Good lunar phase will make for fine fishing
YESTERDAY having been full moon means we move into a good lunar phase for the next two or three days as the holiday season begins in earnest.
There is no wind forecast to speak of, with today experiencing a westerly turning through the north and continuing to become easterly in the afternoon tomorrow. This wind prevails through to Sunday morning, becoming a welcome westerly in the afternoon.
Tomorrow begins with a high tide at 5.44am and the low tide – for those who might have enjoyed the public holiday a little more than normal – will be getting a late start to the day at 11.44am!
Some fine fish have come out this past period, especially dusky kob. Photographed is Pieter Nortje with a kob of 43kg which was released and should become a “hundred pounder”.
I might add that a “hundred pounder” tips the scale at 45.45kg and measures about 164cm.
Notice the care taken in handling this fish. These are breeders and don’t really grace the table as a delicacy.
Many are sold (illegally) to fish processing facilities where they are processed into products that don’t do justice to these gentle beasts.
Over the years they are regularly caught during the summer months. They dwell in the shallows of the coastal zone and enter the estuaries post-spawning.
They take on most bait types but do prey on small fish, taking a well-presented live bait without a second glance.
The art-lure anglers are also in on the money. These fish are not ferocious fighters that use lots of energy while on the hook; they just pull hard and give you the “bag of potatoes” duel.
In most cases you have to be mobile in order to win.
You often see an angler moving down the beach with a big one on the line. These fish of-then ten die in the end and unless special care is taken to revive them, the fish will be compromised.
In the case of a tagged fish being caught, with a yellow tag inserted, please take note of the following. The length of the fish must be measured and the species as well as the location where the fish was re-caught must be noted.
The fish does not have to be released but it would do research a big favour if it is. Some fish have been recaptured a number of times. Should you not have a tape measure on you, use a piece of line that can be measured later on. The tags are inserted just below the dorsal fin and have a unique number allocated.
The letter that supercedes the number and the relevant information can be sent to the tagging officer at the Oceanic Research Institute, PO Box 736, Durban, 4000 or visit their website at www.seaworld.org.za/ori