Well this is worth a watch!
Some serious gonads as this healthy and inquisitive killing machine makes several approaches to an amazingly calm spearfisherman.
The dude holds his ground magnificently as the huge fish appears out of the gloom like some sort of sinister submarine.
The more you watch this stuff the better!
An Instagram feed journal of the activities of The Sardine News activities…Baby Black Marlin shoal off Bazaruto
fishbazaruto.com‘s Captain Duarte Rato educates one of a proliferation of baby black marlin off Bazaruto this year – how to jump real good for the camera, just prior to release. More on thesardine co.za #thesardine #fishbazaruto
Read all about it – Chris Leppan and his 40kg Zambezi in the Umzimkulu. Last week, fishing right in front of the Umzimkulu Marina.
Chris has become an absolute expert light tackle spinning enthusiast racking up phenomenal catches in the Umzimkulu River in Port Shepstone, over the past few years.
And now this…
Pictured here with sport angling partner Rory Lawlor, aboard one of the smaller attack boats in their fleet, the pair of them are subduing an epic 40kg estimated catch – a Zambezi Shark! The shark was released healthily, and speculation is rife that this fish was part of the same litter being encountered a few years ago, and that the sharks growth rate seems to be about 5 to 8kgs per year! About 20 to 30cm per year.
So the smaller fish we were catching a few years ago, in 2014 and 2015, seem to be growing up fast and healthy, and at about 200cm, will take to the ocean and seek residence on a convenient and healthy string of reefs somewhere up or down the coast from Port Shepstone. Zambezi’s are born alive btw, in a litter of up to 12 pups. They develop fully in the womb and pop out ready to bite and eat immediately. In a lucky estuary near you!
A great catch on light tackle – more details regards Chris methodology coming soon.
Greg Millward is the other member of the team, and excellent spinning angler, and together they have dispelled any and all lazy man’s rumours that there are no fish to be caught in the Umzimkulu. In fact, the fishing is actually excellent in the river, especially this time of year, as shoals of bigeye kingfish and smaller kob maraud up and down the channels.
Fishing off the Umzimkulu Marina bank, guests have been having a ball right now with grunter, bigeye kingfish and perch being taken regularly.
For more information regards the fishing the Umzimkulu River, email umzimkulu@gmail.com, or call +27 79 326 9671 (WhatsApp is best).
Increasing human encroachment into natural areas and the accompanying environmental impact is threatening the lives of our ever-diminishing wildlife population. Director of the Centre for Rehabilitation of Wildlife (CROW), Paul Hoyte, will be talking about ‘The Challenges Facing Our Wildlife’ as part of Crocworld Conservation Centre’s monthly lecture series, taking place at 9am on Saturday, 8 October.
Having joined the CROW team as Marketing and Communications’ Officer in 2013, Hoyte immediately took to his role of raising the public image and profile of the organisation and its work in local wildlife rehabilitation.
His dedication to the Yellowwood Park-based centre was evident and – with the 36-year-old organisation’s strong belief in succession from within – Hoyte was appointed as Director of CROW in July this year, taking over from valuable predecessor, Claire Hodgkinson.
“As Director, my role involves fundraising, marketing, strategic partnership development and, of course, heading up the organisation’s dedicated team of staff and volunteers,” explained Hoyte. “I have experience in operations’ management from my previous work experience and am currently completing a degree in Communication Science through Unisa.”
CROW was established as one of South Africa’s first wildlife rehabilitation centres dedicated to the rescue, rehabilitation and release of all indigenous wildlife found in KwaZulu-Natal. It is run by a small, yet experienced team of staff and volunteers who assist more than 3 000 orphaned, injured and displaced animals every year. From mongoose, genets and monkeys to birds, reptiles and antelope, CROW gives these distressed animals a second chance at a free, safe and sustainable life. As with all registered, non-profit organisations, CROW relies solely on the support and goodwill of the public locally and internationally to ensure the doors remain open.
“In my years at CROW I have learned so much about the impact we as a society have on our wildlife every single day, from a simple piece of litter to not recycling or conserving water,” explained Hoyte. “Collectively, people have more influence over their surrounds than they realise, from micro to macro. Through this talk, I want people to see the dangers we create while providing them with practical ways to slightly adjust their daily habits so that they can reside in harmony with all living creatures. It’s our way of life that create the challenges faced by wildlife each day and the main reason thousands of animals get admitted to CROW each year.”
The hour-long talk is sure to provide the audience with some astounding insights into our natural world and what we can do to make a difference. Guests are encouraged to arrive for registration and welcoming at 8.30am, with the talk set to begin at 9 am, after which there will be time for questions before complimentary tea and coffee are served. Tickets will include entry into the park and cost R75 per adult and R35 for pensioners and scholars.
Guests are also invited to stay after the talk to discover the rest of the park. Birders will relish the opportunity to explore the park’s aviaries, which house endemics like the Blue Crane as well as local favourites like the Knysna Turaco. The park is also home to an impressive collection of snakes, crocodiles and alligators, while more than 200 wild bird species have been spotted on its grounds. Refreshments will be available for purchase at sea-view restaurant Le Rendez-Vous, while those with an interest in gardening should pay a visit to onsite Izinyoni Indigenous Nursery.
To ensure availability, tickets for the talk must be reserved in advance. To book your place, contact Nolean Allun, Crocworld Conservation Centre on 039 976 1103 or 083 654 9651 or email crocworld. Account Details: Crocworld (Crookes Brothers Limited) Banking Details: FNB, Branch: Scottburgh, Branch Code: 220227, Account Number: 53640119111. Please fax the proof of payment to 039 978 3279.
For more information about Crocworld Conservation Centre, visit www.crocworld.co.za, @CrocworldCC on Twitter, or Crocworld Conservation Centre on Facebook. To find out more about Izinyoni Indigenous Nursery, which is located on the grounds of the centre and open to the public from Monday to Saturday between 8am and 1pm, visit www.izinyoni-nursery.co.za.
Ok, time for the Friday Sardine Report 24 June 2016.
From Debbie Smith at Offshore Africa Port St. Johns – “Nothing.”
From Robbie van Wijk in Mdumbi – “Lots of shad”
From The NSB aeroplane – “Some sardines at Waterfall Bluff”
And that’s it for the sardines on this beautiful KZN South Coast sunny winters day. Rumours of a few nets being taken at Ramsgate and Ifafa have made the rounds. I know one net grabbed here was full of redeyes which had to be released immediately – permit issues.
So if anyone hears anything remotely sardine-like, please pop into one of my inboxes – umzimkulu@gmail.com being the easiest for me.
Many thanks!
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