Light Tackle Spinning for Bonnies off Durban – 28-02-10

Cpt. Hook

Sealiner
We launched from Durban harbour at 04h45 for a 5hrs trip with the intention of targeting some Natal Snoek (Queen Mackerel) the was a stiff NE wind Blowing and the water surface temperature was 26 deg. C, the swell was large and over 2m and spaced at around 8 seconds.

 

It is also starting to get chilly in the mornings now.

 

We shot up North to Umgeni Mouth and started to set our Snoek spread and made our way north, but the swell there was huge and we were not able to get any closer into to shore that the 10-12m depth area, and this is not ideal for getting Snoek, I tried a little closer but the swell was to much for safety and comfort and I was scared that we would flip the boat over and decided to get away from the surf zone.

 

It was then decided that we would take the spinning tackle that we had rigged up and ready for the Snoek and we would target Eastern Little Tuna with this tackle, and this proved to be great fun and we landed around 19 of them in a short space of time. They are really good fun on light 10lb tackle, especially when we hooked up with 2 over the 3kg mark, but the rest were small.

 

I also rigged 1 of the ELT’s as live bait on a Couta Trace on a trap stick off the back hoping for a Couta or something else nice, eventually the reel went zz zzzzz zz zz zz zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz and after around 1.5hrs fight and many more zzzzzzzzzzzzz’s we brought a Black Tip Shark of around 150Kg next to the boat.

 

After this with sore arms, as all 3 of us had a go at the Shark we headed back to land. My camera got wet and is now dead, and so I am looking for another one, if anybody has a good one let me know.
 

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muhammad

Senior Member
good show mike
i just love that erea for the sharks we have some good fun out there
try the 7 to 9 mt mark at blue lagoon get some good pulls on 10lb tackle just prey that 2.5mt hammerhead dont pick you up on the light tackle
 

Eric Cotton

Senior Member
What camera DEAD:(, you will have to get a camera soon, As I try my best to ZOOM in on your fishing location:cool:, HE HE HE. No really that is sad. Glad your crew didn't get sea sick. As for the snoek they were quite this weekend, what I have found that the snoek are under the Bonnie's while they are feeding on sprats. Once again swell report :
 

Cpt. Hook

Sealiner
Eric Cotton wrote:
What camera DEAD:(, you will have to get a camera soon, As I try my best to ZOOM in on your fishing location:cool:, HE HE HE. No really that is sad. Glad your crew didn't get sea sick. As for the snoek they were quite this weekend, what I have found that the snoek are under the Bonnie's while they are feeding on sprats. Once again swell report :
Got the Bonnies at No.1 no snoek there.
 

Glenn

Sealiner
Now 19 small Tuna would last me ALONG time for sliding for Mr.Shark! ::S

Well done, Mike.. Another fab report. =)
 

FREE THE FIGHTER

Senior Member
Nice report thanks FA

What lures do you favour to catch these little bonnies - are they on the surface when you cast at them ?

Thanks
 

Cpt. Hook

Sealiner
FREE THE FIGHTER wrote:
Nice report thanks FA

What lures do you favour to catch these little bonnies - are they on the surface when you cast at them ?

Thanks

I use little 1 ounce spoons and jigs, take off the treble, use 150mm no 3 steel wire (Incase something big hits and they do) tied straight onto 12lb mono leader.

The you drift looking for pinnicales and showings on your finder, you can often see the shoals in the midwater on your finder, whilst drifting you cast out, let it sink and then bring it back up using various retreives, and beleive me ultra fast works best, when you see them on the finder drop straight down, but keep in contact with your line as they often hit you on the way down, then you jig up medium, if you miss a hit, drop a little and bring up again.

19 is not even average, on good days you can get 40-60 in about 5hrs
 
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