Tag: kob

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The Sardine News Late Edition 22 August 2025 FULL Reports #shad #sardines #bridges #fishing #report

The Sardine News Late Edition 22 August 2025 FULL Reports #shad #sardines #bridges #fishing #report

The Sardine News Late Edition 22 August 2025 FULL Reports #shad #sardines #bridges #fishing #report

The Sardine News Late Edition 22 August 2025 FULL Reports #shad #sardines #bridges #fishing #report

welcome back to the Sardine News ALL the fish and more
hey a big welcome back to you
the Sardine News in the afternoon edition
Chelsea says howzit alright
we got some very good news today
like really good news and I’m gonna start it off yeah
and yes
that was our good friend Jace and now here is the very
very good news
the guys deployed a net and guess who is back
welcome back Kioshin
so guys I’m back
I thought it was over
but I’m back and so is the rest of the team
Veez One and uh
we’re back on the beach um
sort of walking again
so we decided to net today and we are at um Caradeen
in front of Karridene Hotel
and we got a nice net about an hour ago
so there’s a lot of sardine action
I believe there’s still a lot of action on the coast
and uh yeah
Veez One is a nice net if anyone wants fresh fish
we are selling at uh at Winklespruit
uh near Green Roof
at the entrance to Green Roof
so the team is back and I’m back and back on the beach
and uh yeah
sardine run 2025 isn’t over
yeah it’s really good to see you again Kioshin
you do such a really good job down there
thank you very much for all the reports
and it’s so nice to see you up and riding again okay
moving right on
morning guys
beautiful morning stunning day
couple of nice shad
came out here early
and then they’ve just went off the bite
waters perfect
a lot of peckers around
well
couldn’t work ask for a better day
take time off come fish
yeah while we at the block check this out
thanks Roosta
for sending us this update from such a cool angle
but yeah
I don’t know what to say or what to comment about this
because I’m sure some people are gonna get upset hey
yeah yeah
anyway they look like they’re digging at the bottom
at the other side as well
so I don’t know I just don’t I’ve got no comment
moving along
morning all from the pond in Port Edward
not much shad action going on here
there’s quite a crowd gathered there with the guys
with the big sticks I’m gonna hang around and see
I think someone’s hooked something big
garrick came out here the other day on
it was close to 20 kilos
just taking the beauty of the surrounds here
it’s absolutely stunning
light north easterly
8 to 10 K’s an hour making fishing still fine
nothing wrong
anyway this is me from Port Edward saying goodbye
tight lines everyone
okay thank you Roosta
Allen Steve for your reports
we’re gonna go over to Ian
who’s got something to tell us thanks Ian
good uh
morning everyone
coming to you from the lower south coast
uh this awesome Friday morning
um all of you guys know me
I’m the uh squidgits man
so this morning um
we will head down to the rocks and uh
I’m gonna use my trustworthy bait squidgits
so we’ll keep you updated on uh
how it goes if we catch or not
um I had some guys um
WhatsApp me last night with awesome catches of um
I believe they were some other fish caught
but um they never sent me any posts
I will see if I can get hold of them
and ask them to share but they got some big black tile
I did post it last night as
as as it came in
so yes um guys
um while we’re here um
I believe there is another supply of squid guts on the
um uh
on on the Durban
Durbs area they’re calling themselves squid guts uh
comes in a bottle similar to mine with an orange lid
guys um
I I wish them all the luck
I wish them tight lines and real runs
but guys if
if if
if it does not say squidgits
it’s not squidgits and I’m saying this with a reason
it’s not a matter of just sourcing bait
packaging it and sending it out there
um I’ve been um
doing squidgits now for more than 10 years
so I have fine tune is the bait
um so there is a secret twist to the squidgits
and so yeah um
like you say um
proof in the pudding and the guys are doing well
um
and um
yeah the posts have just been streaming in on
on how um
fishing has changed uh
things in the last couple of months
but anyhow guys
um I’m not really worried about that
um just if it doesn’t say squidgits
it’s not squidgits so yeah
it’s up to you uh
to decide
um what you wanna do
what you wanna buy
what you wanna spend to waste your money on
so guys uh
from me
um I’m heading on down now to the water’s edge
uh and I will be using squidgits
the golden bait and um yeah
let’s see what we can get this morning
hopefully I am blessed with some good fish
there has been a increase
a lot amount of small fish in the water
um so yeah
they’ve been going to town
and not getting the big fish to the bite
so yeah with that said
uh let me head on down
uh Sun’s almost almost up
uh we have a bit of cloud
so maybe give me a little bit more darker
morning hours to fishing so from me
uh down here on the south coast from the squidgits’s man
I’ll be in touch uh during the course of the morning
uh to all you guys out there on the rocks
stay safe tart lines and real runs
so good morning guys
just a recap of this morning’s uh broadcast
um yeah
uh bit hazy this morning
the sun’s coming up a lot of sardines in the water
a hell of a lot of sardines
but yes on the squidgits
the golden proof in the pudding
this guy jumping around there we go
you just keep quiet a bit
you can see squidgits
and a danger right in the corner there
so yeah guys proof in the pudding
uh even on rough days yeah
we’re getting fish cheers guys and tight lines
and then finally we would like to thank
the people who ordered MYDOs this week
and joined the HOTLINE
you’re the lifeblood of the sardine
thank you thank you
and thank you again um
we’re gonna just go out mentioning National Garrick Day
it’s coming up you know
in a month or so
but there’s a cool video that I posted this morning
that we made in 2008
might be our first sardine news video of all time
but it’s on I’m not gonna put it on now
cause it’s like 9 minutes or something like that
but it’s on the channel somewhere
and it’s highly recommended alright
don’t forget to join the HOTLINE to support us too
that’s our biggest thing welcome Roger
welcome Sharon welcome Callum
welcome all those new people who have just joined up
right if you can just also like and subscribe
that’s just good enough for us to thank you
thank you and thank you out

