Top Tip: Prevention is Better Than Cure!

Let’s be real – maintenance isn’t the most exciting thing after a long, epic day of fishing. But trust us, taking care of your gear is a total game-changer if you want to keep fishing without any hiccups!
It’s as simple as rinsing your tackle with freshwater after each outing. That one quick step can add YEARS to the life of your rod and reel. Don’t wait – clean your gear as soon as you get home to prevent corrosion and the temptation to slack off!

For reels: Focus on the line roller, handle, and the line itself.
For rods: Don’t forget the guides and joins.
Treat your gear right, and it’ll keep bringing in the big catches! Look after your tackle, and it’ll look after you.

Offshore:

We cruised through April Fools without too much chaos, and NOW – it’s time to hit the water! The sea is looking better than it has in ages, and the freshwater scene is absolutely on fire!
Across KZN, fish are everywhere! From snoek and tuna to couta and a whole host of game fish, this weekend is your time to reel in some serious action!

North Coast – Small boats and skis are having a blast, pulling in snoek and couta. The deeper reefs and wrecks are loaded with big trawl soldiers and a ton of other species.  Squid and sardines are the baits to have! And the couta are massive – some absolute giants are breaking tackle, so take your time with these beasts. Let them wear themselves out before going in for the kill!

Central Coast – It’s a gamefish paradise! Couta, snoek, dorado, and bonitos have been lighting it up – just check the results from the Umhlanga competition! Live bait is the ticket if you’re after big tuna. Grab a mozzie, mackerel, or shad, and you’re golden. Tuna don’t have cutting teeth, so no wire needed, but make sure you’re using top-notch fluorocarbon like Maxima or Siglon to handle those long, grueling fights!

South Coast – Same story as the other zones, with tuna and couta on the hunt. But if you’re up for a challenge, it’s time to go after snoek at the river mouths. These fish have been hanging around for a few weeks now, and fillet baits are the secret! Troll them on the backline with lipped lures or throw in an Anchovy Spoon – you’ll be in the zone!

Rock & Surf:

Autumn is HERE, and the fishing is ON FIRE!
For our rock and surf anglers, autumn has officially arrived, and both the inedibles and edibles are absolutely smashing it!  From rockcod to shad, garrick to bronze bream, the action is INSANE with these species showing up in full force. It’s clear: the change of the season is bringing some serious heat to our fishing spots!

The upper reaches of KZN have been a bit quiet over the summer, but when the fish have been biting, it’s been EPIC. The raggies have been coming out strong at Tugela, with the bigger head baits pulling in some of the most jaw-dropping catches. Expect some Kob alongside the raggies too—seriously, the bite is real!

North Coast – has been a bit of a gamble—one spot’s hot, the next is dead—but that’s the thrill of the hunt! Your best shot? Line up those perfect conditions, head to your spot on a low tide, and scope out the sandbanks. Then, wait for a few days of northeast winds and a small sea for that sweet, sweet action. Trust us, when it all aligns, it’s GAME ON!

Central Coast – is blowing up with a variety of species for the adventurous angler! Shad are everywhere, feeding like crazy along the piers and beaches, and drift baits are KILLING it when the sea is nice and small. Plus, stumpies and smaller kob are feeding hard on the rolling banks—look for that whitewater on the sandbanks! Chokka and prawn baits? Your best bet for landing these beauties.

South Coast – From bream to grey sharks, the action is CRAZY, and anglers are chasing personal bests even though we’re still in early April. Prawn and chokka are still the go-to baits, with red prawn pulling ahead of pink prawn for the win!

So, what are you waiting for?! Grab your tackle, hit those spots, and let’s make this autumn season one for the books!

Freshwater:

News in from Jan Korrubel, The Kingfisher in PMB –
Rain, rain, and yet more rain … BUT it does seem that we have turned a corner over the last week … so once again I dare put my foot out and hopefully not in my mouth).  Nighttime temperatures are now decidedly chilly, with those clear, crisp mornings all of a sudden, it feels like Autumn!  Welcome, Welcome … Welcome (it’s about time).  There is still a drip in the forecast, but literally just a mm or 2 here and there, nothing like previous.  That is not to say that the Weather Gods might still pull a dirty (hedging my bets here…), but I think we are on the other side of the rain hump.  That being said, flow’s are still torrent’ing, and the rivers are bank-to-bank and dirty, and with the amount of water in the lands at present, it’s going to be a while before we can expect perfect stream conditions.  But they are on the way, so keep those dry flies prepped…
 
Even with Cabin Fever raging at an all time high, there hasn’t been any returns from the Natal Fly Fishers Club river anglers, so nothing to report here.  Andrew Fowler, local author and fellow river enthusiast, reports that The Midlands streams are ‘filthy and roaring’.  On the upside, with the cooler temperatures, and a good couple degrees less up on The ‘Berg, is that The Bushman’s River is down to 15deg.C.  If you are headed out, “Chuck Nymphing” is what’s required with heavily weighted Perdigon and GUN-style nymphs.  #TopTip : fish a lightly weighted / unweighted nymph as a trailer to allow the fly some movement with the Perdi/GUN serving to get it down into the zone (although they do get eaten too).
 
Less than a handful of returns from the NFFC stillwater anglers and not a fish to be seen between them.  Waters are still off colour from the runoff, and reportedly “warm” to boot … still 19-20deg.C. One return mentioned that the water was “teeming with frogs and minnow’s” … hopefully the cooler temperatures will now start to positively affect the stillwaters too and the fish will begin their pre-winter feeding frenzy.  Bigger flies should be the norm now … Woolly Buggers, Minnow patterns and  chunky Dragonfly Nymphs … these
 
Last weekend saw the South African Fly Fishing Association (SAFFA) holding Senior A National Championships up in the Underberg area.  The pre-event practice days gave up some good fish, but the event days were reportedly tough, with more rain giving fodder to rising rivers, and the stillwaters proving to be equally difficult.  Team WP and SA angler Maddy Rich reports : “Toughest Nationals in history?  Could be.  54 out of 55 blanks on one of the stillwater sessions … and plenty more blanks on the rivers.”  Congrats must go to WP for taking the team win, and SAFFA Chair Chris Dummer, along with Tournament Director Graeme Pitt (KZNFFA), for hosting this prestigious event.
 
The bass are still running below the radar. Not a peep from Albert Falls Dam.  Last weekend saw event 3 in the Joey’s Towing Tournament Trail series taking place on Midmar Dam… with the at FSL and over, local Midmar angler Tim Probert had this to say prior to the event: “What it means – and this is not unusual for Midmar – is that getting a full bag will likely take teams towards the top end of the standings. A full bag and a kicker will likely have them in the mix for first place.  Bites are unlikely to be a problem, but finding fish that meet the minimum size requirements might be a challenge.” We look forward to reporting when results become available.
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 public holidays, Saturdays and Sundays. 
 
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Please send any info about fishing or fish caught in your area to Vinesh Soogreem – vineshs@kingfisher.co.za