File this one under “Extreme Fishing Adventures” Few people go out on their kayak to target a marlin. Most would consider this apex ocean predator off limits for such a small vessel. When kayak angler/dentist Tommie Strydom launched his yak off the New South Wales coast of Australia, he didn’t go out with the intention of catching a marlin. He was slow drifting a live bait when it just happened. Such is the allure of ocean fishing.
In this article, read all about Tommie’s once-in-a-lifetime thrill ride, which he was lucky enough to catch on video as well.
It was the one that didn’t get away — a monster marlin which came off second best after a one-hour tussle with a kayak-paddling dentist off the northern NSW coast.
But the estimated 90kg catch still lived to swim another day — lucky it wasn’t considered a more flavoursome fish by its captor.
Tommie Strydom was coasting in his kayak near Coffs Harbour earlier this month with fishing buddy Paul Pallet nearby when the line suddenly started flying off his reel.
The local dentist, who has been fishing in the waters for about the past five years, told the Telegraph his first thought was that a shark must have got a bite on his live bait.
“I picked up the rod and the next minute there was a marlin,” Dr Strydom said.
Photos: The Daily Telegraph
