Hey guys, ast night after a long lull at around 2:00am, while fishing close to Port Qasim (please see location on google earth) area, I could feel a sudden pull and my surf rod bent all the way down. I patiently hooked the fish with a normal jerk and started my cautious retrieval. Suddenly the line slacked and the fish had cut through my STEEL LEADER. Any idea what specie of fish could bite through steel wire in these creek waters?

It might not have been bitten, it might have just snapped.

The main suspect would be a shark or ray. But when the line is under load pretty much any large fish. Even a rock could cut the steel trace when under load.

Steel trace still has a breaking strain limit just like normal fishing line. If your rod bent fully over, then you would have been close or even past the breaking limit.

Thanks itsa... In a local forum the reply was that some of the other anglers had the same experience in the area suspecting a reef shark

Two things I can come up with; One. A croc. or gator. second the steel wire doubled back on it self forming a loop. This when pulled tight will cause the wire to snap. inspecting the end should reveal all.
A slight kink will mean a loop. a jagged edge a tooth mark.
Enjoy your forensic study.

There was no kink but rather it was cut as if with a cutter. There are no saltwater gators in this part of the world. I was casting in a saltwater creek. We did bag some mangrove Jack's.

It sounds like a tooth of sorts got at you.
Well if you don't find out at least you will have a story to tell you grandchildren.:woot:

Interesting!
Based on my experience with situations like this (snapped steel wires) it can be either a shark or a barracuda.
Big Barras are capable of cutting through steel wire.
However, from the behaviour you are describing it sounds more like something it also might be an amberjack that you have hooked, which then dragged you on a rock and that might have snapped your steel wire, even though, regardless of what lots of people say, you can assume safely that steel wire does not break that easily when shear force is acting on it from a rock!

i think its a Barracuda!

Is the place you were fishing famous for attracting Barras?

Methos