When my alarm went off at 4:55 today it reminded me of the dreadful wake ups I deal with at home to make the 5 AM flight out of Duluth in which I wake up at 1:30 AM.  Getting up from bed was tough.  It was equally tough for all the guys.  Be we did it and off we went on a new adventure.  This morning Randy, Jeff, Scott and I went to the mouth of the estuary with guide Chris with an odd goal.  We wanted to catch a big shark on bait.

It wasn’t a total bait fishing adventure.  We had to catch a jack for bait.  That took while but we got it done.  Then we parked the boat and got out on the exact beach we fish at in the dark.  Chris rigged the jack and sent it out in the strong currents towards the open sea.

While Chris managed the bait rod, we tossed flies.  As long as we could that is.  I believe Randy was the first one to go down for a snooze.  Scott fell asleep next.  Jeff and I fished but I must admit, I was sleep casting.  Neither of us moved a fish.

We were lucky to catch a jack for bait.  Other than that one we couldn’t buy a fish.  Things were slow.  Realistically, the good tide was last night and the next good one was late tonight.  We were out there giving it our best because we should be.  Even our jack bait wasn’t getting eaten.  Chris said it was the longest period without a shark bite he had ever experienced.  But then it happened.  Chris felt our bait begin to panic.  Then it stopped.  Then it got devoured.  Once the distant fish was hooked Chris handed the rod to Randy.

I’ve done a lot of things fishing but never this.  It was exciting to watch Randy hang on for dear life and to witness a reel of this size lose line fast.  Eventually the fish stopped its run and Randy heaved back and reeled.  He fought it for five minutes then handed the beefy rig to Scott.  Scott did five then it was my turn.  The last man on the rod was Jeff and then an average sized bull shark began thrashing in the surf.

Our guide Chris grew up along the Garden Coast in South Africa.  The region is famous for beach fishing for huge sharks and rays and Chris is very experienced in this fun sport.  He managed to finagle the shark onto high ground so the four of us could take a photo.  This catch was no great achievement by the four goofballs from the US but it sure was fun.  After our photo we slid the shark into the first big wave and released it unharmed.  After losing a couple fish to sharks last night we wondered if releasing it was the right thing to do.

We headed back to Sette Cama immediately after our shark catch.  We dreamt of a little nap before lunch.  However, once again, Gabon produced something amazing that sidetracked us.  We found two bull forest elephants wading the estuary feeding on fruits dangling over the water.  We watched in astonishment for at least 30 minutes.

We wandered back to camp just in time for 1 PM lunch.  While we succeeded in catching a shark, it was a slow morning of fishing in general.  For everyone.  Lunch made up for it though.  Last night we took home a giant African threadfin for eating and our chef had it ready.  Threadfin is absolutely delicious.  After the feast everyone went to bed.  Last nights three hours simply weren’t enough.  Even I fell asleep for two hours.

The evening fishing based on the tides was going to be even later than last night.  Head guide Mike said the tides wouldn’t be good until 10 PM.  Then our window would be a little shorter because we’re getting away from the new moon.  Regardless, he expected great fishing from 10 until about midnight.  As tired as we were that was fine.  We ate dinner at 7 PM then headed out just after 9.

We were all lined up casting away before 10.  There weren’t any fish jumping and things seemed slow.  Mike told us to relax and reminded us that he said things would heat up at 10.  I was way up on the top end and Mike advised me to move down closer to the mouth because that was better chance for a Kob.  But just as I was about to leave I hooked up.  It was so dark I couldn’t see but I heard jumps but it wasn’t fighting hard enough to be a tarpon.  It turns out my first fish of the night would be a Guinea barracuda.  This isn’t my first of this species but it’s my new biggest.

I left out a detail about last nights fishing.  I mentioned the destruction to yet another of Randy’s fly rods and his lost line.  What I forgot to mention was that when he became out of order I gave him my rig.  He didn’t want it but I had another.  Well, he managed to get schooled again and lost my line.  So tonight I was borrowing from the guides.  I took Mikes advice and moved to the front of the line where the Kob should be.  Just as I arrived Scott landed an absolute specimen of a Kob!

