PDA

View Full Version : First ever Longtails for Deb's Son and flatmate



The BeaR
08-04-2010, 03:55 PM
Took Deb’s 21yr old Son, Matthew and his flatmate Darren, out to chase some Longtail yesterday as neither of them has ever fished for these fish before, nor have they been out on a boat before or used soft plastics, so we weren’t too sure how the day was going to turn out, but looked forward to it all the same, even if it was just for the time spent together.

We picked the boys up at 6:00am and headed out from the Urangan boat ramp to our destination of Wathumba to see if we could get them their first longtail. We spotted a couple of schools on the way and decided to stop and have a go. I cast out first to give them an idea of how to work the lure. Got hooked up on the first cast to a big mactuna, not what we were looking for, but good enough to give some basic instructions on the casting and fighting of the fish using graphite rodz. Both boys were using The BeaR S10-H, as it is a little more forgiving with its intermediate modulus structure than the Egrell S10 that I was using, and they felt quite at ease with them when practicing a few casts. Once the fish was boated, we released it and continued on to our destination.

Arriving at Wathumba, the lack of surface and bird activity was a little disappointing to say the least. As we sat talking about the ins and outs of catching tuna on soft plastics waiting for the fish to arrive, a school suddenly popped up a short distance from the boat working the surface as they do, and what a Kodak moment to see the excitement on the boys faces when they saw the fish jumping out of the water for the first time. Priceless.

Both boys got their rodz ready to make a cast as I moved the boat a little closer and got it into position ahead of the lead fish. Matthew was the first to cast and within a few seconds of working the lure was hooked up to his first Longtail. Deb already had the video and recorded him fighting his first fish. Six minutes and 37seconds later, he was boating his very first longtail tuna. Words can’t describe the moment. A short time later as Matthew took a break to recover, Darren was hooked up to his first longtail as well. Both boys were very satisfied with the day at this stage.

The next cast saw both boys onto a double hook up which created quite a bit of excitement in the boat. Another double hook up followed a short time later, which created more than excitement as the fish had them running around the boat as well as around each other. We thought for sure that these fish were gonners but both managed to get them boated, much to everyone’s delight.

Due to a little lack of experience and allowing slack line, both boys lost two fish each, but soon learned from their mistakes to get a total of 3 longtail and 1 mactuna each to the boat, with all fish weighing around the 7-10kg and released after some quick photos.

Both Matthew and Darren easily picked up on the technique of working the Soft plastics and how to fight the fish. By rotating the wrist, so as to rotate the tip of the rod, and winding the reel handle in sync, the action imparted into the lure, is one that causes it to dart back and forth just below the surface. It is a very simple and natural type of action, a bit like rubbing your head and your stomach at the same time, both hands just go in sync with each other, and neither of these boys have done this before and they have proven that even beginners can catch LT tuna on soft plastics with a little instruction.

All in all it was a great day out with the younger generation, especially going home knowing that they have been left with a positive and lasting impression of why we love our style of fishing so much. We’re looking forward to doing it again(almost as much as they are).

Eric&Deb…

marty+jojo
08-04-2010, 04:13 PM
You have it sussed Eric. I am looking forward to getting up there for my first longtail.
Marty.

reel scream
08-04-2010, 04:36 PM
Great read guys. Smiling faces all round. Well done.
I drove from Waddy to Wathumba last week and am curious how long/far it is from Hervey?

Cheers
Scott

Frank OO
08-04-2010, 05:20 PM
Hi Eric and Deb,
The weather has kept most of us off the water for the last few months and when you do get out there all you catch is Marlin. I am glad to see that the Long Tails are on their way down.

We have had a few turn up but not in any great numbers.
Fancy Matty catching a Long Tail, and a good one at that. Well done mate!!. The weather is starting to settle down here as well with the Saturday prediction for no wind. I am busting to get out and put a decent bend in my Bear Metal especially now that you have got me all excited.

I know of a few guys that have bought a few S10H’s and S6 Egrells so looks like you had better start making a few more rods and leave some of the fish for us.

Congratulations again to Matty.

Frank OO

Fishing_Freddy
09-04-2010, 08:27 AM
It is amazing what passing on a bit of knowledge can accomplish. Good to see the boys smiling and like you said they will have lasting memories and will be keen to get out again use this knowledge they have gained.
Well done on your teaching technics for beginners.
Cheers
Ken:beer:

Si
09-04-2010, 09:42 AM
Good fishing mate. i cant wait to catch one myself. this weekend looks like a pearler but damn! my deck needs repainting. grrr.

Scalem
09-04-2010, 02:30 PM
Looks like your students were eager enough to learn Eric! You would have enjoyed the whole experience more than if you caught it yourself, you are that sort of bloke. Well done!!

Scalem

cuzzamundi
09-04-2010, 02:50 PM
Cracker session mate. Good to see Wathumba firing. How was the water clarity?

Cuzza