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Sardine and Shad Report July 2017

Sardine...er...Shad Report 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

Mydo Lure Pouch in size tiny
Mydo Lure Pouch in size tiny
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No sardine report 29 June 2017

No sardine report 29 June 2017

Well it’s a no sardine report for today the 29 June 2017…things have gone quiet up and down. Sporadic appearances of shoals of Banana Beach and Umzumbe mean they are still about, just swimming down deep where it’s safer? Maybe it’s the excellent surf and calm conditions that are allowing them to take refuge like this.

Except of course Port St. Johns! Sardines everywhere out deep. Where ace operators – Offshore Africa – are right in on the action. Rob Nettleton and his team have been doing the sardine run experience for over a decade now, and really have their finger on the pulse. They are an integral part of The Sardine Report each year.

Together with the fabulously talented (and brave) Janine Marx, have been getting some of the most amazing and noteworthy footage.

THESE IMAGES WERE FROM TODAY!

Sardine report 29 June 2017 Imagery by Janine Marx
Sardine report 29 June 2017 Imagery by Janine Marx

These guys down in Port St. Johns are so serious about sardines, they even have a Gyrocopter scouting from the skies each day possible.

Sardine spotter "Tzulu"Dowsett will be piloting this awesome machine as he searches the seas for sardines and their predators
Sardine spotter “Tzulu”Dowsett will be piloting this awesome machine as he searches the seas for sardines and their predators

But aside from the sporadic but inspiring few nets thrown last week – it has gone sardine run characteristically quiet for now.

Don’t panic however. This happens. And now things can get really exciting as elusive shoals slip through the proverbial net, and surprise the crowd by popping up way further north than expected.

Our Natal Sharks Board spy Jay Steenkamp is also out and about – he even has an aeroplane at his disposal – and is most times the very first with the news, as he was in Scottburgh, last week. He patrols the entire coastline from Durban all the way to the Eastern Cape for sardines each year. He has been very quiet today.

Log back in soon or stay tuned to the horizon near you!

Sponsored by Pelagic Fishing Gear available at http://fishingsfinest.co.za

Special offer from Pelagic and Fishing's Finest
Special offer from Pelagic and Fishing’s Finest
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Sardine Report 2017 mid June: Umkomaas Baitball spotted

Sardines at Sunwich Port, on the lower south coast of KZN Natall

Sardine Report 2017 mid June: Umkomaas Baitball spotted

Social Media is keeping us well up-to-date with anything sardines, and this recent Facey post from Umkomaas waters is tantalising evidence that the show is about to start.

 

https://www.facebook.com/pg/AgulhasHouse/videos/ really have their finger on the pulse.

And along with Offshore Africa down in Port St. Johns, and SeaCandy Media in East London, we got most of the coastline covered.

Stay tuned for more imagery and video from these professional sardine run tour operators.

And don’t forget to pop into Mannie’s in the middle of Umkomaas, where you can get fresh advice, fresh bait, fresh produce and fresh vegetables, all in the same place. Now that’s a convenience store!

You can read more about Mannie’s here/…

https://thesardine.co.za/2017/01/24/fishing-umkomaas-mannies-mydos/

This year’s Sardine Report is sponsored by Pelagic Fishing Gear…no more sunscreen pollution! Click the logo to shop online…

Pelagic
Pelagic Fishing Gear
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5 June 2017 Sardine Run report

2017 Sardine Report

2017 Sardine Run report: early June

Anthony Kobrowisky way down south on the Wild Coast, has been scoring epic underwater footage of the frontrunners in the great sardine run. all week. His underwater videographer skills are way up there with the best, and as you can see from the previous post, has been garnering Ant some serious attention. MSN here we come! Click here to read all about it!

So the sardines have definitely arrived down south.

Then we had an amazing unverified hearsay type report of somebody at his house, also quite near East London, saying that many shoals were coming past, and some were huge. These must be the same fish that Ant Kobrowisky is filming – he is also in that area (just north of East London).

Then it came in that the navy have been doing their job for a change, and that very few foreign or suspicious vessels have been spotted this year. And then let’s hope more of the sardines have taken the Port Elizabeth fleet by surprise, or dodged them completely this time round.

