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Bazaruto marlin biting: Captain Duarte Rato checking in…

Bazaruto marlin biting: Captain Duarte Rato checking in…

It’s always an absolute delight to open my inbox and see something, anything from Captain Duarte Rato. Duarte has developed a bad reputation among the marlin of our waters, between Bazaruto, Inhaca, Vamizi, Madeira, Cape Verde – he has been sticking tags into big shiny shoulders for many a year – he must have pin pricked thousands of billfish…!

Hope all good. I know it is off season and not much normally going on this side but just want to tell you that the fishing as been absolutely ballistic of the Bazaruto Archipelago the last couple of months. I have not been out much but the boys on Vamizi have been hammering it. I had a client from CT come for 3 days late April and they caught and released something ridiculous like 70 odd game fish over that time. There as been good numbers of cuda, queen mackerel and kingfish but it is the Yellowfin tuna that is running the show and they are all over the place. With so much game fish and bait fish (skipjack and frigate bonito) it is no wonder that the Marlin seem to have forgotten to look at the calendar this year and they boys have been catching a good number of Blacks between 100 and 300 pounds (but up to 600) in the last month and a half! Considering they are not really targeting them and that we are in May…it is insane! But hey, I did not hear anyone complain! A few sailies showing as well and as we go into winter they should arrive in good numbers…..

PS: On my way to Cape Verde on Monday for 5 weeks. They are having an insane Marlin season there…I mean mind blowing! The top boat has released something like 170 odd Blue Marlin in the first 30 days of fishing….that is an average of 6 Blues a day!!!

BRING IT ON!!!!!”

Thank you Duarte, I feel like a pinhead in your presence!

 

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Sailfish released off Tofinho by 11 year old Callum

Sailfish released off Tofinho by 9 year old Callum

Young Callum and family joined us for a day out in the waters behind Tofinho Point, southern Mozambique, a few years back  – sometimes known as Whale Shark alley. Soon Callum’s uncle Angus was into a nice fish on dropshot, which turned out to be a trophy queenfish – and got it into the hatch and home for dinner, after a gruelling fight on super light tackle.

Then a sailfish grabbed hold of the Mydo sardine bait(#1 Baitswimmer and skirt) and soon was leaping and tail walking around us. It took about 20 minutes and eventually the fish was alongside and good for a nice healthy, yet slightly protracted release.

Inhambane waters are great for family outings like this one. You just got to organise a big boat!

We have the huge Inhambane Bay that is completely flat on the inside and sprawled with islands, sandbanks, channels and bays.

Then out behind the Barra and Tofo points is the famous crystal clear water known for it’s marine wild life population. Whale sharks and manta rays can be encountered on the inside while you are trolling for live bait and in winter time whales come out of the south looking for safety and calm for their new born calves.

Not to mention the sailfish!

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The all new MYDO Luck Shot Mini

The all new MYDO Luck Shot Mini, thoroughly tested and proven to increase strikes…

MYDO-Luck-Shot-Mini_edited-

 Features:

  • hydrodynamic articulated design features create radical swimming motion. It flails, ducks, dives, wobbles, splashes…and works on any retrieve. Change retrieve often for best results.

  • it’s weedless design gets you dragging in and out of bottom structure.

  • weighing in at an ounce or two (two sizes), you can flick these lures way out there with great accuracy, even into the howling wind.

  • fits any paddletail, trick bait, worm…and is rigged strong with a 5/0 single hook for the saltwater guys and a 4/0 for the bassers and other freshwater targets. The #2 has 7/0 Mustad O’Shaugnessy singles for power pulling (Luck Shot tested to 50kg’s drag!)

  • target literally all fish…just cast, drop, jig…troll…drift…just make sure one is always in the water…whatever you are doing, the MYDO Luck Shot Mini will be doing it’s job of mimicking injured and struggling fish.

  • perfect eyes for predator fish to home in on.

  • made in all the MYDO Bellyshine and Candy colours.

Trade enquiries to umzimkulu@gmail.com

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Wild Dorado off Port Shepstone

Wild Dorado off Port Shepstone

The south westerley buster blasted through during our ride out of the Umzimkulu River mouth – into the chocolate brown plume that spits out of the river, this time of year.
It’s on the seam between this brown water, and the clear deep blue of the Mozambique current, that the dorado hunt. Up and down, ambushing baitfish as they swim in and out of the brown water.
And the dorado just love the westerley gale conditions that now prevailed. A good 25 knots plus kept us on our toes. It took a good hour of battling the wind and waves, before the first rod screamed off with a dorado jumping on the end of the line. It chowed the mackeral fished on the  surface.
Shane struggled with the fish which was hooked in the back, and a tense 20 minutes later, it was i.d.b. Then Mark got his fish, on a daisy chain (pink), followed by young Luk, fishing with a silver number 4 MYDO Baitswimmer. Shane stuck the GoPro in the water for the fish’s final moments…
After the third fish, we were beat, Mark and I had hooks in the foot and leg respectively, and we were banged and bruised all over…home time!

Not only are dorado super fun to catch, they are also the tastiest fish to braai, fry or grill. And at 6kg’s, these fish are barely a year old. They grow really quick and reach sexual maturity in 6 months!

Their numbers have definitely dropped overall, they used to come in the hundreds, but each year in summer, we are treated to their acrobatic displays down here on the KZN South Coast. They are great to tag, being hardy and resistant.

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MYDO Fishing Lures available again…

MYDO Fishing Lures available again

The revolutionary range of MYDO Baitswimmers are now available again. Invented in the 80’s by award winning designer, Brian Davey…click this link to go straight into the catalogue…https://thesardine.co.za/mydo-lures/

If your local tackle shop does not yet stock the MYDO, contact me on umzimkulu@gmail.com to make a plan.

Pictured below is Dalleen Pretorius with one of the very first fish caught with a tackle shop purchased MYDO Baitswimmer. Late eighties!

Dalleen_44kg_Couta_MYDO
Dalleen_44kg_Couta_MYDO
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