The Summer Fishing is Upon Us!
Great news, anglers!

The KingFisher Scratch & Win Promo has been EXTENDED till 9 November!  That’s right — more time to gear up, spend big, and WIN BIG! Don’t sleep on this one… grab your tackle, hit the store, and let those lucky tickets roll!

Shore-Based Fishing Sizzles Along KZN Coast

Shore-based fishing has been as hot as the summer sun, with anglers reeling in an array of impressive catches! The action has been nonstop, catering to all skill levels and fishing styles. From trophy-sized catches to abundant bites, it’s proving to be a truly rewarding time to cast lines along the coastline.
The lower north coast has been buzzing with non-edible catches, including Grey sharks, Honeycomb rays, and nearly every skate in between. Shad have been particularly abundant, and KZN anglers have shown commendable responsibility by releasing their catches, as the season remains closed for another few weeks. Mackerel bait continues to be the top choice, whether rigged dead or alive, with live bait offering faster strike rates.

In the rocky gullies, rock species such as bronze bream are feeding well, particularly on prawn baits, which remain highly effective.
Most of the rock and surf action has been concentrated outside Durban, though the central coast has seen productive offshore and harbour fishing. Harbour anglers have found success when navigating past the Wala Wala, while bay fishing has proven most effective using a size 14 light-gauge circle hook, which improves hook-up rates regardless of species or size.

The south coast continues its hot streak, proving once again to be the most fruitful stretch along the coastline. Margate Pier has delivered consistently, with catches ranging from Garrick to Bream and Hammerheads, showing that both grounded and floating baits are producing bites. Anglers heading south this weekend should come prepared with a fully loaded tackle box—there’s something here for everyone!

Offshore:

It’s been a tough weekend on the water with some tricky weather conditions, but that hasn’t stopped the fish — or the anglers!  The weather might still be a bit confused, yet the fish have definitely settled into their summer feeding patterns. There’s plenty around for everyone — whether you’re chasing fast-paced predators or targeting those strong-pulling bottom dwellers.

North Coast:

The north has been the hotspot lately, producing plenty of action for both ski and boat anglers. The key to success has been quality live bait — the friskier, the better! Make catching live bait your top priority after launching. If they’re playing hard to get, add a small piece of sardine to your hooks for that extra attraction. And don’t be shy to go heavier with your sinker to keep things tangle-free.

Durban Coast:

Despite the rough seas, Durban’s sheltered launch sites have kept things accessible. The tuna bite has been on fire, filling hatches across the coast!  Trolling skirted lures has done the trick for tuna, billfish, and even some solid dorado. Colour choice has been personal — so go with what gives you confidence. Bottom fishing has been a bit slow, with mostly smaller reds showing up, so please release those smaller ones to help preserve the reefs for the future.

South Coast:

Further south, the fishing has been phenomenal — especially for those who made the trek down to the Transkei. They’ve been rewarded with some beastly catches! Upper and middle south zones have seen good numbers of geelbek and daga, with bigger baits pulling in the bigger fish. Live baits are still king, and while there have been a few gamefish around, the spotlight has definitely been on the bottom fishing.
After a rough weather weekend, things are looking up — summer fishing is officially here, and it’s shaping up to be an awesome season!

Freshwater:

News From Jan – With a just a sprinkling of rainfall reported across The Midlands over the past week, anglers have started moving about again.  Higher precipitation figures have been reported closer to The ‘Berg, so that’s good news for the rivers.  The summer furnace is also getting stoked, the combination of heat and wet making for some stifling humidity.  The year end is rushing closer, so a pre-warning that hail season is approaching : the high heat days can produce some serious stones from the subsequent thunderstorm activity (listening to some rumbling going on overhead as I pen this…).  If caught out on the water, even the small(er) stuff can lead to rod-breakages, and perhaps more importantly, ding your pip!  The forecast for the week ahead for some more moderate temperatures due to a spell of overcast weather, and a spit-and-a-spot of the west stuff here and there … so watch the weather, and grab the gap when it presents itself…
After a mixed start to the season, reports indicate that the river fishing is back on form.  A return from the Natal Fly Fishers Club reported that a few days of afternoon and night showers has lifted The Bushman’s River, and the river level is about perfect, albeit with some slight discolouration. The fish were reported to “feeding with gusto”, mainly taking suspended nymphs early in the day, and then coming on to the dry fly later on.  Fish were mainly in the 9-13 inch / 23-33cm bracket, with a few bigger fish reported in the 13-15 inch / 33-38cm class … ”a fine day in the office!”  Water temperature reported at 17 deg.C
The uMngeni River has also been fishing well.

