KwaZulu-Natal’s fishing is in a really good place right now. From the rocks to offshore, there’s plenty of action, but anglers will need to keep an eye on the weather this weekend. Big seas and some heavy winds are on the cards, so it’s all about fishing smart and picking your windows.
On the rock-and-surf side, black bream and blacktail are keeping rods busy, while game fish like cob, kingfish, and garrick are making their presence felt in the surf. Offshore, Durban has been producing solid bottoms—Geelbek, daga salmon, and even a few musselcracker—plus snoek and garrick closer in. And further north at St. Lucia, the tuna action has been nothing short of incredible, with anglers running into thick schools and non-stop hook-ups.
It’s shaping up to be a weekend of big opportunities and big challenges—so fish safe, fish hard, and enjoy what KZN has to offer.
Rock & Surf
Blue Rays, Kings & Monster Bream – KZN Rock & Surf Action is Peaking!
KwaZulu-Natal’s coastline is electric right now, and this weekend promises non-stop action for rock-and-surf anglers. Rods are bending, reels are screaming, and the fish are feeding hard from Durban all the way down to the South Coast.
Black bream are stealing the show in the Manaba area, with some real slabs coming out, while blacktail are keeping rods busy with plenty of solid catches. The bite has been a little on-and-off, but when the switch flips, it’s mayhem on the rocks.
Game fish chasers are in the mix too—kingfish, cob, and garrick are cruising the surf. Live bait is hands-down the top producer, though a few kings have been smashing spoons and plugs.
And here’s the wild card—the sharks are back. Grays and a few skates have shown up, a sure sign that baitfish are moving through the lower South Coast. More baitfish means more predators, and more predators means more action.
Bottom line? If you fish rock-and-surf in KZN, this is your weekend. From bream and blacktail to cob, kings, garrick, and sharks, the variety is unreal.
Offshore
Fishing ON FIRE in KZN – Tuna Frenzy, Garrick Blitz & Big Seas Warning!
KwaZulu-Natal’s fishing scene is firing on all cylinders right now, but let me kick things off with a heads-up—this weekend is going to be big. And I mean big seas, heavy swells, and strong winds. The weather has already shown us what it’s capable of with some rough patches, strong gusts, and buckets of rain. So before we get into the madness, here’s the word of caution: respect the ocean. Pick your windows wisely, fish safe spots, and don’t take chances. The fish are there, but the sea will always have the final say.
Now… with that out the way, let’s talk about the action, because it’s been nothing short of electric this past week.
Durban has delivered some proper quality on the bottoms—Geelbek and daga salmon have been pulling drag and putting smiles on faces, with the odd musselcracker testing anglers’ tackle and backs. Add in the slingers, soldiers, and rockcod filling the gaps, and it’s been steady, rewarding fishing all week long.
Up around Blue Lagoon, a handful of snoek have made their presence felt, smashing baits in that classic dirty-water-to-clean-water line. And if that wasn’t enough, the garrick have been working the shallows hard. Live bait has been the ticket, and when they’re on, they’ve been hitting like absolute freight trains.
But here’s where it gets wild… St. Lucia is pure chaos right now. The tuna are in thick, and I mean thick. Boats are running into schools that look like boiling pots, with fish breaking the surface everywhere you look. Anglers are getting multiple hook-ups, reels are screaming nonstop, and decks are going slippery with fish after fish coming aboard. It’s that kind of action you don’t just fish—you live for it.
So, what’s the bottom line? This weekend is going to be a balancing act. The seas are heavy, the conditions tricky, but the fishing is absolute fire. From Durban’s bottoms and garrick, to the tuna frenzy at St. Lucia, to the surf species lining up along the coast, KZN is spoiling us right now.
Play it smart, fish safe, and if you find that window—brace yourself. Because the bite is happening, and it’s happening hard.
Freshwater
News From Jan : Summer is getting a foot in the door, as we see the first of the rains making an appearance. International forecasts for southern African are 50-75% in favour of a La Nina event over the September-December period, which typically brings “good rains” to the region. Last season’s rainfall over this period was also classified as “good” … but overly so! … and <fingers crossed> that while we receive the required rainfall to keep the system(s) going, not the surfeit of last year…
With the rivers on the “skinny” end of the flow scale, it’s been slim pickings for the trout stream anglers, with only a single blank return to show from the Natal Fly Fishers Club anglers from the NFFC river beats. Not too dismaying at this time of year … the fish are most certainly there, it really isn’t much fun fishing in such low and slow conditions. If the forecast is to be believed, there is some rain ahead, which will hopefully give the rivers the required push over the next week or so.
If rivers are your game, the yellowfish / scaly should be on your list, as they are in force! There are excellent numbers of fish coming to hand from the Umkomaas system, albeit smaller fish … while fewer, but a better class of fish, are being reported from the Tugela system. Depending on your preferred style of fishing for these “freshwater bonefish”, short-line nymphing with weighted patterns (or drifted under an indicator) is recommended for the faster, rapids water, while a floating line with a longer leader rig also with lighter weighted patterns is recommended for slower water.
The NFFC held a very successful Yellowfish Clinic on the Umkomaas river for some 28 anglers. Well-known local angler and guide, Jeremy Rochester from Escape Fly Fishing, was on hand to impart skills and technique(s), resulting in good numbers of fish for the Clinic anglers. Apart from the fishing skills, there was also a fly tying demonstration … and for those anglers wanting to get into making their own, come in and chat to Jan at Kingfisher-PMB for more information on the Natal Fly Dressers Society.
With the rivers being on the low side, the NFFC stillwaters saw the bulk of the angler’s attention over the last week. The fish however, remain as elusive as they can, with only a couple of fish reported in the 11-13 inch / 28-33cm and 17-19 inch / 43-48cm classes. There are also some good fish being reported from local private waters. Dam levels are also on the low end of the scale, and water temperatures reported between 15-18 deg.C.
In recent discission with some landowners across The Midlands, Foot and Mouth Disease continues to be a problem – with new cases continuing to emerge as the spread widens. KZN dairy farmers in particular have been severely impacted, and to assist landowners and protect their stocks, the NFFC has closed a number of its waters at their request, as they monitor the outbreak. The NFFC requests all anglers to please follow any landowner or staff requests to respect their vehicle / footwear sterilization protocols as required.
The bass fishing is reportedly picking up at Albert Falls, while Midmar continues to fish well and steady. Senko’s and crankbaits are the current producers. With the rains starting to make a show, the carp and barbel should start spawning soon.
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 Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays.
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