September 2013 Newsletter
It looks as though there is definitely going to be no sardine action for this season at all. I have been secretly hoping for a flash in the pan which can happen in September and October sometimes. Hopefully we find the game fish pushing them in somewhere along the coast, but right now it’s big Garrick and big Shad time and quite a few have already started coming out.
Really is a pity about what’s been happening at Zinkwazi with the Garrick and shocking to hear reports of fish buyers being caught with huge volumes of Garrick once again. Everybody seems to know exactly who it is that is catching and selling these Garrick and yet nothing is being done about it. It’s hard to believe how short-sighted these people are and really sad when people that actually don’t need the money are doing it.
I wonder if they realise what is going to happen because of their activities. Besides the fact that they are stealing from future generations so to speak and obviously breaking the law, the only course of action that the authorities can take,as they like to do so much when they cannot police something,is a total ban. Failing that you will probably find a reduced bag limit and a closed season. I think it is up to all of us to start putting some serious pressure on these greedy and selfish individuals. Most people have harsher words for them.
Fish of the month -definitely the year and probably the last couple of years,has to go to a Tuna of 17.6kgs caught by Louis Allison off the beach at the Sandspit, Port Shepstone on the new Assassin Amia with microwave guides. What an awesome fish to catch from the shore. I wonder if Louis realises the real significance of a catch like this. This is not just a once in a lifetime thing, it’s hundreds of lifetimes that it takes for this sort of achievement, but being the angler he is, I think in his heart he knows it.There have been lots of other really good Snoek, Garrick and Shad caught. This time of the year can be quite frustrating for the shore-based spinners, but when it turns on it is really good.
Got back recently from an amazing trip to the Pontaloon Banks,Davies Shoal and onto Pemba. We got some really amazing fish from Snoek 35 nautical miles out to sea in 10 meters of water,through to a big Doggie. More on this in future Off The Chart series, probably for next year.The new GT Ice Cream plugs were used extensively and accounted for some amazing Tunny and got really smashed by giant Couta. It was interesting to note how Iron Candies rigged with a Yamashita skirt stinger out-fished drop-shots and all other light vertical jigs by a long shot. I have since had a report from Craig, the skipper of yacht Sarah, who has just got back from a charter to the Lazarus banks,to say that once again the Iron Candies out-fished everything else and his customers were blown away.
The first couple of Sandies for the shore-based guys have put in an appearance and it is interesting to note that the Blackfin never seemed to have left. It has been quite a strange season.For the fly-fishing enthusiasts, it is prime time for the Scaleys and pretty soon Explorer are going to be hosting a Scaley festival on the Umkomaas. For more details contact us. We are also doing a trip to the Orange in October to try and catch some large mouth Yellows and hopefully get some really good Smallies.
For the Tiger Fish enthusiasts, Jozini has been going off. Some really goodfish have been caught and again it is interesting to note that the fish almost didn’t stop, but certainly at the end of July, fishing really picked up at Joz and it has been getting better and better every week.After our trip there earlier this year I would seriously advise anybody that is remotely interested to give it a bash. It is amazing.Till we talk again, have some awesome fishing!
It looks as though there is definitely going to be no sardine action for this season at all. I have been secretly hoping for a flash in the pan which can happen in September and October sometimes. Hopefully we find the game fish pushing them in somewhere along the coast, but right now it’s big Garrick and big Shad time and quite a few have already started coming out.
Really is a pity about what’s been happening at Zinkwazi with the Garrick and shocking to hear reports of fish buyers being caught with huge volumes of Garrick once again. Everybody seems to know exactly who it is that is catching and selling these Garrick and yet nothing is being done about it. It’s hard to believe how short-sighted these people are and really sad when people that actually don’t need the money are doing it.
I wonder if they realise what is going to happen because of their activities. Besides the fact that they are stealing from future generations so to speak and obviously breaking the law, the only course of action that the authorities can take,as they like to do so much when they cannot police something,is a total ban. Failing that you will probably find a reduced bag limit and a closed season. I think it is up to all of us to start putting some serious pressure on these greedy and selfish individuals. Most people have harsher words for them.
Fish of the month -definitely the year and probably the last couple of years,has to go to a Tuna of 17.6kgs caught by Louis Allison off the beach at the Sandspit, Port Shepstone on the new Assassin Amia with microwave guides. What an awesome fish to catch from the shore. I wonder if Louis realises the real significance of a catch like this. This is not just a once in a lifetime thing, it’s hundreds of lifetimes that it takes for this sort of achievement, but being the angler he is, I think in his heart he knows it.There have been lots of other really good Snoek, Garrick and Shad caught. This time of the year can be quite frustrating for the shore-based spinners, but when it turns on it is really good.
Got back recently from an amazing trip to the Pontaloon Banks,Davies Shoal and onto Pemba. We got some really amazing fish from Snoek 35 nautical miles out to sea in 10 meters of water,through to a big Doggie. More on this in future Off The Chart series, probably for next year.The new GT Ice Cream plugs were used extensively and accounted for some amazing Tunny and got really smashed by giant Couta. It was interesting to note how Iron Candies rigged with a Yamashita skirt stinger out-fished drop-shots and all other light vertical jigs by a long shot. I have since had a report from Craig, the skipper of yacht Sarah, who has just got back from a charter to the Lazarus banks,to say that once again the Iron Candies out-fished everything else and his customers were blown away.
The first couple of Sandies for the shore-based guys have put in an appearance and it is interesting to note that the Blackfin never seemed to have left. It has been quite a strange season.For the fly-fishing enthusiasts, it is prime time for the Scaleys and pretty soon Explorer are going to be hosting a Scaley festival on the Umkomaas. For more details contact us. We are also doing a trip to the Orange in October to try and catch some large mouth Yellows and hopefully get some really good Smallies.
For the Tiger Fish enthusiasts, Jozini has been going off. Some really goodfish have been caught and again it is interesting to note that the fish almost didn’t stop, but certainly at the end of July, fishing really picked up at Joz and it has been getting better and better every week.After our trip there earlier this year I would seriously advise anybody that is remotely interested to give it a bash. It is amazing.Till we talk again, have some awesome fishing!