Port Edward sea pike and kingfish
Toti - Murphy's Law here with shad biting in numbers just as the shad season came to close. Many anglers who have been using baits for species such as kob and rockcod have landed very nice sized shad. Remember it is at this stage of the shad's year where they need to be handled with care, so ensure the quickest release with minimal damage to the fish.
Umkomaas - Grunter have been plentiful around the mouth and have been caught on a variety of baits ranging from cracker to crayfish, sardine to chokka and just about anything rigged on the right trace. Remember to make use of a light fluorocarbon snooting or Maxima Ultra green hook snooting for the lowest possible visibility. Light gauge hooks such as the Mustad Red bait holder or the Chinu will also give the baits the best movement in the water. A heavy set hook will sink the bait too quickly and there will be little to no movement. Smaller kob have also been in the area, taking the same baits as the grunter.
Scottburgh - Over the last week, many anglers would have found it difficult to fish off Scottburgh Point due to the big seas. The few anglers who remained optimistic and kept to their gameplan managed some excellent fish off the front of the bricks. A few kob up to 15kg were landed on bigger baits while targeting grey sharks on spinning outfits. Smaller garrick have been caught on plugs and McArthy 7" Minnows. Grey sharks, blue rays and brown rays have all been caught throughout the evenings on a variety of bloody baits.
Port Shepstone - There have been better reports of kob being caught in the Sandspit area on baits as well as Rattlers and drop-shot. The shad in the area seem to be enjoying the smaller artificials, so the use of larger lures such as 6" McArthy paddle tails and Rattlers are recommended. Garrick have been caught on plugs and paddletails as well, but there has been a noticeable drop in catches since the closed season for shad.
Port Edward - After the torrential rain and wind the sea remained unfishable for a week resulting in no reports coming in from the Port Edward area. However, over the last few days the action has been on again and the fish are still there. Shad are still biting and are being returned to the wild and the big fish are being targeted by anglers using karrenteen and blacktail as live baits. We advice that you get some mullet also, as this is certainly excellent live bait for the kob and garrick that are still here. News of fish being caught have opened the estuary fishing season with sea pike and kingfish on the bite. Thanks to Terry Nel from Tacklenet for this report.
Port St John's - The Skimmingtons area has been extremely productive for species such as kob and garrick, both of which have been caught on McArthy paddletails and Rattlers in the shallows. Brazen Head has seen good catches of hammerhead sharks on larger baits, mainly in the mornings off a slide trace or big throw baits. Hole In The Wall has shown off its ability to produce excellent fish with countless kob which have been landed on any bait or lure over the last week.
(File Photo:Gallo Images)
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