Large tuna action off the Bluff

North

The ski-boaters and jet-ski anglers had a good run over the last week along the north coast, with good results for their efforts. Having a fair amount of good weather to work with, boaters set out to their favourite spots in search of various species such as couta, tuna and Natal snoek. The water was good for the snoek anglers. In the Cape Vidal and St Lucia areas, boaters managed to land a good few of these fish between 4-8kg alongside the shoals of baitfish and on other spots with strong rips and current lines. Red-eye fillet baits have caught some of the larger fish on a slow trawl. Couta have been taken on the deeper marks around 40-50m deep and have been mostly over 15kg. The odd "dart" has been caught as well, making short work of the hard to come by bonito being used as bait. When the smaller couta are in the area and feeding on most baits, revert back to the good old sardine. This is the simplest option and works wonders on the north coast. When the bite goes quiet again, stick the bonito further out.

Tuna anglers will be happy to know that there have been far greater numbers of large tuna around lately and many boats have managed to put a fish of 20kg or more on the boat. Richards Bay has been fishing well with anglers hooking into good numbers of snoek and also kingfish. After quite some time of very few snoek catches, Richards Bay has started to fish well again and has seen not only good numbers but also good size fish up to 8kg on spoon and Strike Pro Magic Minnows. Fillet strip baits have been taken by shad on most days.

Tugela has seen garrick action on the backline and seems to be producing more and more fish with the dropping temperature. Live pinky and maasbanker have been working well. These smaller baits, rigged on a Mustad 8/0 circle hook, have been doing some serious damage and are yet to be beaten.

Zinkwazi, although slowing down somewhat, has seen a few decent sized couta and tuna both on live bait and Kingfisher Rattlers. Bottom fishing in this area seems to have taken over and many anglers can be seen on anchor, catching quite a few decent bottom fish such as geelbek, daga salmon and yellowtail. Fishing has been just as good further south around Ballito and Salt Rock with bottom fish being landed as well as some good size snoek and tuna.

Central

Deeper off Westbrook, bottom fishing has been fairly decent and anglers pulling lures have hooked into some excellent tuna. The Umhlanga area has been fairly quiet apart from the odd snoek here and there, with the action only picking up again from around Durban where at Blue Lagoon the snoek came on the bite for a few days last week.

South

Off the Bluff near the Cutting, tuna have been caught all week and some rather large tuna at that. With the sardines off Durban, the daga and geelbek have been feeding exceptionally and many reports have come through. We have also been told of two rockcod over 15kg and a respectable musselcracker of 27kg.

Big fishing competition for physically challenged anglers at Durban Naval Base on 1 August 2015 - Call 031 701 7444 for more details.

(File Photo: Freespool)

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