Doing Battle with the Torpedo
By Stefano Norcia
About three years ago I decided to buy a kayak to go fishing on the river PO for a large catfish called, “TORPEDO”
Finally it comes time to load the kayak on the car and head for the river, that Great river: the PO, in search of the beast that dominates these waters: THE TORPEDO.
The whole week was spent preparing and planning, consulting the weather and carefully analyzing the levels of the river to decide on the spot.
Given that the water temperature was about 4-5 degrees Celsius at most, I chose to fish and area where the bottom creates lumps and bumps from 5 to 6 meters to 10 to 14 in a few hundred meters. Our mustached friedl loves to hang out behind these steps while waiting for a tasty morsel that the current offers without the fish having to spend energy.
Arrived on the bank. The atmosphere was magical: the sunrise with incredible colors through the haze, the water calm and quiet, I was anxious to hook a nice fish.
I hurriedly unloaded everything and installed echo sounder and GPS, and so prepare the bait in the water.
Given the size of the fish you use pitfall rods at least 150g and 2 meters long to fish a vertical Manie a technique very profitable this season that exploits precisely the stationing of prey behind our steps and ravines, presenting a prey that looks to easy and safe for the catfish to eat. Through our experience and reading of the water, we find the mustache descending in the current. Then with the help of the fishfinder, I present the bait accurate to the millimeter.
The river gives me good vibes and after a few meters of drifting a powerful attack does not catch me off guard and the fight begins. I feel the fish; it is heavy and angry and starting giving warheads like lightning towards the center of the river. The 100 pound test braid transfers the excitement mixed with the ever-present fear of losing the big one.
But still I feel what I love, the size of 2/0 hook, has set firmly into the huge mouth of this extraordinary fish that has come to us directly from prehistory unchanged – it is a true war machine.
Finally, after about twenty minutes afloat, I see the the torpedo in all its majesty; it is gorgeous revealing all the camouflage colors of the perfect hunter.
We land the fish with care, my friend takes two pictures and we let the fish free back to its environment with the respect that you must have for an animal of this kind.
The thrill fishing of fishing in a river for a huge catfish is always impressive. And the fear of making an unpleasant mistake is always present. But kayak fishing for big game is a disease, a drug that makes you always look for the prey bigger than the previous one.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vmO2uhkl1dI&list=FLz4O1jZIyVIoeNuwEIu4Ziw&index=1
http://www.youtube.com/user/norciaste
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sszHvsI-1Fw&list=FLz4O1jZIyVIoeNuwEIu4Ziw&index=7
