Pictures and stories are hammering in as the fish around the Port Shepstone area have really come on the bite. The weekend started with guests Mike and Brian (straight out of the movie ‘Gone Fishin”) opening their account with a beautiful kob on the Friday evening, taken from the jetty at The Umzimkulu Marina. The next day Rory Lawlor on “Happy Daze” reported a brace of big-eye kingfish caught on small little rappies trolled slowly up and down the channels.
Chris Lepan fishing with Rory Lawlor, Greg Milward and Gavin Nellors on Happy Daze in the Umzimkulu yesterday.
A little later during the Saturday, as the tide started to move back in, bringing blue clean water with it, Brian was surprised by a solid bite and a huge run as his biggest big-eye kingfish made for freedom. But Brian held on and soon had the awesome fish in control. It was well hooked and after a short while we had the trace clear and the fish swam off very well educated.
That night the Mike and Brian team caught another kob, and three perch, to round off their very successful fishing trip. But the next day told the best story as Rory and crew launched into the incoming tide on Sunday. They had a fabulous time catching (all on lures) a rock salmon, three big eye kingfish and a kob! All in one trip!
Fantastic times here on the river and this whole week offers incoming tides every afternoon and fishing into the evening will promise you a fish or five!
Reports have been filtering from all over the South coast shark sightings seem an all too common occurrence. Here on the South coast shark sightings are a part of life- before all the sardines got hoovered up by the Chinese we used to see crazy stuff at all our local surf spots each Winter- now, the sharks- especially the Zambezi and Great Whites have snuck their way back up the food chain and boom! Which part dont you get? more sharks…
South coast Shark sightings photo courtesy Whitesands
I dont how many sessions we have had down here where we all saw something, but chose to keep quiet about it we were so keen to just surf and get some waves in, then come in and all say something like: ‘im pretty sure i saw something out there’ someone else would chime in with a: ‘ya, i definitely saw something!’ the third would echo our thoughts with a ‘i just wanted to get a few waves!’
Yesterday a Great white chased two of those friends from the story above out the water at a closely guarded secret spot here on the South coast so ‘beware be aware and be warey’ to quote the ol’ sea dog himself Bruce Gold and have your selves a wonderful early Winter!
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!
The Umzimkulu Perch that we have been catching can range from little guys of like 10cm. And then up to like 4kg’s or more. They are aggressive and ferocious fighters too. Although the fish featured here took a fillet of sardine on a tiny hook – Umzimkulu Perch like to jump on a lure for sure. Sometimes we even get double strikes on the troll.
We troll all sorts but the best performer overall is definitely the range of soft baits on offer. Those loud clangy wheel bearing laden hard plastic baits are so completely unnatural. If we stick a nice split tail or paddel tail on a decent dropshot head, we can troll that up and down the channels and catch perch all day long (when they are biting ha ha).
If you stick the softbait on a MYDO LuckShot, you will get some real swimming action and the benefits of a softbait during the strike. Fish hold on to soft baits since they are so naturally textured. And the single hook almost always hooks in the top or corner of the mouth. Making for real healthy and successful releases. Compared to the double treble configuration (or singles), which almost always inflict damage on the fish.
Using double hook configuration for anything is always going to work against the chances of any fish surviving a release. Or for use as live bait. Double marlin konas are dangerous and inflict a lot of harm during the fight.
And as for bait fishing – use a circle hook! The difference is calculable right from your very first fish. Perfectly healthy releases!
Mapson jnr with a really good sized Umzimkulu perch – that was carefully released. Nice one family!
Mike and Gina Mapson treated their family to this weekend down on the Umzimkulu River – and the first time they threw in a line, Mike jnr nailed this awesome perch. The perch ate a bread bait and was gently released by Dad.
The fishing has really hotted up in the Umzimkulu…more posts to follow…and fishing enquiries to umzimkulu@gmail.com or call 079 326 9671.
The Umzimkulu Marina is offering packaged fishing adventure trips (guided fishing, boats and accomodation for deep sea, rock n surf and estuary fishing) for the upcoming super- exciting fishing season.
Here is a quick YouTube video of our latest big perch, this one was caught two weeks ago (January 2020).
The Lifestyle Expo 2015 set to be the biggest one yet
There are only a few days left until the much-anticipated Lifestyle Expo 2015 which will feature at this year’s 51st Highland Gathering in Hutchison Park, Amanzimtoti on 2 May.
This one-day gathering – which attracts an impressive 10 000 visitors to the area – offers an expansive range of lifestyle products and services while raising much-needed funds for South Coast charities.
Organised by the Amanzimtoti Lions and Big Events 365, the event is a huge boost to the local economy while revenue from entrance tickets, stalls and the bar sales is used to support a substantial number of local charities and improve the lives of hundreds of people.
Photo by Andrew Climpson
Visitors to The Lifestyle Expo can look forward to some exciting displays of high-quality brands including Volvo, BMW and Feral Inflatables as well interesting exhibitions such as the Virgin Active Gym and the Makro Marquee.
Shoppers will also receive goodie bags, Makro vouchers and lots more!
For the children there will be a host of fun activities lined up in the Cooee Kidz Zone including fun colour-in activities, entertainment by the Frapples character and random prize giveaways.
Attendees to the The 51st Highland Gathering and Lifestyle Expo will also have the chance to enter and win the Miss Highland Gathering Beauty Pageant which has three categories; Miss Mini Highland Gathering (ages 3 to 6); Miss Junior Highland Gathering (ages 7 to 12) and Miss Highland Gathering (ages 13 to 18).
And judging the various categories will be celebrities Kayla Gleisner (with Mobile Model Management) who was awarded Queen of the Universe 2014/2015; Savannah Shone (with Extreme Model Management) who was Model Africa Winner 2014/2015 and Roxi Wardman who won MasterChef South Africa season 3.
Visitors will also be entertained by 12-year-old singing sensation, Keely Crocker, who will help raise funds for the Lion’s charities.
Keely made a name for herself in competitions such as East Coast Got Talent 2011 where she won the Bambino Category through her moving rendition of Michael Jackson’s song, ‘Ben’.
The Grade 7 Amanzimtoti Primary School pupil – who suffers from a rare, incurable kidney disease – writes her own music, plays the guitar and is learning the keyboard.
Organised by Big Events 365, The Lifestyle Expo, which is now in its second year, forms an important part of the Highland Gathering and has something for everyone.
A high impact one-stop shopping experience, The Lifestyle Expo will provide stall holders with powerful direct marketing and shoppers with an incredible variety of products.
Event spokesman, Monique Botha of Big Events 365, said this was looking to be one of the best expos yet.
“There will be something for everyone at this year’s Lifestyle Expo, from beauty products and services to high quality furniture and top-of-the-range vehicles, you are certain to find something that grabs your attention,” said Botha.
“The Highland Gathering and Lifestyle Expo is the ultimate family excursion and you definitely don’t want to miss out!”
There are still a limited number of exhibition stands available so anyone wanting to feature at this well-attended family event must act now.
Entrance to the The Highland Gathering and Lifestyle Expo is R40 per adult, R20 for children and pensioners. Gates open at 8am.
To keep updated on the event, check the Facebook page “The Highland Gathering & Lifestyle Expo”.
Exhibitors can contact Monique Botha at Big Events 365 to book a stand at The Lifestyle Expo on 031 904 1578 or events@bigevents365.co.za
