The lower south coast was reported in quiet for tsontwsanes(Pondo word for sardines) this morning. But Jay Steenkamp reports plenty humpback whale activity. The migration is in full swing.
But the big news was dialled in by Robbie van Wijk who reports masses of sardines with wild activity, off Mapuzi right close to Coffee Bay!
Photos please Robbie!
Captain Duarte Rato checking on from Bazaruto…
Click here for the full story and to check out Duarte’s encyclopedial new Bazaruto marlin fishing and gamefishing website fishbazaruto.com.
Catching gamefish like crazy and even a marlin, quite a handsome one at that, 400lbs plus, in the middle of winter. Just goes to show that those waters are favourable to billfish year round, and although November and April are insanity on a stick – any time of the year will do.
An excerpt from Duarte’s report…
“We decided to head up north on our first day and got onto some tuna mid morning. Being the marlin aficionados we are we decided to live bait a small juicy YFT – maybe to much optimist to do during the peak of winter – but after all we have caught good marlin on all calendar months and within 30 minutes we had a take from a 400 plus pound Black. Unfortunately the circle never found the spot and after a big run the fish through the bait on it´s first jump. Disappointing but still nice to see a good size fish in the middle of winter.”
Read the entire post here.
Tuesday Sardine Report
Jay Steenkamp checking in from down on the lower south coast of Kwazulu Natal. It seems the sardines have slowed. But the fish are still getting hammered up and down the coast. It certainly has been the best fishing in a long time. Thanks Jay!
“Howzit. Light offshore and swell has dropped off to 3-4ft. Looking like another hot day. No sardine activities yet or yesterday. Let’s hope that tomorrow’s cold front brings up those fish.”
And here it is…the 32.7kg kob / daga salmon, that literally stripped Mike Stubbs down to his reel knot. Fortunately the highly experienced Shaun Posthumous was on the scene. He ran up and down getting water to splash on the reel as it heated up?!
A long tussle ensued with Mike emerging victorious, and the huge fish was eventually dragged up the Sandspit beach.
The Generation Two Mydo range, is an adaptation of the mighty Mydo
Baitswimmer – to plastic baits and dropshotting.
Mydo searched the globe far and wide, for the best plastic baits
available. The search led us through U.S waters, all over Europe, the
East, and down into Australia.
Along the way, there was one brand everywhere and all the time. And it
certainly and without doubt, bore the most quality and credibility
along the way.
And so we followed up…the plastic search leading to…Pretoria! Made
right here in good old South Africa.
Stuart McArthy comes from a long line of highly regarded fisherfolk.
His Dad fished with Basil Hill and Jimmy Mead, back in the early Bazaruto days, and
Stuarts childhood was spent summarily chasing fish all over southern
Africa. This legacy of experience is where the quality and credibility
of McArthy, stems from.
McArthy paddletails are used religiously up and won our coastline, for
kob off the side. Split tails catch everything in all sizes. Tuna jump
on the 7 and 9 inch, and even a marlin made a guest appearance on an
Ozzie TV show snacking on a McArthy. It ate one Stuarts new outsized
models with gusto.
Whilst testing with the MYDO Luck Shot Mini #1, in the Umzimkulu
Estuary down in Port Shepstone, KZN, SA…we bagged 9 species! Here
goes…perch, seapike, kob, rock salmon, big-eye kingfish, yellowfin
kingfish, flagtail, grunter and shad…all on McArthy 5 inch split
tails.
With the 7 inch paddletail or split tail, we increased our strike
rates phenomenally, by replacing sinkers with Mydo Luck Shots, when
bottom fishing, or fishing for bait. Rockod just can’t leave a Mydo
Luck Shot and McArthy bait alone. So much fun on light tackle.
The first tuna we caught on a Mydo Luck Shot and McArthy…the rod was
just in the holder, while we were drifting. The motion of the boat on
the ocean gave action to the offering – imagine how it must look as
the boat rolls and the rod tip jerks up and down.
When tuna surface 100 metres away, the 2.7 Oz Luck Shot Mini #2 will
enable that big cast to put you right on the button. Vas!
After a great start, the Mydo and McArthy team up is showing no signs
of slowing…check back for a continual flow of catch reports…right
here on thesardine.co.za
Trade enquiries for Mydo or Mcarthy to Kingfisher in Durban.
