Big fish encounters and steady offshore action set the tone along the North Coast last week, with kayak and ski-boat anglers enjoying some memorable moments.

From a shark-bitten GT kingfish to solid tuna and billfish sightings, there was plenty to keep anglers interested.

The week began productively, with calm, overcast conditions and flat seas allowing for extended time on the water through to mid-week. Cooler weather, rain and alternating winds arrived later, although fishable windows were still found over the weekend.

While water temperatures were initially on the cool side, they increased steadily as the week progressed – reaching 24.9°C by Sunday morning. This is an encouraging sign for improved game-fish activity once conditions settle.

A few barracouta were landed, including one or two large specimens caught by kayak anglers, with decent-sized snoek taken along the colour line. One kayak angler beached at Westbrook with a GT kingfish that had been bitten clean in half by a shark. The remaining portion still tipped the scales at just over 12kg!

Further offshore, sailfish and the odd marlin were boated, along with sizeable dorado and the occasional wahoo. Yellowfin tuna have been plentiful in local waters and anglers targeting tunny enjoyed success with some solid fish.

Sand sharks remain widespread along the coast, with regular catches reported. Diamond and honeycomb rays have also been common, providing excellent sport, while grey sharks have kept late-afternoon anglers busy.

The summer flatfish season is in full swing, particularly along the Zimbali stretch, at the La Mercy mouth and Umdloti. Early-morning shad are still around but becoming harder to find, while wave garrick have offered light-tackle excitement where water conditions were at their cleanest.

The forecast for the coming week remains unsettled, with variable north-easterly and southerly winds likely to keep seas choppy and conditions unpredictable.

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