Awesome 18 pound Largie!!

[Ago]

Caught my biggest largie last weekend, Sat to be exact ...... it rained on us ... hailed on us but it was all worth it in the end!! Didnt have anyone near to take the right photos though! ... but got some footage on my GoPro.

enjoy

the you tube link:

http://youtu.be/HUyvtsL6zfU

[WazzyP]

Awesome fish bud! Congrats!

[GGY]

Nice. What is the reel? (I think I know...)

[Gerrit Viljoen]

Congrats on your fish of a lifetime!

Just some advice next time spend more time with the fish, the stress on them is enormous and by chucking her back so quickly doesn't really help with recovery. And, get a bigger net please those Carp nets with long handle really is the shyte I promise you.

[Pipe]

Caught my biggest largie last weekend, Sat to be exact ...... it rained on us ... hailed on us but it was all worth it in the end!! Didnt have anyone near to take the right photos though! ... but got some footage on my GoPro.

enjoy

the you tube link:

http://youtu.be/HUyvtsL6zfU

Haha, like your excitement on the footage, always great catching something exceptional!

[Ago]

the reel is a sage 4560 with carbon spool. awesome little reels and super light!

[GGY]

the reel is a sage 4560 with carbon spool. awesome little reels and super light!

Thought so. The 4560CF. I tried to get my hands on the 4580CF model (found some second hand ones), but no luck...

[Andre s]

Yes Yes awesome fish Gugs. Well done boet. What a beaut of a fish.

Gerrit , by the looks of things the fish jumped out of his hand and shot away, yes agreed maybe he could have gripped it by the tail and held it for a couple of secs , which i think he would have done if the fish had not shaked off his grip, but he wouldn’t have held it for long anyway as you can see how strong it was when it swam off. By the looks of things he had the fish out the water for a very very short time not even for a photo.

What would you say would put more stress on the fish a quick release of a strong fish or having the fish out the water posing for 10 to 15 pics?

[Gerrit Viljoen]

Andre,

You know before commenting on this thread I knew I was going to look like the bad one and take away from a great catch but as a responsible angler it's my freaking duty to comment and not just whisper about it in dark corners,chat rooms, fly shops and tough titties if anyone get's offended about good,solid and sound advice. If you do you're in the wrong place simple as that.

To get back to the facts; the damage isn't done when the fish swims off strongly, it's there where the fish end up taking a rest where the real bad stuff happens. You really don't have to believe what I say or follow my advice even I just tell you what I've been told by a scientist who've actually done all the tests regarding survival, lactic acid build up,heavy tippets, lip grippers, etc,etc,etc. To take some time with the fish, say 5-7min (especially a 18lb Largemouth Yellow) and KEEPING IT CALM before releasing is def way more safe than a quick release.

That's what my advice was all about and the problem started with not having the correct equipment in the first place. To tell you the truth I'm so freaking gatvol of explaining myself everytime a "sensitive" matter comes up to the point that people should do as they please exactly why I do my own thing and keep to myself.

No wonder people just move on.

[yella]

Awesome fish Gusty, and very cool video! Now lets make arrangements to go fish together sometime.

Tiaan