Fishing Report 18
April 2019
Weather for the weekend.
Thursday
NE gusting 13 swinging to a NNE gusting 20 by the evening. Sunny with a
max of 29. Wave height 1.8 period 12 barometer 1016-1012.
High Tide 03.04 09.14
Friday
NE gusting 12 and gradually picks up gusting 24 by the evening. Sunny
with a max of 31. Wave height 2-2.3 period 14 barometer 1016-1010.
High Tide 03.40 Low 09.49 full moon spring.
Saturday
NE gusting 18 then swings to an SW gusting 26 by early afternoon. Sunny
with a max of 31. Wave height 2.5-2.3 period 16 barometer 1009-1016.
High Tide 04.14 Low 10.23
Sunday
S gusting 15 swinging to a SE in the afternoon gusting 11. Rain is
forecast all day with a max of 23. Wave height 2.2-2.1 barometer 1018-1016.
High Tide 04.48 Low 10.23
Lagoon.
With full moon spring tomorrow there will be a big tidal difference and
a lot of water movement, low tide in the morning is another plus because fishing
the late afternoon session into the night will produce fish. Yesterday I posted
some spots in the 2 main fishing areas if they full follow the road past the
slipway and after a few KM you will come back to the river turn right to the
steel bridge or left which will bring you back towards the island, walk across
the mudflat and fish in the opening of the channel that runs around the back of
the island. Don’t be afraid to put big baits out, Malabar Rockcod, Kob, River
Snapper will pick them up and if the Shad are in the lagoon they will have a go
at it ( they seem the be frequent visitors in the lagoon over the last few
weeks and the best time to catch them is in about the mid pushing tide) with
the big baits comes decent side Brown Stingrays and our friends the Diamond
Rays.
Surf.
Last night Long Michael and I were talking about wading the best way to
go about it and we decided to share it here seeing as Doggies and main beach
are quiet flat. When you have a long wave period it is an indication of big
swell and casting into a big wave tends to bring the bait towards you if the
bait lands on the wave just as it starts to break. The waves come in 2 sets
with a “flat” between them. When you arrive at your spot and you starting to
unpack watch the waves and count them as set is normally 6 waves. The best time
to start your wade is taking the foamy of the last of the big set then wade
through the flat timing your cast after the first or second wave of the small
set on some beaches you will see anglers actually casting when the wave picks
them up, it sounds weird as your feet are not on the ground but with practice and
getting your timing right it works ideally with a long wave period you will
have enough time to cast with your feet on the ground, don’t be an idiot like
me and rush your cast otherwise you will end up getting pummeled by the waves
trying to sort an over wind out. Okay enough of that I hear you say but “what
is coming out?” If you casting in the dunes nothing however those with a sense
of direction and fish in the water will be rewarded with Shad, Kob and Snapper
Kob. Please please put the Kob back unless over 60cm even if they are 58cm I
know it is tempting but we need to ensure the survival of the species and give
them a chance to breed, Males breed at 60cm and females at 90cm and you may
only have 1 when fishing from the side in KZN. Noneds, at the moment the main
species are Diamond Rays however it is time for us to catch other species it is
a matter of targeting them, big bloody baits like Bonnies or Mac’s will work
and so will Shad between 30-35cm. At the moment I will be fishing the Banks on
Saturday morning please join us if you would like to. I have been asked to take
some holiday makers who have never been there before, should be fun.
Ski Boat.
The wave height at the moment as indicated will make
for rough and bumpy fishing however if we judge the weather by this past week
the waves were pretty small and the sea was relatively flat. We have charters
booked but the decision to go out or not will be taken on the day. We have no reports
of fish been caught this week in our local waters however they guys fishing to
the North of Richards Bay have been catching nice size game fish mainly Couta
and Dorado.
Next events.
We have an 8 sleeper house (can sleep 10 as it has 2 double beds) should
a group want to hire it, it is self-catering with ample bait storage space.
