Gamefish and big sharks have been the order of the day for the past week. The sardines are still around in full force so get in on the action, even if it’s just to see the chaos/fun.
Top tip: Etiquette. This time of year sees chaos on the beaches with everyone trying to get to the action of the sardine run. Please do your best to take other peoples’ needs into consideration. For example, if someone is fishing on the beaches or rocks, do not setup directly next to them. Give them some space and don’t cast over their lines. Above all, make sure you stick to the rules and regulations. We are representing the angling community on the beach, so we want to make a good impression.
Offshore:
The offshore fishing has not been fireworks but there have been fish to catch along the entire coast. Get out there and get your fishing rod bending!
North – The north coast has seen some yellowtail and amberjack on the deeper marks. These are incredibly hard fighting fish that demand the strongest tackle. You have to give 100% from the bite to landing the fish otherwise you will get cutoff. Live baits are the best bet for both species with a 9/0 circle proving to be the best hook. Bridle the live bait through the eye socket with a cable tie to keep the bait alive for as long as possible.
The closer reefs have seen some good couta. The fish have ranged from 8-20kg+ specimens. They have mostly been taken on live bait, but quality dead baits have also worked well.
Central – The central coast has seen a great flush of geelbek and daga in the last two weeks. The charters have been fully booked and the recreational anglers have been launching at every opportunity. 8-9ft rods, 80lb+ braid and a 9inch KP are the weapons of choice for this type of fishing.
There have been snoek around in the early mornings. Most of the fish have been taken while trolling fillets around south pier and Blue Lagoon. There have been plenty of wolf herring and shad around so check your fillets regularly.
South – The south coast has seen a mix of bottom fish and gamefish. There have been some good Garrick caught by the guys pulling live baits on the backline. The sardine pockets have been around but not all have had gamefish with them. Keep moving between the shoals until you find some action.
The bottom fishing has seen reds, rockcod and geelbek all mixed. The bigger the bait the more likely you are to attract the bigger fish.
Rock and surf:
The shore-based fishing has been a combination of spinning, scratching and a hint of big fish fishing. All that and the sardines are here in numbers!
North – The north coast points have been the most effective spots along the coast to target the snoek on spoon. Small but heavy spoons that can be retrieved very fast without losing stability are essential. You also need tackle that can throw said spoon a long way and retrieve it rapidly. This means long rods and fast reels.
The north coast has seen some decent scratching along the ledges and in the gullies. Pink prawns have been the best bait all around.
Central – The Durban coast has seen some good morning sessions spinning and bait fishing for shad. The blue lagoon area has been fishing very well with most anglers able to fill their limit in a few casts. S-bend spoons and a slower retrieve are deadly for these smaller gamefish. There have been some great catches on spinning tackle with the gold falcon spoon producing plenty of shad and some surprise garrick.
The central coast has also seen some good kob, stumpies and a handful of Garrick. Live bait, pink prawn and chokka have been the best baits.
South – The south coast has been the area to focus on if you are after the action around the sardines. Spinning with spoons is a great way to focus on the gamefish around the sards and can see you catch a host of species. Throwing a single sardine on a nylon snood is also a good idea to target the gamefish (without teeth). Keep an eye on the social media forums and you will be able to find the silver shoals.
The south coast has also seen some very good bronze bream fishing along most of the lower south coast if you are wanting to stay away from the big toothies.
Freshwater:
The winter weather is pretty much here and the need for a beanie and jacket is paramount in the early mornings. Fishing has been good with some big fish being landed in each facet.
Bass – The bass fishing has not changed much since last week and all the tips from then still apply. Remember the cold does not stop the bass from feeding but it can make them sluggish. Slow down your presentations and focus on your line when your lures are dropping to the bottom as the bites can be very subtle.
Albert Falls has been fishing very well over the past few weeks. Most techniques have been working despite the colder conditions.
Carp – The carp fishing has not seen much reporting in the last week. Please send us your catches so we can keep the report current and accurate.
This time of year sees the fish sunny themselves in the morning in the shallower water and then shifting to the deeper spots if the sun gets too hot. Luckily the weather is stabilising a bit and we should see more consistent fishing in the next few weeks. Stick to the banana, garlic and honey flavours and you should come right with a carp or seven.
Trout – Cold weather and cooling down water. These are all good for trout and trout spawning. This time of year is always a great time to target some big hefty fish. The males are generally fired up so will aggressively eat a fly. The females can be a bit more tricky. This is a great time of year to stalk the fish in the shallows where they are looking to spawn. Focus on shallow bays with open areas and a change in bottom structure. Use a fly with some orange and go catch some giants.
News in from Jan Korrubel, The Kingfisher in PMB. “After two weekends of frosty mornings and proper winter chilly days, the weather took a slight turn for the better over the last week … location depending, but less frost and warmer day time temperatures overall. It seems the weather has stabilised again, and the forecast for the week ahead looks to be offering more of the same.
This weekend saw The Boston Fly Fishing Festival, centered around the Boston Farmers Hall, and taking part on the waters around Boston and into The Dargle Valley. A true community event, the Festival brings together local residents who provide the Festival dinners and lunch packs, and of course the landowners who make their trout waters accessible. Once again, the fishing wasn’t the easiest, with the trout seemingly having gone into spawn mode, aggregating in specific areas, and not much interested in the angler’s offerings. Male fish were in full colour dress, dark bronze bodies with flushed red cheeks in contrast to the usually silver rainbow colouration, and the female fish already egg laden. With their minds on nuptials, the fish were not in a “feeding frenzy,” and combined with crystal clear waters, necessitated the use of smaller size flies … the usual woolly buggers and larger patterns not producing. Top flies for the event were nymphs and bloodworms, fished in combination with a bright coloured attractor such as an egg pattern or blob in hot orange. The Boston is a great get-together for anglers from near and far … already looking forward to next year’s event!
There are two more events in The Midlands fly fishing calendar : Leg 3 of the TOPS Corporate Challenge taking place at the end of the month 27-30 June, and then The TOPS Finals 1-4 August.
The returns from the Natal Fly Fisher’s Club (NFFC) anglers was as mixed a bag of results as The Boston Festival – some returns indicating tough fishing, while of course there were a few that found the fish. The returns show fish primarily in the 13-15 inch / 33-38cm and 15-17 inch / 38-43cm, with some larger specimens in the 17-19 inch / 43-48cm and 19-21 inch / 53-58cm. Well Done to those anglers who figured the fish out … again have to wonder where those fish were hiding at The Boston waters.
No hard and fast news on the bass fishing front to be seen from trolling (pun intended) the socials, but “word from the water” is that there are some big (3-4kg+) fish coming out at Midmar, and while there is still a bite to be had at Alberts, the fish are in the 1-2kg range. Midmar fish are still taking flukes and Senko’s, while the Alberts fish are being taken finesse. With the firm arrival of winter conditions now, the fish will be moving to their winter stations.
There was also a report of a 11kg barbel in Alberts.
Carp are being caught both at Midmar and Alberts. Conversely to the bass, the bank anglers are reporting that the fish are few and far between, but good size, at Midmar, while the Alberts carp are on the surface and being targeted by boat anglers in the middle of the dam”. Thanks Jan.
Please remember to leave the areas that you fish in a better condition than when you got there. Take a few moments to pick up some litter and take it to the nearest bin. Tight lines and screaming reels.
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