Fishing EC Magazine, July 2014. by Nigel Louw

FISHING EC BAIT DEMO

CATCH COMPETITION

TIDES

JULY 2014

BORDER

FISHING ST FRANCIS BAY

LEAGUES TOP 10 GONUBIE INTERCLUB DEEP SEA ZAMBEZI OFF GONUBIE POINT

F C RE O E P Y

LIGHT TACKLE BLACKTAIL

FEC | July 2014

ISSUE: 7

FEC | July 2014

CONTENT

Border Rock & Surf Season 04 Fishing St Francis Bay 08

Crazy Skipjack Tuna Fishing 12

Gonubie Point Zambezi

FEATURES Bait Demo

Theo Herbst shows us his bait used for targeting Pignose Grunter.

Catch Competition 26 Send us your photos and you could win.

Tides

Check the tide tables to make sure you fishing the right times.

17 Light Tackle Fishing For Blacktail Gareth Roocroft talks us through targeting Blacktail in and around gullies with light tackle and small baits.

22 Gonubie Inter CLub

Report of catches from the annual Gonubie Interclub deep sea event.

FEC | July 2014

EDITORS

LETTER

MAGAZINE EDITOR Nigel Louw

CONTRIBUTORS Damian Bezuidenhout The Alcocks Theo Herbst Alton Arthur Gareth Roocroft Rory Leonard CONTACT ADVERTISING: email: nigel@fishingec.com Mobile: 073 690 2606 Website: www.fishingec.com

Find us on Facebook Search: Fishing The Eastern Cape No part of this magazine may be reproduced in any form without the written permission of Fishing The Eastern Cape. The magazine is published monthly and cannot be held responsible for inaccuracies in articles. The views expressed in the magazine are not necessarily those of the editor. Fishing The Eastern Cape does not accept responsibility for advertising content.

e are supposed to be well into the Shad season now, but catches have not been great as yet. Some reports of Shad coming out in Gonubie, Kwelera and Nahoon, mostly small razors. We hope that the bigger ones are still on there way. Some larger Shad have been caught in Port Elizabeth and along the Wild Coast. See Borders top ten angler results in this edition and some action from the report on the annual Gonubie Interclub deep sea competition. Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t forget to send us your latest catch photos with a bit of information. You could win a monthly prize, see the Catch & Win section for more info.

Nigel Louw Editor

ON THE COVER

Top Border angler Greg Brown with a Ragged Tooth Shark. FEC | July 2014

BORDER

Rock & Surf Angling Season Words/pics: Damian Bezuidenhout

Brian Masters with a decent Zambezi Shark.

o another season has come and gone, with what I think was the best season that we have had in a while. The Border rock and surf angling season usually runs from the end of August through to May, in this time we fish eight leagues which are usually one league a month at different venues. This season saw numerous great catches such as Bernard Klokow with a Ragged tooth shark of 193.27kgs, Brian Masters with an amazing

FEC | July 2014

male Zambezi of 174.16 kgs , Luke Gernetzki with a snorter of a Pig-nose of 19.9 kgs which is a new Border record another new Border record caught this season was a spearnose skate of 40.7 kgs caught by Darren Kurz. Denise Hewitt with a ragged tooth shark of 21.1 kgs which was the biggest non-edible in the ladies section. Jarryd Sumner with the biggest non-edible in the under 21 section with a ragged tooth

Darren Kurz landed this good size Kob.

shark of 171 kgs just to mention a few. This seasons fishing was very productive for us so it seems Neptune was watching over us. The point scoring in a league works with edible fish being worth 2 points to a kg, so if you caught a 2kg cob you would get 4 points and non-edible being worth 1 point to the kg so a 2 kg shark would get 2 points. In this season there was a total of 971 fish caught amounting to 12881.27 points in the 8 league days. We fish for many different goals in the leagues, some fish just for the fun of fishing as part of an association and enjoy the outings to the different areas in groups, others fish to get provincial colours and

