Fishermen haul in snoek
Natal snoek, king fish, salmon and shad were on the bite on the South Coast.
With a slight chill in the air, the fishing has been relatively good over the past two weeks. Surprisingly, some fishermen caught Natal snoek at a few spots on the South Coast.
Last weekend, some bonito were caught at Umzumbe and Elephant Rock in Port Shepstone. The odd shad or two were caught at Southport and Sea Park, and a 6kg shad reeled in (somewhere along the coast) last Sunday.
Regular fisherman Eckhardt Potgieter said small kob were also caught between Port Shepstone and Hibberdene.
The previous weekend, a few ballies added that fishermen caught shad, kingfish and salmon. Some were caught at The Block in Port Shepstone, while shad was on the bite at Margate Pier. Both night and day fishing were good.
Well, it seems as if good fishing lies ahead, so get the tackle ready.
Some safety tips to consider:
Location – Find a fishing spot where the water isn’t too murky and it’s still clear enough to scout for fish.
Water temperature – Rain can change the temperature of water. Depending on the time of year and location, if the water becomes too cold, your chances of making good catches would be slim. Rather move to warmer waters.
Clothes – Carry a raincoat, or ensure that you have appropriate and quality rain gear to brace for bad weather.
Wind – Check in which direction the wind is blowing. Sometimes, when you follow the wind, you find good bait fish that are swept in its direction, and this can potentially help you with some good catches.
Fishing lures – Try to use colourful fishing lures because if you’re in a place where the water is muddy or murky, a colourful lure will be easier for fish to locate.
Safety – Even though you want to be all macho and head out to sea, ensure that the weather is bearable and not too much to handle because setting sail out in stormy weather can be dangerous.
Even fishing at local rivers and lakes can become dangerous as the rain might just make you slip and fall into the water.
Remember, responsible fishing is keeping the shoreline as clean as possible and adhering to the fishing regulations relating to the bag limit.
Anglers, don’t forget to send your catch of the day to sugann@dbn.caxton.co.za.
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