NPD Saratoga

[Jono4500]

Was out setting some redclaw traps today, thought I'd throw out a line whilst mucking around with traps hoping a competition winning bass would swim by. Pretty happy with the by-catch. My 1st ever saratoga - 71 cm.  Sat back afterwards thinking about all the times I drag around a ton of gear for little reward, how much I can overthink fishing and how you never really know your luck.  ( Forgive the partial nudity, was in the water untangling a line when rod went off)

[AUS-BNE-FISHO]

Wow! That’s an awesome toga Jono! Great job. Would’ve been a great fight.
They’re pretty rare from NPD right ? 

[Jono4500]

Ta, they're stocked in the dam, I spotted a few over years but 1st 1 I've caught. Yeah top fight on a $15 big W telescopic whiting set up

[Another Wazza]

Nice work Jono!, that’s a quality toga

[Kat]

Partial nudity forgiven!

[Neil Stratford]

Well done Jono, quality fish that one .
 Good photo too ! 
You should have just said,  you dived on it and man wrestled it out !! 
congrats

neil

[Kat]

Oh yes and nice fish! Are they good eating?

[Jono4500]

He went straight back in after photos, was more than happy watching him swim off

[ellicat]

Nice surprise, Jono. Well done.

I reckon you're right - we can all overthink it at times.

[Jono4500]

I also recall a young fella on this site who does alright on the bass once told me to restock the bass works out at $1 a fingerling but saratoga $100 each. I could be way off on those numbers though. 

[Bob9863]

I never targeted them but pulled a few in while Barra fishing in the NT. 

They fight pretty good, and that's a nice one. 

[Bretto77]

11 hours ago, Kat said:

Oh yes and nice fish! Are they good eating?

They are not renowned for their table prowess as far as I am aware.

[Bretto77]

12 hours ago, Jono4500 said:

Ta, they're stocked in the dam, I spotted a few over years but 1st 1 I've caught. Yeah top fight on a $15 big W telescopic whiting set up

Just goes to show that any tool is only as good as the one using it

[kmcrosby78]

3 hours ago, Bretto77 said:

Just goes to show that any tool is only as good as the one using it

Hey @Jono4500, I think he just called you a 'tool' ....... .

Cracking toga BTW, especially for your first and on that gear, fantastic!!!

[kmcrosby78]

3 hours ago, Bretto77 said:

They are not renowned for their table prowess as far as I am aware.

Definitely better returned to be caught again (and I'm no catch n release only type of guy ). We caught a couple when I was about 12 or so in Connors River west of Mackay and not knowing any better, we cooked them up. Tasted like mud (no doubt this was at least partially due to the water they were living in) and had a million large bones.

Sidenote - we caught them both on dusk in a canoe and my youngest brother almost flipped us out of it when the first one was brought over the side - in the low light he was convinced it was a snake!!!!  

[Bretto77]

5 minutes ago, kmcrosby78 said:

Hey @Jono4500, I think he just called you a 'tool' ....... .

Cracking toga BTW, especially for your first and on that gear, fantastic!!!

Never .... I said exactly the same thing about myself the other day

[Jono4500]

Like water off a ducks back...