Payday Fishing is going Nuclear
Richards Bay anglers have something big to look forward to, with South Africa’s fishing tackle giant, The Kingfisher, set to open its doors any day now. Taking over the well-known former Spinner Tackle location, the new Kingfisher store is bringing fresh energy to the local fishing scene, along with an extensive range of quality tackle, rods, reels, bait and accessories trusted by anglers nationwide.
This marks an exciting milestone for Richards Bay, giving both recreational and competitive anglers access to one of the country’s most respected fishing brands right on their doorstep. Keep an eye on our social media platforms for the official opening announcement and launch details — you won’t want to miss it.
Rock & Surf:
The forecast tried to scare everyone off… and the ocean answered with fish anyway. It’s been a full-blown mix of the good, the bad and the ugly out there, but here’s the punchline: the anglers who showed up and played the windows got PAID. This wasn’t neat, tidy fishing — this was tactical, sharp, switched-on angling. Quick gaps, smart moves, reading water like a book… and when it lined up? Rods folded, drags screamed, and fish hit like they meant it. This is the kind of fishing that rewards the bold, not the comfortable.
Up north, Tugela and Mtunzini are still proving that grind equals glory. Even in heavier water, the inedibles are chewing hard on mackerel and chokka, while edibles are slipping into those sheltered zones for anglers willing to hunt them down properly. Central coast? Same story, different battlefield. Durban’s staples — Glen Ashley, Blue Lagoon and the Basin — are still producing, but you’ve got to earn it. Shad, grunter and stumpnose are there… if you’re there at the right time. Down south, it’s proper scratch fishing, but the rewards are real. Stumpnose, grunter, kob and flatfish are all coming out for those putting in the work and finding the clean water.
This is where the season turns. The fish are finding their rhythm… and now it’s your move. More action. More chaos. More white-knuckle moments. This weekend isn’t about perfect conditions — it’s about making conditions work for you.
Offshore:
The wind’s backed off, the rain’s cleared out and we’re staring down blue skies, open horizons and screaming reels. That solid north-easterly has been doing the hard work, pushing warm water down the coast and absolutely flicking the switch on the bite. If you’ve been sitting at home waiting for “perfect conditions”, sorry bru… you’ve already missed some proper chaos. The ocean might still look a bit wild, but the fish are fired up, and the anglers who backed themselves have been rewarded with bent rods, burned thumbs and drag-screaming madness.
And with Payday weekend landing right in the middle of ski-boat comp season, there really has never been a better excuse to fuel the boat, load the tackle and get involved. Snoek, couta, dorado and tuna are all on the chew, and the coast is absolutely stacked with opportunity right now.
One question you’ll hear on repeat at the slipway or on the beach is:
“What colour lure did you catch that on?”
Truth bomb — colour is usually the last piece of the puzzle. The real magic lives in where your lure is swimming, how fast it’s moving and how deep it’s tracking. Speed, depth and size come first, every time. If your lure isn’t in the strike zone or moving like real prey, the perfect colour won’t save you. Get the speed right, work the right depth, match the size of what the predators are hunting and suddenly the bites start stacking up like receipts after Payday.
Offshore along the KZN coast it’s been full throttle. Live bait’s been a bit tricky to come by, but clearly no one told the gamefish, because they’ve been chewing like it’s their job. Up on the North Coast the usual launch spots have been buzzing — and for good reason. Snoek are still thick in the system, with some of the best action actually coming from slightly deeper water than normal. Don’t be shy to push further out with your fillet baits or trolling spread. And every now and then, just to keep things interesting, a couta or tuna will smash snoek tackle and turn a casual session into absolute anarchy.
Beyond the snoek, the North Coast is alive with pelagics. Dorado lighting up the colour lines, tuna exploding on baits, the odd billfish sliding through uninvited, and plenty of couta lurking wherever that warm water pushes. Long story short — summer fish are still very much in play, and if you’re not on the water, you’re scrolling through someone else’s glory shots.
