Brusher reported by KZN Spearos. As well as the usual suspects, posts Jason Heyne from Durban waters.
The diving conditions this week have been below average with one or two good days. A huge low pressure system has moved in and the sea is literally on its head today (Friday). Brusher have started making an appearance and the usual suspects (garrick, snook, couta and daga salmon) are around. Saturday morning the south West continues to blow dropping off during the day with the swell running at 3m dropping off to 2m late in the day. Sunday morning a light offshore wind blows switching to a moderate north east later in the day with the swell running at 1.8m. Viz was reported south today. So it looks like Sunday morning may be diveable. Well done Peter Jacobs on getting fish of the week a very respectable garrick of 16.8kg! As always dive safe and straight spears
To all like minded conservationists…pls sign against shark nets below…Tx
Although details are scant and the catch is still to be accepted by the record keepers, Jason Heyne brings us news of the all new SA Spearfishing record for marlin. And it looks like a shore dive at this stage!
Over to Jason…
“The diving conditions this week have been well above average. Decent fish are coming out on the north coast and it looks like Guy Le Meme broke the South African spearfishing record for black marlin. Well done Guy! Saturday the northeast picks up speed during the day with the swell starting small at 1.2m and building during the day. Sunday morning the northeast drops off and a fresh southwest comes through later in the day with the swell running at 1.8m. So it looks like Saturday morning is good for a dive. Good viz was reported north and south today. As always dive safe and straight spears”
Thank you Jason!
Well it looks like the Couta have arrived and there seem to be quite a few about. Enjoy this weeks really chokka-blok gallery of fish shot this week up and down the KZN Coast.
Just before the huge low pressure that blasted through this past week, the barometric pressure was sky-high…and the bass were on the feed. This is typical bass behavior in early season,when the high pressure / low pressure systems battle it out for supremacy, every few days. This happens through the whole of August and then mellows into September and October, our best bassin’ months.
Bass are starting to nest and become territorial and aggressive now. If you consistently work a good drop-off or underwater feature, an angry bass will take offence soon enough.
Here is Mike Stubbs again, with his first bass of the 2014 bass season in KZN…
Umzimkulu Marina: August 2014 family fishing offer
For the month of August, we are running a Family Fishing special offer. R200 per adult per night get’s you in and a kid under 16 free…plus a host of free activities and discounts for deep sea fishing and salmon fishing. August so far…
“We’re having a great time down here on the Umzimkulu River, as quiet as this August month gets. The river water is crystal palace and the river is teeming with fry – all shapes and sizes. You can also see prawns walking around on the bottom, and grunter have been tailing across the sandbank on the north side. The river valley is finally warming up and conditions for fishing the estuary are at a high. Live bait is everywhere, bring your cast net or yozuris, and some heavy tackle. Those big momma kob have to be curious enough to cruise in and out of the deepened mouth at night time…or even the daytime.
The waves out front, in the mouth have been absolutely flawless, but with no takers so far. It’s peeling down from way out back….where the sand has filled to connect to the inside bank – waves peeling for 100 metres or more! Clean water so you can see the stupid thing coming!
Shad are still dominating most anglers’ attention, filling the huge void left by the complete lack of sardines, who are apparently being harvested by the thousands of tonnes, off Cape St. Francis and adjacent ports. I mean, there are only so many available in a year, so if they get taken before they even get past Coffee Bay – then what’s the point? Obviously the fat cats that be put more value on a tonne of dead sardines, than on a tonne of tourists here to see the sardines alive?!
Luckily Garrick and Daga Salmon are also dead on time. Smaller kob in the 5 to 12 kg range are the rage right now…the bigger ones ought to show up soon enough…but the smallies are keeping people up very late (or early) as the fish readily devour a paddletail or jerkbait in the Witch’s hours.
Geelbek Salmon have gone on the boil off Durban, but our catches down south here have been limited to 8 or 10. Since the quota has come into play, that’s great fun for an hour or two, and we are back home. But we are having to travel far and wide searching for the elusive fish.”
So call us on 079 326 9671 if you would like to experience this great fishing spot in our quietest month. The R200 per night special includes one child under 16 free of charge. There are also discounts on fishing trips and other activities. The Umzimkulu Marina Family Fishing Offer expires 31 August 2014…
Dean Sinclair braved the cold and was rewarded with this awesome catch of dagas. Throwing paddle tail with his mate, they were both soon vas, and got the fish out.
A bit later in the evening, veteran salmon angler Dean Winn caught one twice the size!
Daga Salmon are also known as kob, the further south you go. The biggest officially speared by none other than Jack Blignaut, stands at 57.4kgs.
In Australia they are known as Mulloway…
The biggest Daga caught by rod and line in South Africa is almost 80kgs! And that number gets challenged often, although many of the big ones are released by responsible anglers. These fish are in their prime and are best left to breed. But one or two of these smaller ones is fine to take out…