Category: Spearfishing

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Croc Couta by Marco van Wyk opens the season

Croc couta by Marco van Wyk Nov 2017

Croc Couta by Marco van Wyk opens the season

This Croc Couta by Marco van Wyk opens the season for our favourite summer gamefish – the couta! This a real nice and early fish and bodes well for another bumper couta season. The smaller fish usually swim by this early, the bigger couta show up in April or so. And hang around right into August, before disppearing for a few months again.

The diving conditions this week have been below average with cold water and fish being sporadic. Some good fish did come out though. Saturday the east blows from early morning and the swell runs at two meters plus. Sunday we have more East with the swell dropping off later in the day. So it looks like it’s a family weekend. Well done to Bryce Buis on getting fish of the week a 37kg GT and Marco Van Wyk getting club merit fish a decent Croc couta! As always dive safe and straight spears.

Jason Heyne

Croc couta by Marco van Wyk Nov 2017
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Spearo species comp on in Durban today 5 Nov 2017

Blacktip kingfish speared off Durban

Spearo species comp on in Durban today 5 Nov 2017

Jason Heyne checks in with his ever reliable spearfishing report for the KZN coastline…

The diving conditions this week improved quite a bit compared to the last three weeks. Plenty bait ball action on the go north and south. Saturday a moderate to fresh north east blows with swell running at 1.4m. Sunday light variable wind all day with minimal swell. Viz was reported both north and south. Biggest fish of the week goes to Stephen with a 14 kg garrick and club merit fish Quintin White with a 9kg blacktip kingie. Our species comp is on for tomorrow and I expect some decent fish to be weighed in. Good luck to all entrants. Weigh in is at Freedivers Renaldo Rd at 3pm. As always dive safe and straight spears

Blacktip kingfish speared off Durban
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Shooting fish in KZN waters with Jason Heyne

WAHOO

Shooting fish in KZN waters with Jason Heyne

Shooting fish in KZN waters with Jason Heyne weekly, a great source of intel for anyone wanting to know what is actually going on with the fish in our waters. Although the garrick and kob may not be really on the bite yet, they certainly are seen patrolling up and down the coast. It’s nice to hear the geelbek are coming in shallow – a good sign that there are still a few about…over to you Jason.

“The diving conditions have been above average this week. Garrick, wahoo, daga salmon, geelbek and brusher have been coming out. Saturday the north east has blown thro the night and drops off midmorning switching to a moderate south West with the swell running at 1.5m. Sunday morning a light offshore blows switching to a light to moderate south West later in the day with the swell running at 2.2m..so it looks like Saturday is go day for a dive. Viz was reported south and North today. Well done Quintin White on getting both club merit and biggest fish for the week a 18.5kg (gutted) wahoo!  As always dive safe and straight spears. ”

And the gallery to go with the weekly story…

Daga Salmon are actually all over up adnd own our fabulous KZN coastline at this time of yearWahoo love the clear and warm water of winter on the KZN South CoastSmaller kob can be found shoaling in the shallows, but you got to be quick, they are very nervous at this size!The garrick are also patrolling the backline in numbers, but they just haven't come on the feedin frenzy they are so famous forShooting fish on the KZN north coast at this time of year puts you in the game for all sorts of surprisesBrusher. On every spearos bucket list. They come through north here in Natal every winter time, otherwise they like the Cape waters more.

 

The Fish Eagles of the Umzimkulu wake lodge guests at the Umzimkulu Marina, each morning. Don't worry though, they start at a reasonable hour - fishing time!
The Fish Eagles of the Umzimkulu wake lodge guests at the Umzimkulu Marina, each morning. Don’t worry though, they start at a reasonable hour – fishing time!

This weeks spearfishing report by Jason Heyne is sponsored by the Umzimkulu Marina. The perfect spot for spearos to come and enjoy the clean and warm conditions of spring, on the KZN south coast. The water stays crystal clean right through to the summer rains, which have been coming later and later each year – leaving us with clean water right into November sometimes.