Sardines and Sighting Maps

Check out our annual Sardine Run Map! It also features good catches, marine sightings and boating incidents.

Download our app to your phone or device, accept notifications, and you will never miss a single sardine.

Here are the links to existing and past Sardine Sighting Maps…

2025 Sardine Map

2024 Sardine Map

2023 Sardine Map

2022 Sardine Map

2021 Sardine Map

Channels

Brucifire Surf Retorts – highly entertaining  surf reporting

Master Watermen – news from way down deep

The Sardine News – neva miss a single  sardine

FishBazaruto – 1000 pounds plus

MYDO Tackle Talk – highly technical  sport fishing

Surf Launching Southern Africa – getting out there safely

Water Woes – complain about your municipality

Websites

umzimkulu.co.za – self-catering right on the Umzimkulu River
umzimkuluadrenalin.co.za –  will get you right out and onto the edge
thesardine.co.za – never miss a single sardine
masterwatermen.co.za – news from under water
fishbazaruto.com – dreams
brucifire.co.za – surf retorts

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Night-time is the Right-time for KZN Estuary Fishing

African Tarpon by John in the Umzimkulu. KZN Estuary Fishing

Night-time is the Right-time for KZN Estuary Fishing

Night-time is the Right-time for KZN Estuary Fishing: especially when the high tide is late in the arvo, or early evening. Regular estuary anglers with me, John and Barry, set up camp here on the edge of the Umzimkulu this week. Launched their little Tug 10, and nabbed 5 species in their first two sessions!

Here is the news from today…

Perch

KZN Estuary Fishing Season Has Kicked Off Strong
The KZN Estuary Fishing Season Has Kicked Off Strong

The first fish was on the first evening, just fishing in the moonlight, tied up to the jetty. John had a new cast net and was producing perfect little mullet, and the odd glassy. After some banter, Barry ended up with a glassy out there, instead of a mullet. And true to form, that little glassy (nearly as big as Barry’s circle hook) produced a screaming reel.

Barry enjoyed his argument under the moon, with a proper perch. The only fish, on the trip, that was kept and eaten. All the rest that these guys caught went back…

Kingfish, Tarpon, Rock Salmon, Kob

The next day, they went out on the Tug and upriver to the deep holes. There are a series of these 10m plus holes all along the edge of the cliff, starting from underneath the ghost house. It was in this deep water, which happens also to the narrowest part of the estuary, that the guys had their success.

