Now this is a real fish! Joao Magolu hoists this 9kg Rock Salmon up for a pic in the Tofo Fish Market yesterday.
It was speared down at Praia da Rocha, a known hangout for Rock Salmon, otherwise known as a Mangrove Jack.
Tag: mangrove jack
The Real Deal
Subsistence fishermen have been working the Umzimkulu River for decades. As the condition of the river has deteriorated their lot has been reduced year after year. But there is something very noble about their ignoble existence. Targeting barbel chiefly…they also catch rock salmon (mangrove jack), grunter, perch, salmon and even gamefish like kingfish and garrick. Sometimes shad move into the river and the bounty makes for celebrating.
But mainly…it is hard going.
Pollution.
Brown water.
Cold.
Wind.
Hours with no bites…
Yet what else could they do? Their lifestyle is all they have. Their fishing is all they have. The Umzimkulu is all they have.
Respect to the subsistence fishermen of the mighty Umzimkulu…
Rock Salmon caught at Barra
Roger Davidson’s Cracker!
Fishing off Karl Gous’ boat – Roger Davidson brings home a real “Skomolo”, while Marc Lange shows us a real nice bull dorado. Fishing seems to be really good down south.
Note the Umzimkulu River’s brown/orange colour in the background – characteristic of these summer months. By about April the river returns to a clear green and on the stronger high tides – the blue Indian ocean water comes right up the river. The Umzimkulu is a great estuary to fish, even when it’s brown like it is now. Perch, rock salmon (mangrove jack), grunter, kingfish, catfish / barbel, garrick (leervis)…feed on the mullet, prawns (mudprawns, tigers, pink) and crabs (all sorts) that live in the mangrove associates and along the muddy banks.
In winter, in the clear water…and especially at night time…anything can happen! For estuary fishing, the south coast of Natal still has a few surviving tidal/semi-tidal lagoons.
Check out http://www.umzimkulu.co.za for more information on fishing these waters…
Rock Salmon!
Winter time is here in Inhambane and a few fish are still around…Charl Mikkers took this pic of a local dude in the Tofo market – with his catch of the day – must have gone 7 or 8 kg’s. Caught out the front on one of the close reefs in a howling SW and 3m swell. And yes, on a two man row boat.
The wind and sea have been mightily upset this last week, and aside for a flathead on fly – we had nothing to report fishing the estuary really. So much baitfish in the water still. The netters are pulling in some massive Potter’s Squid aswell – some look about 4kgs!
Deep-sea we have been dragging a live yellowfin around for days now, which will have increased our chances, according to the maths…otherwise an assortment of gamefish are appearing on the fish tables, the row-boat crew launch in bad weather no problem…and their persistence rewards them with cobia, kingies, the odd snoek, some awesome rockcod and rock salmon, speckled snapper…many of the boats are rowing out deeper and targeting bottomfish more intensely since the water has gone cold and dirty again. 23 degrees and 8m visibility if you are lucky.
