Finally summer fishing is here! While the weather is still finding its groove, the fish are already settling into their summer feeding patterns with bragging rights from anglers in all facets.
Top tip. Over the past few weeks, live bait has been the top choice, delivering excellent results for both edible and non-edible species. Keeping your bait healthy and injury-free is crucial for a faster strike rate. The Pelagic series of live bait clips has been a game-changer, gaining popularity for its simplicity and effectiveness. All you need to do is unclip, pin it through, cast, and hold—it’s that easy!
**Offshore:**
Whether you’re after the excitement of fast-paced predators or the challenge of strong-pulling bottom fish, there’s something for every angler—from Tuna to massive Rockcod.
**North Coast:**
The north coast is enjoying a fantastic run of summer pelagics, with Dorado, Tuna, and Couta in full force. Both ski and boat anglers are landing plenty of fish. The Couta have been particularly active, with those using the liveliest baits seeing the most success. Make securing good live baits your top priority once you’re out on the water, and then focus on finding the best fishing spots. If you’re having trouble hooking live baits and need to switch to trolling a dead bait, a heavier-weighted bait swimmer can make all the difference.
**Central Coast:**
The Durban coast has seen plenty of action this past week, particularly on the bottom fishing side. Sheltered launch areas have made it possible to get out even in rough seas. On the game fishing front, Tuna and Couta have been putting up a great fight, with rods bending and hatches filling. Trolling skirted lures has been especially effective for Tuna, and while lure colors are a personal choice, go with what you think will attract a bite. For Couta, the shallower reefs off the Bluff have been productive, with a preference for a lively live mackerel as bait.
**South Coast:**
The south coast has been producing some amazing bottom fishing catches, especially in the lower south. The Transkei waters have been teeming with a variety of species, from Brusher to massive Slingers. Further up the coast, the upper and middle south have been more focused on Geelbek and Daga, with boats doing well on these. There has been some gamefish action too, mainly Tuna around the six-kilo range, but the focus has definitely been on bottom fishing.
Rock and Surf
Despite the challenging weather conditions over the past week, anglers along the KZN coastline have been rewarded with excellent catches across a variety of fishing types, with certain areas seeing more species than others. Margate’s “purple patch” is producing fantastic edible fish, while the north coast has seen an increase in shark and skate activity as warmer waters move in.
The north coast has been the hotspot for inedible species, with areas from Blythedale to Tugela yielding Blues and Greys in good numbers. If you’re not into sharks, Threadfin Kingfish has also been on the bite. It’s important to fish these spots in a group, as there have been incidents in the past. Bloody baits like mackerel and red eyes have been particularly effective.
Edible fishing on the north coast has been solid, despite challenging conditions due to wind. The best results have come from sheltered bays and gullies, where calmer waters allow for better fishing. Beaches in the north and deep water points have also treated early risers to excellent snoek action, along with some monster Shad (just a reminder, Shad season is closed until December 1st, 2024—please release them if caught). Off Ballito rocky point, spoons have been the go-to bait, with the small Kingfisher Anchovy 35g spoon proving deadly when worked at a fast pace. Look for the action and cast to reach the bite zone.
On the central coast, the bait side of things has been productive, with Stumpies, Grunter, and Kob being the main catches. Ground bait is definitely the way to go for anglers fishing off Durban and the surrounding areas. The harbour continues to produce great action with Grunter, although there haven’t been any monsters, it’s still plenty of fun on light tackle. For those venturing out into deeper waters, bottom fishing has been outstanding, with big catches of Rockcod, Slingers, and Soldiers. Ski boats along the Blue Lagoon color line are trolling for Garrick, as the winter run continues.
The south coast has been one of the highlights of the KZN coastline, with a diverse range of species, including Brusher and Bronze Bream. The rockier areas down south have fished well, with decent catches coming from anglers scratching the bottom. Prawn has been the top bait for smaller fish, while sardine belly baits have been successful for larger predators like Rockcod. The south coast is also the best spot for Garrick off the surf, but be sure to use live bait for the best results. If you haven’t tried it yet, the new Pelagic live bait clips are proving to be the most effective way to keep your bait alive and ready to be smashed by the “gentlemen of the deep.
