Hi. So here is my fishing story for the Easter weekend.
My father, my brother and I have been planning the past weekend for a month or so. Arranged the flights for my brother to fly down from JHB well in advance. Our plan was to fish everyday from Thursday to Monday. But mother nature had other plans. The SE wind was pumping for days before hand and I knew that fishing might not be possible at all. But atleast we figured we would then just have some family time if we couldn't fish.
So come Thursday, we headed towards the slip at Millerspoint, only to see that the sea is still not fishable. Ah well, time to do catch up with the family. Thursday night I checked Windfinder and yeah, weather was looking.
Got up 03:00 Friday morning and headed down to the slip after picking up the boat from storage. Got there and saw that the fog was terrible. Decided to carry on to launch. After launching we got on our way at a snails pace and headed to Cape Point. After checking out through Penguin, we started our long journey to the Canyon at a mere 15 knots. Water at the point was a cold 11 degrees. I had a feeling that the water would be cold after the SE winds but didn't expect it to be 11 degrees.
After about 5 miles SW of Cape Point, the fog broke and we picked up the pace. The water was nice and flat, but the temperature sensor didn't show the digits I wanted to see. The temperature was climbing slowly but surely. After what seemed like eternity we finally got to the canyon area, but the water temperature was 17.2 degrees and the water was an 'ugly' green. Decided to put some lures in the water and work our way south as I thought that the water might get warmer as we progressed that way. The spread we chose was some deepdivers and some yamashitas behind birds, all in a various range of colours.
Took the outriggers along just to spread the lures a bit, and run the birds and squids a bit more on the outside. As we had a bit of trouble with the backlines the previous time.
The outriggers did their job well and I was impressed as this was our first attempt at using them.
After a while something caught the corner of my eye. It was this beautiful patch of kelp far away from any land. First thaught that came across my mind was, here might be some yellowtail around.
First pass of the kelp, and we were on! Got a nice tail. The tail was in a feeding frenzy although it was not on our lures. They were smashing the baitfish which was hiding under the patch. At one time we had around 30 yellowtails follow our boat.Continued working the area and managed 2 more yellowtails. As suddenly as everything started it stopped. We then decided to carry on with our journey south in search of warmer water. By now the water was 18 degrees, and I though we might be in business soon if the temperature would climb by another 0.5 degrees.
After a while I saw this trawler in the distance.
I knew something would happen behind the trawler as they were cleaning fish. Thought the tuna might settle for a quick snack at the trawling take away shop.But yet again nothing. After working the area around the trawler for an hour of so with no marks of fish decided to slowly work our way home. By this time we were around 30nm SSW from Cape Point.
After about a hour we had a run and got a decent skipjack.
After another hour or so we had a decent run and landed a smallish 15-20kg Yellowfin. Continued working the area but couldn't get more of them to bite. By now we were 20nm from Cape Point.
Through out our day we had many of these bad boys passing us. Scary to think that one of these migth be hiding in the fog one early morning.
After finding nothing else and the water temperature dropping to 16 degrees, we decided to pick up the lines and run home early.Here is some pictures of the run back when we were past Cape Point.
Used 220 liters of fuel for the day. Travelled many a mile in search of the warmer water.
The next day, Friday we decided to head West as there was no warm water in the south. Couldn't find the warm water again and came back home empty handed except for some crays.
Saterday and Sunday the weather forecast was looking bleak and we decided to tow the boat to Mossel Bay as our 26ft Buttcat was nearing completion and the smaller boat was not needed in Cape Town anymore.
So all in all, an enjoyable weekend with my father and brother although the fish weren't playing the game.
Next weekend going to test the new rig in the offshore waters of Mossel Bay. Just to check whether there is anything hiding in the waters where no one fishes.
Btw, I know the crayfish season closes soon, but does anyone perhabs know of a chart where I can see the no take zones for next season? I don't want to go to jail for a couple of crays.
