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Topwater Caranx Ignobilis: Giant Trevally (GT) => Reports & Expeditions => Topic started by: DarrenC on November 07, 2007, 01:51:47 PM
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Was lucky enough to chance upon some bruisers recently while fishing some reefs off the East Coast of Malaysia. GTs aren't residential around these parts and turn up only for a few weeks in a year and sure do make their presence felt! We lost heaps and went home alot poorer - being under-gunned is an understatement! Personally lost a Dorado Slider and a Baby Runboh amongst other poppers like the Roostas, others weren't so lucky! By the end of the day we also had broken Evergreen and Majorcraft rods...
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y204/fliefeeshoster/GTfight.jpg)
Heaviest outfit on board was my Stella 6000 mated to a PE4, 100gm max tuna/dorado casting rod with 50lb braid and 60lb leader. Suffice to say it was pushed beyond its intended limits. The fishing was brutal as we fished ON the reef, with deep water too far away to be an option. It was locked down drags and palmed spools coupled with mad cranking - fights were kept shortest possible and would be over in 3 mins. THE PAIN!
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y204/fliefeeshoster/20kg.jpg)
This fella on a Stickie went about 20 kilos. Big for these parts where the average GT weighs 2-3kg...
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y204/fliefeeshoster/60lbGT.jpg)
This guy nudged 30 kilos, a lucky catch indeed and a new record...
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Hi Darren ,
Congratulation on your successes , don't think MajorCraft n EverGreen are destined for big GT fishing to start with but that bend on the green rod indicates that rod is more suitable for Stella 4000/5000 instead of Stella 6000 .
Expensive in term of gears lost/broken as may be but the experience would last a lifetime !
Jon .
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That is soo Awsome.
If only they made there way down to sydney every now and then...
Atleast there were no Reel failures. Surprising what those Stella 6000 reels can deal with.
Do you upgrade the Terminals on your lures ???
Well done Darren
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Some great fishing there mate - well done!
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Darren - congratulations! Those two fish are wonderful captures on PE4. In fact, I'd rate them as amazing captures if you were fishing in a reefy area.
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Great photos as well! Congrats :D
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Thanks guys, i really wish we could tangle with GTs of this size on a regular basis but unfortunately they are a by-catch at best.
Hi Jon, that rod is a Ripple Fisher Aquila76, rated to PE4 and 100gm lures, the Stella 6k weighs it up perfectly... Of cos it was intended for casting stickbaits/poppers to tuna and dorado so up against a rampaging GT it was punching way above its weight. But it held up fine despite the high drag and just made me love it more!
We don't gear up intending for bruiser-class GTs as they are almost non-existent in these waters. Our normal targets are Spanish Macks, Cobia, Sails and various Trevs like Gold-Spots, Goldens and Bluefin from 5-10kgs on average, this explains our choice of PE1-3 rods matched to 3000-5000 sized reels. We make the best of what is avalable in our waters thus enjoy great fun on the light stuff!
Cheers
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Do you upgrade the Terminals on your lures ???
Hey Randy, yup most original terminals are ditched once the lure leaves the packaging. Owner and Gama trebles are the mainstay but been experimenting with singles and assist cords too. Of cos split rings and swivels are not to be forgotten, i try to get the best available to avoid disappointment on the water.
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Hi Darren ,
The bent on that Rippler rod suggest it has reached the " saturation " point where the blank is not helping to lift the load , remind me of the BC range in Carpenter , I guess those big GTs were the pleasant surprises of the trip , very impressed !
Jon .
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I was thinking the same thing - the little Ripple Fisher looks way overloaded beyond the capacity of the blank. Obviously a very good blank though to take that kind of abuse.
A couple of broken rods are worth it for an experience that comes along so rarely, I think. That second fish is a personal best? It really is a wonderful capture on such light gear. Darren, I don't think you'd have had any control on that fish, did you? It would have just been running crazily whereever it wanted to!
I had a really good fish hooked on my last trip on 10kg gear on a baitcaster (wasn't really fishing for GTs). I couldn't do a damn thing. We just chased it and chased it and in the end, it rubbed me off on the bottom.
Is it a spawning aggregation, Darren?
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Hi Jon,
You are right, i was all prepared for the imminent explosion as the blank was pushed way above its limit. Also maybe the angle of the photo did exagerate the curve visually, i'm guessing. Here's another pic of the rod lifting...
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y204/fliefeeshoster/ripple.jpg)
Brandon, after recovering from the shock of losing a couple of bruisers i learnt to turn the tables around and with the couple of fish landed managed to gain control over the fight. It was no holds barred locked down drags and heavy palming of spools, make or break so to speak. Of cos when it REALLY wanted to go there was nothing one can do but i found they could be coaxed in by relentless pressure and no let up in the cranking - line was either leaving the spool, if not it would be on its way back in, there would be no stoppage, no breaks, no dogged see-saw battles. I learnt the limits of the rod that day and i'm glad it didn't cost me! Also learnt NOT to leave the gimble belt at home at all times! hahaha
That fish is certainly a personal record for me, and according to the guide, for the area too. I'm not much of a GT fisherman only because i can't afford multiple trips to exotic faraway destinations, at least not yet! And even so i understand even on such trips it can be hard (depending on location) to encounter such sizes. My best from the Maldives was only just shy of 19kgs.
