Be prepared for some UFC-like fight against sharks

THE fourth month of 2021 and the fishing is still going very well. Giant couta offshore, plenty of edibles from the shore and heaps of freshwater action!

The beaches and bricks have been producing some good catches. The early risers can still get their quota of shad in the morning and the night owls can get into some drag testing beasts.

This is the area to focus on if you are looking for the bigger inedibles. The North Coast has and always will be the place to target the bigger fish of the skate or toothy kind. For those who enjoy a chiropractor visit, there have been plenty of big sandies around the upper North Coast. These brutes can quickly break inferior tackle, so make sure you have checked all your connections and that you are not taking any short cuts with your terminal gear.

Those who are up for a real fight have been swimming some of the skates they have been hooking and these have been gobbled up by the packs of zambies. These are the UFC fighters of the shark world as they keep pulling throughout the fight.

The upper North Coast has seen plenty of edibles on the ledges and sandbanks. Stumpies, lemonfish, speckled snapper and various kingies are but a sample of the variety available. Most baits are accepted but prawn, chokka and red-eye sardines are the pick of the baits to pack. Circle hooks are a real advantage in this rocky terrain and will stop your hooks from snagging in the abundant reef. The Durban coastline has been producing a large amount of shad from the piers and at the Umgeni mouth. The fish have been largely undersized but a few decent specimens have been landed in between. Japanese mackerel and sardine have been the two most successful baits for the shad. There have been plenty of other edibles around for the guys to target.

The basin area and the deeper water at Blue Lagoon have been the only two spots producing any consistent inedible bites. Focus on fishing in the early mornings and late afternoons to maximise your chance at a bite.

The South Coast has been fishing well recently. The scratching fish have been loose and many anglers have been enjoying their fishing a lot more since going back to scratching. This form of fishing is best done with lighter tackle as the fish are generally smaller but require some accurate casting and lighter lines. The gullies and ledges have produced stone bream, bronze bream, lanterns, kob and stumpies, to name a few. All these species enjoy crustacean baits so make sure you have some quality pink prawn in your box and finish it off with some cracker or sealice.

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