THE KINGFISHER MEGA CLEARANCE SALE IS ON!
It’s that time of year — our HUGE annual clearance is here! Get massive discounts on samples, soiled tradeshow stock, seconds, repairs, and end-of-range gear!
We’re talking masses of rods, reels, and terminal tackle — everything an angler could dream of all in one place.
ONLY at 53 Hunter Street, Durban – Thursday 4th Dec: 8am – 5pm, Friday 5th Dec: 8am – 5pm, Saturday 6th Dec: 8am – 1pm, Sunday 7th Dec: 8am – 1pm
Don’t wait — once it’s gone, it’s gone! Come early, grab the best gear, and get ready to fish like a legend!
Rock & Surf
This Clearance Weekend isn’t just about scoring deals — it’s about scoring monster fish and riding the wildest action the KZN coast has thrown at us all month! The lower north coast is LIT right now. Grey sharks, Honeycomb rays, and every skate imaginable are prowling the shallows like they’re spoiling for a showdown. Shad are stacked thick and smashing anything they can reach now that the season’s open — and big respect to all the legends keeping it clean with proper catch-and-release. And mackerel? Still the undisputed KING of bait. Dead, alive, halfway in-between — it’s getting DESTROYED the moment it hits the water. Rocky gullies? Bronze bream are going berserk on prawn baits, and with the wind finally chilling out, every cast feels laser-precise and dangerously effective.
Durban anglers who endured the chaos are already feasting, and now that the conditions are flipping in our favour, the bite is about to go nuclear. The harbour is still pumping for anyone skilled enough to dodge the Wala Wala, and that size 14 light-gauge circle hook continues to be straight-up cheating with how well it hooks fish. And down south? Margate Pier is still an absolute battleground — Garrick, Bream, Hammerheads, everything is ON THE CHEW — and with calmer seas rolling in, we’re shifting into full-send mode.
This Clearance Weekend is serving up smoother seas, crisp casts, and fish that are fully switched on. Gear up, get out there, and make it count — the coast is READY TO POP!
Offshore:
To some, it’s the “chicken of the sea,” to others, the “green and gold.” Internationally they call it Mahi Mahi… but this past week we haven’t stopped yelling DORADO-O-O-O-O-O! Offshore anglers from north to south are FIRED UP, with everything from lively juveniles to absolute BULLS coming onboard. And with this weekend coming up… I’m buzzing to get out there!
The north coast has been LIT! Boats and skis are bending like crazy, and the tuna… WOW. Proper chunks! Live bait has been the hero — mackerel especially — and nothing keeps them kicking quite like the Pelagic Series Live Bait Clip. But if livies are playing hard to get, throw on a Pelagic Bait Swimmer and keep the mission going.
Couta are smashing almost anything right now — chartreuse and pink flashers on dead baits, and that trusty green glow bead on live bait traces are stealing the show.
Durban has been BUZZING! Even with rough weather, those sheltered launches have kept anglers on the water and the action has been nonstop. Dorado is hands-down the catch of the week, but tuna and couta have been right behind them.
Trolling skirted lures? Absolutely deadly. Everything from tuna to billfish to BIG dorado have been climbing on. Pick your colours and let them swim! Snoek are still in the mix too, and bottom fishing has delivered some chunky rockcod. Remember — release the smaller guys and keep our reefs thriving.
The south has mirrored the madness — nonstop excitement! Dorado have been everywhere, tuna and couta are feeding hard, and trolling skirts is still the hot ticket. With snoek still schooling and rockcod coming up solid, the fishing down south has been nothing short of ELECTRIC. Preserve the future: let the small ones swim another day.
This weekend can’t come fast enough — rods are ready, traces tied, cooler box washed… LET’S GO FISHING!
Freshwater:
News from Jan: As can be expected for this time of year, the summer rains are making their presence known … last week’s cumulative rainfall figures for The Midlands are in the 50-60mm range … filling Midmar and Albert Falls Dams by 1 and 2 percent respectively, and the Mgeni System by another percent .. thatsa lotta water! Good news for the stillwater anglers, but less so for the river anglers. Again, the rainfall has been unpredictably here-and-there, so keep a watchful eye on the forecasts / warnings and grab the gap(s) in the weather as they present themselves.
Just a single return from a Natal Fly Fishers Club angler from a yellowfish beat – a blank sadly in this case, but reports from other anglers indicate that while fishing is tough at present, there are some good fish to be had.
Storms in the Central ‘Berg area have resulted in some big water coming down, colouring up the lower reaches. With very little / no agriculture, the upper reaches should remain much clearer and potentially fishable, water level dependent of course … a 3rd Leg (aka wading staff) is a handy tool, providing some extra stability when crossing a river / stream under high(er) flow.
Reports indicate that water temperatures are currently between 14 and 18deg.C. … and should hopefully remain cool till the main summer heat arrives, usually later in the month.
Due to the muddy conditions across The Midlands (aka Mudlands), the NFFC stillwaters might also be considered “safe” from anglers … but who dares, wins as the saying goes, and a return reporting fish in the 13-15 inch / 33-38cm range proved the point for the intrepid anglers … who further commented that the drive out was “interesting” after the rains.
Last weekend saw the NFFC holding it’s annual ‘Future Anglers’ youth and ladies event. This well-attended event has become a staple on the NFFC calendar, with the view to attracting more juniors and ladies to the art of The Long Rod, and “flinging a fly”. The anglers were treated to an introduction to fly fishing tackle, casting instruction, as well as the after of Fly Tying.
The increasing concerns around Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) in The Midlands were highlighted once again by a statement from the Minister of Agriculture, and being addressed locally by the uMngeni Municipality at a recent urgent special meeting of all livestock owners, to discuss actions and plan a way forward in controlling the spread of the disease.
To assist landowners in protecting their stocks, the NFFC has closed a number of its waters at their request, and the NFFC further requests all anglers to please follow any landowner / staff / SAPS / SANDF requests to respect their vehicle/footwear biosecurity and transport/travel protocols as required.
Contrary to the usual expectations for summer, the bass angling remains on the lowdown. Not a peep to be heard from Albert Falls, while Midmar continues produce some good numbers, albeit small fish presently. There are some fish coming to hand at the (private) farms dams.
Word from the bank anglers is that carp are active at both Midmar and Albert Falls.
Sterkfontein Dam however, is currently giving up the goods! With the odd “iffy” day in-between as a result of cooler, overcast conditions and a drop in pressure, when the weather clears and there is some sun warm the waters, it’s Game On! reports guide Jeremy Rochester of Escape Fly Fishing. There have been some excellent fish coming to hand … big, fat, and in superb condition reports guide David Weaver. Top flies at present are hoppers in brown and black, black beetles, and also ant patterns in the late afternoon. Head on up north to this World Class Sight Fishing destination!
For the best in tackle and advice, pop into any of the seven Kingfisher stores, they are open 8am-5pm Mon-Fri, 8am-1pm on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays.
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Please send any info about fishing or fish caught in your area to Vinesh Soogreem – vineshs@kingfisher.co.za
