Over to Jason Heyne keeping us up to date on all things happening underwater, up and down the KZN coastline…
Conditions have been well below average this week with the change of seasons. Daga salmon and brusher are around with the odd garrick coming out. Saturday a moderate to fresh south West blows with 2m plus swell. Sunday a moderate to fresh north east blows with 2m plus swell. So it looks like a non-diving weekend. Club fish (note half a fish) of merit and biggest fish of the week goes to Philip Dreyer with a 10kg plus brusher! As always dive safe and straight spears.
Here is a gallery of fish taken over the winter…thanks again Jason.
Shooting fish in KZN waters with Jason Heyne weekly, a great source of intel for anyone wanting to know what is actually going on with the fish in our waters. Although the garrick and kob may not be really on the bite yet, they certainly are seen patrolling up and down the coast. It’s nice to hear the geelbek are coming in shallow – a good sign that there are still a few about…over to you Jason.
“The diving conditions have been above average this week. Garrick, wahoo, daga salmon, geelbek and brusher have been coming out. Saturday the north east has blown thro the night and drops off midmorning switching to a moderate south West with the swell running at 1.5m. Sunday morning a light offshore blows switching to a light to moderate south West later in the day with the swell running at 2.2m..so it looks like Saturday is go day for a dive. Viz was reported south and North today. Well done Quintin White on getting both club merit and biggest fish for the week a 18.5kg (gutted) wahoo! As always dive safe and straight spears. ”
And the gallery to go with the weekly story…
The Fish Eagles of the Umzimkulu wake lodge guests at the Umzimkulu Marina, each morning. Don’t worry though, they start at a reasonable hour – fishing time!
This weeks spearfishing report by Jason Heyne is sponsored by the Umzimkulu Marina. The perfect spot for spearos to come and enjoy the clean and warm conditions of spring, on the KZN south coast. The water stays crystal clean right through to the summer rains, which have been coming later and later each year – leaving us with clean water right into November sometimes.
The launch here at the river can be otherwise and is not officially a launch site any more. But a short tow north or south gets you to really reliable and easy launch sites. Pumula is fantastic, as is Hibberdene a bit further north. Then if you can handle a queue, head to Shelley Beach, or further south to Ramsgate. These launch sites open vaste stretch of fish rich coastline for your to explore.
Shore diving is a magical prospect here on the south coast. The many points and rivers make for easy access to the backline and beyond. There is a nice strong north to south current that can fly you over scattered reef for miles.
Just in from Jason Heyne down the south coast of KZN, happily reporting his sailfish.
Epic conditions on the shoal today – lost two cracker wahoo – these fish continue to elude me. At the moment the score is Wahoo 6, and me 0. One came in close of deep Scotties and I got a broadside shot in garrick style. Aimed middle and the fish spooked on the trigger so the shot went high and the ‘hoo just shook it off and showed me a zap.
Dave Adworth got well worked over by a 200kg plus black marlin that bust him up proper. Took his gun and everything. Meanwhile his dive partner Chad shot three wahoo from 15kgs to 27kgs.
At 06h30 there were eight boats around us, by 08h00 there were twenty!
But the wahoo still hung around in amongst all the traffic.
Then the fishermen left as they couldnt make any bait, Mark de la Hay and all the other pros scratching their heads.
Then right in the middle of all this I plonked my saily. It went on a grand tail walking show in and around the boats with anglers watching on.
Thanks Jason! Keep up the good work!
That’s quite a hefty looking sailfish by Jason Heyne off Aliwal on Wednesday
Jason Heyne checks in and also reports that the king mackeral they have been encountering underwater are all way above average. And more exciting news is that the Garrick have turned up in KZN waters in reasonable numbers – Xona
The diving conditions this week have been average. Garrick are around in shoals and big singles. Huge Croc king mackerel are coming out up and down the coast. Unfortunately diving is out this weekend due to a huge frontal weather system which hit today (Friday). Well done to Bryce Buis and Kobus Delport on getting the fish of the week a 17kg king mackerel each! Exceptional seeing as they were both shot on shore dives. As always dive safe and straight spears.
Our Spearo Report KZN South Africa as compiled by Jason Heyne…
The diving conditions this week have been average to above average. There are cobia, cuda and snoek around in numbers. Saturday and Sunday a light to moderate northeast blows picking up speed in the late afternoon with a swell of 1.5m running both days. So both Saturday and Sunday are looking good for a dive as long as you get on it early. There was viz reported Durban bluff areas and South coast. Well done Garret Staats on getting the fish of the week…a 24kg cobia!! As always dive safe and straight spears.
