Herald Fishing: Teenager catches yellowfin kingfish by hand
The summer season is almost over and the time of the hoped-for arrival of sardines is getting very close.
IN the Jesson family the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree, especially not when it comes to surfing and fishing.
Warren ‘Sard’ Jesson’s son Slade, aged 13, was among a group of surfers enjoying a day in the ocean at St Mike’s recently when they came across something odd in the water beyond the backline.
They initially could not work out what it was, but it turned out to be a yellowfin kingfish, weighing about 6 or 7kg, which was floundering around in the surf.
Some of the group thought it was a shark and swam away, but Slade, being a fisherman, realised it wasn’t and paddled across to investigate and then grabbed it by the tail.
The fish had been thrashing around in the water, but somewhat feebly.
“It was not fully compos mentis, definitely confused. It wasn’t injured so we really don’t know what happened to it. One theory was that it may have swallowed too much fresh water after the floods,” said Warren.
Slade grabbed the fish by the tail and paddled it in.
He received something of a hero’s welcome once on shore. “Kyk daai vis,” was one comment from an astonished holidaymaker.
The summer season is almost over and the time of the hoped-for arrival of sardines is getting very close.
The water needs to cool off because these shining little silver fish don’t enjoy a warm bath.
Since the rains have made most areas unfishable or unsafe to get to, the fishing is going to be put on hold for a few days.
The river mouths will be deeper and wider than previously so once it clears a bit, the kob fishing should be on fire.
Reports are that bronze bream are still on the bite and they will feed best with cracker shrimps (mud prawns).
The stone bream are around in good numbers and are a blast to catch on light tackle.
Tight lines and screaming reels.
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