Down to The Umdloti Beach with JP Bartholomew

Down to The Umdloti Beach

“Another incredible story and gallery of photos from our newest contributor, JP Batholomew…this time at Umdloti Beach, one opf JP’s favourite hangouts. Luckily JP advocates catch and release – luckily, or there would be far less fish left in the ocean!”

December, four days after Full Moon I hit Umdloti beach.The weather conditions were good and the sea was fairly calm and clean with the water temp at 19c – still nicely chilled. It was time to embark on My quest to catch those elusive Giant Blue Shad on fly. I was kitted out with my Xplorer 902 Pro Cast 8/9 Wt rod with an intermediate line and my favourite GT Deep Diver Flies in Pink, Orange, Chartreuse, tied on a 5/0 Mustard 34007 s/s hooks.

I started fishing my normal stretch around 04:45am on the incoming tide. I know from past experience that I have the best chance of catching these Giant Shad in the same spot at this time of the year. Making the longest casts as possible I began by probing the deeper channels and gullies, allowing the fly to sink for  about 10 seconds before I began a fast retrieve. I also tried casting the fly over rocky ledges where the waves break and create white water. The Shad love hunting in this water, using it as cover to ambush baitfish hiding behind or under structure.

Soon after I started, in the middle of a fast retrieve I went tight and I was into My first Blue Shad on an Orange GT fly. It put up a ferocious fight, jumping out of the water, trying to throw the hook. Big shad are fast ,powerful fish that will strip your line off your reel at an awesome pace and will fight to the very edge of its strength. I fished Umdloti Beach almost everyday that week and succeeded in catching and releasing four Gaint Shad  – two on fly and two on Rapala X-Raps.

The following week I returned to Umdloti again with my trusty 8/9Wt fly rod and this time tied a Pink GT Deep Diver. This time I started fishing as the sun started breaking through the clouds on the horizon. The water was still cold and sea conditions were still good.
On My third or fourth cast I managed to get good distance.  I started my retrieve and when the fly came into the shorebreak the line went tight. My line started peeling off my reel really fast and I used my hand to slow it down by holding in on the rim of the reel as I had no time to fiddle with the drag.
Eventually, I was able to start getting line back on my reel. I couldn’t get a good look at the fish, but it didn’t feel like a shad. I thought it might be a kingfish so I kept rod  up and applied  as much pressure on the line as I thought rather safe then sorry,retrieving line as quickly as possible and hoping not to get cut off on the rocks.
It was only when I got the fish closer and it broke the surface that I saw had hooked into a Dusky Kob – My first on fly. I have been fighting this area  stretch for seven years and I’ve never heard of a Kob coming out,never mind on fly at Umdloti. After a photo or two I successfully returned him back to the sea to fight another day.
That same week I flyfishing off Sensation Rock’s using a Flashy  Profile fly,I hooked into a Natal Stumpnose of about 1.3 kg which had  Me jumping and bouncing around on the rocks like a Penguin holding on for dear life. I was not ready to lose a Natal  Stumpnose on fly! The fish put a tremendous fight but I finally managed to bring it into the bay and beach it. I was so tired and sore from jumping all over the rocks but I had  landed My first Natal  Stumpnose on fly – what an adrenaline rush a beauty of a fish too.

I really enjoyed targeting the various species and loved it when all my planning – getting flies for specific Spiece’s, fishing the correct tides and area’s you know should hold the fish you are targeting – the success and results will follow. I always like to study tide’s, Moon phases and is always good to know your sea conditions of the stretch you going to be fishing. I prefer fishing early morning’s – long before most Anglers hit the waters. Your results are always worth it.

Tight line’s, practice catch and release remember let go let grow let your fish roam free…..

Cheers JP.