FEC | July 2014

SOME OF THE CATCHES FROM THE SEASON the honour of representing their province at the annual South African Shore angling Championships. There are many different individual and club team trophies to be won at the end of the season. The most prestigious of these being the Border rock and surf champion angler and League winning club. The champion angler which is the angler who wins the league season, this year it was won by no stranger to being the top of the pops, an angler who has fished for South Africa and captained the Border Senior side at nationals, with 785.16 points our Champion angler this season was Greg Brown from East London Angling association. The top club winning the league season overall going into the last league was still anyoneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s game between three clubs and for the second year in a row they pulled it out fo the bag and it went to Cintsa Angling Club with 1553.05 points. There are 7 affiliated clubs to Border Rock and surf competing for these spots. If you are interested in joining a club or are wanting more information you can email me at d.bez27@gmail.com and I can give you more info or send you the different clubs contact details. The upcoming season will start in August and there are going to be a few changes which is going to make things a lot more interesting next season.

FEC | July 2014

Greg Brown top angler of the season with a Ragged Tooth Shark.

LEAGUE TOP

• 10 – CEDRIC CAVANAGH 2 61.57 • 9 – DENVOR TESMER 285.8 3 • 8 – RUSSEL BARCLAY 304 .0 3 • 7 – BRADLE Y YOUNG 309 .91 • 6 – CHRIS D ELL 332.77 • 5 – ROY MA RTIN 333.10 • 4 – DARREN KURZ 371.92 • 3 – SCHALK DAFEL 420.94 • 2 – BERNIE K LOWKOW 44 6.18 • 1 – GREG BR OWN 785.16

FEC | July 2014

FISHING

St Francis Bay Words/pics: Theo Herbst

kg Ben with the 9.5 he Pignose Grunter is. landed in St Franc

FEC | July 2014

“

r 20kg’s are good fish ove d od worm, san caught on blo sand-crab and prawn, white . prawn mixed chokka/sand

“

inter is here and therefore the days are colder and shorter, and that means fishing takes a different step from summer fishing. The target species are steenbras (PignoseGrunter), Cracker (Silver Steenbras), Hotties (Bronze Bream) and the obvious shad that can be a pest at times from “razor blades” to the nice green back. There were signs of nice “steenies” (Pignose Grunters) in the surrounding area, good fish over 20kg’s are caught on blood worm, sand prawn, white sandcrab and chokka/sand prawn mixed. I had a client, Ben, from Witbank, that

wanted to catch an edible fish so the game was on to hook one of these fish. We started early on a Thursday morning at the Kromme Mouth, St Francis, to pump sand prawn, (good bait for “steenies”). After pumping our legal limit we started fish-

FEC | July 2014

ing at the mouth when the tide was on its way out. Looking obviously for a bank with a gutter where they would come and feed from the mouth. The water at the mouth looked promising, except for the grass coming out of the river creating havoc as it was pulling on our line and covering our bait. Ben and I then moved to a place called Aldabara Run, where there is a reef in the water with some formation. I baited up with chokka and sand prawn and casted in for him, using my grinder and braid setup. Not long after that Ben got a bite, but missed it, I re-baited and threw in again for him, explained what he needs to do, and within minutes he got pulled flat and the drag was moving like a steam train. Benâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s eyes lit up as he had never experienced a drag pull like that. Ben is a species angler and his biggest fish caught was a carp of 14kgâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s, so you can imagine how rewarding it was to see the excitement and happiness on Benâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s face after landing a 9.5kg Pignose Grunter. Well done Ben, awesome catch for the day.

FEC | July 2014

Theo Herbst wiith a nice Kob landed in St Francis Bay.

