Summer has truly turned up the heat, and it’s bringing the action with it! The gamefish, flatfish, and endless sunshine are making this the weekend you’ve been waiting for—time to get those rods bent!

Let’s talk rigging circles—because that’s where the magic happens! A circle hook can only work its magic if it’s rigged correctly. First, make sure it’s snelled onto the trace so the line exits the hook point side, allowing it to turn smoothly when setting the hook. And remember, keep that gape clear! The bait shouldn’t block it—this is the same principle the big game anglers use when bridling marlin baits. So, rig right and let that circle do its thing!

Rock and Surf:

The heat has been intense on the beaches, but don’t let that sunburn stop you—the fishing has been totally worth it! If you’re heading north, get ready for some serious flatfish action, especially around Durnford where the Sandies are showing up in good numbers. Watch the weather and time your trip right for the best haul. The deep-water points are also firing with grey sharks in the evenings. You don’t need heavy tackle—medium gear will do the trick, just bring those fleshy baits and a solid throw.

On the beachfront, it’s been a battle of the edibles vs. inedibles! If you’re after the edibles, the piers are the place to be—prawn and cracker baits are working wonders for stumpnose and grunter. Want even more bites? Use a longer trace with lighter snoots when the conditions allow—you’ll be amazed at the extra movement and how much more action it brings! For the inedibles, the grey sharks, small sandies, and the occasional small diamond ray have been making an appearance. Use smaller baits for a longer casting distance, or bigger baits to keep the peckers at bay. You choose your weapon!

And down on the south coast? It’s on fire right now! With a purple patch already in play, this area is setting the tone for the entire coastline. Species like grey sharks, hounds, brusher, mammoth shad, and bronze bream have been biting hard. Plus, lanterns are making an appearance, a sure sign the water temps are dropping. It’s too early to tell, but the anticipation is building! Get ready for what’s next—it’s going to be a wild few months ahead.

Offshore:

The offshore fishing has been absolutely phenomenal! The only challenge? The big surf, which has made launching a bit of a nail-biter—but nothing can stop us from reeling in those giants!

Up on the north coast, the couta have been on fire! The waters around Vidal are packed with shoals of these greedy speedsters, and they almost never turn down a bait. With mackerel in short supply, don’t worry—the trusty sardine is your secret weapon and it’s working wonders!

The lower north coast has been a gamefish paradise, with tuna, couta, and snoek dominating the catch list. The snoek are mainly biting off Umgeni and Virginia, though the sharks are a bit of a challenge. For snoek, pull your strip baits early, then head deeper for the couta and tuna.

In the central KZN stretch, launching has been a breeze, and the fishing? Still amazing! Bigger swells have made backline snoek fishing tricky, so keep an eye on those swells for safety. The trolling scene has been on fire with skirted lures and high-speed lipped lures proving especially effective for big tuna and dorado/billfish—darker colours are the way to go!

And sailfish and wahoo are making a big splash, coming out in surprising numbers, especially around Durban waters—not so much off Aliwal Shoal this time. Talk about a fishing feast!

Down on the south coast, you’ll find a smorgasbord of fish from the north. Snoek are feeding well off the rivers, especially along the colour lines. Trolling fillet baits and small lipped lures will do the trick here.

If you’re after that monster couta, the south coast is your go-to spot! Though the season is still a bit early, putting bigger baits closer to the bottom is a smart move. For those who love the fast-paced action, head deep and troll plastics at the shoals—tuna season is in full swing down here!

Freshwater

No updates from Jan Korrubel this week—he’s off living his best life at Sterkfontein, totally immersed in the non-stop yellowfish action! We can’t wait to hear all about his epic adventure and what went down out there. But for now, if you’re gearing up to bend those rods this weekend, here’s what you can expect—let the fishing madness begin!

This weekend is your time to fish like never before! The freshwater fishing action is absolutely booming, with bass, tilapia, and yellowfish waiting to be caught—and it’s all on! If you’ve been craving that rush of adrenaline, now’s your chance to reel in something amazing.

Hazlemere is where the bass action is on fire! The shore venues are packed with anglers, and the fish are biting like crazy. Reports are flooding in with hundreds of bass being caught—and some big ones too! If you’re casting out there, don’t sleep on moving baits and small minnow imitations—they’re tearing it up! And if you’re looking for the perfect colour combo, darker shades with a gold or copper flash are doing the trick and getting the bites you’re after.

If you’re hitting the water from a boat, Albert Falls and Midmar are calling your name! Midmar is especially hot, with some real monsters lurking beneath. The big fish might be a little scarce, but don’t let that stop you—mix up your techniques, find your rhythm, and let the adventure unfold.

Carp anglers, get ready for a steady flow of action! Smaller fish are dominating the reports, but trust me—the big ones are out there, just waiting for the right moment to strike. Keep those rods ready!

Trout fishing may have slowed down a bit with the heat, but if you’re planning a trip, there’s still a way to hook them! Get out on a float tube and access those secret spots the bank anglers can’t reach. Streamers on sinking lines are proving effective, and the classic “bugger” style flies are still the go-to for consistent action.

And if you want to hit the absolute jackpot this weekend, look no further than yellowfish at Sterkfontein Dam! Anglers are reporting fantastic action, and there’s no shortage of fish keeping everyone hooked in excitement. Get out there, stay focused, and let the weekend fishing madness begin!

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.

Series 23 (can you believe it; this is Petri’s 23 series) of Hier Gaan Ons Alweer on kykNET, premieres are on from the 6^th of January 2025 on Monday evenings at 17:30 on kykNet, channel 144 and there are a number of repeats during the week. The repeats are on Tuesday’s at 11:00, Wednesday’s at 10:00, Thursday’s at 11:30 & Friday’s at 14:30. Series 23 ends on the 31^st of March 2025.

As most of you know, Petri and his guests cover various angling styles (fresh and salt water) in and around Southern Africa.

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.

https://www.ecr.co.za/podcasts/ansa

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https://www.youtube.com/c/TheKingfisherFishing Please send any info about fishing or fish caught in your area to vineshs@kingfisher.co.za