Huge Garrick/Leervis at Port st Johns caught between the illegal jiggers fishing with bucktail jig

This massive Garrick/Leervis was caught at Port st Johns in the Umzimvubu river spinning with light tackle. The huge fish was 122 cm fork length, which equates to approximately 23kg. Having reached their spawning grounds it can be very frustrating to tempt the Garrick to take a lure. Once finally hooked up the battle is not only with the fish as the illegal jiggers along the bank attempt to jig the fish off an anglers line. The river seems to hold huge shoals of these fish that are at the mercy of these jiggers lining the banks pulling in vast numbers of spawning fish that are not feeding. Follow our trip as we attempt to lure the fish, catch it then release it to swim safely away. #fishing #boat #wildcoast #garrick #bucktail #estuary #illegaljigging #Bensound's Royalty Free Music #leervis #river #Portstjohns #umzimvubu #liche #lichia #lichiaamia #leerfish #transkei

[@ricardomoodley2466]

That reel is boss I bought the 4000 got 15lb braid with 20lb fine fluorocarbon👌👌👌

[@FISHINGTHEWILDCOAST]

For sure i'm super impressed. The drag actually felt better than my shimano sustain.

[@ricardomoodley2466]

Okuma is topz honestly I have 3 okuma reels I never had any problem with any of them👌👌👌

[@pareshsokay2537]

Well done, you caught Garrick of a lifetime. The light tackle was taken to the limits. Nice music in the background as usual. Tight lines 👌

[@FISHINGTHEWILDCOAST]

thanks Paresh

[@gavinthatcher526]

Absolutely amazing Andre! So awesome to watch….

[@FISHINGTHEWILDCOAST]

Thanks Gav, you keeping well that side?

[@sagarennaidoo1768]

I fished that river many times never had.any luck weldone well played & amazing footage thank you.

[@FISHINGTHEWILDCOAST]

Ye Sagaren it is a 'feast or famine' river. We went many hours before hooking up which can be super frustrating.

[@surenbhola107]

Awesome catch guys Well done 💪💪💪👌👍

[@FISHINGTHEWILDCOAST]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@rajeshrajcoomar4662]

Awesome slab of a fish...well done

[@FISHINGTHEWILDCOAST]

Thanks Rajesh

[@kylerawlinson8404]

Brilliant fish and well done!! I saw 2 garrick that size jigged at first rocks earlier in August, I don't understand how the police and parks board can let those guys blatantly jig and do nothing about it, as I have said before they need to bring a task force in and take care of this problem once and for all. Instead the police stop everyone else asking for your fishing license, it is pathetic.

[@FISHINGTHEWILDCOAST]

Ye thanks Kyle. Will show more about the jigging in the next episode

[@habbyhome3054]

Nice fish. well fought under extreme pressure

[@FISHINGTHEWILDCOAST]

Thanks

[@philippemartinetti8215]

hello verry good job big fish!!!! liche amie 🤩🤩🤩🤩

[@FISHINGTHEWILDCOAST]

Thanks Philippe, apparently the Liche/Garrick get even bigger in your part of the world?

[@philippemartinetti8215]

@@FISHINGTHEWILDCOAST yes indeed but I only touch small seaside ones max 12 kilos good continuation see you soon!!!

[@NaeemKhan-pz5lc]

Well done bud. Nice catch and release. Can only imagine the situation of those arms the next morning. 😂... As for those jiggers something has to be done about them as they are fishing illegal stunts. The parksboard need to do something about them as we had the same cut off issues. But to you good catch good video well done to you both good team work.

[@FISHINGTHEWILDCOAST]

Thanks Naeem, ye will cover a bit more on the jigging in the 2nd episode

[@ChriSurf23]

What makes you choose okuma reels ? And do you recommend them ? Love your videos ! Keep it up 👍🏼

[@FISHINGTHEWILDCOAST]

Hi, I use a few different types of reels. That particular Okuma ITX is great value for money. It feels very similar in use to my way more expensive sustain. The more expensive top end reels are more hard wearing and definitely last longer.