FEC | July 2014

CRAZY

Skipjack Tuna Fishing Words/pics: The Alcock’s

ith a Chad Alcock w na Tu ck ja ip nice Sk uble caught on a do slim spoon.

utumn is one of the best times for fishing in Port Elizabeth with the rivers cooking and deep sea fishing being excellent, also rock and surf are just as good. Lando and I decided that we would launch at Noordhoek to take advantage of the fantastic weather conditions we were having. As we came down the hill we could see the game fish chasing everywhere and we were so excited we couldn’t wait to launch. As we drove nearer to Noorkhoek the mist came over thickly and we thought we were going to miss out on some fantastic fishing but 15 minutes later the sun burned through and just beyond the

FEC | July 2014

breakers we could see the fish going mad. Within 5 minutes of launching we were amongst huge shoals of Skipjack tuna that were committing suicide trying to eat the Slim spoons – let me tell you something – this little fish, if it grew to the same size as Yellow Fin tuna, I don’t think a person could land it. The Tuna were between 4 and 6 kg and we were using a 9 ft Signature Dave Alcock series rod so as to be able to cast from further away so we wouldn’t disturb the shoals. The Skippies were chasing tiny Red Eye Sardines and were in shoals of a few hundred and all I can say is that I thought I was fishing in Mozambique – every cast we

landed in the shoal and retrieved fairly fast we caught a fish. From 12 oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;clock until dark we were into fish and it is a day that neither my brother nor I will ever forget. Fortunately we had our film crew with us so they captured this amazing fishing on camera. We sent an email out that night so that other keen fishermen would be able to take advantage of the unbelievable fishing, which they did and there were many happy fishermen over the next few weeks. We are hoping that this will happen at the same time next year but will keep you all posted.

Contact me at Alcocks Fishing Tackle on 041 365 6868.

FEC | July 2014

Gonubie Point Zambezi

Words/pics: Alton Arthur

Alton Arthur with the Zambezi Shark he hooked off Gonubie Point.

fter several months of dreadful fishing at Gonubie point the recent flooding seems to have turned it on a bit!! I landed a solid 118kg male Ragged Tooth Shark (Raggie) and I lost a decent Shark a few days later. There were a few other reports of fish being hooked but nothing was getting landed. For some reason the hooks weren’t setting. The wind then turned Gale West which was likely to chase the Raggies but a trip to Kwelera for Blacktips was the plan. I however ended up without a fishing partner so opted for a quick throw at Gonubie point. The swell was up and the current strong but it looked good and just about fishable. I still thought if I hook anything decent in these conditions it would be hard work. Then at 10pm with not even a shad fisherman in sight or any warning I see my rod get pulled flat just as I’m

FEC | July 2014

pouring a cup of coffee from my flask. With coffee flying I run for my rod and set the hooks and off it goes on a slow and steady 70m run. I let it work a bit in the current while I phone Wade for help. He arrives soon afterwards with me starting to gain some line. I’m still putting this as a 60-80kg lazy Blacktip and after a while it’s about 70m out when it turns around and goes all the way back to 180mt out and rather than slowing down it accelerates in the 2nd half of the run and it’s not even going with the current!!!! Maybe not “just” a lazy 70kg Blacktip.... At that point we decide to go to the beach as this is clearly a strong fish and the chances of loosing it in Big swell and rip currents on the rocks is just to high and releasing it would certainly hurt the shark and/or us. At the beach I just cannot believe how strong the shark still is, I just can-

not get it over the lip!! The Banax Legend50 drag is making the 0,55 Big Game crackle as it comes off the spool and the Purglas 350/6 is buckling, although it was doing better than my back. After about an hour we eventually see it and at last I get to use the wash in my favour and get it to swim out in an arc across the rip running along the beach. Once Wade gets it I run down the beach and am stunned by how short the shark is that has just been so dogged, then I see how wide it is and now I’m puzzled, what is it??? I look at the broad head, then at the dorsal and then I start to smile, it’s a Zambezi!!!! A dream come true and on my door step, Gonubie Point!!!! After years of thinking I’ll have to dedicate a year to swimbaits at Fish Point and Kei Mouth to get my Zambie I get it on a Kob Head Slide on a lonely evening 3 minutes from home after deciding at 8pm to go have a throw.

