# Scared the Crap Outta me!



## Artie (Dec 19, 2011)

Sorry no pics as I had left the camera on the charger and only remembered halfway to the launch site.

Wednesday evening (6ish) I launched off a quiet beach near Batemans Bay and off the tip of a reef/island I found a rocky drop off that went vertical from 7 meters to 11 deep.

I thought, this looks good so I dropped a whole squid on a circle hook down on a 10kg set up with 15kg leader. It wasnt long before I had a number of reef species paying me a visit, after about the 6th or 7th fish something big took the bait.. It wasnt spectacularly fast but very strong, I can only guess as to what it was...definate heavy headshakes and you could feel the tail strokes (I love braid).

I was towed a long way before I decided to put some real pressure on the beasty (heading out to sea) so I tightened the drag (had heaps of line out) and applied the 'hurt'.

I had a lot of weight on when the rod snapped midway up the shaft... luckily the rod was pointing directly out front and I was thrown back into the seat. Thats when I had the crap scared outta me!!!! By the time I had myself sorted it was gone.... Seriously, this thing went off like a gunshot.

I got the thing wound in and couldnt see any particular damage to the rod at the break point, let the heart rate return to normal and paddled back to the fishing site. This is the first time EVER, that I have not taken a spare rod with me. So I rerigged and fished for a while with a short stick with a reel attached...felt weird....

On the upside, the beach I launched on had a really small break happening, probably less than 500mm but it ran from way out over the sand flats. I managed to catch 'the' wave and rode it right in until I grounded gently on the sand, had 2 curls spraying each side of the bow, the Quest responded to bracing really nicely and it was a fantastic feeling... nice way to finish.

The rod wasnt a particularly good one (so Im not crying over it) and as Im now into making my own, its obvious I need something 'nice'. That'll come shortly.


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## carnster (May 27, 2008)

Cobe, shark, kingie, tuna........I buy ugly sticks and i rate them as i have not broken one yet ( i treat em mean too). Graphite rods on the yak can break/shatter due to the knocking around.


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## Haynesy (May 6, 2011)

carnster said:


> I buy ugly sticks and i rate them as i have not broken one yet ( i treat em mean too). Graphite rods on the yak can break/shatter due to the knocking around.


I fish with ugly sticks for the same reason and I'm only chasing bass most of the time. I'm only just going back to a very cheap graphite spin stick now as I previoulsy kept snapping them due to being too rough on them. I've missed the sensativity of the graphite, just need to stop breaking them. Never had a fish snap one but I've been told not to lift a fish from the water and take up it's weight using a graphite rod. You must have had a serious fish on.


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## millonario (Feb 20, 2012)

Whoa! That would give you a scare. It gets a bit rough heading out of the bay. Glad you got back safe. I'd be filthy if I broke my rod. What kind was it?


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## Artie (Dec 19, 2011)

I must admit that I also have a few Ugly's (used to be the rod of choice) and I will go back to them while I build one up, but I got a couple of others on the way first though (whiting/bream stick first).

I was guessing that I had a reasonable shark attached but who knows (and it doesnt matter), Millonario, it wasnt in Batemans Bay proper, it was a few k's south and not at all rough, really calm evening in fact. The rod was a Shakespeare which didnt cost the earth.

Interesting evening though, if the weather was a little better I would have been back on the water tonight... maybe in the morning.... 8)


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## Ado (Mar 31, 2008)

Ask Craig450 about BBay and sharks. :shock:


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## Artie (Dec 19, 2011)

Ive heard some storys, mate just got a largish Bull to the yak at Nelligen bridge, fishing for Jew and got told a lot of Bull!


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## millonario (Feb 20, 2012)

Reckon they would travel up the clyde very far?


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## punchanello (Oct 6, 2011)

millonario said:


> Reckon they would travel up the clyde very far?


Are you scared?


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## kayakone (Dec 7, 2010)

Bull sharks (whalers) have been recorded many times over 50 km from the mouth and in virtually fresh water.

Trevor


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## carnster (May 27, 2008)

kayakone said:


> Bull sharks (whalers) have been recorded many times over 50 km from the mouth and in vitually fresh water.
> 
> Trevor


I am with you trevor. I once caught a 7ft black tip reef shark on a lure at least 50km upstream from any salt water. It was above many fast flowing rapids and a couple of weir's.


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## kayakone (Dec 7, 2010)

carnster said:


> kayakone said:
> 
> 
> > Bull sharks (whalers) have been recorded many times over 50 km from the mouth and in vitually fresh water.
> ...


Yep! Saw some kids _*way*_ up the Brisbane R with a 5' whaler (= bull shark). Fifteen minute battle.....they were gobsmacked.

Trevor


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