Note: John and Barry hold the record for the most kob caught over a long weekend, ever. They totalled in the hundreds, and let every single fish go healthy and better off. Using circle hooks for easy release and a 100% hook-up ratio, they also gave the koblets a good lecture with each release. Doing wonders for the future of kob.

The next day…

Was a little slower, mainly kob and things again.

Python!

Then, in idyllic conditions, Emilio joined us on the big boat. We anchored up against the cliff to be able to fish down in the deep. We never got a bite. Until the miggies came. Then all of a sudden, the fish were there. And as it got dark, we got multiple strikes.

But it wasn’t until the next evening, when we swapped Emilio for Alan, that we got another nice kob which Alan took home to share with his wife.

A marked moment on this trip was seeing a huge turtle pop up. And then a huge snake, with a very squared off head – black in the twilight, swimming purposefully across the river. I first paid it no heed, thinking it an otter. Of which there are plenty in this section of the river. Until I saw Alan staring at the thing intently.

It was definitely not an otter as it silently approached the bank, only a tiny ten metres away from us. Now fully at attention, the boat went silent. And the huge snake slipped into the jungle without a sound.

On both of these evening sessions, the kingfish were mercilessly hammering the little mullet and things on the surface. All around us – at least 20 bust-ups. We had a few goes at them and I had a good chase down, but they were too engrossed in their abundance to pay us any attention. Suspected Greenspots, although some could have been GTs the attacks were so big and mean.

Next timey!

Contact me to setup your own estuary dream trip, use the big old WhatsApp Button floating around somewhere on this website or on https://umzimkuluadrenalin.co.za.

Sardines and Sightings

Join the Sardine News HOTLINE for 2025 and Neva Miss a Single Sardine! We first upload to YouTube, and then progressively up to the rest of the social platforms (Facey, X, etc) as the bandwidth allows.

CLICK HERE TO JOIN as a Member on YouTube to always get The Sardine News first – and then receive all these perks too…

Member of WhatsApp Sardine News HOTLINE, access to restricted content on thesardine.co.za, LIVE Broadcasts from the Beach during the sardine run. And direct contact with the Sardine Spy network team.

You can also get around the season in a real fun way by checking out our annual Sardine Run Maps. This is a real groovy way to follow the progress of the sardines each year.

You can even download our app to your phone or device, accept notifications, and you will never miss a single sardine.

Here are the links to existing and past  Sardine Sighting Maps…

2025 Sardine Map

2024 Sardine Map

2023 Sardine Map

2022 Sardine Map

2021 Sardine Map

Channels

Brucifire Surf Retorts – highly entertaining  surf reporting

Master Watermen – news from way down deep

The Sardine News – neva miss a single  sardine

FishBazaruto – 1000 pounds plus

MYDO Tackle Talk – highly technical  sport fishing

Surf Launching Southern Africa – getting out there safely

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Kob Slaughter in Namibia – Full Story

Bring on the Clowns - Kob Slaughter in Namibia

Kob Slaughter in Namibia – Full Story

Kob Slaughter in Namibia – Full Story: As it turns out, the kob slaughter we have recently been exposed to on social media, has been going on for quite some time now. Some of the transgressors have been apprehended, and jailed. Just not the ones in our video on YouTube (below). Their identities are clear for all to see on their blockbuster video. But so far they have seemingly gotten away scot-free.

DAFF and the Namibian counterpart government organisation are well aware of the plunder. And have started to work together. So these clowns should be getting a call soon.

Watch the video here…the Namibia Kob Slaughter section is about halfway through…the culprits are not identified in this particular video. But there are plenty of versions on Facebook for you to see who they are, for yourself.

You can subscribe to our YouTube Channel right HERE. The Sardine News breaks here first! Daily reports and updates.

