Ski-Boat January 2021 by Angler Publications

CONTENTS

January/February 2021 Volume 37 Number 1 COVER: WHOPPER OF A WAHOO Yamaha’s Theo van Vuuren and Mark de la Hey with the 41.05kg wahoo Theo caught off KZN in July 2020. It’s one of the biggest ever caught in South African waters. See pg 29.

FEATURES

Chasing Records Targeting Richards Bay marlin on thin line — by Dale Leenstra

Cancelled by Covid-19 Memories of previous OET Tournaments

Blown Away! Boat Review:Atomic 22 — by Erwin Bursik

Wahoo!

Chasing down the speedsters — by Mark de la Hey

Bluefin Takes the Trophy Two Oceans Mini Tuna Derby — by Gavin Dave, Delon Walker and Kirk Gemmell

Wicked Tuna Part 2:Tactics for landing the giant bluefin of the 1960s — by Brian Cohen

Jumping Yellowfin It must be summer — by Rob Naysmith

Welcome to Tandweni Villa Tigerfishing from a luxury base — by Brett Bartho

Service, Service, Service! How to make sure your reel performs — by Paul Nixon

Tag,You’re It! Tagging deep sea fish off the Eastern Cape — by John Luef

Marine Fish Guide App for SA A mobile fish ID app perfect for anglers — by Dr Judy Mann

DEPARTMENTS 8 9 46 57 59

Editorial — by Erwin Bursik Postbox SADSAA News Subscribe and WIN! Kingfisher Awards

69 71 72 73 74

Mercury Junior Anglers Reel Kids Ad Index Business Classifieds & Directory Rapala Lip — Last word from the ladies

The official magazine of the South African Deep Sea Angling Association

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Publisher: Erwin Bursik Editor: Sheena Carnie Advertising Executive: Mark Wilson

EDITORIAL

THE BALANCE OF YOUTH AND AGE

Editorial Assistant: Vahini Pillay Boat Tests: Heinrich Kleyn Contributors: Erwin Bursik, Brian Cohen, Mark de la Hey, Kirk Gemmel, Hilton Kidger, Dale Leenstra, John Luef, Judy Mann, Rob Naysmith, Paul Nixon, Hymie Steyn and Delon Walker. ADVERTISING – NATIONAL SALES: Angler Publications Mark Wilson cell: 073 748 6107 ADVERTISING – Gauteng & Mpumalanga: Lyn Adams — 083 588 0217 Publishers: Angler Publications cc PO Box 20545, Durban North 4016 Telephone: (031) 572-2280/89/97/98 Fax: (031) 572-7891 e-mail: angler@mags.co.za Subscriptions to SKI-BOAT: R180 per annum (six issues). New subscriptions and renewals: SKI-BOAT Subscriptions Department, PO Box 20545, Durban North 4016. Telephone: (031) 572-2280/89/97/98 Fax: (031) 572-7891 • e-mail: angler@mags.co.za • Through www.anglerpublications.co.za, or E-zine through <www.issuu.com> Reproduction: Hirt & Carter, Durban Printer: Robprint (Pty) Ltd, Durban Full production is done in-house by Angler Publications & Promotions on Apple Macintosh software and hardware for output directly to plate. SKI-BOAT Magazine, ISSN 0258-7297, is published six times a year by Angler Publications & Promotions cc, Reg. No. CK 88/05863/23, and is distributed by On the Dot, as well as directly by the publishers to retail stores throughout South Africa. • Copyright of all material is expressly reserved and nothing may be reproduced in part or whole without the permission of the publishers. • While every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the contents of this magazine, the publishers do not accept responsibility for omissions or errors or their consequences. Views expressed in this magazine are not necessarily those of the publishers, the managing editor, editor, editorial staff or the South African Deep Sea Angling Association.

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Erwin Bursik Publisher

“But so often youth think that age knows only the wisdom of days that are gone, and therefor profits not. But remember this, the sun that shines today is the sun that shone when thy father was born, and will be shining when thy last grandchild shall pass into the darkness. “The thoughts of youth,” he (Arkad) said, “are bright lights that shine forth like the meteors that oft make brilliant the sky, but the wisdom of age is like the fixed stars that shine so unchanged that the sailor may depend upon them to steer its course.” — The Richest Man in Babylon by George S. Glason

