mydo Archives - Page 7 of 13 - The Sardine News

Posted on July 21, 2017July 21, 2017 by Sean Lange — Leave a comment

Mydo vs Rapala vs Fly

Dustan van Biljon having a blast with some estuary spinning in KZN Natal

Mydo vs Rapala vs Fly

I found this beautiful old balsa Rapala, handmade three decades ago, in our lockup in Mozambique. Stashing it in my bag (in it’s box still), I dragged it all over on my work travels, until finally, I got to the KZN South Coast, for the winter estuary season. It was here, that I had in mind, for that Rapala.

Since we make the Mydo Luck Shots here upstairs in the old boathouse at The Umzimkulu Marina, I always fish with other lures too, to act as benchmarks. And this lure turned out to be a real hot performance benchmark!

The first charter I had for July, Yousef, caught his kingfish after only a hundred metres of fishing! On the Rapala! It was a good fighting sized baby GT, spirited as only one hook held him by the top of his head. Making for some serious negotiating. Luckily that skin on top there is tough as hell, and the fish came to the boat eventually. Still throwing a tantrum! But we soon had the photos and him back in the water. That was the only kingfish on that trip. The rest of the evening we targeted spotted grunter successfully. Even taking a nice big one back to be curry for Yousef, my guest.

Hamza Jadwat and his take-home spotted grunter caught in the Umzimkulu Estuary 27 June 2017

The next trip was with Neill Campbell, who got to the rod on two amazing strikes in a row. Both on the Rapala! Both times the fish took enough line to create enough drag to straighten the ancient, but very sharp hooks. I was feeling rather bleak about the Luck Shots not going away. The Rapala was the furthest out, and the closest to the mangroves too…but so we persevered. In fact, Neill was so amped, he went back home and searched his garage for a very similair Rapala he had had for decades too – this one a bit smaller, and it swam even shallower. But with that same lazy classic action that made Rapalas so cool in the first place. Both were duly rigged with new 4X super sharp and powerful hooks. They hamper the swimming action slightly, but we had learnt our lesson!

So now we had two Rapalas of the right colour and swimming motion. And two Mydos. One tiny #1 with a milky split tail on a 3/0. And the other with a 7 inch split tail with a 5/0. The spread was working wonderfully and looking perfect. The next charter were three clued up dudes from Johannesburg. They booked an early morning trip. They casted and casted. I trolled and trolled. Nothing. Nothing at all. The tide was outgoing. Timing is everything.

Then The Roosta took a cruise, two stoked families also down on holiday. He took the first old Rapala, and put it back a bit. Next thing he was vas! So he called up on a young kid on the boat, and coached him in on his first Rock Salmon. Check the stoke on this kids face!

The Umzimkulu cruiser on the river at The Umzimkulu Marina

Mydo vs Rapala, and the Rapala is way in the lead by now

When I got back on the boat with my next guests – Sean van Tonder and his son, we only managed one baby kingfish on a fly…another species though – a tough littleblack tip kingy this time. We got some fun video…

My next guests were commercial diver guys on leave and really in the mood to fish. I reset the Hawaain Diamond spread I was using, putting the tiny drop shot on the port side in my new out-rigger style holder – putting that lure way out the side. Then I put the next Mydo, and the two Rapalas making up the starboard points. It was amazing as the little Mydo, now in the right position, just never stopped getting all the strikes. And the Mydo next to it. A little fire-tiger paddle-tail model. Fish after fish. And nothing on the Rapalas!

Note the heavy tackle. After being straightened twice, we upped the hooks and everything

Justin Campbell and the tiniest little black tip kingfish

And so the benchmarks met their match.

It really has more to do with where you set your lures, and where you fish them, than which particular lures to use. As soon as I put the Luck Shot out the side, it was the closest to the mangroves. And then the next one way back but also within fish sight from the mangroves, where they ambush from. These two lures got hammered and the plastics replaced a number of times.