Freshwater:
It sounds like an exciting week of fishing in KZN, despite the unpredictable weather! The conditions seem to have added a new level of challenge, but it hasn’t stopped anglers from having success across different species and techniques.
Bass
Albert Falls is shining for Bass, with big hard plastics and fast-moving spinnerbaits proving effective. It’s a great reminder of how versatile techniques can be on this dam. Inanda’s Bass, on the other hand, seem to be a bit more selective, making it a smart move to pack Reaction soft plastics for more finicky bites. Having stretchy and scented plastics is key in adapting to changing feeding patterns.
Carp
Carp on fly sounds like an adventure! Albert Falls is definitely picking up in terms of Carp activity, and with the right setup, anglers could enjoy some action-packed fights. A Fly combo set might just be the ticket to a memorable summer session, especially with calmer conditions away from the coast.
Trout
The still waters are keeping Trout anglers busy, while the rivers are still gearing up for their peak. For anyone looking to target these more selective trout, focusing on a precise and careful approach in the flowing waters will be crucial when the rivers begin to thrive again.
Yellowfish
The Mooi River has been promising for Yellowfish enthusiasts, with the river producing solid results between storms. It’s the right time to seize the opportunity, as Yellowfish action is expected to continue, making for some thrilling rod-bending moments over the weekend.
This week’s success highlights how adaptable anglers in KZN are in overcoming the elements. Best of luck to everyone heading out this weekend—tight lines and enjoy the adventure!
News in from Jan Korrubel, The Kingfisher in PMB – . As reported last week, summer has landed, and here in KZN that means warm overcast weather … and of course rain. Happy to report that the Level 4 Storm Warning didn’t materialise, and The Midlands received some decent soft, soaking rain. Summer fishing in KZN means brushing up on your weather-watching skills, in order to get the timing of your outing right, keeping a sharp eye for a gap in the weather and the potential for thunderstorms (and especially hail – usually in the afternoon after a HOT morning) … and worth repeating : any changes in pressure … the weather may look good on the outside, but if the barometer is bricking it, the fish will have Zipper Mouth Disease.
After a surge from the initial rains, the rivers dropped nicely, and the fish were on their game. The Natal Fly Fishers Club beats on the Bushman’s and Mooi Rivers showed off some good fish. The fairer anglers took top honours this past week, with local lady, Bridgette Moores-Pitt, and visitor Greer Leo-Smith from the north, getting into some stunning brown trout on the Bushman’s, with the biggest fish taping into the 13-15 inch / 33-38cm bracket while fishing the classic hopper-dropper … this fish took the hopper. Water was reported as “cool and clear”. The rains appear to have missed the Mooi River, and while having recovered from the winter low, reports indicate that it could probably do with a flush. Returns noted some smaller fish in the 5-7 inch / 13-18cm and 9-11 inch / 23-28cm classes, taken on sub-surface nymphs. Water temperature was reported at 19deg.C, also indicative that the cooler water hasn’t made it into the system just yet.
The fish in the NFFC stillwaters were also in party mode with rainbows taping into the 15-17 inch / 38-43 cm class, and all the way through to the 19-21inch / 48-53cm, bracket. No temperatures reported, but the rains will have had a cooling effect, keeping the warm summer water at bay for the present. Now is the time to take advantage and get out there, before the fish head for the deep in search of the cooler bottom water.
And not to be outshone, the Midlands bass are also very much in the game. Both Albert Falls and Midmar are producing good numbers fish – smaller fish at Alberts on soft plastics, while Midmar is producing some bigger fish on Reaction lures and soft plastics. Outside of these public waters, the private dams are also producing some excellent fish that are tipping the scales in the 4-5kg range.
A number of other species are also fishing very well. Barbel in the 9-15kg at Albert Falls, and excellent carp at both Alberts and Midmar. The carp are in the surface scum lines at Albert Falls, local angler Bradley van Zyl had a field day recently targeting them on fly with a small brown beetle pattern. The specimen anglers are doing well at Midmar with pop-up’s. The scaly’s are also in on the action … some good fish have been reported from Midmar, and further afield, The Tugela River is also fishing well.
The rains will have a put a damper on the Sterkfontein yellowfish for the time being, but the action will heat up again as soon as there is a spell of clear sunny days.
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