Tag: KZN south coast

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So why do the sardine shoals not come at all some years?

A bumper sardine run 2020 leaves some unanswered but relevant questions about our annual sardine migration and who gets to harvest and who are in lockdown

So why do the sardine shoals not come at all some years?

So why do the sardine shoals not come at all some years?: Well I got a call from Mr Adam Kamdar of Township Hyper yesterday evening. Great dude and really in the know in the fishing scene.  I had guests and dogs and things going and I could hardly hear, but his question went along the lines of…

“Sean, do you think this Covid thing was the cause of the bumper sardine run?”

Well ok that pushed just about all my buttons, so here is the full answer Adam…

AIS

AIS is the theme to this quasi-sardine report compiled as a result of the big question Adam has posed.

You can download an AIS App to your phone. There are many and they are free for the most. They show you, where the big and ugly fishing trawlers are. Right on your phone!

AIS.

Automatic Identification System. A great effort, and if everyone played along, saves lives (collision avoidance), and sealife (real-time tracking data to catch poachers fishing illegally).

BUT.

And this is a big BUT.

If you are a poacher, you can turn your AIS transponder, right the hell OFF! With a switch!

So this is how they do it then. When pair-trawling (the most destructive of all the illegal fishing methods), one of the collaborators, turns off. Easy as that. If the fleet ventures, in a group (read commercial fishing high-tech armada), then as they get near protected waters, one or two of them turns off, and enters the forbidden zone.

This happens ALL the time. The Sardine News tried to start a trawler watch to log sightings of suspect activity – but there is so much of it, that we got bogged right down right as we started. This was in Mozambique where these ugly boats are literally EVERYWHERE now.

Sardine Run 2020

Whilst we were imprisoned in lockdown thanks to our sheep governments interpretation of convid19, the Chinese/Japanese/Whoever fleets were plying the waters the whole time! Where? Slap bang on the sardine migration path. The AIS charts looked like a rugby scrum.

No photo description available.

And if you have been in St. Francis this time of year, any year, you can smell the sardines from the harbor for miles around. Go sniffing around there for yourselves. Huge loads of sardines. Wonder where they go? And whose were they in the first place?

Whoever they are and wherever they are from, they are ALL rigged with the latest in navigation and depth-sounding equipment. Utilising sonar pulses pumped out by a high-powered transducer, they can detect and chase a shoal of sardines 12 or more miles away! And with their huge capacity and tethers to a mother ship lurking around the area somewhere, that is also a factory ship – that drops CANNED sardines off at the wharf – what chance does the public ever have of getting their share, in the usually slow years of sardine running?

So…

Did Convid19 affect the sardine run this merry 2020?

Nope. It’s a bumper sardine run like we always dream of. It’s beyond perfect. The gamefish have arrived. Sharks are getting their teeth pulled. The weather is fantastic and ecological patterns are in place. Those pundits that complain year after year are completely silent.

Only. They just don’t get it.

AIS.

Shows that there were fleets of fishing boats fishing, directly in the path that the hapless sardines take right now during this sardine run 2020. Whilst we were in lockdown, there were commercial fishermen out there loading up! Enjoying a totally illegal, totally unnecessary lockdown, and infringement of our basic human right to freedom to fish as well!

My answer then is this. These boats remove the exact amount of tonnes and tonnes of sardines missing on our beaches – with this migration – each year. Only this time, there were just so many they couldn’t catch them all.

“Our” sardines?

Another interesting question.

BUT, one thing is for sure, if not for the bumper numbers that this year has given, the sardines hardly ever make it past Port Elizabeth, before they are all netted and frozen.

So, that leaves us back at square one. We have NO voice. It’s time to get political. If not that, then at least investigative in that we need to know why these ships are allowed to be plundering our sardines.

Whilst we are in lockdown!

Almost sounds like a conspiracy in theory.