N this modern age, when we ask whether experience or enthusiasm is the more important factor in achieving success, when it comes to offshore angling I think we need a combination of both. Nowadays our social media feeds are bombarded by those who use a shotgun approach to share their photographs of the various fish species that are caught off the South African coast. I’m always enthralled by the fish, of course, but really it’s the look on the face of the angler proudly displaying his catch of the day that says it all. And if the word “released” appears in the caption alongside, that greatly promotes the “sport” of offshore angling. Those of us who are blessed with age and experience of the days long gone can visualise the scenario of loading one’s ski-boat with fish and the pleasure derived from the search, strike, fight and landing of the fish we targeted. Going back in time, photographic evidence of these catches was scarce, as the cameras of the time were difficult to use on the boat due to the constant effort required to carry them and keep them dry. Not like today’s splashproof mobile phones that one can use to snap off many photographs that require virtually no focusing or aperture and speed settings before one can press the button. The net result was that, before the 1980s, it was generally only after the craft had beached and returned to its parking site that the odd photograph was snapped. We usually ended up with horrible shots of the washdown in progress, with a proud angler trying to look pretty while holding up a long-dead fish. Sure, the photo captured the catch and gave the angler the means with which to brag about his catch, however those photos were hardly ever photographic masterpieces. With today’s top quality, easy-to-carry photographic equipment, including mobile phones and GoPros, we see an incredible number of great photos, many taken while on the water, that convey not only the excitement and record of the catch, but also the stunning colours inherent in a live fish. Diving back into the archives, as I am currently doing while searching for information on the full history of the Durban Ski-Boat Club, I am overwhelmed by the effect of looking at years of scrapbooks and old photographs. Incredibly, in the mainly black and white photographs of the 1950s, the exact same excitement is etched on the angler’s face as one now sees on a daily basis on social media. In short, I believe that those of us who have experienced both the long expired past and the present offshore angling experience are in a unique position to take the past, its memories, hardships and great offshore fishing and correlate it with the intensity of today’s ski-boat fishing experiences and the enthusiasm of today’s younger generation who put so much into visually sharing their catches to all who flick through the digital showcase of these images. All these experiences combine to produce the kaleidoscope of memories that runs through my mind and which brings me a great deal of pleasure. What a joy it is to have that privilege; I wish the same for the generations that come after me. Till the next tide

Erwin Bursik

POSTBOX

FAREWELL, MY FRIEND Dear Editor, It is with great sadness that I have to inform fellow ski-boaters of the passing of Mark “Speedy” Gafney on 13 November 2020 at the age of 48. Mark, a lifelong friend of mine, was at Sodwana for the last two days of the Billfish 15 000 doing what he loved most. Mark was a great family man in every respect, and our thoughts and prayers are with Tanya, Meagan and Paige over this trying time. True to his nature of always putting up his hand to assist in any matter, Mark served on the DSBC committee for a number of years and enrolled as a Safety Officer when our club was lacking in this area. When duty called, he was there! Through his calm disposition, he would always bring stability to any debate and you could rely on him to bring substance to any discussion. He was a real gentleman and a gentle soul. Speedy was also an accomplished angler and top skipper. We often saw him in the tower of Ed Seely’s boat, Time Out, as he went about putting a plan together for the day. Mark loved the Transkei and would eagerly load up the family and head south to his mom’s cottage at Tshani. Appropriately, he had a small ski-boat named Zamalek — the Zulu word for Black Label beer. I have happy memories of Mark celebrating the dawn by downing a Zamalek, ably assisted by myself — coffee was not an option! On the last day of the Billfish 15 000 I asked Mark to skipper the boat back to Jesser Point and beach us. Mark loved boats and skipping them, and this, his last “beaching’’ with me at his side, he executed with perfection, plainly enjoying every moment of the experience. Rest in peace, my friend. Until we meet again may the beer be cold and not run out, may the water be blue and warm and the lines always tight. God’s speed my friend. SHAUN LAVERY

