A tick off my bucket list;
Yeah yeah, it was caught on spinning gear and not on the fly. It was so windy and casts had to be perfect. It was however caught on my OWN gear with 10lb line. The guide (who was outstanding btw) said this fish was 13-14lbs.
The fight was unforgetable. It was like nothing I have experienced before. I was giggling the whole time like a 10 year old Japanese girl eating jello for the first time. The strength of these fish is incredible.
In 5 hours, I casted exactly 6 times. If you don't land it perfectly, the fish are GONE. The guide spotted them and said, 'LOOK, right there!!!!", I look and can't see ANYTHING. Yes I had polarized lenses on. The quality guides down there can spot them, untrained eyes, you see NOTHING.
He would yell out, "2 o'clock, 40 yards!" and I would try to land it. I had one hook up and after a quick run, lost him. Another bite/turn and off. And this one I got to hand. Like I said, 6 casts, TOTAL, all day. You simply don't cast until he says too. You will be casting at sand if you try to blind cast for fish out there.
What an experience.