As we begin a new year, the angling community is, as usual, filled with hope and expectations that 2025 will be one to remember.

The new year has brought searingly hot temperatures and high humidity, with sea temperature reaching 26 degrees and anglers reporting many bluebottles and jelly fish.

Dorado have so far been plentiful during this game fish season, with mostly favourable sea conditions aiding anglers, except for days with high winds.

Swell levels were mainly low and surf launches were reasonable.

Last year’s dorado run was an extended one but this year’s started early and is still ongoing, with fish being caught on baits and lures down the South Coast and up the North Coast.

Some sought after barracouta have also been caught, including at the popular couta reef at Stud Rock.

Last week a Durban angler caught a couta that weighed in at just over 30kg, a big fish for so early in the season. There have been a few more big catches, one of which was off Ballito.

Fish of this size point to an excellent barracouta season.

Surprisingly, some wahoos were caught by anglers targeting other game fish, while a couple of sailfish have made for good ‘selfies’ for local anglers before being released back into the water.

Marlin have been caught at Sodwana Bay, St Lucia and Cape Vidal, with Sodwana being the preferred venue to date. A few striped, black and blue marlin have also been reeled in by charter craft off Durban. Other catches include yellowfin tuna.

Rock and surf anglers struggled at times over the festive season, particularly those searching for edible species.

Some shad came out at Ballito and Umdloti, as well as further north and down the South Coast. It is now the end of the shad season and the fish will be difficult to find as the water becomes warmer.

A few good-sized stumpies have been reported in the rocky areas where most anglers are fishing, while the usual blacktail and odd rockcod have also been on the bite.

Up at Tugela Mouth a few labotes were caught over Christmas.

Grey sharks have been found along the entire coastline, while summer flatfish have also produced some sport. Sand sharks and various ray species have stretched a few arms along the sandy beaches. The hot weather brings ideal conditions to catch this hard-fighting fish. Durban and the upper South Coast have been the most productive areas for these flatties, but the upper North Coast have been surprisingly quiet.

Last week I watched a young boy fishing with light tackle in the shore break. He caught three sport pompano – ‘wave garrick’ – almost shot-for-shot as his dad sat on the beach and baited his hooks.

The weather report for this week is not great with plenty of rain expected. Fishing time will be limited, while dirty water will likely hamper conditions.

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