kob Archives - The Sardine News

Posted on February 14, 2025February 14, 2025 by Sean Lange — Leave a comment

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

Posted on January 20, 2025January 20, 2025 by Sean Lange — Leave a comment

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

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

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

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.