Red Steenbras aka Copper Steenbras
- Thread starter Brandon79
- Start date
benniejordaan
Sealiner
No way, keep just for yourself and release the rest, they are delicious..
Live baits, the bigger the better. Kei fisherman will use big reds and slingers 30cm-40cm for bait. 2X10/0 hook traces similar to geelbek trace.
But it depends where you are fishing. If I was fishing in Durban for example, Id stick to Geelbek trace with mackies or shad.
Live baits, the bigger the better. Kei fisherman will use big reds and slingers 30cm-40cm for bait. 2X10/0 hook traces similar to geelbek trace.
But it depends where you are fishing. If I was fishing in Durban for example, Id stick to Geelbek trace with mackies or shad.
benniejordaan
Sealiner
benniejordaan
Sealiner
I'm all for conservation, catch and release but if it's legal, withing quota and wont be sold or wasted, I'm good with making a fish braai...
Red Steenbras closed season 1 October - 30 November (No Red Steenbras fishing to be done during this time) The Red Steenbras is currently a protected species and cannot be caught at anytime.
Red steenbras (copper steenbras) Petrus rupestris 60 cm x 1
The are the bag limits and closed fishing time
Red steenbras (copper steenbras) Petrus rupestris 60 cm x 1
The are the bag limits and closed fishing time
benniejordaan
Sealiner
Question in regards to Swim Bladders on Red Steenbras (Agulhas Banks or Transkei Coast):
Once you have caught your 1 or 2 legal limit of Red Steeenbras, do you as a conservationist stop fishing that area or continue to fish other species.
The problem I see comes while fishing for other species in the same spot is that you may inadvertently catch another Red Steenbras and how many of those fish survive due to the swim bladder sticking out the fishes mouth. In the video link provided you will notice that someone answered as follows "The few we caught were put back as this was obviously not the chosen species , we were after the silver fish and yellow tail.you cannot choose what takes the line , but at least we gave them a chance of survival"
While I accept the answer my feelings is that more experienced anglers know that for instance on the Agulhas Banks like the 45 Mile Bank, the 72 Mile Bank, the Alphard Bank and behind the 12 Mile Bank which are all known places where you can catch Red Steenbras is that this species swims near the sea bottom and are caught in and around the 30 fathom mark, which means that when the Red Steenbras is brought to the surface it will have a swollen swim bladder sometimes protruding partially or completely out its mouth.
As I have never fished along the Eastern Cape or Transkei coastline for Red Steenbras I am unaware as to what depth Red Steenbras are caught there.
In False Bay the Red Steenbras are quite small usually undersize and are caught at much shallower depths, so releasing them should not usually pose a problem.
However there is always a risk that a hook could be lodged in a place where its irretrievable or in the fishes gills, so looking at it from another perspective this species should be avoided unless you need to catch your legal quota.
Trying to avoid catching Red Steenbras would be quite difficult if you are within their known areas in my opinion as they are also known to shoal in large numbers as was the case in past years on the 45 Mile Bank.
Red Steenbras on 45 Mile Bank
Once you have caught your 1 or 2 legal limit of Red Steeenbras, do you as a conservationist stop fishing that area or continue to fish other species.
The problem I see comes while fishing for other species in the same spot is that you may inadvertently catch another Red Steenbras and how many of those fish survive due to the swim bladder sticking out the fishes mouth. In the video link provided you will notice that someone answered as follows "The few we caught were put back as this was obviously not the chosen species , we were after the silver fish and yellow tail.you cannot choose what takes the line , but at least we gave them a chance of survival"
While I accept the answer my feelings is that more experienced anglers know that for instance on the Agulhas Banks like the 45 Mile Bank, the 72 Mile Bank, the Alphard Bank and behind the 12 Mile Bank which are all known places where you can catch Red Steenbras is that this species swims near the sea bottom and are caught in and around the 30 fathom mark, which means that when the Red Steenbras is brought to the surface it will have a swollen swim bladder sometimes protruding partially or completely out its mouth.
As I have never fished along the Eastern Cape or Transkei coastline for Red Steenbras I am unaware as to what depth Red Steenbras are caught there.
In False Bay the Red Steenbras are quite small usually undersize and are caught at much shallower depths, so releasing them should not usually pose a problem.
However there is always a risk that a hook could be lodged in a place where its irretrievable or in the fishes gills, so looking at it from another perspective this species should be avoided unless you need to catch your legal quota.
Trying to avoid catching Red Steenbras would be quite difficult if you are within their known areas in my opinion as they are also known to shoal in large numbers as was the case in past years on the 45 Mile Bank.
Red Steenbras on 45 Mile Bank
Sick Red Steenbras:
While reading this recent thread on a sick Red Steenbras caught along the Transkei coastline I can't help but think that perhaps in its lifetime it was not a catch a release specimen and had managed to survive but with apparent systemic problems.
Could just have been an old fish .... that being said I once heard of a 73Kg specimen caught by a commercial deck boat on the 45 Mile Bank during the early 80s or late 70s.
I think they get bigger than we know ... given enough time of course, considering the pressure they sustained over the last 60+ years.
Sick Red Steenbras thread
While reading this recent thread on a sick Red Steenbras caught along the Transkei coastline I can't help but think that perhaps in its lifetime it was not a catch a release specimen and had managed to survive but with apparent systemic problems.
Could just have been an old fish .... that being said I once heard of a 73Kg specimen caught by a commercial deck boat on the 45 Mile Bank during the early 80s or late 70s.
I think they get bigger than we know ... given enough time of course, considering the pressure they sustained over the last 60+ years.
Sick Red Steenbras thread
TRANSKEI FEVER
New member
1 Per person Bennie... There are still plenty around as you can't fish for them if the weather and current aren't good... I don't think the chances of survival are great if they are released though... I catch one every few months for the freezer!
