Tag: fishing

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Third wave of sardines have hit the beach in Durban!

Third wave of sardines hit Durban

Third wave of sardines have hit the beach in Durban!

Third wave of sardines have hit the beach in Durban! Adam Kamdar has his finger right on the pulse of each and every sardine as they try to get past Durban. Adam reports for a number of media outlets that count on him daily for sardine, and fishing updates.

And just yesterday Adam sent in the following pics…

  • Pics by Adam Kamdar
  • Third wave of sardines hit Durban
    Third wave of sardines hit Durban
Adam Kamdar reporting right from the beach at Durban. As the third wave of sardines hit.

Adam (who has been in Durban his entire life) has been through a number of sardine runs. Many of us have. And we all sit comfortably on the sidelines as the chaos of sardine fever first hits. Knowing full well that the sards come in many waves.

Starting with the pilot shoals – usually being hounded by gamefish and cetaceans. Birds.

Then come the bigger shoals and these are normally being herded by all of the above plus the entire shark population of Africa. Millions of seabirds check-in now too. The cetaceans become more numerous and varied. Seals even pull in from the Cape. These shoals seem to just get bigger and bigger until…they vanish!

Sometimes for a week. Sometimes a month. Even two months. But there is always a far more calm and controlled third wave of sardines to chase.

Fishing Roundup during this third wave of sardines

Garrick and kob time. Obviously, the Port St. Johns fiasco continues as a powerless DAFF grapple with the immense and dangerous task at hand – stopping the jiggers.

There are very many small, er, tiny kob around too. Not to be confused with little snappers or snotties. Snotties, which are delicious and only grow to about 2 or 3kgs, have THREE distinct teeth. Sharp ones. These are the ONLY small salmon/kob/whatever, that you can catch.

Put ALL the rest back please!

Some large grunter have been on the menu, it’s all about the bait though. Very fussy fish those guys.

There are some shad about too, again, nobody checking so it’s still a free-for-all. Phone DAFF if you see any criminal activity or bag limits being exceeded. DAFF need all the help they can get.

There are lots of blacktails in the gulleys and in the shorebreaks. Zebra fish too.

Border Spearfishing Event

Every year, every spearo in Southern Africa eagerly seeks out one of the coveted invites to the Border annual spearfishing event. Held in the Transkei, the event is limited to limit the ecological damage an open spearfishing compo could cause.

But hell they got some nice fish…Jason Heyne penned up the story.

Border Open Spearfishing Challenge 2021
Nice work Jason!

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Champagne Breakfast at St. Helen’s Rock, KZN, Port Shepstone

St Helen's Rock 2021 Expedition

Champagne Breakfast at St. Helen’s Rock, KZN, Port Shepstone

Champagne Breakfast at St. Helen’s Rock, KZN, Port Shepstone: Sian and her friends visiting the south coast down from Jhb had pre-booked a ride with us quite some time before. But we had a surprise in store. For Sian and her enthusiastic crew.

St. Helen’s Rock expedition video

They were going on an ancient tradition this time round – a river ride from Port Shepstone harbour – up to St. Helen’s Rock. 14 Kilometres of winding river and deep nature. Starting early and not without the usual confusion and chaos of a big crew, we were soon racing with the tide and current. In order to get under the low-level bridge but up the first rapid, or Berm ONE as it is affectionately known, we had to time it just right. Berm TWO was easier but took a while as we skirted sandbank and reef to get in and around the corner. But then it’s plain sailing and we cruise past the pump station and onto the bend that hosts St. Helen’s majestic piece of Africa.

The champagne was soon flowing and the breakfast was spluttering on the skottel. There is a helluva lot of exploring to do up at St. Helen’s Rock. Just about where the Umzimkulwana and the Umzimkulu come snaking out of the Oribi Gorge. We are actually able to go even further up into the Oribi Gorge. But that is going to be for the next boundary-pushing adventure. We did bring a kayak and next time we will bring even more, to enable even more exploring of this historic site.