Adam, my good mate, over to you…

Stay up-to-date with The Sardine News covering the goings-on, during this bumper sardine run in year 2020!

We are on Facebook right here, we run an action-packed YouTube video channel right here. Please like and subscribe to our channel on YouTube if you would like to encourage us to pump out more and more video. We have done really well recently with some great video produced in conjunction with the Fishing Pro Shops Johan Wessels – chasing sardines down in the Port Shepstone area. We got out to sea twice and caught a bunch of gamefish in the surf zone, and in the Umzimkulu River Estuary. Click on over to our YouTube video channel right here. And please consider a Like and Subscribe. Thank you

By The Sardine News

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Protea Reef delivers the goods again and again

Eric with his MYDO Spoon caught baby yellowfin tuna on Protea Reef recently

Protea Reef delivers the goods again and again

Protea Reef delivers the goods again and again: guest stars Eric (Queensland, Oz) and Neville (‘Toti, KZN) joined us for a very friendly high tide launch two mornings in-a-row. What luck!

Watch the video right here and read all about it below…

Day 1

Brown water extended to the horizon with a stiff but pleasant offshore breeze blowing against a small sea. Luckily, Protea Reef would be comfortable in these cool wintery conditions.

20 Minutes later and we already had live bait. I was counting down in my head. Most times it only takes 10 or 20 seconds to have your live bonito or tuna munched. Hopefully by a scorching fast gamefish, must most times once again, it’s a johnny. A big one. There are just so many huge sharks hanging out on Protea Reef. And they don’t seem to go anywhere. They love it here. Plus there are so many free meals presented by charitable sport fisherman using light tackle! In one day they can each get two or three free meals by hanging on either of the two pinnacles.

But…

Our live baits never had a touch. They were panicking properly but Neville was having far more action with his perfectly tuned plug ‘n play outfit sporting 80lb braid and leaders to match. He was getting smashed and chased and smashed and chased until we lost count.

Then it was Eric’s turn as he held on to the flick stick meant for bonito – which turned out to have another spirited yellowfin on the other end. These little fish on light tackle! What fun! Eric also had a run of yellowfin action, all perfect bait sized.

But the live baits still survived, which is remarkable for Protea Reef. But all of a sudden. A HUGE tiger shark came up from the depths and devoured first the big bait. And then another followed up and grabbed the small bait?! All in a few seconds?! After those baits lasted for hours!

Neville Coetzer tied to a monster tiger shark on Protea Reef recently
Neville Coetzer tied to a monster tiger shark on Protea Reef recently

Day 2

The brown water lined itself up properly overnight as the Agulhas current hemmed it up against the coastline. Making a really decent seam which we committed to. Bait was easy to get and we did a nice strike that really could have been a dart couta but we will never know as it shook the hooks professionally just before we could see his colour. Got to lose some fish or it will get boring!

The brown water line off Port Shepstone for dorado
The brown water line off Port Shepstone is really hot for dorado and billfish at this time of the year.

The good weather is coming and the Umzimkulu is real friendly and nicely navigable at the moment. Get in touch if you would to either join us at sea like this trip or fish the estuary. Or the Sandspit.

Check out the accommodation and setting of the Umzimkulu Marina at http://umzimkulu.co.za.

Follow the Sardine News on FAcebook at http://facebook.com/thesardine.co.za/

Check out more videos at http://youtube.com/user/umzimkulu1/

Email Sean on umzimkulu@gmail.com or WhatsApp +27793269671 anytime.

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First sardine report for 2019

Sardine Report for 2019 by The Sardine News

First sardine report for 2019.

Officially, the sardine run has begun. 10 Nets were taken over the weekend – at Amanzimtoti. And another down a bit further at Glenmore.

The Sardine News
The Sardine News

Yesterday the long-awaited South Westerly came busting through, after an incredible surfing morning, up and down the south coast of KZN. Whales were jumping out the back. Shoals of baitfish spread out all over. The sun was shining beautifully. Avid sardine hunters everywhere.

