Melkbos Ballerina

The last time I was in Melkbos I was on a date with a ballerina. She was blond and tight and super lekker and I almost spend half my salary to convince her that I was her soulmate. As it turned out I was her sole mate, because she walked right over me. Being a dancer and all, she tiptoed all around my suggestive charms and I ended up driving home half battered and fully bruised. She must have been a cricketer in her previous life because this Romeo got flat batted right out of the park! Luckily as I limped into Skelmbosch I realised that Die Akker was still open and companionship was never far away with a double at 2 am…

So when I drove into the town this Saturday I couldn’t help but smirk at a memorable night. I also had the real possibility of going 2 and 0 in Melkbos because I have never fished the area and blanking again was a distinct probability. I didn’t have a clue of what, where and how. Confidence wasn’t high either as I have no faith in the West Coast fish. Though I know that there are some fish around, they have somehow always avoided me.

Burtie suggested that we fish Melkbos for a change during last week and I wasn’t keen because of obvious reasons. But the weather was not great on the southern coast and I reluctantly agreed to go have a throw on the western side of Table Mountain.

When we arrived at our spot, I had with me salted wonder and blood worm and some old mussel. I wasn’t pleased to find out that the bait of choice was tjokka and sard. Luckily my team mates was happy to share some of their bait and the first cast went in at about 6:30. A couple of months ago I joined the grinder revolution, so my Spheros 10k and Battalion Medium was baited with a tjokka/sard combo on a dingle dangle. My other rod, a Poseidon Light paired with a Torium HG20 was baited with wonder worm.

Burtie was in first! I couldn’t believe it, I didn’t expect much, but he was actually fighting with something. The fish gave him a nice pull and after a couple of minutes later he landed a really good looking kobbie of 74cm. He was really chuffed, not only because he caught something for a change, but also because he was afraid the team might blank and then he would have to put up with the regular banter directed at him.

I decided to check my dingle dangle and when I reeled in I was surprised to find only an empty circle hook. The dingle dangle and bait was gone, how that can happen I don’t know. Since I didn’t have that much tjokka left, and not wanting to make a nuisance of myself begging for bait every second cast, I decided to build a smallish bait. I took out a 1’0 Mustad Big Gun, added some floatation to it and wrapped the hook with a tjokka and sardine combo. I made a good cast to way behind the drop off.

After about half an hour my stomach started growling and I walked to my bag to open some nuts I bought earlier. As I picked up the packet I saw my rod dip and then shoot back. I ran, picked up the rod and got pulled flat as line started peeling of my reel! The fish then danced towards me for a second and then went on her second run with amasing strength. After the second run the fish came tiptoeing straight towards me and I thought I had lost it until the line tightened up again and I lost another couple of meters on the next salsa. I said to the guys I think its a shark because there was no real head nods, only this short strong runs. Luckily though after a while I saw a silver flash and with a helping wave I beach a stunning 88cm kobbie. If she had gone on one more run I would probably have lost her since she was only hooked in a tiny piece of skin on the top lip. This was my biggest fish caught from the beach on the West Coast so I was really happy.

Of course after this, my silent insecurity turned into a over confident babble. Sighs of despair turned into cheerful laughs as I told the guys that at least this silver ballerina couldn’t avoid my seductive offerings.