For October, we have Captain Duarte Rato of FishBazaruto with a marlin packed gallery featuring his marlin taming exploits recently fishing up off Vilanculos and the Bazaruto Archipelago.
It has NOT been an easy season up in Baz. The winds have been wreaking havoc with our charters. Luckily for the GTs and the inshore spots! This is the best thing about Bazaruto and surrounding waters – there is so much variety and so many different genres of fishing to enjoy! From the marlin out the back, to the gamefish in the channels between the islands and then all the very many inshore spots – you can fish in any reasonably bad weather for sure.
The gallery…
Bazaruto October Fishing
FishBazaruto still have a few slots left for 2019. You can get in touch with Captain Duarte Rato by popping on over to his website at http://fishbazaruto.com.
We have many other options too that you can choose from to make up your dream fishing holiday. From budget all the way on up to FishBaz. And from Inhaca to Pemba. South Africa too. Get in touch if you would like us to tailor make a trip just for you and your family or friends. We don’t focus only on marlin and Bazaruto at The Sardine. We also do estuary and fly fishing experiences. Spearfishing. Light tackle boat. Spin fishing. Rock and Surf. All up and down the Southern African seaboard. Contact Sean on umzimkulu@gmail.com. Or WhatsApp +27 79 326 9671 anytime really!
Fishing Benguerra: 2 Black marlin, one brown – on same live bait in same minute!
We had been catching and tagging Zambezi sharks. And recording humpback whale and calf conversations. For three weeks straight. In all kinds of seas and conditions. And so it was absolutely great to be out to tag marlin again. The core BCSS crew were aboard. Captain Bento and crew Pedro and Mario. Dr. Mario Lebrato. And me. We are all fishing mad and this heaven-sent day was just what we all needed to unwind and blow off some steam.
I wanted a marlin for Dr. Mario but when we got down to business, the sharks had eaten our entire box of 22/0 circle hooks. And we were left with our sailfish sized models. But there have been loads of small fish about, and sailfish. So when that beautiful little very unlucky skipjack found itself on the deck. I rigged it up with the small circle and let it go.It took a while to find a frigate bird way up on top, circling with promise. The bird was way above a flock of terns enjoying the action down below. And as we sneaked up on the bait ball, with action all around us, I got a solid strike. Then the fish picked up the bait and headed off with purpose. When the lines and smoke got cleared, I looked down to see the heavy shark purposed braid already melted off towards the half way mark. I pushed the lever forward and felt that almighty power as a huge black marlin took to the skies. Her bill was soooo thick. By now the reel was down to a third and it was with some relief that we all saw her throw the bait, still kicking, way through the air. We would never have turned that boat in time to give chase. But we were out for a laugh and we have been seeing so many marlin that we really, just had a laugh about it.
Then. The bait righted itself and there it was, kicking away merrily. Slowly I brought the bait back towards the boat, when bang, another strike. I was hoping it was not the same fish! And it wasn’t. A fish half the size of the first one greyhounded around us. A spritely male that also regurgetated the bait. Completely intact and still kicking determinedly we watched the unlucky skipjack fly through the again. Hitting the water with a splash we heard over the water from 30m away!
When I felt the bait still kicking again this time, I just handed the rod to Dr. Mario. Who promptly hooked a hammerhead of about 120kgs, that Mario broke the rod on, and we had to handline up. Easy job with that heavy braid.
It was super to encounter that first real big fish. She was so thick and fat. Compared to the rat that took the skipjack the second time. The reel wasn’t big enough either, even with that power braid, we would never have stood a chance. So in the end, the hook matched the tackle just fine. And it’s great that the fish got away scot-free.
Everyone else around us is also getting marlin every day. It’s an incredible scene. You can keep up by staying on top of The Sardine News’ various channels…YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter.
You can also check out Captain Duarte Rato and his marlin taming antics on their website http://fishbazaruto.com and social networks too. Duarte really has raised the bar and produces excellent results by global standards as he consistently releases marlin after marlin, species after species, up here in the waters around Benguerra Island and surrounds.
If you would like to join us fishing like this, The Sardine has many options on offer. From super budget camping and small boats. To luxury lodges and sportfishers. To live aboard mothership with 24ft gamefisher and a huge range.
You might also be interested in the goings on at the Bazaruto Centre for Scientific Studies. It’s exciting times as scientists and researchers have begun utilising the facility.
Get in touch on umzimkulu@gmail.com or try the menu item Trips and Travel above.
