A Westbrook kayak angler was forced to swim his damaged ski back to shore last week after a powerful snoek struck his lure, ripped the rod from its holder and left the craft taking on water.

The unusual incident was proof of the solid fish available off Westbrook, where shoals of G.T. kingfish were also found patrolling the reefs in numbers. Improving numbers of large tuna, as well as shoal couta among the snoek, have kept interest high, while dorado have quietened somewhat.

Sea temperatures remained high at 27°C for most of the week, dropping slightly to 26°C by Sunday. Hot, humid weather and light winds created ideal offshore conditions, although patches of discoloured water hampered the inshore returns.

Anglers heading offshore nevertheless reported mixed results last week. Barracouta were the main target and were relatively scarce, although several quality fish of between 22kg and 26kg were caught. Sharks have also been troublesome.

With the Umhlanga Rocks Ski Boat Club festival and April’s Durban Ski Boat competition approaching, crews are actively searching for productive grounds where larger barracouta and wahoo may be holding

Bottom fishing on the reefs produced decent fish but was generally slow, with the high water temperature blamed for sluggish feeding. With temperatures beginning to drop, catches are expected to improve, although moderate winds forecast this week may limit reef opportunities.

Rock and surf anglers enjoyed a steady inedible bite, with sand sharks, rays and grey sharks prominent. Durban North beaches produced well, while dirty water further south slowed catches.

Shad remain in the area – including a notable 7kg fish hooked – and stone bream have reappeared in rocky gullies.

Meanwhile, concern is growing over a lack of sardine activity reported in Western and Eastern Cape waters. There were some caught in the Mossel Bay area but the fish are said to be small and of poor quality. There are large shoals of red eye and mackerel that have been detected in the water but no sardines. Early signs point to a diminished sardine run after last year’s spectacular results.

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