The fishing was fantastic late November through early December. Some boats were pigging out and reports filtered through of catches of 20 couta and 16 snapper (rock salmon) in one trip?! The locals also hammered it and on some days 100 couta were marched across the beach at Tofo. No mercy! The little white Isuzu with a fridge on the back was doing some serious mileage to Durban and back.
Somehow some local fishermen managed to string a gill net around the Praia Da Rocha point, 9kms south of Tofo, and netted 35 Natal Snoek (Queen Mackerel) in a few hours. Sad but true.
But when you compare the above two types of anglers, who is more the villain?
Then when the crowds arrived the fish just disappeared?! Not sure how it was down at Guinjata, or north to Pomene, but this area was a struggle. Some guys got no fish for 4 launches in a row. And it was so hot and perfect!
We were content with the small couta as usual, but the odd bigger fish were caught. One I saw at about 16kg’s by a spearo, and then a possible 35kg taken off Tofo, by a rowboat. The tuna always seem to be around this time of the year, and then finally the skipjack showed up again – by the million. Great live bait and such sport on light tackle. With the skipjack came the action…some big ignoblis, sailfish and a few marlin.
But for now, it does not look good for the next week or so…pouring with rain, and the onshore at 40kmh!
