Wind Drops, Bite Pops: KZN Coast Set for a Fishing Frenzy!
Rock & Surf:
The lower north coast is absolutely buzzing right now — Grey sharks, Honeycomb rays, and just about every skate imaginable are cruising the shallows and ready to rumble. Shad are stacked thick, taunting anglers as the closed season winds down, and big props to everyone keeping things ethical with catch-and-release. Mackerel is still the undisputed bait MVP — dead or alive, it’s producing nonstop action, with live baits getting smashed seconds after hitting the water. In the rocky gullies, bronze bream are hammering prawn baits, and with the wind finally dying down, every cast is about to feel clean, controlled, and perfectly in your favour.
Around Durban, anglers who powered through the blustery days are already cashing in, and with calmer conditions settling in, the bite is only getting better. The harbour continues to deliver for those who can get past the Wala Wala, and the size 14 light-gauge circle hook remains a guaranteed hook-up machine. And the south coast? Margate Pier is still a wild playground of Garrick, Bream, and Hammerheads — and now, with gentler winds, it’s primed for an even hotter bite. This weekend is lining up beautifully: smoother seas, steadier casts, and fish that haven’t slowed down for a second. Gear up — the conditions are finally shifting in our favour, and the big bites are waiting!
Offshore:
We might only be in the first half of November, but the KZN coast is already on fire! The fish are feeding hard, the action is electric, and there’s plenty for every angler to get excited about.
Starting up north near Umhlanga, the Dorado run is turning heads — with both numbers and size improving by the day. These green-and-gold missiles are smashing pink and purple Rattlers, which are easily the standout lures so far this season. Their lively swim is proving irresistible to bulls and juveniles alike.
Along the Durban coast, the spotlight’s on Couta and Tuna, while Snoek takes a backseat for now. Anglers on skis and boats are finding consistent success with live bait, which remains the top performer across the board this summer. For Tuna, drifting live bait over bait marks has been a winning tactic — and if you’re short on livies, a Pelagic chin-weighted bait swimmer will keep you in the game. Dorado chasers should focus around floating debris or big container ships — they’re holding serious numbers at the moment.
Further down south, Garrick catches are starting to taper off as summer ramps up, but the offshore bite is still running hot. Tuna are smashing high-speed trolled lures — both lipped and skirted — and while heavier gear is required, the payoff is worth every crank. Closer in, a few Couta are making appearances, hinting at more action on the way. Bottom fishing remains solid, with quality rockcod keeping charter and commercial crews busy.
The season has officially kicked into gear, and the fish are feeding hard!
As always, respect your limits, handle your catches responsibly, and take a moment to pick up any litter before heading home. Let’s keep our coastline as clean as our reels are smooth.
Freshwater:
News from Jan: The “light dampening” typical of summer in The Midlands reported on last week, has blown up into a full-scale “dumping down” via “the heavens opened”. Last weekend saw an average of 40-50mm being delivered, tropical water that came down from the N.E. … and with La Nina having being confirmed in September, the long-term forecast has it that there is more to come still. La Nina typically brings above-average rains to southern Africa and this one is expected to persist into early 2026. While this is good news for agriculture and water reserves, it also raises the risk of flooding in some areas … as witnessed in Newcastle recently. So what does this mean for fishing? Well, if you don’t have the luxury of fishing from a boat, and keeping your feet dry, now is the time to ensure that your waders and gumboots are leak free … and if you are planning to wade the rivers, it might be wise to pack in pair of water wings and get some practice in swimming with rod in hand. Jokes aside, keep an eye on the weather and get out when you can … and hopefully stay dry on the day…
With the rains, there have been no returns from the Natal Fly Fishers Club anglers. A report from The Mooi River noted that the level had come up over a meter, and (unsurprisingly) was muddy and unfishable … this after being “bony and clear” some days before. Rivers tend to settle (almost) just as quickly with as they come up, so keep an eye out for a couple dry days and head on out…
The NFFC stillwater anglers fared only somewhat better, with a return prior to the rains noting a good number of fish in the 11-13 inch / 28-33cm range, with a couple bigger specimens coming into the 15-17 inch / 38-43cm class. Other returns reported coming home empty handed, with “rain and wind” on the day.
KZN remains the epicentre for infection of Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) in South Africa. This week, a notice was issued by the Nottingham Road Landowners Association (NRLA), urgently requesting the assistance of community (and visitors) to familiarise themselves with the serious implications of the disease, to help prevent the introduction and spread of FMD in the area. To note : FMD is highly contagious, spreading rapidly through direct animal contact, as well as via contaminated vehicles and foot traffic.
To assist landowners in protecting their stocks, the NFFC has closed a number of its waters at their request, and the NFFC requests all anglers to please follow any landowner or staff requests to respect their vehicle / footwear biosecurity and transport protocols as required.
Albert Falls appears to have gone quiet again after the previous week’s TTT Nationals reported some good fishing. Midmar is apparently fishing better, with good numbers of small fish about.
Sterkfontein Dam continues to fish well, reports Jeremy Rochester of Escape Fly Fishing, with good numbers of fish coming to hand on the dry fly, notably hopper patterns.
Tight lines, KZN — the summer run is only just beginning!
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