Nice fish Dave

[alongtimegone]

A true story, although I confess to having taken a few liberties in the telling.
Dave ‘Nugget’ Downie, well known fishing personality, fishing writer and host of radio 4BCs ‘Talking Fishing’ program was videoed catching a large Spanish Mackerel off the beach during the 2008 Fraser Island Fishing Expo. I’ve fished with Dave a few times and am a member of his on line fishing club forum ‘Nugget Outdoors’. I wrote this poem for him after watching the video.

Nice Fish Dave!

Nugget went to Fraser, as he’s done oft times before
and one morning, with his surf rig, he strolled down to the shore.
He sorted through his lures ‘till he came up with a slug;
slim and sleek and shiny green; a real fish grabbing thug.

“I reckon this will do the job.” They all heard Nugget say
as he sent it, kamikaze style, to splash down through the spray.
He fished ten minutes, fifteen, maybe twenty -five or so.
A host of others would have said, “There’s nothing here. Let’s go.”

But Nugget (he’s a stayer) said, “I know that they’re about
and I mean to get me one or two before the morning’s out.”
The words had barely left his mouth when down the rod tip bent.
The line said “See you later Dave.” and off the spool it went.

It fairly flew. They heard it sing from several miles away,
‘till Nugget tightened up the drag and settled to the fray.
It started back towards him and he raced to wind in slack,
while thinking maybe Queenie, or Trevally, or a Mack.

Then off again as if to say “It’s not that easy mate.
I’ll be fighting to the last to keep my fillets off your plate.”
Now who am I to say that Nugget panted and he puffed
but his commentary told me he was pretty close to stuffed.

And as he turned that monster’s head and brought it up the bank,
I reckon he was looking up and whispering his thanks.
No - not because he’d won the fight and brought the Spaniard back,
but because he’d got the bugger in without a heart attack.

(The fish was photographed and released.)

Wazza

[r.magnay]

Great stuff Wazza, never caught mackerel but I have fished a few Mulloway/Jewfish out of the surf so I know what your on about!..

[alongtimegone]

Thanks Ross ... I've caught a few jewies in estuaries but never from the beach. One night maybe.
Wazza

[Maureen K Clifford]

Love it - could fair hear the wind whistling through my hair and feel the pippies under my toes - great poem Wazza - would be a great performance piece you should run it by Bob

[alongtimegone]

Thanks Maureen ... pity about the pippies, they've almost disappeared from our southern Queensland beaches, gone the way of so many of our inter-tidal life forms. The day was when I could easily collect a dozen for whiting and bream bait on the coast. Not any more.
Wazza