That GT that monstered your 10kg BC outfit wouldn't be the last bruiser to snatch your light lure. It happens pretty often i guess, especially in exotic places like Marion. I've learnt through my light tackle forays that some pretty large fishes can be tamed on light gear when everything is set-up to perfection and the limit found and pushed, but GT? They are a totally different story!
Spawning aggresion could be a factor, but seriously, we are far from finding the truth. This is rural Malaysia, and the only source of consistent info comes from the guide and all he knows is that they aren't residential fish - probably on their migratory route and stopping by for a feed. Today we have only uncovered the tip of the iceberg and who knows what we'll find in the seasons to come? i'm excited!
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that's really exciting. You should record the date, tide etc and come back and try again in the next season to see if they are back. As far as I am aware, GTs don't migrate but I could very well be wrong. We know they form huge spawning aggregations at certain times of the year but that is about as much as I know of their behaviour.
The picture above is a great picture but the curve is still within the rod's capacity. Check out the photo below from my last trip to Bugatti Reef. The rod is a Carpenter TBL711 RF35, a PE8 rated rod. The angler is Malcolm Crane, an excellent GT fisherman but boy, did he get that rod at some interesting angles during the trip! He really loaded that rod up but it took everything he asked of it.
Normally, if I am locking up, I pretty much point the rod at the fish, even if the rod is a PE12 model like a SP78-UHL. There is a limit to how much load a rod will handle untimately. I have had quite a number of fish in the past where notwithstanding my best efforts to lock the spool, I just could not physically prevent the fish from taking line. These are of course really massive fish.
I've hooked lots of GTs in the past on light outfits but the fight is normally over in a few seconds. This one was a half hour before I lost it. For me to land a good GT on light tackle would be pretty much just good luck more than anything else.
Believe me, I know what you mean about affording the trips to exotic locations. You just got to work hard (really hard) and make the commitment and in a few years, you never know!
(http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w95/berniek/P7010087_1.jpg)
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Hey Brandon,
Nice bend on Malcolm's rod! Must've been one big one!
The GTs aren't probably migratory but i guess their usual hangouts have yet to be found, probably well offshore. They are known to be found at offshore oilrigs wide of the coast. The reason why they travel inshore is still a mystery, hopefully a pattern will emerge and we'll understand them better. Till then we'll just continue to fish hard!
The exotic destinations will happen soon, being an avid lure caster, jigger and fly fisho just makes decisions so much harder! ;D Next week its off to the Burma Banks for some serious jigging and in Jan its the Maldives for bones (hopefully!) on fly. Well there's still this wkend to go hustle the GTs yet!
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Hi Darren ,
I hope you will release those GTs in the future , the population of big GTs are dwindling fast due to their succeptibility in being caught by popping methods and the only way to get a successfull CnR is to cut the fight as short as possible , this means using heavier tackle than that you are using .
Jon .
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Hi Darren ,
I hope you will release those GTs in the future , the population of big GTs are dwindling fast due to their succeptibility in being caught by popping methods and the only way to get a successfull CnR is to cut the fight as short as possible , this means using heavier tackle than that you are using .
Jon .
Hi Jon,
Fight time, even on the "lite" gear, was approx 3-4mins, i rest my case and i'm not even gonna get started on CnR issues, just know that i do what's right, thank you very much.
Have a nice day!
Cheerios
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Hi Darren ,
I hope you will release those GTs in the future , the population of big GTs are dwindling fast due to their succeptibility in being caught by popping methods and the only way to get a successfull CnR is to cut the fight as short as possible , this means using heavier tackle than that you are using .
Jon .
Hi Jon,
Hi Darren ,
That is quick for such a relatively light tackle to subdue the GT , sorry if I offend you in some way with this CnR issue but we all try to do the right thing . Relax man .
Jon .
Fight time, even on the "lite" gear, was approx 3-4mins, i rest my case and i'm not even gonna get started on CnR issues, just know that i do what's right, thank you very much.
Have a nice day!
Cheerios
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Hi Darren ,
That is quick for such a relatively light tackle to subdue the GT , sorry if I offend you in some way with this CnR issue but we all try to do the right thing . Relax man .
Hi Jon,
No worries, none taken. Yah its pretty surprising when tackle is pushed to the brink and somehow holds together, sometimes you get your results. Well, we all get lucky someday.
CnR issues i'm sure u and i face on a constant basis, its tough to educate the local 'boatmen' in our parts but i have patience and try to be respectful to their cultures in the process. In the long run if we all do our own lil' part it'll all fall into place i'm sure. Have faith!
Cheers
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Great catch there!
Its fun getting these speedsters in those water and watch their first run...
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swing the biggest stick you can hang on to!!!!!
lock drag then back off half-turn.....and hang on!!!!
I love light tackle fishing though the GT's i am after disrespect it!!!!
