Spearfisherman lands absolute beauty

LOCAL spearfisherman, Grant Powell, has been plying his trade for 10 years, but never seriously, he admits.  But little did he know he was about to land his biggest catch ever, a 44kg Daga Salmon, just 200 metres off uMhlanga’s shore.

“It was a massive achievement! Only once I got to shore did I really have a chance to stop and realize my achievement. My second biggest fish is 18kgs, so 44kgs is just above and beyond. I really didn’t expect to be coming out with this beast when I was going in.

Powell said conditions on the day were pretty good. “Both me and my mate Andy swam out to our usual spot about 200 metres off shore, that’s when I spotted a dark shadow, my thoughts were is it a dolphin, or is it Brindle Bass or one of the protected fish? Its either a Prodigal Son or a Daga Salmon,” he said.

Powell said the hardest part was getting the 44kg whopper to shore. “So to try swim a 44kg fish into shore, where do you hold it? How do you drag it best? The gills are razor sharp, but the bottom of them is manageable except when every now and then it tries for a last breath nearly crushing my fingers.

“I was breathing like I’ve just run the comrades and now I have to hit the waves(the hard part). But I cant stop for fear of Sharks taking my prize. Lucky only a small wave throws me around a bit and I manage to get past the breakers. Now Im swimming in to shore, I can see about 10 fishermen in front of me but I’m on top of my fish so they cant see anything, they wondering what im doing coming in straight over their lines but I know they will be stoked when they see my catch. As I hit the shorebreak I give one fist pump to one fisherman and then show them my fish.

“To which everyone comes running to see, fathers are showing their kids, fishermen asking questions. Only then was I able to relax and recount, revel in the awe, guess the weight, post it on facebook, phone the girl friend, tell mom i’m going to be late for her birthday, and then weigh it,” Powell enthused.