#FishEagle: Robbers target anglers

With this time of year being the best to get lines into the water, anglers are getting it from all sides, placing a damper on their favourite recreational activity.

While the eThekwini Metro has again closed beaches from Durban northwards owing to high E. coli readings, crime is also rearing its ugly head.

Three anglers were accosted on September 5 by a group of seven armed men who robbed them of their cellphones and a firearm at the Tongaat River mouth.

Nighttime anglers are urged to be cautious, especially near the Tongaat River mouth.

Lower South Coast anglers mentioned two-metre groundswells at the end of last week, causing a bit of a struggle, but a 30kg daga salmon was caught along with a couple of big rock cod.

Shad have been a bit scarce and as a result fishing was slow. The Sandpit could be worth a visit however, with sea conditions looking ideal. Live bait should not be much of a problem because of big pinkies making an appearance.

The upper South Coast is said to be quiet with the odd shad caught. Edible fish catches have improved slightly.

A big garrick was caught last week by an angler fishing at Durban’s North Pier but not much else was reported, unsurprisingly.

The Umgeni River now resembles a cesspool and is emitting a terrible stench.

Decent sized grunter are being caught at Durban’s bay, but I’m skeptical about the quality of the fish owing to pollution in this area.

Anglers should rather turn their attention to the rocky gullies north of Westbrook Beach through to Tinley Manor.

Shad season isn’t living up to expectations yet but anglers should persevere for about an hour or two at first light – these fish can turn up anytime. The rocky gullies are the best bet for anglers to catch a fish or two, and copper bream are still being caught along with some big stone bream.

Windy conditions are, however, here to stay, hampering daytime fishing.

Brusher could be in our local waters. These hard-fighting fish from the musselcracker family are not suitable to be caught with light tackle. Medium tackle should work just fine and the trick is to try and keep a hooked fish from diving into a rocky gully. Crustacean baits are best for this species.

The surf continues to moderate nicely, which is good news for surf ski anglers who should be back in business going after garrick and snoek.

Big yellowfin tuna have also put in an appearance.

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