From Ground Zero in Henties Baai

I interviewed a few local fishermen from the Henties Bay area, and this is what one old ballie had to say…

“Well it is an ongoing thing that will not be easy to stop or to be controlled unless they replace the Police, staff and Nature Conservation staff that is placed there. Terrace Bay is way up north and there is a small area that is allowed to be fished. Now what happens is, the people come from SA yearly, get the ‘right Gillies’, (not law obiding) they leave Henties bay and go to Terrace bay. There the Police, the Staff, the Nature Conservation staff all get a pay-off. The gillies arranges everything. Then the guys go, police included, beyond the border where you are not allowed to fish. You don’t have to have any form fishing skills to fish there, as you just lob your bait in the water and the fish are there in abundance. And this happens yearly. Last year, the same group that posted this fish now, did the same. This time of the year our Kob is on feeding frenzy because they finished to spawn. And this catching of the fish illegally happens yearly. It only reached the correct people now, that is why there is some action being taken.”

“But ya, something has to be done. And rather late than never. Luckily something is starting to happen. My question is how do they keep on getting away with this type of wrong doings. The videos they share is more than enough proof that they need to be fined, or whatsoever. I have spoken to one guy that is also working at Terrace, he said that he is not sure who or what group has been caught as there are numbers of groups handing out bribe money to fish there. And coming in numbers mostly on a daily basis. However another source said it is the same group of guys caught and another source said it is not.”

“And the saddest part of all is the area they catch these fish is in a closed protected area. No one is allowed to fish there. And it is really not difficult to catch something, the one oke told me he just flips his rod with a soft under arm swing. Every cast is vas.”

The other interviews were pretty much along the same lines. And all of them are elated at the fact that they recently had guests in the Government Hotel at Khorixas (police cells). But the corruption runs deep in Africa and there are some badly rotten apples riding in the conservation apple cart too, evidently.

South Africans

I have been to Henties and a few either places in Namibia and it’s the same. Bombastic, rude, rich and callous South Africans, always in a big group of two or three double cabs, marauding anything and everything that even looks like a fish.

It happens in the Transkei. It happens in Mozambique. South Africans, with bags of money and expensive equipment, get so out of hand and evil that they leave not only their tracks but a trail of destruction.

Recent complaints filed in the Henties Bay area…

  • a 4 x4 from South Africa ploughed through a roosting group of Cape Cormorants in Henties Bay at full speed killing most of the hapless birds
  • a 4 x 4 from South Africa chased down and rode over a local’s doggie, on the beach, causing severe injury and a vet bill,
  • a 4 x 4 from South Africa, accompanied by two more, recently loaded 220 kob illegally – Terrace Bay
  • a 4 x 4 from South Africa, accompanied by two more, recently loaded 105 kob illegally – Terrace Bay
  • a 4 x 4 from South Africa was recently busted buying worms and mussels illegally to hammer the ever-suffering West Coast Steenbras stock in Namibia

Now these 4 x 4s from South Africa don’t drive themselves. Nor do they catch any fish on their own. But put a few trash humans in the mix, and voila, we have illegal killing teams operating on our beaches. Here in the Transkei. Beaches in Namibia. And up in Mozambique.

Who are these sub-humans?

Usual Suspects

Well…the same ones as usual it turns out. These people are part of the same group of creeps who were photographed with a huge illegal catch of kob in the Transkei a few years ago. They are pros. They have all the gear and equipment. They move in large groups together. They surely do this for profit, for the hauls of fish they have been photographed with are worth a small fortune in a fish shop.

Sadly, these guys drag the local gillies down with them. Their greed spills out over and onto the gillies who just see dollar signs when these guys come to town.

Authorities

According to the authorities, these guys are going down no matter what. And that time will tell. The Namibian locals are furious with the poaching South Africans too. The authorities up there have caught a few transgressors recently. Some jail time and half-decent fines have been issued. It’s embarrassing for them to have this news all over social media…as the transgressors brag about their crimes conducted in Namibia – on Facebook!

The net is closing in on these criminals…stay posted right here at The Sardine News.

Sardines and Sighting Maps

We have started the 2025  Sardine Run Map! Download our app to your phone or device, accept notifications, and you will never miss a single sardine.