Video: Croc couta caught off Southport – KZN Lower South Coast
Croc couta caught off Southport – KZN Lower South Coast. See the video after the story below…
It was a lekker early launch with little comparable drama as the Niteshift plowed her way over the sandbar, bashed a few waves, and got us out the back. Captain Brian Lange (my Dad) has done this before!
Soon we found ourselves sounding around for bait – there were very many other boats out there this Sunday 24 March 2018. Louis Posthumous, his son Shawn and Noel Allchin already had bait they were so early. And were slow trolling comfortably in position. Boats were up and down this normally quiet piece of water.
But the bait eluded us and for a while, and we wandered around the usual mackerel hangouts but got only little useless orange fishies and a few cigar shaped maasbankers, or karapauw if you are up north. But then our lady crew on board, Ansie van Biljon (she was meant to bring the luck too), had her rod buckled over as a whole shoal of mackerel jumped onto her hooks. A full and tangled line later the mackerel were swimming lekker in their new home. Our live bait hatch. Ansie went down again and straight away got into it on the way down. She pulled and pulled and next thing three tiny little bonito come flying through the air. Bang! This was our ticket.
We pinned the first one onto a Mydo #1 with two solid 5X trebles and a new trace, and as Dad dropped the anchor to hold us where the baitfish were, I let the bait out the back. The current was winding and I set the Mydo at 10 metres deep, and turned to work on the other two bonnies. But as soon as I started, the TLD 25 screamed blue murder and we sprang into action.
Ansie cleared the lines and tidied the boat. Good crew that she is. And my Dad fired up and jammed the boat into reverse to pop the anchor. It all worked for a change (most times when we try this, the anchor holds stubbornly) and next thing we were loose!
But the fish had taken a steam train run first off and the backing was in sight. And next thing, as we get into the backing – a crossed line! I just backed right off as my Dad got us going, let all the line go, to the spool, and then started again properly. I got all the line back on the first chase, but when the fish saw us, he bolted again. All the line off the reel, even though we were motoring after him. But we got the line back again. We had drifted about 3 kms so far, the current was so strong.
The second run tired the couta out and we closed the deal with little fuss, and the gaff went in!
Ansie caught some nice reds and a few barbel, and then the second bait screamed. Not quite as fast, but fast enough to get all excited again, pull the anchor a second time, and give chase. What a fight! It was too strong to be a couta, we realised after 10 minutes. It might be anything the way it darted around and ran so fast.
Then all of sudden there was a blacktip shark. Or spinner shark, as they spin their way into the sky in amazing leaps. We got away with a clean release,
Then a hammerhead took our third bait…and it was time to get back in the mouth before the tide dropped too low.
If you want to get in on this type of action, get in touch with The Umzimkulu Marina at the link below.
The Bazaruto fishing season is well underway with Captain Duarte Rato reporting in on the billfish and gamefish action, as we move into October.
The mean Wahoo that love the drop offs and deep water that surrounds Bazaruto Island are vying for the attention of the small fleet of boats operating in the area. Although billfish is first prize, along the way to catching them, or whilst targeting bait, the marauding wahoo are game to eat anything that moves. They even eat the huge konas left out there for the granders! And they are so much fun to catch. Blistering runs and dodgy tactics. And stay far away from their teeth.
But it’s the marlin that makes Bazaruto fishing what it is. At any time as the season moves into full swing, those really big fish could show up and jump on your unsuspecting kona. Characteristically rather small this time of year, 80 to 200lb’s, you could get a shot at these eager beaver little fish with a fly rod for sure. The really small guys seem to love the shallows, right in close. And boy can these little fish perform!
The following is a choice of the marlin pics that Captain Duarte Rato of FishBazaruto.com, sent in, this week.
And Captain Duarte’s colourful and entertaining full report can be read at the following link;
From Durban side north to Stranger, Danwood Fishing Tackle has you covered – for Mydo lures.
Nice and central in Tongaat just out of Durban, Danwoods is also close to the best fishing spots on the north coast. Big names like JP Bartholomew can be spotted patrolling the bays, points and gullies spinning for his favourite – the GT!
Danwoods has just been stocked fresh with the entire range of innovative Mydo lures and accessories.
Including the revolutionary Mydo Handy Pouch. Organise your boat and tackle like never before. Clear PVC sealed with Velcro pouches make fishing so much safer. Perfect for skis. They even take a phone or your car keys.
