Categories: Report

Rock n Surf update: hundreds of live baits for garrick

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.

Rock n Surf update: hundreds of live baits for garrick

From very early this morning, in the dark…the carpark started to fill up. I was car number three and slowly I pulled out my 10ft and SL30 and started to assemble my gear. By the time I had threaded the eyes, five more cars had made their way down the precarious access. By the time I had ties my leaders and started to work my way down over the rocks in the dark, there were over twenty cars.

Those first guys went straight for the shad and one first cast later there was a livey out the back. And so the dawn unfolded. One, two, three, four, five, six…and more, live shad, spread out around The Block like a net.

In the meantime, tier two of the normally deserted carpark started to fill up. More shad anglers, not after live bait, they want shad! And shad they got. One every few minutes. One brave little guy went forward of the crew with a toby spoon and looked to be having the most fun, until the bait guys behind him became a problem. He retreated to the shorey but the fish were concentrated just in front of The Block.

So, another day dominated by shad, and crowds of shad fishermen.

And this scene repeated at every decent fishing spot between the north coast and East London. Must be hundreds, no, thousands of live baits swimming their last swims, this morning.