Overberg Angling

Personal best Kob caught on light tackle (RELEASED) – Jonathan Timm I went to Haga Haga (Eastern Cape) this past weekend with a few mates.
The sea was quite cold and the swell was quite big. No luck in the morning, but at about 12:30pm we were scratching for blue fish and I managed to hook this beauty on light tackle.
I really didn’t think it was an edible. I thought I had fowl hooked a Raggy or something. At one stage the fish was swimming to the right, down the coast towards a huge outcrop of rocks, BUT to my delight it changed direction and swam in the direction of “scattered brick” to the left of where we were fishing. Luckily this beast stayed beyond the rocks/backline in the deeper water for the majority of the fight.
This powerful fish peeled at least 250 meters of line on its numerous runs.
The only way I could gain any line on the fish was to use the beach and walk back up towards the bush line. After 40 minutes or so, I managed to get the fish into the shallows. Seeing the large white underbelly from where I was fighting the fish from, I thought it was a huge Raggy swimming belly up. My mate shouted “KOB, KOB, BIG KOB!...”
I couldn’t believe my eyes!!!!! I was flabbergasted… I ran to my bag to get the camera. We took a couple of photos and took its measurement. I had my tagging kit, but in all the confusion and me wanting to release it quickly, I didn’t even think about tagging it...
After 45 minutes of reviving the fish in chest deep water, the fish had gained enough strength to swim off.
What an awesome sight, seeing such an awesome specimen swim away.
Tackle used:
Rod: Errol Homes custom made high modulus stroke 4
Line: 0.40mm / 11.5 Kingfisher Giant Abrasion
Leader: 0.60mm
Hook: 2/o Daiichi
Bait: Pink prawn

Fish Weigh/Measurements:
Total Length: 1.83 meters
ORI calculations: 66 kilograms