It was tight for space at the mouth of the lagoon but Scott and TJ generously told me to get between them.  Heck, Scott just got a Kob so I wasn’t about to turn away.  I barely had my line out then TJ went tight.  It good battle ensued and I reeled in and ran over.  Lo and behold, another gorgeous Kob!

After pics of TJ’s prize I went back to work.  The Kob were here and this was my chance.  One caught on both sides of me – there had to be one for me.  But time passed and so must have the Kob.  Not another was caught.  There were a few threadfin however including this dandy caught by Morgan.

My night got interesting with other fish however.  I hooked up and got schooled by something big.  Instead of it running out of the estuary this fish ran upstream.  It didn’t jump so it wasn’t a tarpon but it pulled so hard even with my Bauer drag maxed out it wouldn’t hold.  Then before we had a chance to see the fish it got sharked.  Damn it.  Its tragic when a fish gets taken by a shark but sometimes there’s nothing you can do.

Next I hooked into a tarpon right next to shore.  I went tight as the butt of my leader entered the rod and then the fish jumped.  It was less than 15 feet away.  The massive fish was fully lit by the moonlight.  I could see its eye as if to be angry with me.  I’m sure it was.  Knowing there were sharks around I heaved back and attempted to keep the fish from running.  At night we fish straight 80lb test leader.  Miraculously I held him for about 30 seconds but there was no stopping this one for long.

My Bauer SLT drag was set tight from my last fish.  As the giant tarpon took off I cranked it to the max.  With my spool turning already it wasn’t about to stop it.  I had to stop it myself.  I eased my hand towards the rim of the spool only to get my knuckles bashed.  It didn’t feel good and actually drew blood.

Just as my fly line left the rod the fish eased.  Then, with only about 20 feet of backing out the fish stopped.  I got a tight grip on my reel handle and instead of reeling I slowly backed up with my rod pointed towards the fish.  The tarpon was gradually coming my way.

I’d back up about 20 feet or so then reel myself back to waters edge.  Guide Oliver was at my side by now.  I got back about half my fly line.  I was feeling lucky.  But finally the tarpon knew the deal and used all its force.  The reel, which I was clenched onto tight, slipped from me.  My knuckles took another bashing and the fish screamed away about 100ft into my backing.

The fish stopped again and I started pulling him by walking backwards again.  I was gaining and things were looking good.  Then out of nowhere my backing snapped.  You have to be kidding!

It was tough luck.  Out the mouth of the estuary the fish had veered to the left which in turn meant my backing was likely dragging through sand.  Our theory is that it was basically sawed apart as it slid along.  That’s the first fly line I’ve lost since a coral disaster many years ago.

Other than the barracuda it wasn’t my night.  I was surrounded by Kob and couldn’t connect.  Then I appeared to be winning on a giant tarpon but lost in the end.  But everyone else managed to land at least a fish.   And this included David.  David is our man that’s been sick all week and tonight he finally made it out and landed two gorgeous threadfin.  I should also mention that Mike landed his second big cubera snapper of the week.

There was more tackle carnage tonight other than my fly line.  TJ hooked something huge as well.  The fish was running then his Mako Reel completely seized.  Mako’s are phenomenal reels and this is the first time I’ve heard of one failing.  But it did and TJ also lost a fly line.

And there was more.  After landing his fantastic Kob, Scott hooked up to something nasty and as the fish took off, his loose line bounced and wrapped around is Apple Watch.  Not good.  The line tightened around his high-tech time piece and ripped the watch from his wrist never to be seen again.  Then that fish got sharked.

The action died around midnight as expected.  We reeled it in about ten past.  We looked like an army of zombies.  Even the guides.  We have been fishing hard and sleep has been difficult to come by.  We returned to Sette Cama at 12:45 ready for bed.  No beers like last night.  We had one problem however.  A bull elephant was on campus so we had to stay in the boats until he left.  Luckily he only hung around for 15 minutes.  Bedtime.  Finally.

Jeff Currier Global Fly Fishing