failed that day for some fresh river tailor) and we made our way to the Narrows area. Knowing we could literally be sitting there for hours for nothing, we brought some snacks and outdoor chairs and I figured that if worse comes to worst, we'd just sit around and chat. The thought came to me that some people really love to catch up over coffee, I'd rather catch up over a chance of a mulloway!

Went down for a few hours and after nothing happening all of a sudden my mate was on! Excitement levels were high but quickly extinguished when, after a long fight, we saw Mr Eagle Ray rise to the surface. We packed up about 10:30 with no more hits but also with a vow to return.

We went the next week for our 2nd night of sitting and chatting and maybe catching. Decided on the narrows this time but our baits were just getting demolished by pickers so at 9:30, with only 6 mulies left, the call was made to head to move to where we'd fished the week before. Not long after arriving my mate had a 20 second run which dropped the hooks but otherwise it was a non event.

It was pretty cold so we decided about 11 we'd soon head home. As we were pulling in our baits, I vaguely recalled reading somewhere that often Mulloway could just be cruising around close in so before we left I said let's just drop our baits right at our feet and see what happens.. 

We continued chatting and a few mins later there was a *tap* *tap* on my line then zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz I was on! Whatever it was was big and going very hard...then everything went slack. NO! I thought it was off..but then after winding in a bit, the rod loaded up and I was still on. It must have just quickly turned in the current or something... ahhh nervous moments!

All this while I was thinking it was likely another eagle ray but something in me was also clinging to the fact it was a fish. I could feel what I thought were big head shakes but I know that the wings or tail of a ray can sometimes resemble that too.. Regardless, It didn't matter what it was unless I got it in.

After a few runs and a decent fight it finally surfaced almost in slow motion...... 

"IT'S A FISH!!!" It was a big mulloway!! Unbelievable!!! We were in shock that our plan had somehow worked! 

After some very tense moments the fish was landed! A big high 5 was exchanged and team morale was at an all time high! First ever Swan Mulloway which went ~17kg and caught on a snelled half mulie and 15lb braid. I couldn't stop smiling the whole way home knowing that, having only put in about 5 hours of fishing, I'd seemingly beaten the odds in a big way. Great times!

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