Returns from the NFFC stillwater anglers are reporting fish in the 13-15 inch / 33-38cm and 15-17 inch / 38-43cm classes.  As mentioned previously, larger patterns are the current “Go To” when picking through the fly box, with olive being the current “flavour” of theweek.News from across the way from the Fly Fishers Association (FFA) water indicate that the fish are definitely on the feed … strip leeches and a variety of minnow patterns (including that old favourite Mrs Simpson) accounting for a good number of fish in the 40-50cm / 16-20 inch bracket.
At the risk of sounding like a stuck record … KZN remains the epicentre for infection of Foot and Mouth Disease in South Africa, with 180 outbreaks reported to date.  To assist landowners in protecting their stocks, the NFFC has closed a number of its waters at their request, while they monitor the outbreak(s).  The NFFC requests all anglers to please follow any landowner or staff requests to respect their vehicle / footwear sterilization protocols as required.
Word from Midmar Dam is that there have been some good fish about in the 3kg+ class.  Bluegill are also reported to be coming out.
No fishing news coming from Alberts Falls Dam, but that no doubt due to there being a practise day for the 2025 SABAA Team Tournament Trail Nationals taking place this weekend, so all anglers keeping their cards close to their chest.  We wish all anglers Tight Lines and look forward to reporting on the fishing next week!
With the recent rains, the lower reaches of the rivers will be discoloured, but if you must get out, you must … with just rewards to the brave, the lower Mooi River giving up some good size Scaly residents, and even a good Orange River Mudfish (aka Muddy; a companion species to the Natal Scaly in the Mooi River catchment).
After a busy couple weeks now at the start of the season, Sterkfontein has been firing, with excellent smallmouth and largemouth yellowfish about, reports Jeremy Rochester from Escape Fly Fishing.  Sight fishing with hopper patterns is the name of the game at this World Class 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.

The KZN Angler News audio fishing report is South Africa’s first fishing podcast series that focuses on the latest fishing reports of the East Coast. This report is free and available on all major Podcast platforms including Apple Pods, Google Pods, Spotify and Deezer as well as SA’s most popular Facebook Pages.
Angler News SA – https://www.ecr.co.za/podcasts/ansa/

Go to The Kingfisher Daiwa –  www.facebook.com/thekingfisherdaiwa and “Like” us on Facebook to catch reviews, videos, fishing reports, great promotions and lots more.
As always, remember to subscribe to our YouTube channel to stay up to date with all our new video releases and to brush up on your species   knowledge, tactics and tips/tricks.
The KingfisherFishing – https://www.youtube.com/c/TheKingfisherFishing
Please send any info about fishing or fish caught in your area to Vinesh Soogreem – vineshs@kingfisher.co.za

News from across the way from the Fly Fishers Association (FFA) water indicate that the fish are definitely on the feed … strip leeches and a variety of minnow patterns (including that old favourite Mrs Simpson) accounting for a good number of fish in the 40-50cm / 16-20 inch bracket.

At the risk of sounding like a stuck record … KZN remains the epicentre for infection of Foot and Mouth Disease in South Africa, with 180 outbreaks reported to date.  To assist landowners in protecting their stocks, the NFFC has closed a number of its waters at their request, while they monitor the outbreak(s).  The NFFC requests all anglers to please follow any landowner or staff requests to respect their vehicle / footwear sterilization protocols as required.

Word from Midmar Dam is that there have been some good fish about in the 3kg+ class.  Bluegill are also reported to be coming out.

No fishing news coming from Alberts Falls Dam, but that no doubt due to there being a practise day for the 2025 SABAA Team Tournament Trail Nationals taking place this weekend, so all anglers keeping their cards close to their chest.  We wish all anglers Tight Lines and look forward to reporting on the fishing next week!

With the recent rains, the lower reaches of the rivers will be discolored, but if you must get out, you must … with just rewards to the brave, the lower Mooi River giving up some good size Scaly residents, and even a good Orange River Mudfish (aka Muddy; a companion species to the Natal Scaly in the Mooi River catchment).
After a busy couple weeks now at the start of the season, Sterkfontein has been firing, with excellent smallmouth and largemouth yellowfish about, reports Jeremy Rochester from Escape Fly Fishing.  Sight fishing with hopper patterns is the name of the game at this World Class 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.

The KZN Angler News audio fishing report is South Africa’s first fishing podcast series that focuses on the latest fishing reports of the East Coast. This report is free and available on all major Podcast platforms including Apple Pods, Google Pods, Spotify and Deezer as well as SA’s most popular Facebook Pages.
Angler News SA – https://www.ecr.co.za/podcasts/ansa/

Go to The Kingfisher Daiwa –  www.facebook.com/thekingfisherdaiwa and “Like” us on Facebook to catch reviews, videos, fishing reports, great promotions and lots more.

As always, remember to subscribe to our YouTube channel to stay up to date with all our new video releases and to brush up on your species   knowledge, tactics and tips/tricks.
The KingfisherFishing – https://www.youtube.com/c/TheKingfisherFishing
Please send any info about fishing or fish caught in your area to Vinesh Soogreem – vineshs@kingfisher.co.za