Uilenkraal Plaat Fishing in March/April

[Dylan84]

Hi All,

I'm coming to Cape Town/Hermanus for holiday for a couple weeks. Are the Bronzie's still biting at Uilkraal? I haven't been in a few years, is it still safe to fish there on your own? And where is the best place to get small yellowtails, mackerel and bonnies (if you can still get them).

Other than Uilkraal, is there anywhere else I can get stuck into some sharks that's safe?

Any advice would be much appreciated.

Thanks
Dylan

 

[DJP]

Sharks are still full up on this side and should be for the next month still. If the water is flat enough you will get them at all the main beaches.
You can get the mentioned baits at most of the fish shops in Gansbaai/Hemanus.
Safety shouldn't be an issue at Uilenkraal but you shouldn't go alone, accidents happen fast and if you fishing on a remote beach during the week things can go south quickly without help nearby.
Tight lines!

 

[Dylan84]

Thanks DJP.

Went down 4 times over the past 2 weeks. Nothing on the first day, no pulls. Moved to a different spot the next outing, had a fish on and then it dropped the bait, 3rd time out caught a Bronzie around 100 kgs and when trying to get it out the surf the I had the leader in my hands and it snapped, I ran to get my gaff and back into the water, swam after the shark for a bit but couldn't get the gaff into it and it was gone. Yesterday, my last day out, changed my knots on my leader, the water looked clean and was cold, wind pumping, struggled to get a bait out, on my 3rd try got it out properly, was about to put my 2nd rod in and as I was wading in I looked back and my first rod was pap, picked it up and fish on. Took around an hour to get her out, very difficult when you're on your own. Precaudal was 197cm = 108kgs. Happy with that, first Bronzie in 5 years, the last time I was here in 2022 the weather was better and I never had a single pull, I thought I had lost it. I'll be back for more over Christmas/New Year again.

Tight lines!