KZN — DROP EVERYTHING, IT’S TIME TO FISH!
This February, The Kingfisher is celebrating love — fishing style!
Show your love for fishing and each other!
Send us your best photo of you and your partner sharing special moments on the water, and you could WIN a R2 000 dinner voucher for the best picture!
Got a catchy couples or team name? You could also score a R2 000 Kingfisher voucher!
The competition runs from 1 to 13 February 2026. Share your image on our Facebook page on our Valentines thread. Email your team name to promos@kingfisher.co.za and receive a 14% OFF coupon to use in-store or online!
The Kingfisher — where love, fishing, and great rewards come together.
Rock & Surf:
The coast has gone full throttle and shore anglers are getting worked in the best way possible. Drags are howling, rods are buckling, and the species list is STACKED. If you’re putting in the hours, the ocean is paying you back BIG TIME.
UP NORTH = FULL CONTACT MODE. Tugela and Mtunzini are serving up proper bruisers, with inedibles dominating and bloody baits like mackerel and bonito getting annihilated. Edibles are sneaking out of bays and gullies too, keeping things spicy between the chaos. This is big-water fishing — go prepared and fish smart.
CENTRAL COAST = CONSISTENT AND CHAOTIC. Durban’s go-to zones like Glen Ashley, Blue Lagoon and the Basin are delivering solid edible action with shad, grunter and stumpnose coming through regularly. Want pain? Grey sharks, skates and fired-up sand sharks are stepping in and making every metre of line count.
THE SOUTH COAST IS STRAIGHT-UP UNHINGED. This is the HOT ZONE right now. Scratch anglers are smiling with quality stumpnose, bream, kingfish and proper shad on the cards. Push deeper and it turns savage — hammerheads are folding rods and exposing weak setups. Octopus bait has been absolute gold, while redeye sardine combos are pulling honeycombs out of hiding. The anglers plugged into the daily chatter are absolutely FEASTING.
With fishing this wild, look after your gear. Quick freshwater rinses, check rollers and guides, and keep everything tight — because the next screaming run is never far away.
The season is building FAST. Right now… the KZN coast is THE place to be this weekend. If you’re not fishing, you’re missing out.
Offshore:
It’s been proper sauna fishing off Durban, with tricky offshore conditions keeping anglers on their toes — but those who adapt are getting PAID. Shifting water colour and bouncing temperatures have turned every trip into a thinking game, and the crews reading it right are walking away smiling. Reef fishing has been rock solid, producing quality Englishman and jaw-dropping John Dory, while the shallower zones are alive with Dorado, Snoek and Couta. The Couta may be on the smaller side for now, but seeing them close in is a massive green light for what’s coming next. Push deeper into cleaner, warmer water and it’s been consistent Dorado action — patience absolutely rewarded.
NORTH COAST = RELENTLESS ACTION. This has been one of the most reliable offshore zones, especially in the shallows where Dorado are fired up and smashing baits. Snoek and Couta are spread wide, with solid numbers wherever cleaner water shows. Conditions have been patchy, sure — but hit the right temp break and the bite switches on FAST. Reef fishing has kept rods bent and spirits high.
SOUTH COAST IS BUILDING MOMENTUM. Further south, it’s been a steady grind that’s starting to pay off. Dorado are still featuring, particularly deeper where the water is cleaner and warmer. Snoek are hanging around, and all signs point to Couta numbers climbing as things settle. Bottom fishing has been dependable, keeping boats busy, and with water quality improving by the day, the South Coast is lining up for a proper summer run.
Sweaty decks. Screaming reels. Big rewards.
Read the water, chase the temperature, and don’t be scared to move — offshore fishing is heating up in a BIG way.
Freshwater:
News From Jan: Yes, even after the much wailing and moaning that accompanied the recent abundance of the drippy stuff. Such is life, isn’t it? The Norwegian weather guru’s keep threatening (promising) us with some falling damp, but it certainly seems to be skirting the greater Midlands … the only area that is getting any is up close to The ‘Berg, halfway up to Himeville/Underberg which reported some 46mm in a single overnight cloudburst this week. There were a few more double figure reports (23 / 14 / 13 /12mm) lower down, and low single figures for the rest as one retreated from the mountains.
The break in the rainfall has allowed the rivers to settle, even down to the lower reaches, to the extent that the scaly hunters are back out and about. There have been some good reports of fish from The Mooi River, as well as further afield on the uMzimkhulu.
The trout streams are also receiving attention from the Natal Fly Fishers Club members. The central Mooi River beats showed off some of its brown trout jewels in the 9-11 inch / 23-28 cm class. on a mixed bag of nymph and dry fly patterns.
Just a single return from the NFFC stillwater anglers, with a good number of rainbows up to the 13-15 inch / 33-38 cm bracket. Water was reported as “warm”. Given the recent high daytime temperatures, it is suggested that anglers carry a thermometer to monitor surface water temperatures, start early and fish later, limiting midday fishing hours, especially if practising Catch & Release. Fish “low and slow” in the deeper, cooler water, with the usual array of summer fodder : woolly buggers in olive and black, damsel- and dragonfly nymph patterns in olive, along with midge and bloodworm patterns that can also do well at this time of the year.
Further afield, there are some good fish coming from the Underberg waters.
Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) continues to be a cause for alarm in The Midlands KZN … NFFC anglers are again advised to keep an eye on the noticeboards when booking waters and to please follow any landowner requests when accessing their property.
The Lions River Ezemvelo Honorary Officers issued an urgent request for reports on any wildlife showing symptoms of FMD, and called for livestock movement restrictions to prevent any further spread, while they work on monitoring the situation with regards to the impact on local wildlife. Biosecurity is Key: while FMD does not pose a health risk to humans, it can be mechanically spread on shoes, clothing, and vehicle tyres.
Peak summer, but still little word from the bass angling fraternity! There have been some tilapia and carp reported from Albert Falls Dam, but the issue of water quality in what was once S.A.’s premier bass water, continues to be debated. Midmar continues to provide some good numbers of smaller fish from the shallows … and the carp anglers are reporting success with a bomb and oozers combo. There have been some reports of good bass coming from the private farm dams.
February is still considered to be prime season for the yellowfish of Sterkfontein, before the slow and steady decline into autumn begins and waters start to cool. With bright skies, little cloud cover, and little to no wind, conditions are near perfect for anglers.
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