Had a nice little session throwing mud prawn at tailing grunts on the incoming spring tide yesterday. Having not targeted these fish in Sedgefield for some time now I pulled into the caravan park and with misplaced confidence took the short walk to the end of the park where I pumped giant prawn last time I was there - about 18 months ago.
To my great surprise the little mud flat that used to produce so nicely is not only empty of prawn, it has been totally wiped out! Literally the firm mud flat has been replaced by soft silt-like mud with very slimy green algae all over the place, totally disgusting. Does anyone know what happened here?
Anyhow, so I couldn't get any prawn, a quick look at the watch and I realised I had enough time to shoot down to Knysna for some prawn and make it back on the pushing tide. Off I went and 90 minutes later I was back in Sedgefield on my favourite flat with 15 medium sized prawns (sadly couldn't find any of the nice big ones I prefer to use, seems mud prawn stocks are under pressure in this area).
I tackled up on a dry sand and with the tide pushing firmly by this time I was soon ankle deep in water and could see the grunts tailing about 30 meters behind the incoming tide. Instant fishing fever.
30 minutes and 5 casts to tailing fish later and I was in with my first fish of the day, a nice little 45cm grunt in prime condition. I walked the fish to the bank for a quick photo and it swam off strongly.
With the monkey off my back I relaxed and settled into an easy wade-and-cast rythm, the sun was on my back, there was a slight breeze over my left shoulder, the estuary lay wide open before me with what seemed like a thousand waving grunter tails inviting me to cast at them and I was in my happy place.
I fished hard for about 3 hours and landed another 4 nice grunter, all bigger than the first, with the best of the session being a 53cm fish that went wild when I hooked it. At one point it was total chaos as the fish turned around on a strong run and headed straight back at me swimming at full tilt. The fish spooked at a sudden movement I made as it approached, it banked hard to the right and next thing managed to swim between my legs and my landing net, causing a few moments of panic as I tried to unwrap braid from around my net! The fish eventually tired and after a short photo session earned it's well deserved freedom.
All told an awesome day out. The only blip on an otherwise perfect session was the sad discovery that the little mud prawn colony I'd always fancied is my little secret for so long had vanished.
To my great surprise the little mud flat that used to produce so nicely is not only empty of prawn, it has been totally wiped out! Literally the firm mud flat has been replaced by soft silt-like mud with very slimy green algae all over the place, totally disgusting. Does anyone know what happened here?
Anyhow, so I couldn't get any prawn, a quick look at the watch and I realised I had enough time to shoot down to Knysna for some prawn and make it back on the pushing tide. Off I went and 90 minutes later I was back in Sedgefield on my favourite flat with 15 medium sized prawns (sadly couldn't find any of the nice big ones I prefer to use, seems mud prawn stocks are under pressure in this area).
I tackled up on a dry sand and with the tide pushing firmly by this time I was soon ankle deep in water and could see the grunts tailing about 30 meters behind the incoming tide. Instant fishing fever.
30 minutes and 5 casts to tailing fish later and I was in with my first fish of the day, a nice little 45cm grunt in prime condition. I walked the fish to the bank for a quick photo and it swam off strongly.
With the monkey off my back I relaxed and settled into an easy wade-and-cast rythm, the sun was on my back, there was a slight breeze over my left shoulder, the estuary lay wide open before me with what seemed like a thousand waving grunter tails inviting me to cast at them and I was in my happy place.
I fished hard for about 3 hours and landed another 4 nice grunter, all bigger than the first, with the best of the session being a 53cm fish that went wild when I hooked it. At one point it was total chaos as the fish turned around on a strong run and headed straight back at me swimming at full tilt. The fish spooked at a sudden movement I made as it approached, it banked hard to the right and next thing managed to swim between my legs and my landing net, causing a few moments of panic as I tried to unwrap braid from around my net! The fish eventually tired and after a short photo session earned it's well deserved freedom.
All told an awesome day out. The only blip on an otherwise perfect session was the sad discovery that the little mud prawn colony I'd always fancied is my little secret for so long had vanished.