Further north The Sardine’s Mdumbi sardine spies reported huge gatherings of birds and dolphins earlier in the week – lining the coast in anticipation. But a general lack of fish. Which is normal before the sardines hit. Starving themselves for the up coming feast!

And if they come anywhere near Port St. Johns, their eye in the sky will report in immediately! Offshore Port St Johns are going to be at sea out there every possible launch day, and will keep us informed.

Sardine spotter "Tzulu"Dowsett will be piloting this awesome machine as he searches the seas for sardines and their predators
Sardine spotter “Tzulu”Dowsett will be piloting this awesome machine as he searches the seas for sardines and their predators is also what happens before the sardines arrive. The fish seem to be starving themselves for the feast coming up.

 

So, definitely many sardines to report, as they start hitting the coastline down in the Southern Cape a little early this year, and begin running the long gauntlet up into KZN Natal. The mentionable cold front coming into Cape Town right now is par for the weather this time of year, and these behemoth systems charging up the coast into the current, is what confuses then sardines and sends them into shore. The more of these cold fronts that comes through, the more chances of sardines, it seems.

We have a new advertiser on board The Sardine News – and so we welcome PELAGIC Gear…distributed by Fishing’s Finest in Pretoria.

Click on over to their website here http://fishingsfinest.co.za

Featured product…

Pelagic Battle Gloves - Fishing's Finest
Pelagic Battle Gloves – available at Fishing’s Finest
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Sunscreen causes cancer and is made from petrol!

Sunscreen causes cancer and is made from petrol!

On every other day in Tofo, in the seasons, we get to do island trips in the Inhambane Bay. There are two main islands – Ilha do Porcos, and Ilha do Rato. These two are inhabited, and feature schools and churches and even roads. They are bustling with activities. Mainly catching a drying seafood. Prawns baking in the sun. Fish drying in the wind. The island life.

The huge Inhambane Bay. Whitesands to starboard, Linga Linga to port. Panzy Island dead ahead. Sunscreen causes cancer! Get your shade on instead!
The huge Inhambane Bay. Whitesands to starboard, Linga Linga to port. Panzy Island dead ahead. Sunscreen causes cancer! Get your shade on instead!

Then there is Panzy Island. Or survivor island. Panzy features mild vegetation. But there are many more little sand islands, that people call Panzy Island, or Survivor Isand. Depends on what language your skipper speaks.

Anyhow, Panzy has the most beautiful little beach tucked into a bay on the Westward lee. Protected from the prevailing onshores. And skirted with a patch of seagrass – filled with all sorts of creatures. Wierd worm like things. Sea cucumbers. Starfish. Urchins. And even fiesty little octopii. Seahorses are the holy grail of snorkeling world wide, and can be encountered here on Panzy.

Invariably we would be hosting a bunch of touros, from all over the world. They stay at the backpackers or lodges in and around Tofo, and taking these peeps to the islands, and then on to lunch at Linga Linga, cruising the bay, dragging lures and catching fish, photographing flamingos – is a real fun job.

These touros would coat themselves in sunscreen. On and on. Over and over. And when they jumped into the clear cool waters of the Inhambane Bay, the oil slick could be seen and smelt for miles. A disgusting chemical film surrounded us wherever we went. And then they would get out of the water, and apply more, and more.

I have never really put on sunscreen. It gives me pimples! And I know that the petrol based derivatives used therein are explosively dangerous. Known carcinogenics and other poisonous ingredients. Sunscreen causes cancer!

I was so relieved when I saw the article as follows, backing up my claims as facts…

Sunscreen and the Lies We’ve Been Told About the Real Causes of Skin Cancer

Give it a read.

And there are many more sources on the net to back the claims up further.

So.

Trust me on the sunscreen!

As can be seen from the above article, the best way to prevent sunburn, is shade. So if you are fishing all day, wear protective gear. There are many options, and some of the kit is even given a rating similair to that of sunscreen. You can buy long sleeve super light weight shirts and all sorts – that are SPF 50 rated.

Follow the following link on over to Fishing’s Finest, who distribute the Pelagic brand of sun beating kit.

http://fishingsfinest.co.za

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