Blazing an old trail upriver and into the historical hinterland at St. Helen's Rock
Beautiful smile!
Yes it was rather icy cold at this stage. But we had coffee and rusks.
St. Helen's Rock in KZN, South Africa
Your Captains are good to go this winter season. St. Helen's Rock in the background

History

There was certainly trade and business going on here back when this was the commercial junction from Durban to all of southern Natal and beyond. This exact spot! There are ruins everywhere. And rumours of a complete village settlement on the north bank still need to be verified. There is the wreck of a beautiful European looking boat half-buried into the mountain bank. There are railway tracks and even sidings strewn about by the floods, at the confluence of the two mighty rivers – the Umzimkulu (comes from the Berg) and the Umzimkulwana (comes from Lake Eland).

This wreck we encountered whilst surveying the upper reaches of the Umzimkulu Estuary
This wreck we encountered whilst surveying the upper reaches of the Umzimkulu Estuary

And just wait ’til you hear what St. Helen did to get that beautiful big old rock named after her.

Forthcoming attraction!

Let’s gooooooo!

So please get in touch anytime on umzimkulu@gmail.com or call me up on +27793269671 although WhatsApp really works best. If you like this type of adventure. Rates are roughly R100 per person per hour. And we can cater and bring loaded coolers.

BTW we run on solar power and electric engines. SILENT! And you are welcome to bring a fly-rod.

There is a lot more to see and do on The Sardine News website at https://thesardine.co.za and the MasterWatermen at https://masterwatermen.co.za.

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Sardines Reported 14 May 2021 from Morgans Bay

Sardines Reported 14 May 2021 from Morgans Bay

Welcome back to the most up-to-date sardine run 2021 reporting YouTube Channel and website – The Sardine News.

Morgans Bay

A very positive triple-up report from the Morgans Bay area, just north of East London. The trio verify each other with near-exact descriptions of the action and combining of elements. And location. Kilometres of sardines, with thousands of birds, and the usual plethora of marine wildlife in chase. Humpback whales were also reported along with hundreds of dolphins and gamefish.

Perfect timing

Actually, this is perfect timing, for these first shoals to make their appearance. It bodes well for a good season and we need not even get too excited about these first shoals. Except that, they often have the gamefish with them. Winter gamefish hang around for the sardine run, patrolling up and down the coastline in search of the huge free meal. So they are often at the first few smaller and stretched out shoals. And they seem to out-pace the sharks. Who more lazily stick to the massive shoals that are still coming.

Aloes

Baby buds forming up for the sardine run 2021 season.

The aloes on the KZN coastline and further south, are the most reliable indicator, as far as we can tell from the years. And they have hardly started budding. Although they are getting some colour. And when the “red hot pokers bloom”, that’s when the sardines will arrive en-masse.

So, make sure you do not miss out on any sardine action and whereabouts, by subscribing to this channel.

Although we do feature surfing and diving along with fishing, we realise that this time of the year is all about the sardines.

And so we commit to being extra diligent as we gather and report on the sardine run this 2021.

Master Watermen

The Morgans Bay reports actually came from the Master Watermen spearfishing website which you follow too. To take advantage of the spearos underwater perspectives.

A big thank you to Jason Heyne for the reports!

More at https://thesardine.co.za and https://masterwatermen.co.za

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Shad attack behaviour in Port Shepstone – the movie

Shad attack behaviour recorded off Port Shepstone

Shad attack behaviour in Port Shepstone – the movie

Shad attack behaviour – the movie was shot on a shallow spot on the backline off Port Shepstone, KZN, South Africa. Near the end of the shad open season this crazy 2020. When they start to congregate to spawn.

The shad, unlike garrick or kob, are given a protected season. This was introduced decades ago when the shad were running out fast. At the end of this month, it is over for shad fishers until 1 December. Somehow this doesn’t make sense since it is the Garrick and kob that the help now. DAFF? Where are you guys on this?

Shad have many names including bluefish and tailor. And its Latin name comes straight out of Asterix and Obelix – Pomatomus Saltatrix!

Anyway, we found a large shoal moving around near the backline at Port Shepstone, and managed to get the GoFish cameras into the water with them. What an amazing amount of fun!