The expected cold front arrived timeously. One of the conditions normally required.

And the main shoal of sardines is on the way! And it’s quite big relative to years gone before.

It’s reported to be moving through the Transkei right now with Offshore Africa, our eyes in the waters off of Port St. Johns down the wild coast, having a field day with the first smaller shoals.

You can learn more about their high-level adrenalin inducing sardine run experiences right here… https://web.facebook.com/offshoreafricaportstjohns/

Fishing

It’s all about sharks right now with many anglers having recently taken up the sport. Big baits, big tackle and big struggles. They all get released but mostly not with tags in them. Hopefully this will change soon. We have a shark tagging program running in conjunction with Africa Underwater and the Oceanographic Research Institute guys. So anybody who would like to get involved, please get in touch with me on umzimkulu@gmail.com. The information gleaned from tagging is vital for our understanding of the marine animals we are to look after now.

Gamefish action has been characteristically slow. The garrick are the main players with some beautiful 10kg class kob competing for attention. Catch them on paddletails.

Two spearos swam out whilst we were surfing on Sunday. They spent 4 hours out there until one guy came back with a bent spear and broken gun. A yellowtail had destroyed his equipment. BUT! He had a 25kg king mackerel on his stringer. He jumped in his car and went south with the current direction to look for his mate?! Hardcore! These guys deserve the trophy fish they shoot. It requires so much commitment, physical, and mental effort to attain the levels required to get fish like that.

Netters

Prices this year are higher than last year, but the netters have been very friendly to the public and the beaches are lots of fun right now. You can expect to pay about R40 per kilogram.

Casualties so far are mounting with the out-sized swell marching through right now. Two netters have flipped their boats, with a hospital visit for some crew members. The action is only going to hot up so please be careful everybody.

So this first sardine report for 2019 will be followed by more confirmed news about the location and attitude of the elusive main shoals.

As of now, this wind might warm the water too much, and we will have to go through another cycle of conditions to line up the right stars again. Quite a few stars have to line up for the sardines to land up on the beach each time.

These are a list of conditions that will make things for favourable for sardines to come right in and within reach…

Conditions for sardines to come in close:

  • Colder water

    18 degrees or so would be great. Brought about by east winds. Like the ones we had last week. However, today was in the low 20s.

  • Cold front

    Often this encourages the sardines shallower. Big winds like what we had today.

  • High tides

    Generally they come in closer at high tide, getting trapped as the tide goes out. Spring tides amplify the effect, like they are right now

That is all we have for you for now, but stay close and we will inform you as we go. We will be out early in the morning each day and will report any action right here…

Find us on Facebook at http://facebook.com/thesardine.co.za/

This report was sponsored by the Fishing Pro Shop in Pretoria, MYDO Lures in Port Shepstone and The Umzimkulu Marina, also in Port Shepstone.

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Raggies Fishing Tackle in Ramsgate and KZN South Coast fishing synopsis

Raggies Fishing Tackle in Ramsgate on the KZN South Coast, SA

Raggies Fishing Tackle in Ramsgate and KZN South Coast fishing synopsis

There is a great new fishing tackle shop just off the main drag in Ramsgate, on the KZN South Coast. Raggies! Owner Roy is always there, and willing to help with your fishing requirements. He is fishing mad too, but knows that fishing is much better at night and early morning, so he doesn’t mind making traces and helping customers all day long! Great plan!

Check out some of the hot spots on the beaches right there, a short walk from Roy’s shop!

And a quick fishing synposis from the lower south coast of Natal…for the coming October.

The KZN south coast has some of the best rock and surf fishing territory available. Endless points and river mouths. Beautiful bays. Estuaries. Gullies. And right now is the right time!

You can always find something to catch – karanteen and blacktail can be found all over the place – so much fun! You might even hook a nice bronze bream or even a brusher if you’re not careful. It’s brusher season right now – and they come right into the gullies and beaches. A superb fighter and extremely difficult to catch. Very tasty!

