Hi there, I know this is where to come for some g

G

Guest

Guest
Hi there,

I know this is where to come for some great advice. I'm heading down to the Breede in December and will be staying in Malagas but always keen to drive down to the mouth at Infanta. I WON"T have a boat but have fished a few spots along the bank down there and got some nice-ish Grunter. The problem is I haven't had any luck with other species, thinking particularly the famous Breede Kob and Leeries.

My question is quite specific but someone might know. There is a spot on the Infanta side, I think it's called Grunter Bay, small inlet directly opposite the Green Bank on the Witsands side. When there I normally wade chest deep and cast for Grunter with only a prawn on the line and have got quite lucky.

Now from that spot can anyone tell me how far I would have to cast to reach the channel and perhaps pick up Kob - I was thinking perhaps using chokka? Or perhaps trying to catch a live mullet or two and swim it out on a non-returnable clip?

Any luck please advise - one last thing, am off to the USA this weekend and was going to buy a Daiwa Exceler reel to use for edibles on a small 7-9foot estuary rod. Any thoughts on my choice? Should I perhaps stay away or is it as good as i've heard it is.

Cheers
Novice
 
R

Reefman

Sealiner
:welcomesea:Novice... can't help you with the spot, but your reel choice is First class. Can't go wrong with the Exceler.
 
H

Hooked

Senior Member
You lucky man

Breede river is my heaven on earth.

If you are fishing in the Breede , you can target kob all the way up to malgas.Caught an unidentified ray at the river mouth there last year.Had it on the bank when it snapped off.It was an hour fight.The channel is easy to see.Just aim for the darker water.I havent heard of grunter bay before but I tend to stay at witsands
 
A

Ajay

Senior Member
Hey Nov1---I have done what you want to do in Dec many many times.Boatless on  the Breede staying at Lemoentuin!

Not too sure of the names of these places but have pretty much fished all the accesible spots within reasonable range.December is a great time as it starts really switching on round then through Jan Feb.You can get some kobbies and grunter at Malgas on those reedprawns you get in the weed beds(not brown mudpwrawns from downriver)Good spots are usually where the river turns and goes from reeds to rocks and current suddenly goes quieter meaning deeper. Those dropoffs can work incoming and outgoing.

First up ,The rocks outside at infanta point are good for spinning for elf LATE in the day. Otherwise if you are doing the bait thing some rockfish as well.Good spot if you have it to yourself Not so great with more than 3 guys.Seen spearos get yellowtail but never got one myself.(Also seen monster johnny there!)

Right at the mouth (the stairs parking lot just seaward of the first cottage)has never been a good luck spot for me and I have stood there spinning for hours with all sorts of poppers and spoons at all hours and tides.I think the currents there are too hectic so .....

The next spot is probably equidistant from the stairs parking lot or the sandbanks parking lot(next public one upstream)Its easy to see whats going on at low tide because the channel heads sharply north to start its twist past Witsand.Dont know what the spots name is but good for grunter stumpnose (mudprawn)and leeries on livies , poppers (and some guys on fly) You can fish it from really low on an incoming and just move up as the water comes in.No getting trapped out on the middle of the sandbank!!

Next spot is just upstream from  the slipway past Mudlark.Its a great spot for grunter on the opposite bank but I think all round that that is a really good bend on the river for anything . If you walk right up tho the rocks that I think you are talking about, the channel is probably roughly in the middle but as the river turns and starts heading straight up towards Karools , the channel comes over closer to the Infanta side.Its pretty much of a muchness IMHO. A leerie or a kob will come and get your haarder (bait of choice for all those in the know at the breede)if its swimming strongly. Your problem on that tackle if you cast too far into the channel is going to be the current. It is bliksems strong.You are going to have to re-cast no matter where you are fishing from if its from the side on light tackle.Baits spin really badly sometimes even if theyre put on perfectly and some boat guys change their haarder every 15 minutes regardless.Chokka is also good but MUST be fresh or very recently frozen.U waste time with anything else. Also you are probably going to get snagged up as the sand is starting to thin out and rocks are exposed on the river bottom all over the place there.You are also only allowed one Kob inside the mouth so you dont want to walk for miles ,lose loads of tackle,mission for livebaits etc etc for one just size kob.Of course if youre a masochist and like running up the bank in the pitch dark tripping on rocks with youre newly fast emptying Daiwa Exceler spool , it could all be worth youre while when 2 hours later you beach one of those legendary Breede river honderdponder boerkablejou .......When I was last there in May , the guy who stayed in the spot we were staying before us had got his 40 kilo odd specimen. The scales were huge.My little girl kept one she was so impressed. Dad?......When are you going to catch one like that?..........Errrrrrrrrrr ......mmmmmmmmmmmmmm.Soon I hope.

Any more questions , just ask--------------Ajay
 
G

Guest

Guest
Ajay, thank you so so much. That is some seriously outstanding advice. I do have a big beach rod, sor perhaps I should strap a livie onto to that and send it out or perhaps Chokka? With that sort of terrain, what's the best set-up to use if it's very rocky - my rod can cast up to 6oz sinkers?

Hoping for a big Grunter this year - saw a 75cm one come out last year caught on an outfit that looked like one of those Kiddies all-in-one sets you buy, was hilarious to watch but kudos to him - he landed the sucker!!

Ajay - hope you get there again soon. Cheers for your help.