Tight lines
My father, my brother and I have been planning the past weekend for a month or so. Arranged the flights for my brother to fly down from JHB well in advance. Our plan was to fish everyday from Thursday to Monday. But mother nature had other plans. The SE wind was pumping for days before hand and I knew that fishing might not be possible at all. But atleast we figured we would then just have some family time if we couldn't fish.
So come Thursday, we headed towards the slip at Millerspoint, only to see that the sea is still not fishable. Ah well, time to do catch up with the family. Thursday night I checked Windfinder and yeah, weather was looking.
Got up 03:00 Friday morning and headed down to the slip after picking up the boat from storage. Got there and saw that the fog was terrible. Decided to carry on to launch. After launching we got on our way at a snails pace and headed to Cape Point. After checking out through Penguin, we started our long journey to the Canyon at a mere 15 knots. Water at the point was a cold 11 degrees. I had a feeling that the water would be cold after the SE winds but didn't expect it to be 11 degrees.
After about 5 miles SW of Cape Point, the fog broke and we picked up the pace. The water was nice and flat, but the temperature sensor didn't show the digits I wanted to see. The temperature was climbing slowly but surely. After what seemed like eternity we finally got to the canyon area, but the water temperature was 17.2 degrees and the water was an 'ugly' green. Decided to put some lures in the water and work our way south as I thought that the water might get warmer as we progressed that way. The spread we chose was some deepdivers and some yamashitas behind birds, all in a various range of colours.
Took the outriggers along just to spread the lures a bit, and run the birds and squids a bit more on the outside. As we had a bit of trouble with the backlines the previous time.
The outriggers did their job well and I was impressed as this was our first attempt at using them.
After a while something caught the corner of my eye. It was this beautiful patch of kelp far away from any land. First thaught that came across my mind was, here might be some yellowtail around.
First pass of the kelp, and we were on! Got a nice tail. The tail was in a feeding frenzy although it was not on our lures. They were smashing the baitfish which was hiding under the patch. At one time we had around 30 yellowtails follow our boat.Continued working the area and managed 2 more yellowtails. As suddenly as everything started it stopped. We then decided to carry on with our journey south in search of warmer water. By now the water was 18 degrees, and I though we might be in business soon if the temperature would climb by another 0.5 degrees.
After a while I saw this trawler in the distance.
I knew something would happen behind the trawler as they were cleaning fish. Thought the tuna might settle for a quick snack at the trawling take away shop.But yet again nothing. After working the area around the trawler for an hour of so with no marks of fish decided to slowly work our way home. By this time we were around 30nm SSW from Cape Point.
After about a hour we had a run and got a decent skipjack.
After another hour or so we had a decent run and landed a smallish 15-20kg Yellowfin. Continued working the area but couldn't get more of them to bite. By now we were 20nm from Cape Point.
Through out our day we had many of these bad boys passing us. Scary to think that one of these migth be hiding in the fog one early morning.
After finding nothing else and the water temperature dropping to 16 degrees, we decided to pick up the lines and run home early.Here is some pictures of the run back when we were past Cape Point.
Used 220 liters of fuel for the day. Travelled many a mile in search of the warmer water.
The next day, Friday we decided to head West as there was no warm water in the south. Couldn't find the warm water again and came back home empty handed except for some crays.
Saterday and Sunday the weather forecast was looking bleak and we decided to tow the boat to Mossel Bay as our 26ft Buttcat was nearing completion and the smaller boat was not needed in Cape Town anymore.
So all in all, an enjoyable weekend with my father and brother although the fish weren't playing the game.
Next weekend going to test the new rig in the offshore waters of Mossel Bay. Just to check whether there is anything hiding in the waters where no one fishes.
Btw, I know the crayfish season closes soon, but does anyone perhabs know of a chart where I can see the no take zones for next season? I don't want to go to jail for a couple of crays.
Tight lines