Jon,
you are right. Keep the fight short....though even the big ones are sub-10min fights if they are under 60kg...THOSE fish can go for 20 or more even on the big gear...seen too many big GT's pop 130 already to fish anything lighter..
Aaron.
PS. My Carpenter SP 78UHL is AWESOME :)
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swing the biggest stick you can hang on to!!!!!
lock drag then back off half-turn.....and hang on!!!!
I love light tackle fishing though the GT's i am after disrespect it!!!!
Jon,
you are right. Keep the fight short....though even the big ones are sub-10min fights if they are under 60kg...THOSE fish can go for 20 or more even on the big gear...seen too many big GT's pop 130 already to fish anything lighter..
Aaron.
PS. My Carpenter SP 78UHL is AWESOME :)
Hi Aaron ,
Our friend AhGu here has one of the custom job SP78UHL , he is a bit bigger than me and a lot younger , I am sure one of these days you will meet each other .
Bigger GTs have lots more stamina and they are the king of the reefs so must be protected at all cost , using stout gears the right way is the only way to ensure successfull CnR .
Jon .
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yep, Gu's parents definitely gave him the right vitamins when he was a boy!
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Hi Jon,
I agree. They ARE the kings of the reef and little study has been really done on the growth rates to my knowledge....anectdotes of them living up to 40 years or more. I heard they grow quickly to a certain size then slow right down and are therefore hard to replace if killed. Scott Banerot told me that.
So, I use the heaviest gear I can to release the "little" guys quickly and still have fire power for the fish of a lifetime.....which I have hooked around 20 times before!!! HAHAHAHAH....they can make you feel very hopeless at times!!
The biggest GT I have seen fought & lost chewed through twisted 100lb fluorocarbon leader after a 20min fight....estimated at 75-80kg up the top of Fraser....they DO have plenty of stamina. I hope it's still there today....just bigger!! If you catch it and there is a Red/White Bills Bug in it...you know who to call!!
Cheers
Aaron.
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Aaron, that was a awesome Gt you caught last Friday, was that on your Carpenter SP 78UHL ? Good to see some action around SEQ already, sounds like the GTs are turning it on before the Billies [Billfish Bash next week], the water temp is only 23-24 deg.
See you at a Fishhead seminar :)
PS: what was last Fridays lucky lure? :-\
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Hi Greg!
Yep...the big stick got bent up!!
Amazing what bend you can put in a SP 78UHL when the drag is up around 16kg!!!
I can't beleive the water is still this cool for the billfish...I did raise some large wahoo (20-30kg) on the poppers...no body wanted to change to a stick bait after my fish to hook a 'hoo...pity...their jumps when they spear out of the water when they hit a stick bait is more than worth it :)
The lucky lure was a "Jai the Thai" popper...Jai is from Thailand and owns the 7seas pro shop there...he fishes with Ek and his buddies with Damon.....GREAT popper..very easy to bloop. Weighs 130gms.
Being late arvo, I figured a dark purple would silhoutte better....seemed to work!!
They do work the best with ST-66 5/0's....need to get them to work with singles...needs more work..
Cheers
Aaron.
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I have a couple of Jai's i want to try around Hutchies [Wahoo City] and The Trench, where I will follow Duncan and Your lead by using a wire bite leader ::) a sound investment! ;D
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Heya Aaron,
Well done.. again! Can't stop grinning when I remember yelling at you to go harder and you'd already dialled the drag as far as you could go ;D
It was a truly awesome capture considering the topography there....
I nearly did a valve just hauling the big fella into the boat ... haha. It even inspired me to get back in the gym!
Cheers,
Lowy
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Aaron, when Billfish came before GTs, how times have changed ;) :D. 'Reel Sport' would make a steady platform for casting, minus the outriggers!
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Greg,
Jai makes an awesome popper...had the boys think I was having strikes between swells the splashes were going so high from making it bloop!
I was slightly possesed....Gordon would agree there!!!
After seeing both 49 strand and 7 strand in 150lb get worn through after the intital brutal hard work has been done on a big GT, wahoo or doggie, the ONLY thing I haven't seen cut through is single strand!!
It pays to make a truckload up and have them prepared in a piece of pipe as long as the leaders are....mine are around 50cm.
Single strand DOES kink, so if it survives a fish though looks haggared, p#ss it off and put a new one on ASAP....the wire is dirt cheap & the twisted leader prevents tail cuts & helps absorb the shock a bit better for the hooks.
Reelsport....I lost my first God Knows How Many GT's on that boat in the days of mono and max 6kg drag settings....it was a trip 10 years ago....I never went back to mono for GT's.....ever!!
Gordon,
Hope your valve spring re-loads!! I AM glad that you did the lifting big fella!!
Struth! I had to give Brock the head of the GT to hold I was that stuffed....put all my effort into not having a "long range release" !!
It was great.... go the PILATES PILATES PILATES!!!!!!.....next step for YOU....gym....nice women...no booze HAHAHAHAHAHAAHHAHAHAH...
Cheers
Aaron.