Fishing Conditions

[Mr J]

Hi

For those in  the know, is it a waste of time to fish further once you start catching Pufferfish (blaas oppies) from the Rock & Surf and barbel in the coastal rivers. Do I move to another spot or go home? What conditions causes these buggers to come on the bite?

Are there any other tactics I could use to stop catching these buggers once they come on the bite? (besides hand grenades LMAO!!!!)

Shotttt.

 

 

[M@rius]

For one thing, I know it does not mean you have to pack up! I have caught plenty of steenbras and flatties while puffers are on the bite and cob/noneds between barbels. Would love to see what the other guys say

 

[Simen]

Dont know about puffer fish.

When there are a lot of babers present where you are fishing it means there should be other fish present that are feeding. A barber is a scavenger and will eat the left over pieces from another fish's meal.

What uou can do is to lengthen your hooksnoot drastically ( make it upto 1 m), and also add a lot of flotation. Barbers tend to feed close to the bottom.
By doing this, it does not eliminate catching barbels but reduces catching them.

 

[Muffin Man]

 Barbels are associated with Kob coloured water and night time fishing your persistance could well pay off.  I have found in estuaries that blaasoppies seem to be more of a nuisance in the clearer water which is not always the best water to be fishing in. Cheers (MM)

 

[Marthin]

Do a search "EC on the scoreboard"

My son caught a pufferfish, then we caught Big mullet, then steenbras, stumpnose and then a grunter....

Puffers do tend to be around if the water is colder tho. We did see something chasing the mullet around as well.

 

[Muffin Man]

Will have a look, I agree with the cooler water which at the Breede in often the clearer sea water coming into the river with the pushing tide. On lowtide I would anchor opposite the hotel in 3 m of water relatively close to sandbank. The water would be a greeny/brown(river water) colour I would catch grunter and small steamers with the pushing tide when the water clears with the pushing tide it is only blaasoppies. I then move higher up again to the water with colour.