Rock and surf anglers have had a tricky few weeks and questions are starting to be raised about the sea water quality off Durban.

Surf angling has been quiet for some time and the summer flatfish have been scarce, despite conditions being perfect for them in warm water of around 26°C. Even the grey sharks that have been plentiful this year were rare last week, with just a few being caught in Durban.

At this time of year, anglers are usually boasting about big flatfish caught and lost, while salmon (kob) and copper bream are also typically on the bite. Several of the local anglers suspect that there is something not quite right with the sea water, thus the scarcity of fish.

Complaints about sewage spills near the historic shore angling areas off Durban are getting louder and louder. The fishermen say that the spills are chasing the fish away, while also making the beaches unusable because of the unbearable stench. Areas from Westbrook to Amanzimtoti have all been contaminated at one time or another and the fear is that soon the beaches will become deserts devoid of any marine life. At Durban, the Blue Lagoon area remains closed as council has not resolved the problem affecting the Umgeni estuary.

The offshore angling has so far been unaffected and dorado, wahoo, yellowfin tuna, marlin and sailfish were all recorded. It has been one of the better billfish seasons and Sodwana Bay alone has seen more than 100 billfish caught and released.

Barracouta have been regularly caught in the game fish grounds off Umdloti, but there is a concern that forecasted rain could lead to the La Mercy Lagoon opening to the sea and chasing the fish away. The Umdloti River – which feeds the La Mercy Lagoon – is badly polluted and the prevailing winds would spread the water over a wide area. It could take some time for the water to normalise again.

Kayak anglers off Umdloti and Durban will also be monitoring the situation because they have enjoyed good snoek fishing. Some have been really well-sized, weighing up to nine kilos. Apparently there have been a few kingfish around as well, so another great game fish season.

Anglers targeting the bottom reefs have also done well when the conditions have been good, with the usual red fish species plus some big rockcod on the bite. Fortunately the packs of big Zambezis have not arrived yet, so not too many fish have been lost to these monsters.

Rain is expected for most of the upcoming week, with both north easterly and south westerly winds as well.

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