82 kg KOB

[fish]

Hi Guys,

Just got this mail from a friend. Not to sure about the details - caught on Struisbaai Plaat, not sure if it was released, bait (probably livey). That is a serious fish. I will be in Stilbaai from tomorrow till Sunday and plan to land one of these on a freshly tied Semper

[Gerrit Viljoen]

Ja that's John from Castaways or ex guide..

[Scythe]

Yummy ... dis 'n beer daai.

[Booger Rose]

Saw this one - looks like a new SA record. Go klap them Phillip.

This season a few big ones came out, I know of a big 48kg one coming out at Witsand over December, as well as a biggie at Swartvlei mouth.

[Booger Rose]

And I will leave you with this report that has just come in from my mate John Crabb down in South Africa - John took a kob (kabeljou) that from the measurements comes out at around 82kgs, and in my basic maths that works out to around 180lbs !!!! This simply outstanding fish measured 197cm with a 116cm girth, and after a few photos this magnificent creature was returned safely to the sea. John says the fish swam off very strongly. Kob are one of my most favourite species on earth and this one beats the current South African record by about 10kgs - note that John took it right off the beach (not a boat) down at Jeffrey's Bay. I can not tell you how special a fish like this is and my utmost respect goes out to John for managing to catch such a fish. Like I have said before on this blog, he is one of the most talented rock and surf anglers I have ever been lucky enough to meet. And he says that there are places around Jeffrey's where big kob can also be taken on lures. To think of edible type fish swimming around so close to the beach just blows my mind. Awesome stuff.


http://www.henry-gilbey.com/blog/search/john/

[adriaan]

What a fish! Great pics, nice to not see it dangling from a scale.
Anyone have any idea of what the age of of fish that size will be?
With the breeders down to less than 5% (from what i've read), i bet he is the grandad of many.

[jmac]

magnificent fish: but where was it caught? Struisbaai plaat or JBay? and if they get that basic info wrong what can we/should we believe?
glad to hear it was released........

[Ryan]

What a monster... I'm so glad it was caught by the right guy! To hear that it has been released to see another day ia awesome news and I wish more people would do the same!!

My folks just got back from Kenya, and one of the chaps they spoke to went out on a charter for the day. He would maybe bring one fish back which he caught to be prepared in the restaurant to share amongst others, but the sad thing is that the charter expects a certain percentage of the fish which you catch...and they will not let you catch and release...

[Ryan]

magnificent fish: but where was it caught? Struisbaai plaat or JBay? and if they get that basic info wrong what can we/should we believe?
glad to hear it was released........

I agree... Struisbaai plaat or JBay?

[grantwillie]

So chuffed that this fish was released!!! Maximum respect to the angler. Does anyone know what he caught it on (livey?)