It is also garrick season and they have been coming out slow but consistently. National Garrick Day will soon be upon us. This event coincides with their spawning habits, and they are all too vulnerable in this spent and hungry state. These fish are our breeding stock and should all be chucked back. Garrick survive a fight readily.

But it’s the kob that has everyone up early and late at night at the moment. And the waters around Ramsgate are perfect for these shallow water ambushers. Coming in real close they can often be hooked on a shad trace. And when they are really feeding, will take anything! But most times these careful fish won’t feed in the daytime at all. We get all sorts of “kob” here. And different species of salmon that look just the same. All sizes from the koblets just making size restrictions, to the big mommas. Also here to breed. And also vulnerable. Check the catch restrictions on these beautiful fish…

Kob caught from a boat at sea [Cape Agulhas to Umtamvuna River] Argyrosomus spp. 50 cm 5 but may only land or be in possession of one kob > 110cm per day
Kob caught from a boat at sea [The Province of Kwazulu-Natal] Argyrosomus spp. 40 cm 5 but may only land or be in possession of one kob > 110cm per day
Kob caught in estuaries & from the shore [East of Cape Agulhas only] Argyrosomus spp. 60 cm 1
Kob [West of Cape Agulhas only] Argyrosomus spp. 50 cm 5

Shad can still be found in their favourite spots up and down the coast right now. They have been plentiful this season. Got to keep an eye out for the skelms who take more than they should. Call DAFF. Their details are available here; https://thesardine.co.za/daff-contact-details/

When the sea gets on it’s head down on the KZN South Coast, the still functioning estuaries of the Mtamvuna, Mpenjati, Umzimkulu…to name three bigger ones, are all the fun. Many fish seek shelter from huge waves and bad surf conditions by sneaking into the rivers. Live bait can be easy enough to come by, and a 4 inch mullet on a circle hook puts you in the game for garrick, kob, rock salmon, perch, flagtail, kingfish (all sorts)…which you can then easily release.

Pop in to Raggies Fishing Tackle in Ramsgate – for advice on fishing this zone, or equipment you may need.

Get in touch on their Facebook Group…

https://web.facebook.com/groups/1111867425528316/

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Darrell Hattingh Garrick on KZN South Coast

Darrell Hattingh with his hard earned bus Garrick shot down on the KZN South Coast

Darrell Hattingh Garrick on KZN South Coast

Paradise conditions being experienced down on the KZN South Coast. Its that beautiful time of our year again. The wind calms down. The sun comes up earlier. The water stays clean.

And the Garrick are here!

As noted by Darrell Hattingh who never misses out. Living smack bang in the middle of the action on the KZN south coast, Darrell has been biding his time this year, waiting for that bus Garrick to swim around the corner.

KZN South Coast: Darrell Hattingh gets his handful of garrick each year. Spends many hours in the water on the hunt for them, you got put in the hard yards to get a fish like this bomber.
KZN South Coast: Darrell Hattingh gets his handful of garrick each year. Spends many hours in the water on the hunt for them, you got put in the hard yards to get a fish like this bomber.

 

And here it is! Not sure of the exact weight but it sure looks 20 to me. The season has been characteristic of bigger Garrick. Some absolute beauts have been coming out on rod and reel too.

 

Its almost National Garrick Day, but we got to take care of the Garrick at this their most vulnerable time. Just don’t allow anyone around you to take the piss and take too many. Even though the bag limit allows two Garrick, one is more than enough.

There are now more photos doing the round’s on Facebook, of the senseless slaughter that goes on in the Transkei. This time two idiots were photographed posing with a whole shoal of baby Garrick.

Once again, get in touch with Daff, and report any of this activity.

Like us on Facebook, or join our mailing list, to stay in tune and up-to-date on all things fishing, surfing and diving along the coastline of Southern Africa.

 

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