What the f*** was it?

I went out for a dabble off the rocks near Cronulla NSW the other evening and caught an undersized yellow tailed kingfish.

Then I hit into a fish which went like hell and took an estimated 40 yards of line off the spool at incredible speed. This resulted in the 15 lb line snapping like cotton! My fault of course as I should have set the drag on the Okuma reel at a lighter setting.

I wonder what it was. I've caught some fair sized salt water fish in my life, but never from the shore have I hooked a fish that went so fast!

Any of you guys fished the NSW coast and hooked something similar?

My brother fishing for his tea, does regularly from the shoreline in Exmouth WA Ron, he say's they're sharks!

Fishing with Chevin and his mate Fred, also off Exmouth 2 years ago, I hooked a Bullshark, but the thing wasn't fast, just slow like a tank and unmovable.

This thing was fast, really fast.

There is no doubt that Oz has some of the best saltwater fishing in the world. What I like about this country is that they look after the fishing. Strict size and bag limits apply and woe betide any who contravene the fishing rules. You even require a licence to fish in the sea off NSW.

As a result any sea angler is generally assured of a couple of nice fish to take home to eat whenever they decide to have a try.

when i was back packing in oz i hooked a huge sting ray from a beach near mission beach went off took loads of line then stopped and wouldnt move for half an hour then finally managed to get it in 2 hours later. also while beach fishing for threadfin salmon on 80 mile beach had sharks take the salmon while reeling them in only to have a head left on the hook!

Stingrays are usually slow and unstoppable. This one was fast. It could have been almost anything but a very big kingfish, a spanish mackerel or perhaps a sailfish would be high on my list.
Dreaming again... sigh...

Russian Sub......

Who knows Ron, the sea throws up species in places now you would never have found them before.

Grimsby years ago was known world wide as the place to fish for Giant Tuna, not now.

Thanks for the comments chaps. I'm out after them tomorrow. The Oz coast is fishing very well at the moment. One bloke told me that it's because the fish are trying to escape the tsunamis tyhat are going around the antipodes at the moment.

Will be back in Pommie Land shortly.

Spainish mackeral Big trevally Big Yellow tail ,Mulloway (dont know the queensland name ).
We were fishing off Shark Bay in WA when the outboard packed up on the topper ,we were about 3 miles out so had to row back (not something I would endorse).We got to about 50 yds of the shore and could see the bottom was only about 3 or 4 ft deep so jumped out to pull the boat the last few yds (rowing was knackering)started walking the boat to shore when out the corner of my eye saw 2 dorsal fins ,needless to say I was back in the boat totally dry within milliseconds.We found out when we got the boat in that people had been gutting fish there before coming in .The fins belonged to 2 bronze whalers of the 6 foot variety ,sure woke me up .So could have been a shark as well