2024 was a thrilling year for sardines. All the action has been logged right here on The Sardine News. The 2024 map has been viewed 200 000 times and just keeps going.

Which led us to decide to keep the map live. And keep adding unique marine animal sightings and events. That occurs non-stop all year round. Last year we started to log more whale and dolphin sightings. And we even had a shipwreck! This year we have had two sailboat incidents already. PLUS, we have already logged some sardines!

Here are the links to existing and past Sardine Sighting Maps…

2025 Sardine Map

2024 Sardine Map

2023 Sardine Map

2022 Sardine Map

2021 Sardine Map

Channels

Brucifire Surf Retorts – highly entertaining  surf reporting

Master Watermen – news from way down deep

The Sardine News – neva miss a single  sardine

FishBazaruto – 1000 pounds plus

MYDO Tackle Talk – highly technical  sport fishing

Surf Launching Southern Africa – getting out there safely

Water Woes – complain about your municipality here

Websites

umzimkulu.co.za – self-catering right on the Umzimkulu River
umzimkuluadrenalin.co.za –  will get you right out and onto the edge
thesardine.co.za – never miss a single sardine
masterwatermen.co.za – news from under water
fishbazaruto.com – dreams
brucifire.co.za – surf retorts

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The KOB News including Sardines, Shad, Cyclones and Brown Water

The Kob News 20 Jan 2025

The KOB News including Sardines, Shad, Cyclones and Brown Water

The KOB News including Sardines, Shad, Cyclones and Brown Water: starting with the Kob News…

The KOB News

Nick and Dylan Kempen have been lurking in all the right SKZN car parks this January it seems…

Yes these are all handsome little koblets here. All caught on pink paddle tails. Down past Southbroom way. But in the latest news episode on YouTube features young Dylan Kempen getting worked by what only can be a GT proper.

And in this shot, Johan Bronkhorst, all the way out from the US, bags his own nice kob news on the Sandspit in Port Shepstone.

More kob news: Johan Bronhorst reliving his childhood on The Sandspit recently with this lovely kobfish
More kob news: – Johan Bronhorst reliving his childhood on The Sandspit recently with this lovely kobfish

Welcome home Johan – nice fish man!

And here is one for records…this is Jauhar of Port Shepstone also, with a geelbek salmon taken on a paddletail! These fish are not known for jumping on lures – they are notoriously fickle that way.

More kob news: Jauhar and his paddle tail caught Geelbek Port Shepstone
More kob news:: Jauhar and his paddle tail caught Geelbek Port Shepstone
Brown water fishing is so much fun down the SKZN - Sheppy Locals love the brown!
Brown water fishing is so much fun down the SKZN – Sheppy Locals love the brown!

KZN is a Spearo’s Paradise

The Bear aka Jason Heyne of The Master Watermen website has consistently been entertaining us with his bi-weekly roundups. And reports straight from the beach – up and down the KZN coastline.

Twin GTs by Zander and Bruce out deeper than normal in KZN
Twin GTs by Zander and Bruce out deeper than normal in KZN

KZN, over the summer, has been a spearos paradise. Clean and clear water most of the time – in most places. And some amazing catches were made right up and down, from north to south. Check out these twin GTs.

We have had to avoid beaches in and around town though. Also, the Uvongo and Margate areas are no-go-in-water zones. But otherwise, what a summer gamefish location KZN has turned out to be this year!

KZN – spearos paradise!

Well, we do have the odd Zambezi left here in KZN to contend with. Although the vaste majority have been systematically murdered by the Kwazulu Natal Sharks Board. To protect nobody since nobody can swim the best beaches anymore without sewage getting in their systems and making them sick, And out of season, on any given day, there are so few bathers in the water, that it begs the question…is all that money and resource being spent on killing sharks really worth it? Who are we trying to protect from what? The sewage is a FAR greater threat than any dumb Zambezi shark could ever be.

Twin Shark Attacks in Vilankulos

A tragic week in the lovely town of Vilankulos in early January. The local fishing community lost two of its members in two separate shark attacks. The victims were harvesting from the ocean. They were both in groups of other divers. Who came to assist. But they were no match for such a vicious predator.