Firstly to have the shad in such a playful mood as they chased our lures from the bottom to the top. We got them on the surface too – like little billfish they mercilessly attacked our lures, often finding themselves cartwheeling through the air and tail-walking. Yes, out here in the blue and flat surface, shad take on a wild new character when cranking a spoon wildly across the top for them to chase.

And secondly, the video material we got out of this session, and some of what features in this video – literally blew our minds!

The GoFish cameras we recently added to our arsenal have completed the mission they were acquired for perfectly…

We can finally see underwater!

The shad follow the lure or bait down too
Shad attack behaviour - strike after strike
This is what it looks like being chased by a shoal of voracious shad!

The only other people who get this perspective are the spearos and bubble-blowers. But now we can drop a camera down, and observe the goings on on and around the reef, without even getting wet!

Working with the GoFish Cameras

It is not in real-time. Wi-fi don’t work underwater. But we have a cute little computer on the boat that powers off a cell charger and its a quick card switch for us to be seeing what just happened downstairs on the reef below us. There is a wi-fi function on the cameras, however. As long as they are floating in their little life rings, and their bums are sticking up out if the water, you can then live stream in real-time the action going on. This is a very limited function but can be applied to certain limited scenarios.

Now if you buy your GoFish Cams from this here website, you will get unlimited email and telephonic support from me and us here at The Sardine News. We have been using these cameras extensively and have made all the mistakes possible. And we are still making them! Learning every day for sure!

So use the link above or below, depending on your device, to get in on this eye-opening way of working things out on your favourite reef or with your favourite fish!

If you would like to join us down here in Port Shepstone for the season, please get in touch. We are based at the Umzimkulu Marina, right in the banks of the Umzimkulu River – and we are fishing flat out!

We have deep-sea options from backline to billfish on offer. We have the famous Sandspit and The Block to fish from the side from. And then the marvelously fun estuary fishing where we encounter so many different species making every strike that much more interesting.

Please get in touch with Sean on umzimkulu@gmail.com or +27793269671 to work it out. Bookings have come back to normal luckily so think ahead in time.

We are Facebook right HERE and run a full-on YouTube Channel right HERE!

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Bass on fly tackle

Bass on fly tackle! Fly sailing is a great new way of tackling bass and practising for the saltwater! Niki Tilley with a nice South Coast largemouth bass.

Bass on fly tackle

Bass on fly tackle? To the purists and sceptics out there – it’s a great way to practise for the saltwater! – Sean

And as the southerly and northerly winds start their perennial argument, hanging out in the shelter of a tucked-away bass pond – is a great place to be. Especially along the KZN South Coast inland beat, where we are right now. And the wind is scathing our beaches and coastline. Right now as I write this, its literally blowing a gale at 30 knots plus. From the south. And tomorrow it’s gonna be the same but from the south-east. Even worse! Then it turns north. Even worser!

Luckily, many farmers from around here allow bass anglers to hunt fish in their dams. And many dont! But if you are on the KZN South Coast some time, and you want to go bassin’, we can take you for sure. Paddock and Umzumbe hold some secrets and even close around Port Shepstone there are some gems. That do not get fished very often at all.

And who also hold some lunker sized bass. Even just recently, as the bass start to enter spawning mode, some good catches have been made including one of over 4kgs caught and released just south of Port Shepstone.

But ok, a few stories that might get you amped up…the first from Coty in the States who penned up this real cool article on what it takes to bassin’ on the fly.

https://yourbassguy.com/fly-fishing-for-bass/

And this one, also sent in by Coty…

https://www.wired2fish.com/biology/biologists-world-record-bass-potential-in-south-african-reservoir/

…is well worth a read as it analyses the famed Loskop Reservoir where Wayne Naude caught the current SA Record at 7 something kilos!

But ok thanks Coty for the articles, and you can visit Cotys new website at Your Bass Guy dot Com. Click right HERE to check it out. Looking forward to some more technical stuff from the old USA.

And if you want a bassin trip to remember, get in touch with me Sean on umzimkulu@gmail.com or +27 79 326 9671 anytime and lets chat it out.

Check out our YouTube Channel right here…

Catch us on Facebook HERE!

You can buy all sorts of fly fishing tackle right HERE.

The Sardine News (c) 2020

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