And then when Andrew van Biljon and Matt Wainwright rocked in to get in on the action, they had an absolute blast flicking and trolling the little Mydos, all over the river. Andrew’s kids Dustin and Tristan having ALL the fun!

Brown water in KZN: Andrew van Biljon and another baby kingfish about to be released back into the Umzimkulu

You can watch how to fish the #1 Mydo Luck Shot on this video…

You can buy the lures online or find a tackle shop that stocks Mydo here…https://thesardine.co.za/mydo/

To come fishing, contact Sean on umzimkulu@gmail.com

Posted on July 3, 2017 by Sean Lange — Leave a comment

Sardine and Shad Report July 2017

Sardine and Shad Report July 2017

A combined shad and sardine report for this 3 July 2017. Been getting plenty requests for information on the shad and their whereabouts this year. Well it’s an easy one – they are everywhere! The further south into the Transkei is where you have a better chance of catching then big ones, but otherwise, the smallies have swept through like locusts and are literally on every reef and beach.

Headlands and points like The Block at Port Shepstone were carpeted with anglers who literally set up for the day. Braais and skottels. Cooler Boxes. Umbrellas.

BUT NO GREEN MEN!

Nope, there is absolutely NO representation of the LAW whatsoever. Anywhere!

Handing the mantel of such an important job to DAFF (Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) has been the biggest disaster for shad and other sensitive marine animals, EVER. The experienced Ezimvelo, who have been policing the shad anglers for decades and decades, and have amassed loads of experience – even down to knowing individuals, have been FIRED.

And in their place are DAFF officials.

I have never seen ONE yet?! In amongst thousands of anglers up and down the KZN South Coast, not ONE!

Buckets of shad are being hauled away as fast as they are being caught. It is so sad to the public at large taking such advantage of a delicate situation. And when next year comes, and the next, and there are no shad again, they will be the ones bitching too!

There are people selling shad all along the N2 Durban to Port Edward.

As for the sardines, they seem to have benefited from some protection this year, and were allowed past Port Elizabeth! Offshore Africa in Port ST. Johns report sardines EVERYWHERE! The screen snap (featured image) of the fish finder / echo sounder, was taken by Rob out off The Transkei this morning.

Sardine and Shad Report 2017 sponsored by Pelagic available at fishingsfinest.co.za — Sardine and Shad Report 2017 sponsored by
Pelagic available at fishingsfinest.co.za

and

Posted on June 14, 2017June 14, 2017 by Sean Lange — Leave a comment

MYDO Fishing Lures say no to single-use plastic

Mydo Lure Pouch: Can fasten lure on rod for safe travels and fishing

MYDO Fishing Lures say no to single-use plastic

In a stroke of good conscience and sharpened pencils, Mydo Fishing Lures have finally solved the world-wide problem – of single-use plastic, being used as packaging for fishing tackle!

Mydo’s now all come in a resilient lure pouch – included in the price! (you can also buy them on their own). They are made from clear PVC, and sealed with Velcro. Tough and versatile. Not only do your Mydos want to live in a lure pouch – but also your couta traces, daisy chains and even konas. Made in many sizes and shapes, you can also find many more diverse adaptations – like sunglasses pouch, or other valuables (it ain’s waterproof no – but provides a solid barrier against splashes, scratches and scuffs).

But it’s in the tackle box and on the boat, that you will appreciate Mydos new lure pouches the most. No more tangles! Not even possible. Even Sabikis and Yozuris can be forced to behave – locked in behind some velcro and 450 microns of plastic.

And you can wrap the pouch around a lure or trace, whilst it is still on the rod (see featured image below)! This increases safety on the boat and whilst traveling.

We are endeavouring to get around to all our retailers to swop out the old packaging for lure pouches, but there are 90 of them! All over southern Africa. So if you do buy Mydos with the older packaging, please discard responsibly, send us a mail, and we will sort you out with a few pouches in the post (pls send receipt from shop).