Was it the same shark? It is very likely since once a shark has crossed the human flesh barrier, it feels quite comfortable doing it again. The concept of a ‘rogue’ shark is not new. And has been encountered the world over. The shark may also be sick or old and cannot hunt regular prey anymore. Humans are real slow in the water.

Why was the shark so shallow? It is a known fact amongst the locals in the area – that sharks come in real shallow when it gets so hot as it does up there in the archipelago. Water temperatures can reach 30 degrees Celsius plus.

What species? A bull shark, aka Zambezi, is the only suspect. As they are known to frequent shallow still waters of any open estuary. They can hunt really shallow. Can swim and breathe in fresh water.

And are lethal.

There were many confused people who immediately summised that it was a scuba incident and started spreading this news – falsely. I am not sure what it takes to be a sharer of false news for sensationalism and personal ego gain but many people seem to have this infliction.

Tropical Storm Dikeledi

Tropical Storm Dikeledi
Tropical Storm Dikeledi

As if the current political storms are not enough to test the resilience of the Mozambican people, this cyclone meant business after all. Going by the name of Dikeledi, this gal seems to be on another mission. She followed a very predictable path right across the top of Madagascar and down into Inhambane Province in Mozambique.

The only thing you can do in these cases is batten down the hatches. Boats headed off to the mangroves to be tied down properly. They also do find a certain degree of shelter and protection in those low-lying waters. The mangroves do a helluva lot in mitigating the sheer forces that these storms generate.

Never cut down a mangrove!

From Brucifire…

Zulu to English Translation: “Dikeledi” can be translated to English as “tears” or “crying”. However, in a more poetic sense, it can also mean “sorrow” or “heartache”.

UGU vs RNM

UGU vs. RNM: The strike continues. These two entities, UGU and RNM, which are mandated to run our region, are revolting – against each other. They have long had animosity. No love is lost between anyone and UGU. RNM is under the authority of UGU. Between the two of them, they have let their constant arguments about money take their citizens down.

The very same citizens that UGU and RNM are PAID to SERVE! Like the guys in the picture at left.

How long is this dire situation – allowed by the ANC, to go on? The sewage just keeps pumping, the tourists keep getting sick, and the rubbish piles up.

Local legends such as Mr. Selvan Chetty, Lazer Security, and many other good souls shone brightly as they volunteered quickly to step in: refuse collection and removal, help the elderly, and ease the overall pain.

I am sure that it would be easily possible one fine day, for the community to rather run the show. Rather than the ANC disasters looting the system right now. Overtime! Dodgy tenders! Water tankers! Irregular expenditure!

In the meantime, I still can’t even go get my driver’s license renewed?!

Go UGU! Go RNM!

Your perceived entitlement is going to be your biggest downfall.

Tourists Missing from Tofo due to Unrest

Sure do hope the political clowns running the show can get around a table and iron things out once and for all. Simplistic? Yes for sure. But what else can we hope for before a literal blood shed comes about as both presidential claimants aim to be coronated this week.

Stay out of Maputo for now!

SKZN Brown Water Fishing

Ain’t nothing wrong with this brown water! As you can see from the Kob report, and the following brown water gallery in Sheppy.

Plus a very nice GT you can see in the next video report going out later today.

Sardines and Sighting Maps

It has been a fantastic sardine run this memorable 2024. And all the action has been logged right here on The Sardine News. This year’s map has been viewed 200 000 times and just keeps growing.

Which led us to decide to keep the map live. And keep adding unique marine animal sightings and events. That occurs non-stop all year round. This year we started to log more whale and dolphin sightings. And we even had a shipwreck! And a freaking tornado! And recently a capsized KZNSB boat! We have been updating the map with recent catches too…

These events will from now on be included in the Sardine News Sightings Map for 2024. And on the 1 January 2025, we shall start all over again.

Here are the links to existing and past Sardine Sighting Maps. Great for a windy day like today to research. With instructions to install The Sardine News right on your phone or desktop.