 

The launch here at the river can be otherwise and is not officially a launch site any more. But a short tow north or south gets you to really reliable and easy launch sites. Pumula is fantastic, as is Hibberdene a bit further north. Then if you can handle a queue, head to Shelley Beach, or further south to Ramsgate. These launch sites open vaste stretch of fish rich coastline for your to explore.

Shore diving is a magical prospect here on the south coast. The many points and rivers make for easy access to the backline and beyond. There is a nice strong north to south current that can fly you over scattered reef for miles.

For more information, get in touch on umzimkulu@gmail.com, or pop on over to http://umzimkulu.co.za, to make an enquiry.

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Saturdays KZN spearing report on Monday

KZN spearing report weekly correspondent Jason Heyne made the headlines of his own news column with this huge 31kg daga salmon that Jason has been hunting his whole life

Saturdays KZN spearing report on Monday

Well it’s been one of those weeks, too busy to keep up! However Jason Heyne keeps his life simple enough, and is always on time with his KZN spearing report. And this weekend was a special one as Jason humbly acknowledges the fish of the week. A fish Jason has been hunting for his whole life! A 31 kg Daga Salmon! Great fish pal! – Xona

The diving conditions this week have been above average with some decent fish coming out. Big daga salmon, garrick and brusher are around if you look for them. Saturday a light onshore blows during the day with the swell running at 1.2m. There is a swell period change and direction change so the surf might jack. Sunday the sea is like a lake and a light south West blows all day. Viz was reported south today. So both days are looking good. Well done to me (Jason Heyne) on getting biggest fish of the week and club merit fish of the week a 31kg daga salmon! we had guest speaker Markus Potgieter give as a run down on shorediving kit and rig which was most informative. We will be having a guest speaker at every club meeting from now on. Meetings are held at wings bar Virginia airport downstairs at the lapa. Braai and drinks available at the bar. Meetings are every second Thursday night from 6pm. As always dive safe and straight spears.

Lovely brusher, thats a great fish manEish nice wahoo palThis guy can shoot fish!The garrick are literally everywhere but haven't really turned on the bite. But shooting them certainly pays off.Jason Heyne 31kg Daga SalmonKZN spearing report weekly correspondent Jason Heyne made the headlines of his own news column with this huge 31kg daga salmon that Jason has been hunting his whole life

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Darrell Hattingh Garrick on KZN South Coast

Darrell Hattingh with his hard earned bus Garrick shot down on the KZN South Coast

Darrell Hattingh Garrick on KZN South Coast

Paradise conditions being experienced down on the KZN South Coast. Its that beautiful time of our year again. The wind calms down. The sun comes up earlier. The water stays clean.

And the Garrick are here!

As noted by Darrell Hattingh who never misses out. Living smack bang in the middle of the action on the KZN south coast, Darrell has been biding his time this year, waiting for that bus Garrick to swim around the corner.

KZN South Coast: Darrell Hattingh gets his handful of garrick each year. Spends many hours in the water on the hunt for them, you got put in the hard yards to get a fish like this bomber.
KZN South Coast: Darrell Hattingh gets his handful of garrick each year. Spends many hours in the water on the hunt for them, you got put in the hard yards to get a fish like this bomber.

 

And here it is! Not sure of the exact weight but it sure looks 20 to me. The season has been characteristic of bigger Garrick. Some absolute beauts have been coming out on rod and reel too.

 

Its almost National Garrick Day, but we got to take care of the Garrick at this their most vulnerable time. Just don’t allow anyone around you to take the piss and take too many. Even though the bag limit allows two Garrick, one is more than enough.

There are now more photos doing the round’s on Facebook, of the senseless slaughter that goes on in the Transkei. This time two idiots were photographed posing with a whole shoal of baby Garrick.

Once again, get in touch with Daff, and report any of this activity.

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