Angling Report: catches last week dwindled dramatically

Pockets of sardines were passing by heading north last week but unfortunately these fish were far out to sea.

On Saturday morning I watched a couple of small pockets heading up the coast but the fish were about two kilometers offshore and although the water looked to be boiling around the fish, it was impossible to see what was chopping into the small shoals.

It does look as if the run is over for this year but one cannot be sure because we may have only seen the pilot shoals and there may be more to come as has been seen in previous years.

When the sardines reached the South Coast, anglers had some hectic fishing but as soon as the small fish disappeared, so the fishing tailed off with very little on the bite.

There were many disappointed South Coast anglers last week and it seems as if the sardines have dragged the fish with them like a magnet. No doubt the fish will be back once the sardines have disappeared for another year.

There were plenty of small shad caught along the South Coast recently but catches last week dwindled dramatically. The early morning tides were not in the anglers’ favor as well and some remarked that there was just no water at first light but things could be different this week with the early morning tides being more favorable.

Locally there were reports of a couple of nice sized garrick being caught but the fish were few and far between.

The best bet is to persevere in the river mouth areas and one may just pick up a nice fish.

The hours of darkness still remain the best option at present where there is always the chance of catching a nice stumpie or salmon but these days anglers are having to wait longer periods before receiving any bites of any size.

Most are reporting that small fish or peekers can be found everywhere at present. With the winter days being nice and warm, there is no problem putting out a nice bait hoping to entice a pull from a brusher and this could just happen although this species has been scarce the past couple of years.

Friends that fish the Umhlanga and Durban North beaches said the fishing was quiet last week and they also said there was very little water at first light. Umdloti was also quiet with just a few small fish being caught among the rocks.

Anglers in this area say they are waiting patiently for the shad. Strangely enough, there have been reports from the offshore anglers that there are plenty of small shad to be found but for some reason, the fish are not moving inshore to feed at first light.

Every year at this time I used to take leave and spend ten days down the South Coast and every morning we would catch fish, mostly shad, but there was also the odd grunter and salmon and the garrick anglers would also be kept busy. How things have changed.

From past experience of fishing the local beaches, I would say that anglers will have to wait another couple of weeks before taking shad home for breakfast but there is the opportunity of picking up a garick or salmon when the sea conditions are right.

The heavy July seas have not arrived yet and maybe this is what is needed to remove the sand from the surf.

Many of the local angling spots are heavily sanded up and fish will not move inshore when there is very little water covering the sandbanks. In the past we have had some real heavy seas at this time of the year but there has been a definite change in the weather patterns.

Cape Town was going through a serious drought period and at the time of compiling this column, the rain was pouring down in the Cape with several warnings being given to the public.

Sealice

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