Category: Transkei

Posted on by — Leave a comment

Port St. Johns Humpback Whales by Offshore Africa

Port St. Johns Humpback Whales by Offshore Africa

Port St. Johns Humpback Whales
Port St. Johns Humpback Whales by Offshore Africa (c) Rob Nettleton

Port St. Johns Humpback Whales by Offshore Africa.

Offshore Africa whale spotters in Port St. Johns are having a bumper sardine run. Bringing with it the usual suspects. All sorts of whales. Dolphins. Sharks. Seabirds. It’s wild out there right now!

The sardines this year are spread out far and wide and not in concentrated shoals. This has made for more fun for everyone as the little fish elude the nets chasing after them all over the place. Not many successful nets went in so far this year, and although the action has slowed, conditions look great for this next spring tide cycle.

To try for a spot down in Port St. Johns with Rob Nettleton and Debbie Smith and crew, click on over to their website, offshoreportstjohns.com.

Share
Posted on by — Leave a comment

Sardines!

Sardines!

The lower south coast was reported in quiet for tsontwsanes(Pondo word for sardines) this morning. But Jay Steenkamp reports plenty humpback whale activity. The migration is in full swing.

But the big news was dialled in by Robbie van Wijk who reports masses of sardines with wild activity, off Mapuzi right close to Coffee Bay!

Photos please Robbie!

Share
Posted on by — Leave a comment

Monday Fishing Report

Monday Fishing Report

Well, in a cowrie shell…don’t go to work! The fishing is better than it’s been in years.

A few minutes ago my Dad on the Niteshift saw P.J. Botha and son boat a nice big ‘couta off the Umzimkulu River.

Last night Mike Stubbs got his kob. A big fish that went 32.5kg’s. (Photo coming soon). He was enjoying these amazing conditions fishing off the Sandspit in Port Shepstone, while just across the way, rock and surf anglers fishing from The Block, caught: yellowbelly and catface rockcod, a scotchman?!?!, during the day a bunch of garrick…

Darrell Hattingh has been having high adventures under water spearfishing the Hibberdene and Ifafa points. A Great White was spotted at Ifafa, a baby of about 3 metres.

And in the next pics, my other brother Darrell, I mean Marc, with Koos and Andre Viviers and a bunch of nice fish, mostly caught, but the grunter shot off Chakas right up from the Sandspit.

Andre Viviers keeping it up with this lekka yellowtail taken whilst fishing with his brother Koos, and my brother, Marc Lange. All Team Mydo.

Then down at Mdumbi, I gave a few local subsistence anglers my new lure to try out, the Mydo Luck Shot #1, and check the pictures…

wpid-screenshot_2015-06-15-08-11-45.png
Check out the Mydo Luck Shot Mini #1 right in the shads mouth. News from the area is that Blue Shad are full up in amongst kob and garrick and all sorts.
Yes well I do also notice that there is one more shad in this picture than what is allowed, but heck, maybe there were two anglers? Either way, fresh fried shad is the order of breakfast everywhere in the good old Transkei.
Yes well I do also notice that there is one more shad in this picture than what is allowed, but heck, maybe there were two anglers? Either way, fresh fried shad is the order of breakfast everywhere in the good old Transkei. Many thanks to my good friend Thulani, for keeping us in the news and for fishing and catching with my lures…

 

IMG-20150531-00708
Another fine specimen, of a Blue Shad. Fact: Blue Shad are just normal Shad, but as the fish go through their growth cycle, they turn blue in bigger sizes. But this is not across the population, some big shad are distinctively grey.

So, get to a tackle shop, tackle up, and GO FISHING!

(As for the rest of us working, I am in Pretoria right now distributing lures, we will keep the economy going while you guys all go fishing!)

Share
Posted on by — Leave a comment

Monday Sardine Report

Monday Sardine Report

Overall, the same situation prevails. There are plenty sardines, but they are spread far and wide with action not concentrated in any one area.

In from Jay Steenkamp, in the air, on the beach and in the water…

“Sea is looking awesome today with light SW and swell has dropped to about 3ft. Some 20 odd gannets diving in the brown water on backline at Peter Pan next to T.T. Strand. No sards on the surface boiling, they are sitting deep and trying to hide from predators”

“Mark Snyman netted at Skiboat Bay this morning. Not sure of details as I was surfing. Also netted at Park Rynie”

“Unreal sea conditions with light offshore and small surf. Just the viz is off colour. Loads of shad being caught off the Sandspit and nearly every other good fishing spot. It’s hard to believe that this is mid winter with such lekka weather”

Thanks Jay!

And then from our intrepid underwater scribe – Darrell Hattingh

“Phew, day of fortunes and losses. Braved and early morning swim at Ifafa Point despite Corey Versluis having seen a 3m Great White there yesterday. Duffed a nice snoek in the twilight and as I was still venturing out, a smallish garrick comes by, and while I am stringing it a shoal of big salmon surround me. Shot a nice grunter.

Then closer to home, in Hibberdene area, as I swam out a shoal of 30+ Garrick surrounded me. I shot the biggest one and it just broke my spear right in half! Got some crays and then as I swam in, got dealt with by 3 huge shoreys in a row. Ha ha!”

Thanks Darrell!! Keep it coming…

Then, Debbie Smith from Offshore Africa Port St. Johns…

” A stunning weather day today, despite the south westerly coming through this morning. News of loads of bird and sardine action sighted south of Rame Head (our area) has us hugely excited as our clients arrive tomorrow and we officially start our sardine run…”

From Mdumbi…

“Blue shad coming out every day. Lots of sardines sighted travelling north, but way out deep.”

So the sards are still around and the fishing is excellent. What are you waiting for?!?!

 

Share
Posted on by — Leave a comment

Sardine Report from Mapuzi

Sardine Report from Mapuzi

Robbie van Wijk, deep down in Transkei, is right in the thick of things, reporting in with this sardine report, from Mapuzi.

“Sardines aren’t striped bru! They are definitely spotted! Down here on the point at Mapuzi, birds are swooping and diving, dolphins are chowing down in the little bay. One chap beautifully fought a 7kg yellowtail in off the rocks while plenty medium sized kob and big shad getting pulled out. The sardines off Mapuzi, are definitely spotted!”

Thanks Robbie!

wpid-wp-1433760355054.jpeg
Gannets taking some time out. This was shot yesterday of Mnyemeni, by Jay Steenkamp. Jay is full time the man on the scene wherever the sardines are…more news to follow…
Share