Summer is in full bloom, and so is the action that comes with it! This week has been nothing short of epic, with heart-pounding moments on the water up and down the coastline. From thrilling catches to non-stop excitement, the fishing scene has been on fire! Even in the Midlands waters, a few standout species are keeping anglers on their toes. It’s the perfect time to dive in and experience the rush—this summer’s fishing is in full swing!
Offshore:
Dorado is once again the flavour of the week, with anglers along our coastline diving into the exhilarating frenzy of the green and gold! But it’s not just Dorries stealing the show—there have been solid reports of Billfish, Tuna, and Wahoo making their presence felt, adding even more action to the mix. It’s a thrill-packed week on the water!
North:
The North Coast has been nothing short of exceptional on the offshore front, with everything from Billfish to dorado hitting the deck. Summer is in full swing, and anglers up north can attest to the stamina needed when fishing in temperatures of 35°C and above. Staying hydrated is a must, but equally important is wearing the right gear to beat the heat. For ultimate sun protection, check out the Daiwa range, which has the perfect apparel to keep you covered all day long. Don’t forget to apply Xeroderm Camo Sunscreen—it’s a game changer for the season, offering protection from the sun without worrying about the scent interfering with your baiting.
Central:
On the central coast, the water temperature has warmed up nicely to a comfortable 24°C, and the game fishing is absolutely thriving right now! We’re seeing plenty of tuna, wahoo, and an abundance of dorado, with some impressive catches in the 67-kilogram range. Over the past week, there’s also been a strong presence of sailfish in the shallows, particularly in the 35-meter zone, offering some exciting action for anglers.
As for bottom fishing, we’ve been focusing less on it lately, but other boats are still landing slingers, soldiers, and rock cods, so if you’re keen on a bit of variety, it’s still worth a try. But if you’re looking for real excitement,. It’s a fantastic time to get out there and reel in some big ones!
South:
Along the KZN south coast the tuna and dorado in abundance have been the only reliable gamefish to target down south with the rest of the bunch being hit or miss. the bottom fishing is still on the up side with some stunning rockcod coming to hand.
It’s a fantastic time to get out there and reel in some big ones!
Rock and Surf:
Fishing has been magic with plenty of good sized catches in all facets. The rock and surf fishing has been more up than down over the last week.
The north coast has already seen some great summer action, with some solid fish being caught. Grey sharks are the most prominent species, and mackerel and live baits have proven to be the most effective. Flatfish have also been making their mark, with honeycombs, brown skates, and sandies all contributing to the catches. Mackerel continues to be the top bait choice.
The central coast fishing has come alive since the shad season opened. The Blue Lagoon pier has been buzzing with activity, and the fishing has been fantastic, with both edible and inedible species being hauled in along this stretch. Drift bait has been the go-to method for shad, but if you’re using it, be mindful of other anglers—tangles and fishing frenzy don’t mix well! Grey sharks have been tearing it up off the piers, with any baits floated off the bottom being snapped up quickly. The action is intense, and the fish are feeding aggressively!
The south coast is once again the hottest fishing spot along the coastline, with anglers showing off their catches across social media, reeling in every rock and surf species imaginable. But that’s not all—within just three days, they’ve even landed five dorado (three off Margate Pier and two off Splash Rocks), proving there’s more to catch than just Kob, Shad, Bream, and sharks down south. If you’re planning to head that way, be ready to pack tackle for both the rocky gullies and casting into the deepwater points.
Freshwater:
Summer is usually a prime time for bass, but lately, they’ve been playing hard to get. As always in the world of angling, perseverance pays off, and there have been some solid catches, with Albert Falls proving to be the hotspot. This is the perfect season to ramp up your game with aggressive, fast-moving baits like spinnerbaits. Cast them into the thickest structure using heavy braid for the best results. If that’s not doing the trick, pitching jigs through the dense cover has been bringing in some big bites this past week. Time to make your move and reel in the big ones!
Carp fishing, both specimen and conventional, is absolutely buzzing in the Midlands right now! The size and condition of the fish coming out of our KZN venues are nothing short of incredible when they finally hit the net. With summer in full swing, the carp are on fire! The smaller ones are out in full force, eagerly snapping up anything sweet – it’s a thrilling time to be on the water!
The heat has made trout fishing more challenging, but despite that, some solid rainbows have still made their way to the net. Word from the water suggests that “anything green” is currently the go-to choice, along with a minnow pattern. Water temperature is reported at a warm 18°C.
News from Jan:
High Summer is here <sweat> – Midlands not exactly forthcoming on the fish front, further north is the place to be…
Overheard recently … “In winter, we wanted summer … but now it’s 100 degrees outside so can we please have winter back…” … as they say, be careful what you wish for, because it’s going to come back and bite you in the posterior! While we can, to a certain extent that is, bear the heat, the problem is that (some) fish can’t. Bass are much better at it than trout, the optimal temperature for bass is reported at 26deg.C, while that would be almost certain death for trout. Fish also behave differently in high summer, spending mornings and evenings hunting in shallow water, and then moving to deeper, cooler water during the heat of the day. They will also seek shade from direct sun on the water by staying near structure. Factors to consider when fishing as we head deeper into the Dog Days of Summer…
There hasn’t been much rain over the last week, so the rivers can’t be looking bad – so the only explanation for there being a single, sole, solitary river return from the Natal Fly Fishers Club is the madness of the end-of-year-rush … schools closing, business functions should all come to an end this week, so no doubt there will be more to report on shortly! The current return came from one of the NFFC beats on The Bushman’s river … the anglers had a field day, with good numbers of brown trout, taping from the 9-11 inch / 23-28cm bracket, through to the 13-15 inch / 33-38cm class. Time to get out there…
With three returns, and maybe some more time on their hands, the NFFC stillwater anglers fared somewhat better. Some solid rainbow’s in the 15-17 inch / 38-43cm class and through to the 19-21 inch / 48-53cm bracket found their way to the net. Word from the water indicating that “anything green” is the current flavour tickling the fish’s palate … along with a minnow pattern. Water temperature was reported at 18deg.C.
Of interest to the NFFC Members is that end‑November heralds the last of the stillwater stockings taking place, until the cooler temperatures of Autumn return. Trout fingerlings are stocked at 3-5 inch / 7.5-12.5 cm, and based on the “fittest survive”, will yield excellent fishing in the seasons to come.
Summer is considered prime bass time, and while news from the local waters of Midmar and Albert Falls is not exactly forthcoming – indicating that the bass are not quite playing the game – there have been a couple of good fish reported, with PMB-based angler Jermaine Joseph taking the honours with a 3.4kg fish that took a liking to his offering at Albert Falls.
The “pap gooi” anglers are however doing well at Albert Falls with the carp, tilapia and Reda Breast using “sweet” dips and floaties.
Top Spot again is Sterkfontein Dam and its population of yellowfish, with reports that the season is now “cooking in high gear”. With the current heat wave, the waters have warmed nicely, and there are plenty terrestrials falling out of the sky and onto the water surface … manna from heaven for the yellowfish waiting below. Hoppers have been on the menu at Sterkies for a while now, but as anyone in The Midlands knows, the ubiquitous small brown “Christmas Beetle”, along with a small black Scarab Beetle, are very popular food items for the yellows.
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