Grand garrick gang goes great guns

Anglers have been waiting patiently for the garrick to arrive properly at Alkantstrand’s northern pier.

The winter fish made their appearance some time back, with plenty of shad around for live bait, but the garrick have been scarce apart from the odd one or two that came out.

But it all paid off on Sunday for the dedicated guys who tough it out from well before daybreak in all weather conditions on weekends – and even weekdays if the shifts allow it.

The south-westerly wind is credited for bringing in the hungry shoal.

No fewer than seven garrick were landed in the space of three hours as the ratchets screamed, with a number of double hook-ups as anglers scrambled over the dolosse to grab their rods and reel them in.

They did in fact lose quite a few as these fighting fish outsmarted them by ducking under the dolosse, breaking the lines and avoiding the gaffs.

Star of the show was Poobal Viragavin, who showed the youngsters how to do it by landing two garrick as well as a kingfish.

All this while the short pier, just opposite Newark Beach, was absolutely dead – showing how fickle fish can be.

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