Maroochy monster eel and lure eating luderick

[joeking]

Went fishing a few days ago down along my favoured rock wall. Normally I dont take my good camera as I never seem to do as well when I have it (I know that sounds a bit silly and supersticious, but cant argue with the facts ) But the camera came with me this trip, and Im glad it did. I was happy flicking away when I got snagged... well I thought it was snagged untill it very slowly started moving against the current and I realised this things alive. this thing kept slowly moving up stream, it didnt seem to notice that it was hooked and kept going up stream. After about 2O mins a few 2OOm runs up and down the rock wall I finally got this thing up near the bank, I thought it was gonna be a big sting ray but to my suprise it was a large eel. As I was on the rocks 6 foot above water level I couldnt land the thing as I had hooked somewhere near the sphincter and couldnt turn its head, so I kept it close while I got a few pics. Never actually got to see its head so i dont know what kind of eel it was or how long it was but it was far longer than my 7foot rod, so Im guessing round the 8 or 9 foot mark.
When I realised I was never gonna get it on land I cut the the line and watched him swim away. Something a bit different to the flatfish and trevs I normally catch.
Oh I also landed a fat 43cm luderick on a large squidgy lobby later on, Its the third 4Ocm+ one Ive landed on lure in the Maroochy in the last few weeks.

Cheers Joe.

[Mitchoo]

Awsome report matee
Thats an awsome ludrick dont think ive evr seen one caught in the maroochy and youve gotten three awsome work

[tailorboi99]

Good report and nice Luderick, I bet he put up a good tussle on the lighter gear. On regards to the Eel it looks like a common Pike Eel if you ask me.

Thanks Tom

[joeking]

Thanks Tom, the luderick gave a good account of itself on the 6lb line. You are probably right about it being a pike eel, I just wasnt game enough to call it without seeing its head.
Joe

[nuggstar]

thats huge, so jelous about the nigger, iv been trying for them for a few years now. il catch ya in ya down that way in the morn

[hooknose]

Good job Joe, keep up the good work mate!

[Mullet Musketeer]

great report - there ugly brutes aren't they!

[joeking]

Sorry I didnt make it down the other morning nuggs, the rain scared me off.

[stack]

Looks familiar Joe

[melony]

damn stan if that eel was on my line out comes the knife and bye bye hook

[masterdusky]

Nicel uderick, does anyone know of any "possible" places I can collect some green weed, not cabbage up here, Im originally from the gc, now at redcliffe and am missing the tweed luderick season atm

[cuzzamundi]

Wow...look at that eel! Logic tells me that given the area it was caught etc that it would be a pike eel, but on closer inspection i'm not sure. Seems to be a slightl;y different colour to a pikie, and the body seems more whispy than the norm; i would've also thought that it woulda had a larger girth given the length of the eel. This one seems to be more consistent and slightly thinner than a pikie would normally be. got me thinking...at that length it shoulda been very fat; so dunno, may be some other variety i think. was it a lot fatter than the pic would suggest? a normal pikie at that lengthj would be over 20kg. either way it's massive eel so well done mate!
Cuzza