Sunday, December 19, 2010

The Ultimate Challenge FINAL CHAPTER -Spotted Grunter (Pomadasys Commersonni) - SUCCESS!

 After 10 years of trying to get one on fly I finally did the impossible.  I caught a Spotted Grunter (Pomadasys Commersonni) on fly.  My friends can stop teasing me now.  It is possible.

These 3 days I spent 13 hours a day wading and stalking fish during various tides, freezing my ass off being hip deep in 16 degree celsius water and battered my 15knt winds.

Then at 18:00 on the final afternoon two fish tailed during an unusually high tide 8m off to my 2 o' clock.  I dropped a cast about half a meter ahead of the fish... two strips and one of the fish began following.  On the third strip it took hard.

It must have been one of the least enjoyable fights of my life.  After 10 unsuccessful years of hunting Spotted Grunter on fly the thought of losing it after a hookup was absolutely terrifying to say the least.

I would say I had 6 real chances in those 3 days, which is a few less chances than I've had all year. I've never put this amount into a fish.  I have tried every fly, technique and spot imaginable.  Euphoria.  Now I can get on with my life....

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The full story, parts 1 through 8:

-part one can be read here: http://borntoflyfish.blogspot.com/2009/12/spotted-grunter-pomadasys-commersonni.html
-part five can be read here: http://borntoflyfish.blogspot.com/2010/12/ultimate-challenge-part-spotted-grunter.html
-part six can be read here: http://borntoflyfish.blogspot.com/2010/12/experimenting-with-silicone.html  
-part seven can be read here: http://borntoflyfish.blogspot.com/2010/12/ultimate-challenge-part-7-spotted.html
-part eight can be read here: http://borntoflyfish.blogspot.com/2010/12/ultimate-challenge-final-chapter-i-did.html

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Spotted Grunter on Fly
Spotted Grunter on Fly

Spotted Grunter on Fly

fly fishing for spotted grunter, spotted grunter on fly, grunter on fly, fly fishing for grunter

3 comments:

  1. Well done :)
    Exellent read. Thank you so much for posting.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hi Peter
    Thanks for all the info. Interesting! Any chance that I can have another look at the Cracker Fly, possibly with some tying tips? I live in Richards Bay and we dont have many mud prawns but plenty of Crackers, Its not just the Grunter,everything eats them, I would love to have a decent Cracker Prawn pattern
    Cheers!
    Morgan Smit
    morgansmit@yahoo.com

    ReplyDelete

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