Herald Fishing: Bass fishermen make an impression
The summer fish are really showing up in big numbers and the catch records are reflecting some great fishing. If the conditions are right, launch!
South Coast Bass Association members competed in the KwaZulu-Natal Small Craft Bass League final at Midmar dam last Saturday.
Some 50 anglers competed in the event, including four from the South Coast.
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Of these, Allan Steyn landed the prize for second biggest bag and Manus Erasmus caught the second biggest bass with a fish of 3.7kg.
Earlier in the season, Allan’s son Brian won a competition at Baynesfield dam in Eston.
The father-and-son team is a force to be reckoned with, keep an eye on their progress in the future.
The KZN SCBL, a new bass fishing league that hosts eight competitions at different venues in the province throughout the year, has now come to the end of its first season.
It’s a new and exciting national tournament that caters for all small craft fisherman, meaning no petrol-operated outboard motors are permitted.
The league strictly practices catch and release.
Anglers fish from small craft fitted with electric sneaker motors and kickboats.
Negotiations are underway with the South African Bass Angling Association that could result in the top anglers qualifying for provincial and national colours.
At the moment the top anglers only qualify to compete in the American FLW League.
Meanwhile, the offshore scene has been active over the last few weeks.
The summer fish are really showing up in big numbers and the catch records are reflecting some great fishing. If the conditions are right, launch!
The shore angling has been a summer fest. The bigger inedibles are starting to turn up on the catch reports as well as some better edibles.
Sea conditions have been a bit messy but when the sea and the weather lines up, the result is fireworks.
Bronze bream are still feeding quite well but you have to cover some ground to find the shoal, so pack light.
Anglers fishing in the rockier areas have had some great crackers hooked and some of these have been landed. These are very strong fish and require sharp, strong hooks and good knots to be landed.
Reports of anglers catching a lot of shad. The season is closed so if caught please release them. Shad season reopens on the 1st December.
Sea conditions are better this week and anglers on the Sandspit in Port Shepstone have been landing some decent kob.
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The freshwater side of the angling world has been doing very well. The bass fishing has been off the hook.
The dams are a little low, but the guys fishing the offshore structure have hauled out some giants over the last week.
Tight lines and screaming reels.
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