Durban launches have been a bit mixed, but anglers dialled in on the right tactics have definitely been cashing in. Snoek and couta remain the main targets. Most of the couta have been on the smaller side, but don’t get it twisted — the occasional proper crocodile is still climbing onto decks. For shoal fish, a shiny mackerel is deadly, and when those darts are feeding, a well-presented sardine doesn’t stand a chance. The bigger fish? Different game altogether. Picky, powerful and demanding fresh bait and flawless presentation.
Further down the coast, especially along the lower South Coast, attention has shifted to the bottom brutes, adding another layer of excitement for those keen to mix things up.
So check your knots, sharpen those hooks and pack a bit of courage alongside your tackle box. Payday weekend is here, the coast is alive, the fish are feeding — and the next screaming run could be waiting just beyond the backline.
Freshwater:
News from Jan : This week saw World Meteorological Day come and go (23 March annually), which marks the creation of the World Meteorological Organisation, and the global co-operation that it enables … however, it appears that they might have left out the most important member: The Weatherman! (or perhaps he is just being non-cooperative).
Just as it seemed that Autumn was on its way, with temperatures cooling and a decrease in rainfall in the week before last, we have had another bout of some hot days and much rainfall … well over 100mm being reported in places across The Midlands over the last week. While South Africa is considered to be a water scarce country, and every drop of rainfall (should be) appreciated, the river fishing community is now on the back foot once again after just getting out of the starting blocks.
There is a certain raconteur down in the N.E.Cape (from whence I have just returned, and river levels are low) that bellowed “Laat net een donder kla oor die reen!” when an afternoon thunderstorm broke the heatwave. Much the same as The Midlands, the storm turned the place into a mud bowl, making for an interesting trip getting out. But I digress…
In the week before, the Natal Fly Fishers Club saw a number of returns coming from the rivers, notably The Bushman’s and The Mooi where some excellent fish up into the 13-15 inch / 33-38cm range were noted. Water clarity was reported to be excellent (then), water temperatures around the mid-teens to start and reaching into the early 20’s later in the day. As mentioned previously … ‘tis hopper season : large enough for a searching pattern to avoid the tiddlers, but if only getting bumped and not eaten, switch to a smaller dry to get the eat … also large enough to suspend a nymph if you are that way inclined. Still 2 months to go of the river season, and if the rain starts to ease up (again), it’s looking to be setting up very nicely.
With the decrease in rainfall, and river levels were dropping such that the scaly anglers started moving about, and some good fish in the 30-40 cm / 12-16 inch bracket were reported. The recent rains have put paid to that however – the Umkomaas was a solid brown on the weekend … “too thick to fish, but too thin to plow…”.
With returns noting fish into the 19-21 inch / 48-53cm bracket, the NFFC stillwaters are also (finally) switching on. Water temperature reported to be “warm” at around 19degC. One of the returns shared the working fly : back zonker pattern with a silver belly, in water colour that was noted to be off colour / brown … so the maxim “dark fly for dark day/water” appears to hold water! As we head deeper into Autumn, the stillwaters will be getting into high gear.
A reminder that entries for the winter stillwater events are already open for the TOPS Corporate Challenge (May-August), Kamberg Trout Festival (4-6 June), and Boston Fly Fishing Festival (19-20 June). Looking forward seeing many of you there – come and say Hi!
Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) continues to be a cause for alarm in The Midlands KZN … biosecurity remains a critical component of FMD control, and all anglers are advised to take heed of biosecurity notices / signage in and around The Midlands, and to please comply with any movement regulations, and assist where possible with hygiene and risk-reduction measures to safeguard local livestock.
Midmar Dam remains at the top of the fishing list if it’s bass you are after, with good numbers of fish coming to hand. Results from the KZN Small Craft Bass League event held at Midmar earlier this month, reported most anglers getting their 5 fish bag, with total length of between 136-182cm. Biggest fish was 42.5cm. Event 7 of the Bass Warehouse Tournament trail is scheduled for March 28th and will take place at Midmar. Still no word on bass from Albert Falls.
On the other freshwater species : carp and some bluegill are being reported from Midmar, with tilapia and barbel from Alberts.
Sterkfontein Dam just continues to deliver, reports Jeremy Rochester from Escape Fly Fishing.
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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