FEC | July 2014

LIGHT TACKLE

Gully Fishing For Blacktail Words/pics: Gareth Roocroft Gareth Roocroft with a young Blacktail.

he Blacktail is an oval silver coloured fish, with a distinctive black notch at the base of the tail, and are a very underrated sport fish in my opinion. I have been catching Blacktail for years in the surf and off the bricks, but the most fun I ever have catching Blacktail is with light tackle, fishing amongst the gullies, open tidal pools and in the close in white water. Nothing beats this type of fishing for me, and if you havenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t tried it yet, give it a go, it is so rewarding and a lot of fun. The Blacktail is primarily an inshore fish, also called the Dassie or Kolstert, that can be found around white water, rocks and a vari-

ety of shallow water habitats. Blacktail can live for well over 20 years and attain weights of more than 3 kilograms. They are omnivorous fish that breed throughout the year, but spawning peaks in the late Winter months. Blacktail are often the first fish to come on the bite before sunrise and feed well during the start of the pushing tide. They are fairly common along the Eastern Cape coast line, but can be vulnerable to over-exploitation due to the fairly slow growth, as it takes them 3 years to become sexually mature, so think conservatively when targeting this beautiful species. Choosing a location can be a bit challengFEC | July 2014

FEC | July 2014

A good looking gulley with some working water out the back.

Blacktail on Camo Worm.

“

prawn with A single sand t as backing is a sardine fille r these fish. superb bait fo

“

ing, but as you are fishing light, you are very mobile, so you can explore a lot of areas. Mainly look for rocky gullies with access to the open ocean during all tides, these will produce your best fish, one of these areas recently produced a 37cm fish that my brother caught on a 6’6 outfit. The gully does not have to be too deep, but generally 1.5 meters and deeper hold better fish and more fish. White water is essential, as this is where the Blacktail feed. So in short this is what you should look for: • White water • Deepish Gullies and bays • Green seaweed on the rocks • Black mussels on the rocks • An gully constantly exposed to the sea Then we need to talk about bait. Blacktail are not fussy eaters, but there are some baits that work better than others. You cannot beat a good old sardine fillet when targeting Blacktail, this bait is king. How-

ever I have caught my larger specimens on sand prawn. A single sand prawn with a sardine fillet as backing is superb bait for these fish. You will also catch other species with this bait; Stonebream, Bronze Bream, Musselcracker and Steenbras (To name some of the more desirable species). You can also have lots of fun targeting these fish on Berkley Camo Worm, on a small jighead, by letting it drift and slowly twitch the worm on your retrieve. Now, tackle wise, since we are talking light tackle, this is what I would suggest. A rod that has a stiff body with a light, flexible tip. Generally between a 6 foot and 7’6. Nothing larger than 7’6, as this then defeats the purpose. A 6’6 rod is my favourite choice for FEC | July 2014

FEC | July 2014

this application. Paired with a size 25003000 size coffee grinder and a light braid of 8-10lb. Then a fluorocarbon leader is essential, I generally go with a 20lb leader, but you can go down to 10lbâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s, it all depends on how rocky the area is where you are fishing. The trace or rig that you will use for catching Blacktail is very important, as this can have an impact on whether you catch fish or not. There are many different traces out there that one can use, but because we are fishing lighter tackle closer in, this is what I would recommend. A single hook trace with a sharp Diachii or Gamakatsu hook, size 4 or size 2 (I very rarely throw a 1/0 or larger when light tackle fishing in gullies). Now this could be a personal preference but I have had a lot of success on the red coloured hooks offered by the 2 brands mentioned above. It could be the contrast, or it could just be in my head. A 30 cm hook snoot from the swivel to the hook is perfect, tied with 10-20lb fluorocarbon. Then I always make the sinker trace (For this application) half the length of the hook trace, and I attach a small bottle sinker to this (1/2 ounce) and tie it with fluorocarbon as well (Half the breaking strain of the hook snoot). In dirtier water, I often add a green glow bead or orange float bead above the hook, so that it sits just above the bait. Tight lines, as Winter approaches, the Blacktail start to come on the bite all throughout the day and through different tides, go get â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;em. FEC | July 2014

