PB 19kg Dhu
Went out last week when the weather was perfect and managed to get my PB Dhu going bang on 19kgs bled.
Story goes - Went to a spot that lit up with fish. All 3 on the boat dropped down and were all instantly on. I was using a soft plastic jig head with snelled hooks on the bottom (Poor mans bottom meat) All 3 of us got busted off, mine snapped just above my leader knot one of the other boys got bricked and the other snapped the leader at the hooks. Epic 3 way hook up with nothing coming on board, we actually called it for a school of sambos. Re-rigged and dropped back down, Got a few smaller fish sambos, dhuies, baldies etc but nothing huge and noticed after that first 3 way hook up the sounder went dead. Did a couple more drifts with it going a little quiet. Decided to cruise around a bit to see if we could find the fish again. We found them about 200m away from where we originally found the school. Dropped back down again and 2 of us hooked up immediately. One of us got bricked, mine ran like buggery on my light overhead jig rod using a ball sinker with snelled hooks. Mates called it for a big sambo and I called it for a sting ray as it would run then stop, big heavy weight then run again. A good 15 minute fight we saw colour but the other boys had lost interest as we didn't think much of it, they were grabbing beers etc. It had 1 last run and it went under the boat. I yelled out "Check the other side of the boat" one of the other boys looked over as this massive Dhu blobbed up right beside the boat. He yelled out "Its a massive dhu" Ecstatic we grabbed him and lifted him in. In its mouth was my rig as well as my Poor Mans bottom meat!!! It was the dhu that had snapped me off a good 45 minutes earlier!! Was destine to catch him obviously hahaha!! Stoked to say the least.
One of the boys were using the Kraken made by Bust up specialty tackle - Basically its similar to a bottom meat but shaped like an octopus (Pic below green one). I don't use expensive stuff like that but I tell you what they work bloody well. The 19kg dhu was caught on a cheap ball sinker and snelled hook total price of about $4 compared to the $20 odd bottom meats. Goes to show you don't need expensive gear.
Anyway that's my story hahaha stoked with the fish and stoked to get both my rigs back haha
I go boating not fishing
kirky79
Posts: 1351
Date Joined: 13/01/12
Great fish
Enjoyed the write up too. Unreal that your first rig didn't put him off feeding for long.
still trying
Posts: 1020
Date Joined: 27/06/17
Awesome catch and how lucky
Awesome catch and how lucky is that to hook him twice
rather be fishing
sea-kem
Posts: 14857
Date Joined: 30/11/09
Niccccce Josh, how good a
Niccccce Josh, how good a feeling is that when you see the silver flash.
Love the West!
Piggy
Posts: 538
Date Joined: 24/08/12
hahaha didnt get to
Haha didn't get to really see the flash. When we saw a bit of colour it took off again and popped up over the other side of the boat hahaha
I go boating not fishing
sea-kem
Posts: 14857
Date Joined: 30/11/09
Lol were you out on your
Lol were you out on your regular grounds?
Love the West!
Piggy
Posts: 538
Date Joined: 24/08/12
Yeah mate
Yeah mate regular stuff!!
I go boating not fishing
rob90
Posts: 1522
Date Joined: 06/02/13
Well done thats a solid dhu!
Well done thats a solid dhu! The bigs ones go hard on light gear. Ive always been of the belief that dhuies are just silly hungry slobs if its in their face they'll eat it once twice or how ever many times it takes. Expensive or cheap bait or artificial. Regardless a catch like that is definitely worth a round of beers rather than another drop.
Hi my name is rob............. and I'm a........... fishaholic
Skull
Posts: 630
Date Joined: 03/01/12
Great fish
Great fish mate, well done,
Skull
little johnny
Posts: 5330
Date Joined: 04/12/11
Top fish
I hope occy leg never came of the octopus teachers pet .ive heard them jigs with bait have been working well from a few people now . Great feed
West Coast
Posts: 331
Date Joined: 10/12/07
Great Fish
What size line and leeder you guys running? Might be time to upgrade!!
Piggy
Posts: 538
Date Joined: 24/08/12
Leader
Hey bud. On that set up Im running 30lb braid and 50lb leader
I go boating not fishing
West Coast
Posts: 331
Date Joined: 10/12/07
Ta.
Yeah similar to what i use. I might have to upgrade as well. Just goes to show you those big fish take some stopping.
sea-kem
Posts: 14857
Date Joined: 30/11/09
Son got smoked by a huge
Son got smoked by a huge fish out there one day using 30lb leader. I nearly gave him a backhander for going so light lol. Could have been the fish of a lifetime.
Love the West!
sunshine
Posts: 2555
Date Joined: 03/03/09
Stunning fish and a great clean photo
Oddly my best came in almost identical circumstances a few years ago out of Jurien. A mate dropped a big fish with bad hook knot, I came up solid with what I thought was the bottom but then the bottom took off. when I was clean8ng the fish there was my mates hook still firmly in place ..and I still use 30lb braid and 60lb leader, soft hands and light clutch settings make for real sport
West Coast
Posts: 331
Date Joined: 10/12/07
Bottom rig
I use 120lb leader on my paternoster rigs. Lost some good fish with less when you have a double header and one of them scissors off. You end up with one fish and the bottom half of the rig gone.
Faulkner Family
Posts: 17868
Date Joined: 11/03/08
Well done. Good to hear
Well done. Good to hear stories like that to know it's not just me it has happened to.
RUSS and SANDY. A family that fishes together stays together
meglodon
Posts: 5981
Date Joined: 17/06/10
Veery good read and picture
I find it amazing that a fish will take a bait or lure and them look around a short time later for another feed after having the hell pulled out of it's mouth.
Thanks for the pic and story
Stevieboy
Posts: 58
Date Joined: 22/04/18
Well done
They certainly make you feel happy
Piggy
Posts: 538
Date Joined: 24/08/12
Cheers
Cheers for the comments.... Im a tight ass so Im stoked that I got both my rigs back hahaha
On another note the flesh from the big one was a lot tougher than the smaller 14kg one we had. Even looking at the flesh the smaller one had a lot whiter flesh where as the big one had a darker colour....
When we caught the 19kg one we took a quick photo and used the vent right to release the air in his swim bladder and tried swimming him but he was screwed, decision was made to bleed him and keep him. Would have loved to release him. With the story and the fact he took my rig on both occasions was pretty cool so I would have much prefer to see him swim away but unfortunately we couldn't get him to go.
I go boating not fishing
sunshine
Posts: 2555
Date Joined: 03/03/09
Interesting comment on the flesh
Personally I much prefer smaller dhuies.....up to around 70cm for eating, the texture and toughness of larger fish leaves a bit to be desired
Piggy
Posts: 538
Date Joined: 24/08/12
Agree
Agreed mate. The flesh was a different colour and was tougher. Where possible we try to release the bigger ones but this one wouldn't go.
Cheers
I go boating not fishing
Jim
Posts: 1322
Date Joined: 05/05/06
Good fish and story well
Good fish and story well done.
Bend over
pope08
Posts: 3
Date Joined: 12/02/20
Cracking fish !!! Brilliant
Cracking fish !!! Brilliant story too love it when crazy stuff like that happens.
Pope