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Some sardines to report

Some sardines to report

A patrol of the coastline between Durban and Port Shepstone yesterday made for some interesting news gathering.

The sardines have not left the building. In fact they were netted yesterday and the day before, and have been making surprise appearances up and down the coastline, even further north than Durban. The old south coast road is still buzzing with traffic from anglers, spotters and sardine crews laden with equipment and staring out sea.

Shad anglers are crowding it out everywhere. Although they certainly have slowed, they are getting bigger (maybe all the small ones are caught!).

But the biggest news is that of the natal snoek pitching up and even being caught off the side. Three so far. And many shot on the north coast. Many of the points we checked on yesterday were boiling with gamefish and the birds, although flying south for the most part, were acting very interested.

This lekka cold front about to hit (it’s gonna blast this one), is ideally timed to help the sardines get back into range, but the super warm water might say something else.

One thing is for sure, the sardines reappearance is not out of the question yet!

 

 

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No sardines to report: shark nets and lines back in…

No sardines to report: shark nets and lines back in…

It’s an ominous omen when this happens. The Natal Sharks Board have started putting their gear back in at all you favourite Blue Flag and other beaches. Blind for the sharks and other marine life the nets interfere with. Dolphins. Whales. Turtles…etc.

Humpbacks can still be spotted frolicking out deeper but the dolphins and birds have been absent. Maybe the sardines are way out deep, as they have been known to hide out there. And the humpbacks are eating them? 😉

In the meantime, it’s just shad, shad and more shad, everywhere you go.

An interesting chat to Darrell Hattingh this morning revealed that many, many garrick, were patrolling the points this past two weeks. Darrell has shot his fair share, and his catch report over this time included an 8kg Queen Mackerel / Natal Snoek. He saw quite a few more. Another was shot at Chakas (Morne I think).

A Snoek was caught off The Block on Sunday, and with a Yellowfin Tuna also caught from the side right there, has meant The Block has been yielding the most quality fish it has in years. Salmon / Kob are even being taken in the daytime, and the artificial gang across on the Sandspit also got a garrick on paddletail, in amongst their salmon.

Mike Stubbs went north of Scottburgh on the weekend to find all sorts on the bite, including one really beautiful parrotfish which was duly released, healthy and wiser.

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Shelly Beach Skiboat Festival 2015: Defillipi takes the boat!

Shelly Beach Skiboat Festival 2015: Defillipi takes the boat!

So far, all the news we have gathered is that young Nathan Defilipi has won the boat at the Shelley Beach competition, this 2015!

His 39 kg amberjack, caught on the Friday, beat all the huge ‘couta and tuna, that were inline for the main prize. Second fish was also an ambo, this one went 36kgs, and third place was a 34 kg couta (Bliksem), incidentally, taken on 10kg line.

Shelley Beach Skiboat Festival 2015
Shelley Beach Skiboat Festival 2015
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The weekend so far: LSC SKZN Natal Fishing Report

KZN Natal Fishing Report

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SKZN Natal Fishing Report: Shad making a splash at Splash Rock in Port Edward

The shad have been splashing at Splash Rock in Port Edward, and everywhere the shad are during the day, the kob are during the night. At The Block in Port Shepstone, 6 kob came out Friday morning making for a crowded beach the following two nights.

We had Mark Shone and guests Max and Luke who enjoyed an uncannily warm evening with us at the Umzimkulu River mouth last evening. The boat moored under the bridge gives access to the wild beach and shorebreak, and the calm yet tidal waters of the estuary.

Mike Stubbs was on patrol lurking along the channels oceanside, ever alert to the changing tides and conditions. There was a nice hole to the north of the mouth, but the huge shorey was wreaking havoc and churning loads of seaweed and debris up and around the place. Mike is out to beat his 32.7kg kob caught on a lure last week. Read all about that here.

Young Luke eventually got us a pinkie and we stuck it live only to be away straight away! The fish took line fast and steady, and yet, i was too impatient. I struck 10 seconds too early and the lucky kob got away unscathed.

SKZN Natal Fishing Report: Blair Witch fishing with Max and the first fish of the evening, a lucky little undersized perch that ernt swimming away happily and lesson learnt.
SKZN Natal Fishing Report: Blair Witch fishing with Max and the first fish of the evening, a lucky little undersized perch that went swimming away happily and lesson learnt.

Mark fished the drift sardine fillet around the boat and soon had us back in the game with a beautiful little kob that gave a good account of itself on the bass tackle. This drift bait rig that swirls around and often causing tangles and chaos, certainky gets the most action in the mouth area, and Mark soon put paid to anyone elses hopes of being top weight, by bagging a real keeper – a perch that went over 2 kgs for sure – and that was a fight!

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Mark Shone starring in Blair Witch Fishing evening at The Umzimkulu River Mouth last night. SKZN Natal Fishing Report

As usual with that rig, it was gut hooked so unless Mark snapped the line, the fish was coming home with us.

We are going again tonight, and have a few spots available on the boat. Call Sean on 079 326 9671 – it looks to be another great fun evening down on the river.

 

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Natal Shore Dive Champs, easterlies and big swells

Natal Shore Dive Champs, easterlies and big swells

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Natal Shore Dive Champs, easterlies and big swells: and in the meantime, this huge jobfish/kakaap…

The sea conditions have not been great this week with very few fish coming out. Big swell and variable wind direction has turned the sea into a washing machine. The forecast for Saturday is not good with a 15 knt plus northeast blowing and up to 2m swell. Swell and wind drop Sunday morning with a south Wester picking up in the afternoon. The natal shore dive champs got off to a good start on Saturday and a little birdie told me that after the first day there’s not much points difference between positions 1 through to 4. The second dive day has been moved to next weekend due to the sea conditions not being favourable this weekend.

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