Nov
 
G

Guest

Guest
Reefman - can I give some of that Manna stuff to Ajay for that outstanding post?
 
A

Ajay

Senior Member
Hey Nov---Only a pleasure. Hope some of it can help get you some success. The light rig sounds perfect for grunter , stumpnose and elf but if you lob out a grapnel on the big rod and slide haarder or chokka , you can work both rods.Be prepared to lose a bit of lead on the big rod upstream of the slipway.For ease of fishing , that middle spot is probably my pick for all round.The walk isnt that far and its good for most tides and day or night.

You could also consider hiring a small 2 man inflatable croc (ARK amongst others rent out boats here in Cape Town along with lifejacket) and with a small foldaway anchor you would certainly be set for daytime working of the grunter beds opposite the Mudlark slipway and upstream . It would also be good for some stretches at Malgas (especially if you see activity its most likely grunter feeding on their heads).Stay away from the mouth in it though.There is just so much inaccesible riverbank that has potential especially upriver from the slipway and downstream of Malgas. Not sure of rental costs and probably not wise for night use and you would have to constantly watch wind and tides very carefully. 

That small kiddies rod was probably a big part of the reason that that guy got that nice grunter. They are just so sensitive to line and sinkers. The lighter the better and definitely a sliding sinker.If youre missing bites on a longish 60-70cm trace then shorten it a bit but use very light line . I also use bass worm hooks for mudprawn and put 2 on . Big one on first(its tail will be up the line) then small one as a starter to cover the barb.Gentle casts too otherwise u just have to re-bait. Theyre tough fish and a complete jol on light tackle.Cape Stumpnose on that rig will also give you a great fight.

You never know with the Breede.I have blanked when everything was right and caught fish when by all rights I shouldnt have so one is usually in with a shout just by virtue of its size.
 
H

Hooked

Senior Member
Try barrys accomodation.They have a lot of houses at witsands.Nothing is cheap there in summer.Novice1 you can also rent a motor boat from the witsands hotel.Last time I was up there it cost zar400 for half a day.
 
G

Gavin

New member
FM,
I have just come back from Infanta, and stayed at Infanta Whale Chalets in Infanta Park. Cheap and very good. The owners were very helpful in showing the spots. Never fished there before, but was lucky enough to get a nice elf, and plenty of small kob, which were released. I have only been going to Witsands for the last 2 years, but must say, for remoteness and fishing potential, I prefer Infanta. I am not fortunate enough to have access to a boat, so I fish from the side.
 
T

ThefishinMagician

Sealiner
Contact details?
Looking at going the with the fishing ski and some mates and some beer and some honies and some more beer and hopefully going to come back with some decent sized fish.
 
G

Gavin

New member
You can mail Rita at infanta@telkomsa.net.

Her and her husband live in Infanta Park, and the chalet belongs to them.

Good luck!
 
C

Couta

Member
Live bait will be difficult to slide in the river as the current will pull live bait sideways and drown it. Big secret dont tell the locals i told you but catch a small octopus and slide it whole that is one of the breede baits.
 
L

leonard williams

Senior Member
why doesnt sealine plan a trip to breede,iv never been there and keen to go fish the river on those long nights!my dad and i are planning trip there next year!
 
A

Ajay

Senior Member
Fishmagish---Stayed at Whale chalets(082 872 9950 Rita/Martin) before and its great and v cheap compared to other spots but not on the river.If u want to be closer to the river then Southwinds lodge are just next to the slipway .Various options and she has a  fishermans cottage as well a bit back from the main housde that isnt right on the water.Try Southwinds.co.za. and have a look(028 542 1533 Carmen) And opposite the slip is Mudlark (028 542 1161 Hilary)which is B+B only and not self catered.Looks v nice as well. If budget allows , the place to stay at Infanta itself is called Wild West ( 028 542 1680 Val Rixon).Its the last house before the point right on the sea.Google it . Check it out. Magic.You could proably launch off the rocks in front of the house if its flat for the daytime .Take an all round white light for night and you could paddle up to Karoolskraal powerlines from  the Mudlark slipway(5 kms?) and look for kob there.

If you want to stay upriver at either Lemoentuin ,Matjieskloof or Riverine, then all the places are basically on the river and are mostly more upmarket (R800 a night ish)and fine for when the water is warmer mid-summer but more for grunter and sometimes kob but it depends on the water temp and colour a lot. Riverdance (R500ish a night), the Tides Lodge (unreal but probably V expensive)and definitely some places in the Riverine development will be or rent.The further down , the saltier the water but its tidal right upriver past Malgas pont.

Couta--Thats small octopus tip sounds like a good bit of local wisdom!U an ex local? Mortality rate is the main reason the guys go through haarders so fast.Even though they are pretty hardy , if it spins it doesnt last. Obviously the small ones go quicker too.That current has to be experienced to be believed.Would love to know how many cubic metres per second on a real spring tide ripper.
 
H

Hooked

Senior Member
Was there last christmas.Did a bit of night fishing at the mouth.The cuurent was rolling 6 ounce grapnels up stream
 
P

Patrick

Sealiner
That damn current almost washed me out to sea when curiosity got the better of me and i took my ski down to the mouth. It was a force i dont want to experience in a hurry again, and it took every ounce of strength i had to get to the banks again on the side!

And to top it off i blanked completely for the 3 days that i was there. Ajay, your tips will come in handy in future. Fishmagish you keen to go sometime soon?

I like your plenty beer and fishing plans...
 
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