b'The Tica surfcasting combo got a good workout and with 35lb Siglon braid, it enabled the angler to apply the hurt to subdue the king in the surf.The fish didnt stop, and it took overFive minutes laterI ran back to the ute to grab my GoPro 200m of line out, he had cast aroundcamera.Why hadnt I filmed some of the 100m and had 300m of newer 35lband Brian had a soliddamn fight, I said to myself as we both Sunline tied to his older braid which wenthit and his Tica surfcasterthought it was a ray or shark.out and he hoped his knot was good. Brian was shagged after such a battle The fish soon slowed and stopped, actingdoubled over, and linewith stiff arms and aching back, and we very ray like.He put a lot of hurt onstarted screaming fromquickly took photos and packed up to the fish with my eager encouragementdrive the 30 minutes back to Glinks Gully and slowly started to get it moving backthe reel. to get off the beach on the fast-rising towards the beach. high tide wasnt leaving much room.We The powerful fish was heavy, and itsee the long 15m wind-on tapered leadermeasured the fish which was 107cm and took an age to get it to keep coming inand I told him to drop the rod so I canestimated weight around 35lb.It was fat by using the waves to help and Brian hadgrab it and had the knife ready in oneand good condition, and the fresh trevally to walk up the beach to keep constanthand as a sweeping wave bought the fishbait on an Eagle Claw 6/0 hook had done pressure on the fish.This weight wasin closer to me.I thought I saw a hint ofthe job.beginning to also tell on the angler, andyellow in the white water and then I sawIt is interesting to note that kingfish Brian was struggling under the strain. it was indeed a kingfish! taking cut baits by surfcasters along After a good 25 minutes and the fishI turned around and threw the knifeRipiro Beach had become more common was starting to give up and Brian wasaway up into the soft sand and yelled itover the past few years, the west getting more line back, I told him to gowas a good sized kingie.Brian laughedside kings are less fussy as they dont hard and keep walking back up and keepand replied, yeah whatever Mat! But heencounter anglers as much as on the east the line straight to put the hurt on thesaw the look in my eye and my renewedcoast.Also, with the latest surfcasters, fish now.It was getting closer to us witheffort to land the fish as I waded intoreels, and braid available it means the the last couple of sweeping waves whichthigh deep water taking extra care withgear is better for taking on larger species were getting bigger on the incoming tide. the leader. to give you improved chances to land I could see the kingie was stuffed andsuch fish.KNIFE FOR HOOK I waited for an incoming wave to gentlyIt is just another reason I love I went and grabbed a knife to get readyguide it up onto the hard sand whilesurfcasting the west coast, you never to cut the hook off and as I passed Brian,I pulled on the leader.Brian couldntknow what will turn up and big fish he commented he just wanted to seebelieve it with the long, yellow andare commonly encountered out on what it was before I cut it.I could nowgreen torpedo glistening in the sun asthe Tasman.FIGZ /FISHINGINGODZONE33'