North coast anglers competing with sharks
FISHING along the north coast this past week has been taxing for anglers, owing to the number of sharks in the fishing hot spots.
In uMdloti, the shark activity has been particularly high so catching fish has been a tough task. As a result, anglers have had to take on the risk to take home the prize. Live bait has been king, but lively bait fish have also done the trick.
Deep sea goers have reaped rewards with decent bottom fishing, even though the majority of anglers have focused on game fish.
The slinger have been schooling and providing some decent hatch-filling sizes.
Rock and surf anglers have had their hands full with inedible action over the past week. The two main species causing the back pain and screaming drags are giant sandy and honeycomb. Anglers have to bring their A-game when fighting these beasts as they are known for their brute strength.
A mackerel or bonito bomb bait are the best bet. This can be rigged onto a 9/0 or 10/0 Mustad circle hook and a trace, that will allow for maximum casting distance. When using circle hooks, ensure that the bait does not obstruct the gape of the hook.
There have also been some decent edibles caught along most of the north coast, with kingfish and stumpies making up the bulk of the catches. Kingfish have mainly been caught using lures and plugs, while the stumpies have fallen for chokka and prawn baits.