Dads fishing report

Here's a report written by my dad (Mike Frost) regarding our fishing trip to Namibia.

Sadie and my Mom think it's the best thing since sliced bread.

I'll get the pics up when I think I can handle it.

Enjoy

I have always been led to believe that fishing is a game of skill and sporting ability. If I go fishing with the manne I normally take to looking after (and emptying) the cooler box as I am told you have to know what you are doing. I also realize the dangers of fishing where I have seen these guys on the coast with hooks stuck in fingers (Jean?), lips (Mike?) and even one guy (Vaughan) catching his eyelid. The eyebrow even had the doctors in stitches when Vaughan arrived with a fly in the eye. He thought it was a new punk rocker coming for a check-up. Because of all this danger and lack of skills, I sneak off far away to do my own thing and catch tigerfish. After doing this a few times, I thought I was getting good enough, so I invited my family to go to Kalizo on the Zambezi to catch tigers. My sons, Bruce and Hilton, were up for the challenge as they have caught monsters before. Bruce’s girlfriend Sadie was a novice, so she was given an old rod and reel, just in case a fish felt charitable and it would keep her busy for the 10 days. I didn’t bother taking a rod for Beth because she is a REAL novice and she is very good at handing out refreshments and taking photos.

Chilling out one morning, Bruce casts from the boat and hands Beth the rod to hang on to whilst he fiddles with something, I think the camera or probably checking that Sadie is OK and knows what to do. Suddenly the guide yells to Beth that she has a fish on the line. Beth yells back that she doesn’t know what to do so we all yell in unison to strike. Well, after a few really hard yanks, letting the line go slack and have a rest in between, the fish runs. Now we all know that tigers, given the slightest slack in line get away so we think we can cast and get on with our fishing. To our utter amazement, the fish stayed on the line. Beth, not having ever used a bait caster before didn’t know which way up to hold the reel, or how to reel it in. After MANY yelled instructions she got the idea and actually landed the fish. 4.5kgs!

Well, occasionally the ladies have luck and we knew that us men were going to land bigger ones, just because that is the way it is supposed to happen. I can’t remember the time that passed by, but it must have been a few beers, days, and a couple of tiger teasers, Sadie started pulling them in. Lots of them. Us guys were limited to between 1 and mainly 4.1 kg fish (we are convinced the guide’s scale was jammed on 4.1kgs, next time I am taking my own scale). Whilst we were casting across the river and keeping away from Sadie to give her a sporting chance, she let her line drift around and under the boat. She then pulled in this monster. I think it was about 5kgs, but really, us guys had lost interest by then.

Is it skill or luck?

Beth’s record – 0 casts, 1 fish.

By the way, I am looking for a new sport!

Mike