Head up North Coast for kob and tuna

THE seas have been big and dirty. More settled, the shore fishing has picked up with some decent fish being landed.

Bigger is better ... sometimes. When it comes to scratching for bronze bream, sometimes it pays to have a bigger bait. If fish are just pecking and not committing to the bite, changing to a bigger/ bulkier bait will often result in a solid bite. This means putting on two prawns instead of one. Try it and see.

Remember that bigger baits are not as aerodynamic, so if you need a long throw then go smaller and more streamlined.

The North Coast has seen some decent kob. Chokka baits, live baits and paddle tails have all been effective.

Remember to retrieve very slowly with the paddle tails and keep the lure close to the bottom. Use longer, slender baits for these fish as they will provide a bit more movement to entice the kob.

The main attraction has been the inedibles of which there have been plenty. Make sure your knots and back are strong.

Stumpies, shad and snoek have been on the menu for the past week in the Durban area. Fishing along the beachfront and off the piers has been good. Cracker shrimp and prawn have been the best baits, chokka falling slightly behind.

Remember you can fish these baits directly on to your circle hook as they are soft and will not hinder the function of the circle. The grey sharks and smaller rays have been around with quantity outweighing quality. Still a lot of fun!

With all the rain and damage down the South Coast, fishing there has taken a back seat. If you can find a clear area, you can find a fish or two, but the risk of fishing outweighs the benefit, so give fishing a break or head further north/south.

Although the sea has been a bit rough for offshore anglers, gaps in the conditions have yielded good results and fun.

The North Coast has seen some very good tuna fishing around the Ballito to Salt Rock area. Live bait has been the most successful way of targeting them. Drifting slowly around the bait marks with a live bait rigged without a weight and one on a downrigger has seen the most consistent results.

Much like the North Coast, the tuna have been around the central coast. Guys continue having great success with the surface lures and the poppers have been the winner. Splash and profile have been the most important factors when choosing the poppers.

*For the best in tackle and advice, pop into any of the seven Kingfisher stores, open 8am-5pm weekdays, 8am-1pm on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays.

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Please send any info about fishing or fish caught in your area to mike.pereira@ kingfisher. co.za