[@ChriSurf23]

@@FISHINGTHEWILDCOAST Thanks so much ! Keep the videos coming 👏🏼

[@indrankistensamy3084]

Well done 🎣

[@FISHINGTHEWILDCOAST]

Thanks 👍

[@veezfishing8667]

lovely size on light tacklr

[@FISHINGTHEWILDCOAST]

thanks

[@ridwaankarim333]

Howzit guys. I got a trip to the south coast coming up What do you recommend as a bait or trace to catch these beauties

[@FISHINGTHEWILDCOAST]

Hey Ridwaan, by far the easiest way to hook up with a Garrick is using a livebait, preferably Shad or mackeral. Otherwise chisel nose plugs are pretty easy to throw and retrieve no action needed. Relatively light tackle with a flurocarbon trace helps. Good luck

[@leonnayager1389]

Which river is this . Is it the main river at port st john by lighthouse as they call it. Wud love to have some fun

[@FISHINGTHEWILDCOAST]

Ye Leon it is the main river, called the Umzimvubu. Comes out below the lighthouse

[@christoerasmus1655]

same place,67cm in 2017

[@FISHINGTHEWILDCOAST]

ye special place

[@brucealmighty6442]

Try the other left🤣🤣

[@gerhardpelser6277]

What a nice fish brother well done and then also a very awesome release guys please don't use God's name in Vain

[@FISHINGTHEWILDCOAST]

Will try my best

[@SonderKak]

Visualise a rugby team scrumming their opponents halfway across the field to score. Then you put their heads into a bucket of water! That's how a fish feels after a fight, when you take it out of the water. When it most needs oxygen, it can’t breathe! Keeping it out of the water does peripheral brain damage. In Kariba studies done showed that, even if fish swim away, they died a few days later, due to peripheral brain damage. Please think about this before cutting off the oxygen to an exhausted fish. Seconds count!

[@FISHINGTHEWILDCOAST]

Ye will bear it in mind

[@ArbyCreations]

What a fish, that is a proper monster. I get so angry about the jiggers in Port st Johns, SA is a joke when it comes to conservation and its so sad.

[@FISHINGTHEWILDCOAST]

Ye its a pretty hectic situation. Episode 2 will cover it a little better in a week or so.

[@markoconnor959]

Well done and an even bigger well done for returning our breeding stock to secure our fishing future!

[@FISHINGTHEWILDCOAST]

Thanks Mark

[@andrewwarren3566]

I'm heading down on Monday 😊 do you trawl the bucktail? Or you drifting and working it? Awesome fish, well done!

[@FISHINGTHEWILDCOAST]

Hi, as soon as we find where the fish are we like to drift and cast. Sometimes you need to spend a bit of time trawling and looking

[@benico341]

Goosebumps guys 🔥❤️amazing fish two years later better than never 😂😂

[@FISHINGTHEWILDCOAST]

Thanks bro

[@nivenbidassi2432]

Top video well done on the beast of a garrick. Which model supernova are you using

[@FISHINGTHEWILDCOAST]

I use the 7.7 MH. Originally had the M but definitely prefer this for lure fishing

[@jiveshgovender6197]

Awesome stuff .... fish of a lifetime on the ultra light ....congrats 👌🤙

[@FISHINGTHEWILDCOAST]

Thanks Jivesh

[@gordonleslie9588]

Insane!

[@stevebond9054]

Great footage of the fight. Well done.

[@FISHINGTHEWILDCOAST]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@joedashnaidoo4088]

What set up you was using

[@FISHINGTHEWILDCOAST]

Hi, I was using an Okuma ITX 3000 with an Assassin 7'6" spinning rod. 10 pd braid with a 30 pd fluro leader.

[@2claverton]

Well done, awesome catch and release!

[@FISHINGTHEWILDCOAST]

Thanks Duncan

[@clentcharra953]

It is so great to see a Garrick that size. Well done. Be safe and God bless 🙏

[@FISHINGTHEWILDCOAST]

Thanks Clent ya fish of a lifetime, Im pretty stoked with that.