The pouches are produced in-house – we have our factory in Johannesburg. This is also where the Mydo SS Spoon range is put together too. Get in touch and pop in of you are ever in the area. Contact Sean on umzimkulu@gmail.com.

If your local tackle store doesn’t stock The Mydo, click on over to the website at https://thesardine.co.za/mydo/ and order online.

Or use the menu at the top of this page to navigate the Mydo range.

MYDO Lure Pouch used to protect almost anything

The original baitswimmers love their new packaging

For Mydo fishing tackle in Margate, head in to The Craft Store

Posted on June 7, 2017 by Sean Lange — Leave a comment

The Daisy Chain

Many rods actually vie for the mantle of being the most important rod on the boat. The live-bait jig sticks? The spinning stick? But there is one rig that really covers all bases and every situation – the good old Daisy Chain.

South African style. Three 3 or 4 inch feathers / min-eyes / jube-jubes / dusters…rigged in a row, about a half metre apart. Each with a single hook. I rig mine with wire…explanation to follow. But first let’s get clear that this ain’t no IGFA compliant rig. No sir! In fact, I got in touch with IGFA, and asked for clarification. Here with the cordial and timeous answer I received from Mr. Vitek.

“Thanks for the message. Based on your email, it does not appear that your rig would be IGFA legal as you mentioned that each of the feathers has a hook. IGFA rules only allow anglers to fish with a single hooked bait at a time. That said, if you were to only put a hook on the last feather, that would be IGFA compliant.”- Jack Vitek

So it seems we can fish the Daisy Chain in IGFA rules, so long as only the last feather has a hook in it.

So why all the fuss?

Billfish to bonito. That’s why. A sailfish or young marlin eagerly chooses the Daisy Chain over the other purpose rigged lures. Dorado smash them. Natal Snoek (Queen Mackerel) love them. Bonito – the pulse in our veins on any trip – devour Daisy Chains – even multiple baits on one chain sometimes. Couta of all sizes. Skipjack. Kakaap. All sorts…

In fact the Daisy Chain not only catches anything and everything, even shad – but they give you back another advantage – intel. You can glean data from the daisy chain, as to what is going on, and act accordingly. They are like feelers out there, just letting you know what’s going on at that present moment.

Daisy Chains can drag fast too – really small form factor – they kind of keep each other in the water and not flying about like a single lure rig at the high speeds we sometimes try at. Natal Snoek love the higher speeds as much as billfish do.

And now, if you rig the Daisy with an extended wire tag end that doubles over and back, to become a clip for piece of fillet, and a real strong hook with real strong wire – you have a Strip Bait Daisy Chain. I say strong wire (#8 at least) – mainly for resilience because the Daisy is normally going quite fast and is always in the white water, playing second fiddle to the tag lines and outside rigged lures. So it can’t even really be clearly seen – so it’s fine to rig up on wire. Especially since the Daisy is lying just in front of the inside konas, and right above the deep diving rattlers – and just behind the second teaser.

The middle of all the action!

The two uprights back corners are where the Daisy Chains run nicely. If the wind blows, put them flat next to the deep divers — The two upright back corners are where the Daisy Chains run nicely. If the wind blows, put them flat next to the deep divers.

These modified and wired Daisy Chains will soon be available from Mydo Lures. Look out for The Mydo range at a tackle store near you. If your local tackle store doesn’t stock The Mydo, try https://thesardine.co.za/mydo/.

Posted on May 15, 2017May 24, 2017 by Sean Lange — 2 Comments

Vilanculo gamefishing

Vilanculo Gamefishing

A gallery of pics by Tracey and Paul Saayman whilst recently in Vilanculo…that depict exactly what Vilanculo Gamefishing is all about.

We were lucky enough to fish 6 days out of 11 – and thank goodness for the breaks in between!

The billfish were being a bit picky with us. We were targeting them between seasons really, but had three come up altogether, with two having a go at the same lure – but both missing! But the bycatch (as Duarte calls it?!), had us working hard with sweat dripping time and time again.

Videos and full stories to follow…