Gonubie Marine INTERCLUB Words/pics: Rory Leonard Boats coming back in after a days fishing at Gonubie River Mouth.

e had 11 teams participate in this our 37th Annual Interclub and managed to fish Saturday and Monday. On Saturday the wind got up but the water conditions were good and some quality fish made it to the scales including 18 good-sized yellowtail. Sunday was called off due to a big blow and Monday morning the anglers and skippers were treated to an awesome weather day, however due to cold seas and no current, had to work hard to find fish. The Geelbek however were around and most of the com-

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petition boats managed to get quota geelbek on day two. Species on the other hand were somewhat elusive in the cold water. In total, 166 fish and 10 species were weighed in at the scales over the two days. Some quality fish worth mentioning included: The 3 Biggest Fish - 16.15kg Yellowtail caught by Bjorn ErichstromLinquest of Kwelera; 13.60kg Yellowtail caught by Everitt Van Logerenberg of

Mark Trute r [Gordon ’s Bay] DP Burger [O verberg] , and Colin lock skipp Buler.

Kwelera and 12.85kg Yellowtail caught by DP Burger of Overberg Boat Club; 6.00kg Dageraad caught by Buck Breitenbach of PEDSAC; 5.20Kg Scottsman caught by Craig Ekhout of Gonubie Marine Club; 5.60Kg Miss Lucy caught by Gavin Roux of Christmasvale Skiboat Club and a 4.30kg Soldier caught by Patrick O’Sullivan of Natal Road & Reel. Nice size Blacks, Carpenters, etc also made the scales with the Geelbek’s average size being approximately 7kg’s. This year the strike rate on landing yellowtails has at least improved, with anglers more than doubling the 8 fish landed last year so they must be doing something right! Congratulations to Kwelera “Blue” Team of Kevin Branfield, Everitt Van Logerenberg and Bjorn Erichstrom-Linquest for taking the gold medal with Christmasvale (Gavin Roux; David Bowker and Claude Wilkin) in 2nd and Natal Rod & Reel (Patrick O’Sullivan, Ed Cormac and Brad Nicholson) coming in 3rd. Top angler and biggest fish went

to Bjorn Erichstrom-Linquest of Kwelera. Top boats went to Cost-a-plenty (Russell Grotjohn) in 1st place with Rawdog (Rory Hare) 2nd and Thrillseeker (Henry Daniel) in 3rd place. Once again, the GMC interclub was a huge success that was well supported by our local clubs and members as well as teams from Port Elizabeth, Durban, Cape Town and Kleinbaai. I would like to take this opportunity to once again, on behalf of the GMC Committee, thank the skippers from Kwelera (John Luef, Henry Daniel, Russell Grotjohn and Theo Peake as well as Dean Dustan who brought his boat from Mazeppa) for putting their boats in and assisting us with skippering for this competition, as without them we couldn’t have accommodated all the teams. Also a very big thank you again to all the teams for supporting our interclub and we look forward to hosting you all again in 2015. FEC | July 2014

FEC | July 2014

r e t n u r G e s o n g i

IX M N W A R P HOKKA &

Words/pics: Theo Herbst

Cut two strips of the Chokka.

Combine the strips and cotton 1/3 of it together.

Push your light 6/O hook thrugh the Chokka strips.

Cotton another piece over the strips you placed on hook. Beat the cover piece well with a Chokka hammer.

Place the Sandprawn on the back of the hook and coton on.

Ready for a Pignose Grunter (Steenie).

FEC | July 2014

CATCH & WIN Angler: Lauren Meyer Species: Ragged Tooth Shark Location: Sunshine Coast Bait: Live Mullet Head Size: +130kg Released: Yes

Angler: Darryn Kingman Species: Kob Location: East London Bait: Mad Mullet arrow head and McArthy paddle tail Size: 8kg Released: Yes

Angler: Timothy du Plessis Species: Shad/elf Location: Chintsa Bait: Sardine Size: 48cm Released: No