The MYDO Turtle Killer joke

The MYDO Turtle Killer joke

Nudged up on the inside northern side beach under the third bay of the Umzimkulu River Beach, we were able to spread out and fish the entire area around us. The ocean a few yards away, and the pushing tide into the estuary where the water works over and around odd places and ever moving sandbars. Ideal for predator fish.

This is where The MYDO Turtle Killer joke occurred.

When guests at The Umzimkulu Marina – Kiran and his crew asked if we could focus on Garrick rather than kob this weekend, I was sure this was to the spot. Plus, Garrick encounters in the Umzimkulu had been on the up. Click here for their kob story…from their last trip. It was a lot of fun and we caught fish!

The neap tides had made the scene very calm and the clear water looked seductively safe. A short while ago a 2.5m Zambezi was clearly identified in the lights at Spillers Wharf, by an experienced crew of local anglers fishing there. Quite a few Zambezi pup catch and releases have also been enjoyed over the last few years, clearly meaning a big momma gives birth her one in a while. Check one here!

But we were after Garrick. We were throwing the Mydo LuckShot #1, A GT Icecream Headache and one of our new MYDO Spoons, soon to be released (still in testing).

After a while, we also had three live baits lolling around in the slack water, and we were throwing the lures for miles in between the baits. I really wanted to keep up my reputation as before, when Kiran asked for a daga salmon, he got two.

Next thing. A very strong fish bangs the Mydo Luck Shot and starts peeling braid from the reel of self proclaimed newbie – “G”. Of all the guys on the boat, he was the only one fishing for fun! The others were seriously amazed! Me too! I hugged “G”!

And the fish screamed off really hard and then but the hook pulled after a few exciting seconds. I hardly believed it but then the same lure got smashed again! The fish screamed past us now and headed up river in front an astonished looking crew, fishing for grunter from the bank. This fish went and went fast, until finally up popped the head of a –  50 metres away – huge turtle! Head like a rugby ball!

TG the hook sprang loose and the lures came flying back at us! Forced release! Love those!

Now we all finally discovered how turtle catch fish! This thing was so fast. And then when pulled the hook it came back again and smashed the self-same lure a second time. Imagine it!

We never got a Garrick that afternoon, but we definitely, for a few amazing seconds, thought we had a huge one.

Thanks guys!

Til next time…