#FishEagle: Easter weather hampers fishing

Fishing was disappointing this Easter weekend as the weather failed to live up to predictions.

Friday morning, the start of the long Easter weekend, and it was the Dolphin Coast at its very best with even some rain the night prior helping to break the heat.

First light on Friday saw a flattened ocean and surf as anglers were greeted with a beautiful calm sea, small, weak surf and clean water.

It was a case of launch and be on the water before the crack of dawn and have baits in the water to entice couta early before the area became crowded with anglers.

As expected with the great weather and sea conditions, in-shore game fishing grounds were a bit crowded during the early morning.

The area just a little south of Stud Rock toward La Mercy was particularly busy as there had been some action in this area recently, and I believe a few fish were landed early that morning.

Ballito and Salt Rock produced a few fish offshore.

A popular couta area off Umdloti River mouth was almost deserted on Friday morning and it was obvious that anglers had all moved a little north.

This was probably to escape sharks.

I saw the first of the boats moving away from the in-shore fishing area around 8.30am which led me to believe that fishing had become quiet and it was time to move out to deeper waters in search of bottom fish and even some dorado or billfish.

Because of the ideal weather and sea conditions many of the anglers remained at sea for much of the day because the weather report for the following day was not favourable at all.

On Saturday morning the conditions looked grim. Expectations were high for off-shore anglers on Sunday morning however, but surf launch conditions were not very inviting.

Up north, the surf was much larger and stronger than near Durban. A few managed to launch but enthusiasm had faded.

Fishing was slow but a couple of nice couta were caught, although skippers were tight-lipped as to exactly where fish were on the bite.

Saturday was blown out, but surf anglers were back in some force on Sunday morning.

Fishing conditions however had changed and those I spoke with said fishing was dead – anglers were being hampered by a strong south to north current, created by wind from the day before.

By lunchtime most anglers had finished fishing for the day.

Despite the dreadful fishing I hope the visitors enjoyed themselves on the beach.