Strong winds made for a tricky start to 2026 for offshore anglers, but there were good rewards for those who persevered.

Challenging conditions included mushy surf, unpredictable launches and patches of green water offshore. Water temperatures were also lower than expected for this time of year.

Perseverance paid off for a few crews who landed monster couta, along with some ‘bus’ dorado, the occasional decent wahoo and yellowfin tuna. Bottom reef fishing continued to produce fair results, although anglers reported slow patches. Large rockcod and solid soldiers dominated catches, with the occasional welcome musselcracker.

As expected in summer, sharks proved troublesome in places, accounting for lost tackle and fish. Weekend anglers also had to contend with crowded beaches and difficult launch conditions.

Sand sharks were plentiful over the festive period and are now widespread along the coastline. The arrival of the big sandies has provided some hectic sport, with this summer shaping up to be one of the better seasons for flatfish. Honeycomb and diamond rays have already been responsible for some bruising battles.

Rock and surf anglers were largely left frustrated by the same conditions that affected their offshore counterparts.

Early morning sessions produced some shad, including a few larger fish that are now expected to give way to the smaller shoals typical of this time of year. Cleaner water saw stumpies and wave garrick landed, while anglers fishing in the dark managed a few decent stumpies. Blacktail remained fairly plentiful, with the odd copper bream found among the rocks.

Looking back on 2025, offshore anglers enjoyed a standout summer, with early-arriving barracouta, widespread dorado and quality wahoo fishing. Inshore, Natal snoek were thick in places and the game season delivered excellent sport. The 2025 sardine run was exceptional, with endless shoals, busy netters, and unforgettable shark and GT kingfish encounters, a benchmark that will be hard to beat.

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