2024 Sardine Map

2023 Sardine Map

2022 Sardine Map

2021 Sardine Map

Channels

Brucifire Surf Retorts – highly entertaining  surf reporting

Master Watermen – news from way down deep

The Sardine News – neva miss a single  sardine

FishBazaruto – 1000 pounds plus

MYDO Tackle Talk – highly technical  sport fishing

Surf Launching Southern Africa – getting out there safely

Water Woes – complain about your municipality here

Websites

umzimkulu.co.za – self-catering right on the Umzimkulu River
umzimkuluadrenalin.co.za –  will get you right out and onto the edge
thesardine.co.za – never miss a single sardine
masterwatermen.co.za – news from under water
fishbazaruto.com – dreams
brucifire.co.za – surf retorts

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Catching Kob

Surf fishing during the sardine run for big kob

Catching Kob

Catching Kob: Our fish – the kob – could be a more relevant national fish than the galjoen. We get kob right the way from Mozambique to Namibia.

And everybody loves to catch a kob!

Since kob can be found out deeper, where ski-boats have been targeting them in waters between 10 and 40 metres, and in the surf zone, and in our estuaries – we have divided this Catching Kob how-to into three seperate parts.

  • Deep-sea
  • Rock and surf.
  • And Estuary

But first, a quick kob gallery…

Kob Gallery

Sean Calitz 25kg Kob at Port St. Johns with MYDO and BruBaits
Sean Calitz 25kg Kob at Port St. Johns with MYDO and BruBaits
Just shoot them if you can!
Gerrard-Powell-his-two-daughters-and-a-100lb-Kob
Gerrard-Powell-his-two-daughters-and-a-100lb-Kob
Koblet by Josh Herrison near Port St John
Koblet by Josh Herrison near Port St Johns
A fun little kobbie about to be released down on the Sandspit in Port Shepstone
A fun little kobbie about to be released down on the Sandspit in Port Shepstone
You only need to catch one of these magnificent fish - in your whole life!
The TWO wise men -according to Bruce! You only need to catch one of these magnificent fish – in your whole life!
Brown water in KZN - good or bad?
And it’s Chris Lepan again with another Umzimkulu Estuary kob.
Jos Jantjies with a tasty kob caught down at Kabeljauw’s, down the point, in Jeffreys Bay (c) artsurfer.nl
Simon fish and his first cast MYDO caught kob in The Transkei
Simon fish and his first cast MYDO caught kob in The Transkei

Deep-sea


Kob feed at odd times. And sometimes they don’t feed at all, even when you can see them clearly to be there. I have seen kob underwater – huge kob, lined up in tight formation, wallowing behind the surf zone. Baits all around them. And they won’t touch anything!
And then other times, the kob could bite so hard, commercial boats of old would literally sink themselves loading too much fish. Luckily this heinous practise of hauling out fish for profit, is not really practised any more. And the stocks of kob have stabilised, albeit at a fraction of the numbers of before. Hopefully, the more stringent regulations governing the selling of kob might ease the population back to strength. Unfortunately, it’s up to the current political controls in charge of DAFF. Which does not paint a pretty picture at all.

Back to catching kob…launch anywhere up and down the South African coastline, and kob could be on your target list. They really are literally everywhere.

Live Bait


Some spots are blessed with a constant supply of liveys. Mackerel are by far the favourite. Although a little live shad is close behind. Really serious anglers are keeping live bait alive, in cages and tanks in the harbour. So that when they go fishing, no time is spent gambling on catching live bait. Not sure how legal this is, but it’s really effective. Especially for night fishing, since time is always limited.

IGFA allows two single hooks on a trace. Which is a tad risky when fishing with live bait, since a tangle might be in the offing. So, a nice metre length of soft leader, a good 9/0 hook, two swivels and a sinker – is all you need. Drop that rig rigged with a live mackerel onto a showing and hold on tight. Normally at a bit of depth, and the running trace on the sinker snoot, the fish hook themselves when fished with a live bait.


Frozen Bait

Fishing with frozen sardines or mackerel also works. But only when the fish are hungry. This is when advantage can be taken of the IGFA suggestion of two hooks per trace. But. Be aware you may end up with two big kob hanging onto your line!


