Catching kob in the Umzimkulu
The fishing started when the crew from Durban arrived on Friday afternoon. That morning a guest had taken a nice perch on a bread bait and the river was looking awesome. Blue-tailed mullet were jumping all over the place and could be seen swimming by on the surface.
We started down at the mouth, loaded everyone and their gear and flicked dropshots and rapalas until we had a small yellow-tail kingfish and a perch. But that was all for the night. The next day produced more perch and kingfish, but the crew really wanted a kob, so we rigged up again, for the next evening.
Fortunately, the Niteshift had been at sea for the day, and generously returned with a few live pinkies and maasbanker. What perfect baits for kob!
Back to the mouth and we set out a spread big enough to snag any fish that swam by. And they did. Characteristic of fishing the Umzimkulu, it was all quiet – only small grunter and perch, when all of a sardine, the fish came in the mouth. There were chases and splashes and the live baits started to really panic. The big rod next to me started to shake much more than a live bait could shake it, I grabbed the rod, force free-spooled the fish and let it eat. The hook was in the lower back part of the fish and when I struck I felt the hook go home perfectly in the bottom jaw.
Expertly Luis angled the fish into the boat. High 5’s and whoops of joy broke the calm evening – now almost dark. No sooner than we had reset a new bait – did Kiran’s light coffee grinder start screaming. Again we force fed the fish by opening the bail, and then tightened up and Kiran was vas. A nice fight on light tackle and we were two fish in da boat!
Not wanting any more, we packed up and headed back to the Umzimkulu Marina for a serious fish braai!
Nicely done crew…!
