Natal snoek caught off Durban
We have been told of good Natal snoek fishing off the KwaZulu-Natal coast this past week. We have also heard of good tuna fishing off Shelley Beach.
North
Flat seas for the majority of the week allowed many anglers to launch and fish around the Zululand stretch almost every day. Many anglers kept shallow and targeted Natal snoek for the majority of the week as the current was screaming. Luckily enough, there were plenty of snoek to be caught and along with them, a decent amount of bonito and small kingfish which found the Strike Pro Magic Minnows appealing. There has been a high concentration of shad in the area as well. So most anglers started their day pulling fillet baits, ended off using Strike Pro Magic Minnows and spoons to make their way through the shad. There have been very few reports of couta, but still a handful of tuna in the deeper water.
Central
Locally, the same applied with anglers were kept occupied on a few of the days on backline catching snoek between 2kg and 5kg just north of the Blue Lagoon area. Anglers venturing slightly north towards the Virginia area also managed to hook into some fish. Most anglers found red-eye fillets to be working best, with sardine coming in second best. The smaller fish have been caught on spoons and diving baits such as Rattlers and Strike Pro Magic Minnows.
South
Garrick have been the main target species further down the coast, with decent numbers being caught around all main river mouth areas and off high points. Out in the deep anglers have been successful with bottom fish such as rockcod and musselcracker. Large slinger have been caught on the 50-70m mark. Shelley Beach ski-boaters have managed to bag a few tuna mostly between 4-8kg on Rattlers and while chunking. For more success chunking, be sure to use fluorocarbon and an extra sharp Mustad Big Gun for a better hook-up.
(File Photo: Caroll Hermann)
Twitter - @kingfisherdaiwa @SportswaveAndre
Flat seas for the majority of the week allowed many anglers to launch and fish around the Zululand stretch almost every day. Many anglers kept shallow and targeted Natal snoek for the majority of the week as the current was screaming. Luckily enough, there were plenty of snoek to be caught and along with them, a decent amount of bonito and small kingfish which found the Strike Pro Magic Minnows appealing. There has been a high concentration of shad in the area as well. So most anglers started their day pulling fillet baits, ended off using Strike Pro Magic Minnows and spoons to make their way through the shad. There have been very few reports of couta, but still a handful of tuna in the deeper water.
Central
Locally, the same applied with anglers were kept occupied on a few of the days on backline catching snoek between 2kg and 5kg just north of the Blue Lagoon area. Anglers venturing slightly north towards the Virginia area also managed to hook into some fish. Most anglers found red-eye fillets to be working best, with sardine coming in second best. The smaller fish have been caught on spoons and diving baits such as Rattlers and Strike Pro Magic Minnows.
South
Garrick have been the main target species further down the coast, with decent numbers being caught around all main river mouth areas and off high points. Out in the deep anglers have been successful with bottom fish such as rockcod and musselcracker. Large slinger have been caught on the 50-70m mark. Shelley Beach ski-boaters have managed to bag a few tuna mostly between 4-8kg on Rattlers and while chunking. For more success chunking, be sure to use fluorocarbon and an extra sharp Mustad Big Gun for a better hook-up.
(File Photo: Caroll Hermann)
Twitter - @kingfisherdaiwa @SportswaveAndre