New PB.......5.4kg Flathead

[Jurkyjj]

Well guys.......this is just what I needed for the start of my holidays.....

A solo trip was on the cards for this morning......dropped the boat in at Jacobs Well boat ramp at 4:45am. Sand flies everywhere!!!!
After a lathering of insect repellent and a generous drizzling of sunscreen i set off to try out the new reel. Stradic CI4 1000.

And it didn't disappoint!!

Drove straight to spot X and got the leccy in the water and sounded around to find my ledge....got the boat organised and ready and started casting.

Lots of bait in the water and LOTS of small taps on the plastic.....nothing coming to the boat, so decided to move down towards the next run of trees.

First cast into the trees i get a decent thump on the drop. Lifted the rod tip to have it slightly pulled down by a smaller fish. MISSED IT AGAIN!!

BUT......

This is where my morning changed. After missing the smaller fish, I let the placcy settle back down to the bottom when I had an enormous whack on the line.
I let the line stay slack for a couple of seconds before lifting the rod tip again.
DAMMIT....got the bloody bottom!

I gave the tip a couple of flicks to try to dislodge the hook from the bottom when the bottom starting to peel line off the reel......ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ!!!

WOW!! This has got some weight!!

The first run was quite timid.....I don't think she knew she was hooked.....but....once I started to turn her....she really played up.
The first run was straight out to the East, FAST. Got some line back and then the second run was straight back towards the mud bank.....NO!!!!

Managed to turn her again to which she ran due East again at absolutely blistering speed......the new reel was getting it's paces.

After nearly 20 minutes I finally got sight of what it was....HOLY COW!!!
SHE WAS BEAUTIFUL........AND I WAS SHAKING!!!

Now being that I was solo, netting a fish of this calibre isn't easy... I had 2 failed net shots before finally getting her in the boat.

What a big girl she was!!

92cm and 5.4kg.

Weapons of choice:

Shimano Raider Finesse Bream 1-4kg
Shimano CI4 Stradic 1000
Diawa Sensor 2kg braid
8lb fluorocarbon leader
1/4oz 3/0 jig head
Squidgy wriggler 160mm (I think that is the size)

Grabbed a couple of photos on the brag mat before another boat came towards me.....I put the lip grippers on her and popped her in the water to keep her breathing while I asked the guys in the boat to take some shots for me.


Sorry for the poor quality shots, but, didn't take the camera, had to take them on the phone.

She swam gracefully away to fight another day.

Thanks for the read.

Jason.

[poppers81]

Well down mate... the big girls do play up a bit... would have got the heart pumpin and the knees shaking for sure... you deserve extra points in my book for being able to net her yourself...

Well done

Andy

[bennykenny]

well done jason, mate she is a stonker,good to see the big girls around down there still, and 8lbs leader no wonder you were shaking, would hate to lose it boat side. well done on the solo catch and net. cheers BK

[jm82]

Well Done Jas,

When i sore you text this morning I was Jealous as

I guess we wont have to break the CI4 in on a Toga next week will we,

Cheers
Josh

[Fish_gutz]

Nice big lizard, well done but are you sure you didn`t catch it up nudgee creek........ there has been some croc sightings up that way! Cheers Andrew

[Jurkyjj]

Yeah Poppers......was certainly a struggle to get her in the net by myself.
BK, mate, I usually fish 8lb leader, but, certainly was thinking to myself that I hope that it holds out for a little while longer.
Went to change the leader after that fish and was hardly even a burr on it.

Josh, no need to run it in now mate.....has had a massive work out!!

Thanks guys, Jason.

[BLOOEY]

Cracking big flatty mate. You must have hooked it in the lip? Ben

[Jurkyjj]

Yeah Blooey......right in the corner of the top lip.
thank god for that.....if she had swallowed it.......it would have been all over quick.

jason.

[danners]

thats a unit mate, nicely done and congrats on the PB

[nigelr]

Look how fat she is, a real crocodile alright!
Congrats and good to see you rewarded for your efforts, great pic with the sun just coming up!

[lethal098]

Awesome mate, should have come with you, we put the pots in last night and had the sharefarmers thru.

Sure would have been a struggle to net on your own, you are gitting good at those bigger fish down there now.

Well done enjoy the rest of your hols, will send you some photos of my billies!!

Cheers Lee

[Chamelion]

Nice fish.. From experience, CI4 1000's are excellent.

[bigroders]

grats on the big girl, and well done for landing it on that reel. all my experiences with 1000 c14 have been bad, with the reel stem bending really bad under the weight of only small fish, i must have gotten a bad one.

[Jurkyjj]

Cheers Lee......should have come alright!!!! at least you could have netted her for me...and could have taken a few more better photos!!

Yeah Matt, it sure is a great reel. Very smooth and effortless fishing.

Bigroders...Have you taken it back to be looked at??
seems strange that it would do such a thing.
Do you have the drag locked up??

[loophole]

Solid fish champ.. Certinly hoping to upgrade my pb on that species.. you woulda been proud as punch.. i use my Ci4 1000 for bream and your chasing monster flattys on it well done.