Lures

Turns out that kob love a plastic bait. A paddletail. Colour not so important. But weight is. You will need a solid 2 or 3 ounces to get down there. Bounce it around on the bottom and hold on tight!

Rock n Surf

Circle hooks have really changed things for the better. The trace used is simple. A single 8/0 to 12/0 circle hook on a metre of soft leader.
You can throw out a grapnel sinker and slide your bait if the conditions allow. You need a bit of height above the water for that. Or just tie it all up and throw into the channel between the shorebreak and the middle break. Kob hunt in the absolute shallows in the surf zone. You do not have to cast very far at all.

Live Bait

A live mullet or shad puts you square in the game to catch your trophy kob. Although, if you could get any other live baits, like mackerel, pinkies or mozzies, you would be in the same game.

If your live bait is going to be battling a current, you will need to rig him from the nose or top of the head. Two hooks can help but a single – preferably a circle hook, with the bait nicely fastened on, is the outright winner for successful hookups. Keeping a big needle and a roll of wax thread is a very good habit for live bait fishing. The fish last so much longer when carefully tied to the circle hook. About a centimetre away from the bait. Much like marlin fishing.
If the water is calm and the sea is flat, with no current, then put the hook in at the tail area, so the bait can swim away from you.

Once again, sewing the hook on with wax thread is so much better all around for everything. And it is a good feeling to let your hard-working live bait go without injury, at the end of a slow session.


Frozen bait

Well you can fish a frozen bait much like a live bait. A whole sardine is the go-to bait and has caught shoals and shoals of kob.

Belly bait


A decent belly, freshly cut from a shad or mackerel, is a deadly kob bait. You might want to master the art of the pencil bait. Highy recommended.


Lures


Kob have been an enigma to many, for a very long time. What would they be thinking, taking a hard plastic clangy lure, in the middle of the night, cast out there from the beach? Sure, I understand the soft and silent paddle tail, relying on its tail vibrations to get the message out there – but those noisy lures – Eish, they work too!

Kob also take a spoon. A very slow spoon. Literally dragged along the bottom. The Sheppy Bomber spoon, an infamous design from down south, has been revered far and wide for catching kob. Similair S-Bend spoons with half bronze and half silver have been reliable over the years.

Estuary

Catching kob in our estuaries here in South Africa is over-the-top fun. Challenging for sure. But catching koblets (kob of up to about 5kgs or so) on light tackle and lures is insanely entertaining.

Check this video of my Dad catching 3 at the same time!

Flicking and trolling lures

Tie up a little tiny paddletail, and off you go. The smaller the better. The lighter the better.

Live bait

These little koblets love a live mullet. Its got to be small though, like 3 or 4 inches maximum. To make them perform properly, I thread my live baits under the skin with a needle. And then tie my circle hook to the thread. And then when the day is over, you can let that little soldier go without having done him harm to his vital bits like his mouth and nostrils.

Fresh bait

You need to master the construction of a pencil bait, to get these fish to take a hook inside. Pencil baits are designed especially for shy feeders. Like these little kob. And the spotted grunter that are found with them.

Use a MYDO Silver Bullet fillet trace made up with nylon to make a really interesting pencil bait. You could use a MYDO Shad Trace made with wire too. Especially if those teethy shad come into the scene. A good compromise would be to use wire between the hooks, adding some rigidity to your pencil bait. And then a nylon leader.

The fish approach the juicy long pencil bait, and start to feed from the sides. They don’t get much and soon enough they get greedy and move down to the end of the bait. Which is easily sucked in giving you chance to set the tiny hook hidden in the end of the bait.

Kob lures by MYDO

These are recommendations from MYDO lures for catching kob off the boat, the beach, or in the estuary…

If you stay with us here at the Umzimkulu Marina in Port Shepstone, you will be right in the middle of all the kob action. We have many secret rock and surf fishing spots in really close proximity. And the estuary right our front for all day fun and fishing. Kids love it here!

Also check out Umzimkulu Adrenalin, for lots of things to do in the Port Sheptone area.

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