Hooked on Fishing: Sardines remain elusive
It doesn't seem like we will see the silver fish this year.
THE sardines are still proving to be as elusive as ever. Reports from Port St Johns indicate very little activity.
There have, however, been plenty of red eye sardines and mackerel, with some Natal sardines mixed up, moving along the entire coast.
There was some excitement off Toti during the week but it was anchovies, not sardines.
Speaking with the ‘gurus’, it seems highly likely that this is again going to be a year where we do not see those tiny silver fish.
Reasons being thrown around range from over-netting in the Eastern Cape, to foreign trawlers sucking up all the fish, and the effects of global warming and change of cold water currents.
Who knows, maybe it is just Mother Nature taking care of her own?
Local jet-ski pro angler Ross Sharp decided to take his knowledge and expertise to Aliwal Shoal and was duly rewarded with a 23kg wahoo and a decent-sized tuna.
Reports are that Aliwal Shoal is still producing good-sized wahoo and couta, which, once again, proves the method of creating a marine reserve and reaping the benefits thereof.
Tuna are still providing some hectic action on Protea, with the bigger winter fish starting to make an appearance.
These fish should start eating the popper soon as the first flying fish have also made an appearance.
Bottom fishing has also been producing some good catches when currents permit, with some good-sized geelbek, musselcracker and yellowtail being caught.
Shad are still plentiful at most of the popular spots, with garrick now starting to make an appearance.
Reports from the Zinkwazi area on the North Coast are that the garrick are out of control and, with the return run due to start anytime now, hopefully we will see some action, especially on the plugs, very soon.
Kob are being caught at night on the paddle-tails by anglers who are prepared to brave the cold, however, they are keeping very quiet about their catches.
Who blames them when they are prepared to go out night after night, often without reward?
Mark Bennett, Tackle Box
Port Edward
Shad fishing here has become an everyday pastime for all the fishermen and the fish are being ‘reaped out the water, sometimes all day long, and even at night the spots are buzzing with action.
Large crowds are on the rocks just about all day also and the fish are there. A few kob up to 20kg and a mussel cracker, together with a number of garrick, have been caught also.
During the week, sardines in small pockets have been passing the waterfront and the sea is alive with gamefish providing a spectacle for onlookers.
Some feel that the small shoals of sards are better for rock and surf angling as the shad and gamefish are not drawn away by the large shoals passing by.
Terry Nel, Tackle Net
