Spinning Tofinho Point

Waking up in the dark in Tofinho sure beats waking in the dark in Jhb. Where I have been stationed the last month.

It’s still hard work but without the cold it’s great. And watching first light appear over the ocean is what it’s all about.

My light spinning outfit rigged with an SS Tarpon spoon was rearing to go. Moer coffee got me in the same mood and soon I was casting off The Dragon, a small jutting headland shaped like a Dragon’s head, just south of Tofo.

Water moves around this point at a rapid rate and has scoured the reef to a staunch drop off. And in the waves, backlit by the rising sun, I saw the shoal of black tip kingfish.

My first cast produced a bump and my second cast had me tussling with a little kingie that was soon lying on the beach. My camera was in my back pack but by the time I got it off my back, the little kingfish had thrown the hook so I instinctively rather just threw it back in perfect health.

I moved south to the main Tofinho point and soon created some interest with garfish and kingfish having a go. Then I saw it. Black as the night, an outsized GT smacked into my spoon. I saw it all come together like watching HD TV in the wave, and I set the hook. Hard. Too hard. Thwack. My new stick broke with a resounding noise. The kingfish let go luckily.

And I went home sans one beautiful spinning stick.

With revenge on my mind, the next morning broke beautiful again and this time I started at Tofinho.

The garfish were up for sport and after 20 smacks, I finally hooked one proper. Their bony and teeth filled mouths are really hard to hook up with but this fish had a hook right through its bottom jaw.

Immediately it took to the air. Garfish are miniature billfish with longitudinal bursts and sharp direction changes. Usually up into the air mid turn. Spectacular stuff.

I had to pull like crazy coz I know how rare a good hookup on garfish is and was expecting the hook to fall out anytime. But this hookup stayed and with a nice big wave, the garfish felt land for the first time.

They had assembled now and through each breaking wave they could be seen waiting for my spoon. Which they eagerly attacked until another garfish, this time a real long one, held on.

What a fight. Double the intensity as it covered ten metres in either direction effortlessly. But the hook was hooked, and soon he also felt land.

I had to be back in the office at 8, editing work…but after those two fish on spinning gear…the job was a breeze.

To fish Tofinho like this, buzz me on umzimkulu@gmail.com, anytime!