Offshore has been productive
THE offshore fishing has been difficult in the shallows with all the dirty water, so most have ventured further offshore. The fishing has been very productive!
The North Coast has seen a lot of action in the form of tuna, dorado, couta and snoek. The snoek have been feeding well on the inshore colour lines off most of the river mouths. This is true of the whole KZN coast. The couta have been feeding very shallow but have favoured a down-rigged bait, so pack some sinker to get the bait in to the zone. Dead baits have done very well with the help of the Pulsator banana chin weight.
Drifting the deeper reefs and dropoffs has produced both dorado and tuna. There have been some very big tuna around.
The Durban offshore scene has been very productive for the charter and recreational boats. Mostly tuna and dorado have been on the catch reports. Live bait and trolled skirted lures have been the name of the game. Fishing for bottoms with a live bait out on a balloon is a great way of covering all bases. Use a 6/0 circle hook on a length of fluorocarbon. Keep the balloon about 5-10m above the bait to keep the fish in the strike zone.
The South Coast has seen some good fishing at the Shoal. There have been some big dorado caught along with some tuna and wahoo. Live baits have been the most successful for the wahoo.
The North Coast has seen a lot of good flatfish and sharks. The areas around Richards Bay have produced most of the better catches.
Sandies and honeycombs have been the main prizes that the guys have been after. A 9/0-10/0 circle hook on a thick nylon trace will be perfect for both.
The central coast has seen a lot of both edibles and inedibles. The evenings have been the most productive for the edibles with small kob, shad and
stumpies being the main species caught. Smaller chokka baits and sardine are the top performers for these species.
The inedibles have fed most of the day and night with a preference for meatier baits. Try a mackerel head with some cutlets wrapped around the outside. This on an FMJ trace with an 8/0-10/0 circle hook will work for most species. For the edibles, a smaller hook between a 4/0-6/0 will be a better choice.
The lower South Coast has produced a lot of kob. Live mullet and chokka/ sardine combo baits have worked.
For the best in tackle and advice, pop in to The Kingfisher 8am-5pm weekdays, 8am-1pm Saturdays and Sundays.
Go to www.facebook.com/thekingfisherdaiwa and “Like” us on Facebook to catch reviews, videos, fishing reports, great promotions and lots more.
Please send any info about fishing or fish caught in your area to mike. pereira@kingfisher.co.za
Subscribe to our YouTube channel to stay up to date with all our new video releases and to brush up on your species knowledge, tactics and tips/tricks.