Sea conditions this week have been below average with some fair size swell around and dirty water inshore. Good news is the sea is settling nicely this afternoon (Friday). Also according to Craig 😉 big swell equals big fish. The East will drop off tonight then come back with a vengance tomorrow morning (Saturday) so an early start would be on the cards. High tide is early as well and Queen Mackerel will be hunting the shallows at first light. The East blows through the night jacking the swell to close on 2m by Sunday morning. Viz up and down the coast varies from 1to 6m with much better viz out deep. As always dive safe and straight spears.
Certain spots produce above average fish of a given species.
That tiny piece of reef down south of Port Edward consistently produces the biggest couta.
Bazaruto is definitely the favoured hangout of big momma blue and black marlin.
Dubai is mobster sailfish central.
And Shad Lane down in Umtentweni on the KZN South Coast is the spot for giant shad.
Young Keegan Logie submitted this shot of another outsized shad taken at this spot. The stretch of surf between Shad Lane, encompassing The Sandspit has long been known for its sugar pocket shad…ie that just fit into a 50kg sugar bag, as sugar was distributed in, in the old days.
Another huge Shad Lane shad.
Keegan is still researching the name of the skilful angler, and will revert as soon as he finds out more.
Click here for another huge Shad Lane shad. This one was shot just south, at Chakas Rock, at the start of the Sandspit.
To dispel a myth, there is no such thing as a blue shad, which were thought to be a bigger species of shad. Even this monster is green as.
We have great news in that the informative and tantalising spearfishing news reports, submitted weekly by the ever-underwater, Jason Heynes, is back online with thesardine.co.za.
Jason Heyne practising what he preaches
Stay posted for reports of underwater action, visibility reports and all round good advice – covering underwater events and catches from up and down the KZN coast.
Peter Marriott of Casa Msika outside of Chimoio in Manica Province, Central Mozambique, has eagerly joined thesardine.co.za and starts off with these noteable Lake Chimipanda lunker bass caught yesterday.
A Lake Chimipanda lunker caught yesterday, from out of Casa Msika.
The season for these huge bass, many over 5kgs, has kicked off at Casa Msika, and more fish will be featuring on thesardine.co.za, from this amazing stretch of bassin’ water. This is a really big, healthy bass fishing dam.
Twin lunker bass taken in Lake Chimipanda yesterday. Thanks Peter!
The in thing at Casa Msika is being able to fish for a spot in the Casa Msika 5kg bass club, of which there are dozens of members already.
Check out this previous post for more Casa Msika large mouth bass and information.
Offshore Africa in Port St. Johns in the Transkei took to the skies to bring us this radical view of Waterfall Bluff, a few clicks north of their base in Port St. Johns.
Offshoreportstjohns.com have been operating on the Transkei Wild Coast for many seasons now. They offer many different adventures from river cruises on the Umzimvubu to ocean safaris and scuba diving.
But their biggest and most sought after adventure is undoubtedly The Sardine Run!
Each season Rob Nettleton and partner Debbie Smith take to the water and get right involved with the chaos that accompanies the sardines wherever they go. Dolphins, whales, seabirds, fish and of course… sharks.
Every shark with a smartphone knows about the annual breakaway of approximately a tenth of the southern oceans sardine population. This crazy shoal of adventuring sardines just leave the pack and head north into South African waters and get hammered on the way, literally to depletion.
Humans are also in on the action as limited netting is allowed.
But the real action is underwater as baitball after baitball form in a desperate attempt to escape being eastern by something. The birds start from the top, and the predator fish from the bottom until there is literally not one sardine from that baitball family left.
Rob invariably has his camera rolling and captured the spectacle exceptionally well. Working with Rob and Debbie to get the video of your lifetime is a pleasure. Together they have ample experience and are committed to service excellence, attention to detail, and safety.
