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Silver in the Darkness
By Rod Vardy
Some time ago I picked up an Okuma LRF spin rod in a 702H as a multipurpose rod for throwing large plastics and also spinnerbaits. The trip that I bought it specifically for was a bust and so it sat in the shed, waiting patiently for its opportunity to get out on the water. I matched the rod to an Okuma Avenger AV-4000 spinning reel and loaded it up with Aussie made 20lb Platypus Platinum Braid.
The time finally came to dust it off and throw some plastics for mulloway on a short arvo session fishing my local. I had recently caught a mid-size specimen when chasing flatties and was hopeful that I could tempt a bigger model with a larger lure.
Primed and loaded with 3"-6" ZMan soft plastics and TT Lures jigheads, ranging from 1/4oz to 1/2oz, I launched my kayak, full of hope. I proceeded to cast and cast... and cast and cast...well, you get the idea. I cast for four hours, until the arvo turned into night and then I got that tap. You know, the tap that instantly wakes you up and makes you forget all about the sore arms, the empty stomach and the aching buttocks.
I set the hook, in almost pitch black conditions and felt blessed with solid weight. Then, the fun began. It's always interesting fighting a fish a night. With your eyesight limited your other senses are on high alert and you are searching for constant feedback through the rod and reel, in terms of what is going on at the other end of the line.
Add to this the fact that this was the first fish that I had ever hooked on this combo and you can guess that I was as nervous as a long tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs! How much drag can I put on? How much stick can I give it? All of this and more was racing through my head, while trying to remain cool, calm and collected, so as not to blow my only opportunity of the session.
What I could tell through the rod was that the fish had some heavy head shakes, however I was able to turn it fairly quickly as the rod has some serious poke down low, despite having a light sensitive tip. The drag on the Avenger did its job quite well and the FG knot to the 30lb Platypus Stealth FC Fluorocarbon was soon breaking the surface as I flashed my head torch and was greeted by the shiny silver flanks of a decent mulloway.
Still no monster, it slid into the net and measured in a just on 70cm. The ZMan 4" DieZel MinnowZ in Gold Rush colour was pinned firmly in its top jaw. After a quick photo or two and a good swim in the shallows (away from the bull sharks), my prize capture swam away strongly to terrorise baitfish for years to come. Who knows, maybe our paths will cross again one day and I can only hope that I am good enough to land him again when he is 1m+!
Cheers, Rod
Gearing Up
Okuma LRF Spin Rods - Full Grip - LRF-S-702H-FG 7'0" 6-10kg
Okuma Avenger Spin Reels - AV-4000
Platypus Platinum Braid - 20lb
Platypus Stealth FC Fluorocarbon Leader - 30lb
ZMan 4" DieZel MinnowZ
TT Lures HeadlockZ HD Jighead - 3/8oz 4/0