my first tope

[bubba gump shrimp]

People:me, forest, doit 1983

Duration:4pm to 9pm

Tide:tide falling and low

Weather:very warm and cloudy then very very very wet then very warm and the sea went flat calm

Bait: frozen whole mac cut in half got bites on head and tail

Rigs:pully

Results:me tope forest doggie doit 1983 blank

this is my first post for a while now not because i have not been out but because there was nothing worth writing about until now. I decided to try fishing a spot i fished with forest at the end of the summer last year where i got bit off 7 times even when i put on a fox pike snap trace. we thought it might be tope but no could land one. we arrived at the mark and waited for the water to drop a bit then the baits went in i tied up a lovely big mac head with the blood still driping from it which i thought was strange for a frozen bait. the weather started out nice and warm but slightly overcast so i was feeling hopeful of a fish and this time we were prepared with proper traces and 80lb shock leaders as a rubbing trace. after my bait was out about 30 mins i got a pick up but it was droped soon after. i let the bait stay hoping it was still on then my reel screemed again but same thing again another break off rubbed straight through the 80lb rubbing leader. Not beign one who gives up easy i quickly tied up and rebaited and cast out only to be rewarded with another screeming run right away this time i hit it hard keeping a tight line the fish came shooting out of the water about 50 yards in front of me i could see it was a shark and it was big. A bit of panic set in along with excitment but i knew i had to get it in after 15 20 mins of hard pulling and reeling i saw my leader coming out of the water and with a little help from the boy's i had my first ever tope and my biggest ever fish but to top it all of it was from the shore and not a boat. we got a couple of pics and she went back to the deep unharmed. the tope weighed in around 40lb and apart from forest getting a doggie it was the last bite we got. could anyone tell me what a good reel would be for tope fishing as i burn out the clutch on my shimano baitrunner 8000


Report:

[Al]

Fair play

[bigbadtom]

Fantastic fish Bubba well done.

[Aurelien]

Brilliant ... I'm definitely tackling up for tope ...

[cormology]

The smile says it all well done

[saltydog]

Congrats that's a super fish as for reels can't help you on the fixed spools but multis abu7000, penn535, slosh30 would all be suitable.

[KERRY1]

A fish of a lifetime, congratulations

[cw1]

congrats, thats a fine fish How far out were you fishing?

[dfella25]

Well worth the reel man cracking fish, very well done.

[matt69]

nice going.one for my wish list.

[eyesreilly]

Fantastic,well done

[roger de dodger]

i,d say casting a mac and weight alone fecked up your reel lovely fish a penn 525 will handle tope no prob and it will cast well too

[masterkeane]

Fair play man sweet fish

[Tom H]

Well done great fish from the shore

[nifisher]

Fantastic fish there. Thats one you will be able to tell the Grandkids about!!

Where about were you fishing for them just a general area not looking the exact spot.

Jonny

[lampard]

Great fish

[bubba gump shrimp]

cheers for the comments ive heard alot about the penn 525 mag i think i might need it if im going to beat my pb.

[peterw]

Absolutely fantastic , well done dude

[lucky]

well mate i would love to break my best reel with a fish like that... the smile says it all.. a big well done......

[Beetlejuice]

Great fish bubba, where abouts did you catch it? would like to try that mark!