Fresh news in from Jason Heyne featuring a helluva yellowfin weighing in at 27 kg! Considering the unideal conditions spurned by the cut off low weather phenomoenon we just been through, this fish is a huge hit! – Xona
“The diving conditions this week have been well below average. To top it off the coast was hit by a huge storm on Wednesday so diving this weekend is out unless you like diving in mud! Well done Dylan Koekemoer on getting club merit fish of the week again and Marcus on getting fish of the week a 27kg yellowfin tuna! As always dive safe and straight spears.”
Well it’s an amazingly big fish of the week this time round with a 45kg GT coming in to the scales…over to Jason with this weeks spearfishing KZN roundup. – Xona
The diving conditions this week have been below average with only one or two days being divable. Big brusher and daga salmon are around with some small garrick coming out. Saturday a North East blows during the day dropping off towards late afternoon with a swell of 1.6m running. Sunday morning a moderate south West blows with the swell running at 1.3m. So early both Sunday and Saturday could be good for a dive. Biggest fish of the week goes to Garryd with a 45kg wopper Gt and club merit fish goes to Dylan Koekemoer with his 1st decent size yellow belly. As always dive safe and straight spears.
Thank you Jason Heyne, for this ever reliable and informative spearfishing report.
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…
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.
Possible final sardine report for 2017 – although you never know! Sometimes the sardines only come in September and later?!
Sardines have still been spotted along the backline, sporadically this last week of August 2017. With some huge fish harassing them. And now it turns into a fishing report! It’s not just dolphins anymore, there are all sorts of predators – yellowfin tuna,
And now this turns into a fishing report!
It’s not just dolphins anymore (still plentiful, whales too), there are all sorts of predators – yellowfin tuna, garrick and snoek that are on the take right now. As the almost great 2017 sardine run runs out, the fish are getting active. Visible in flashes along the backline, smashing at baitfish all over the place. Especially since it’s spawning time right now too. So – take a photo and just chuck em back, especially now when the populations are in this vulnerable state.
On the lower south coast – shad are still easy targets – the piers at Margate and Uvongo being useable and consistent. DAFF have been maintaining a presence.
Watch out an angry garrick doesn’t smash your shad spoon in the thick of a good bite. When the shad are on, the garrick literally swim along the shore break to ambush – sometimes right in front of your eyes! Three or four at once! Keep that big stick at hand!
The serious guys who fish the early hours, are difficult to keep tabs on, but speaking to a few of them, in the usual carparks they haunt – it’s been a slow but consistent season for kob off the beach. Pink plastics seem to be the go down in Port Edward, but at Port Shepstone, it’s still the milky white. There are surprisingly few anglers throwing plastics (just even for daytime fish) and many good sessions are going by without being noticed.
Jason Heyne’s weekly spearfishing report shows the same garrick and kob trend. But some big king mackerel up north, between Sodwana and Vidal, are also indicative that the sardine run is well and truly done and dusted.
Len Mathews sent in this pic of his mate fishing at Cape Vidal yesterday – a lovely couta caught on a Mydo Baitswimmer #3.
A lekka Sodwana couta caught with the help of a Mydo Baitswimmer #3 provided by Len Mathews
A special thanks to Fishing’s Finest in Pretoria for this year sponsoring the Sardine News Sardine Report for 2017. Check their cool site and store at http://fishingsfinest.co.za
Fish of the week shot by Richard Colyn- a 28.4kg ‘Couta
A big thank you to Jason Heyne for his weekly spearfishing report. This week featuring a beautiful king mackereal aka ‘couta by Richard Colyn…
The diving conditions have been below average this week with only 2 days being good. The usual winter suspects are around with some fat winter king macs coming out far north. Saturday morning the swell runs at 2.5m with a light to moderate north east wind in the afternoon dropping the swell to 2m. Sunday morning the swell has dropped to a manageable 1.5m with a light to moderate south West wind in the afternoon picking the swell up to 1.8m. So it looks like Sunday is a green light for a dive.. Viz was reported south today. Fish of the week was shot by Richard Colyn a respectable 28.4kg ‘couta! As always dive safe and straight spears