RECTIFICATION OF ARTICLE Dear Editor, In my letter to you regarding the legal VHF radio requirement for the survey/utilisation of small vessels which was published in your September 2020 issue, I would like to apologise for a typing error on my side. In the summary I erroneously typed the following: “In summary, all vessels with the exception of vessels surveyed as Categor y R are required to be equipped with a VHF marine (DSC enabled/or/voice only) radio by the first survey after 1st January 2016.” The paragraph should have read:“In summary, all vessels governed by the Regulations are required to be equipped with a VHF marine (DSC enabled/ or/ voice only) radio by the first survey after 1st January 2016.” It would be appreciated if you could have this rectified at your earliest convenience so as to prevent further misconception. DALE EVANS Autshumato Maritime Centre (Pty) Ltd SORTING OUT MY RADIO WIRING Dear Editor, I found Markus Potgieter’s article in the March 2020 issue of SKI-BOAT very informative. I have a 525 Cobra Cat and am currently doing some general maint checks but I am unable to do the checks that Markus mentioned because I do not have the necessary equipment. What I did do is uncoil the excess aerial cable that was coiled up neatly and cable tied and have now created a loop to avoid the high SWR reading. Hopefully I have not done any damage to the radio as it seems to be transmitting and receiving okay. My 27 meg radio had a wire which was connected to the aerial base. This wire was runs the length of the gunnel and to the front of the boat. Over time the lug connecting the cable to the base plate has corroded away and the wire has gone black (sea rot). I’m not sure when it corroded away and how long the wire has been disconnect from the aerial base. Is this wire necessary? Instead of running a new wire can I connect a wire from the base plate of the aerial (which is mounted on the front of the boat) to the base plate of the T-top? The aerial is not mounted on top of the T-top as we sometimes remove the T-top depending on the type of fishing we are doing. What is the reason for this wire? I am told it is an earth wire and it aids the aerial reception. If this is true, then the stainless steel of the T-top frame should act as an aerial. There is also a small round magnetic device which has the ±power cable

wrapped around it (one coil) before the cable goes to the power connection of the radio. I am told this was put there to stop magnetic interference from the boat wiring affecting the radio feedback. If I remove this magnetic device I do not seem to hear a difference in the radio performance. Is this a common device that is used when installing a radio? Thanks again for the informative article and I hope Markus is able to help me with the above questions. JOHN FRANKISKOS Response from Markus: John, you are 100% correct with the wiring running to the base of the aerial. The more you have of those wires the beter the ground plane becomes. If you were able to connect it to the keel strips you would create an even better ground plane because saltwater is a good conductor.

Connecting earth wires to all the stainless steel also helps a lot. The better/bigger the ground plane is, the better transmission you will get from your radio.

Yes, the magnet (device) that you are talking about is called a “chock” (pictured above). It helps a lot to get nice clean power to the radio. You can use this basically on all your power to the equipment on your boat. You will hear no real difference with it in or out because the work it is doing usually cannot be heard by the human ear. It does, however, help to reduce interference on electronic equipment. Feel free to contact me if you need more information. MARKUS POTGIETER Potch Marine and Outdoor SKI-BOAT January/February 2021 • 9

BILLFISH

Targeting Richards Bay marlin on thin line

By Dale Leenstra Photos by Claudia Blignaut LTHOUGH it’s not often touted as such, Richards Bay offers some of the best marlin fishing South Africa has to offer. Our peak season runs from November through to March, but we generally catch fish from September through to June when the conditions are good. We are very fortunate to have such a long season as it gives us the opportunity to fish for them in different ways which keeps things interesting. I love to change things up and try new things all the time to try and improve my style of fishing, and use light tackle to target line class records. The first time I headed out into the deep with four 30 lb outfits, it opened up a whole different dimension to fishing, and with it came a whole new set of challenges. Despite the challenges, I can assure you that it improves your fishing as a whole, from your tackle preparation all the way through to how you fight the fish. At the start of every season my dad and I sit down and talk about what we would like to achieve in the coming

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months. There is a lot to consider as there is a big difference between targeting high numbers of fish and trying to catch line class records. Deciding in advance what you want to achieve gives you a very good idea of what to prepare and how to approach your days on the water. We like to mix it up and try to do a bit of both; this means having all our gear ready to go as well as changing our game plan in the blink of an eye. I have two ways of going about it — the first is pulling hooked lures which is probably what everybody does, and the second is switch baiting. When we started targeting records we decided the first line classes we would have a crack at were 10- and 15kg line because we could quite likely achieve a number of records with a very wide variety of species.We mainly target blue marlin, but at times we have good numbers of striped marlin and the occasional black, so there’s always a very good chance of hooking some species, but probably the biggest positive of using those light lines is that you also get opportunities at gamefish like dorado, wahoo and yellowfin tuna. The gamefish you find out in the

deep might not be as abundant as on the shallower reefs, but they often make up for it in size, and every now and then you get a shot at one that allows you to set the bar a bit higher than you would’ve been able to inshore. I run a maximum of three or four lures at once, trying to put as little as possible in the water while trolling as this reduces the number of things that can go wrong. I am also very hesitant about running teasers, as the lures we use on the lighter lines are normally a lot smaller than our average spread. At one stage I was pulling a very aggressive XXL lure tied off on the corner, but I found the fish sometimes got hung up on it and if we didn’t retrieve it in time they lost interest in the smaller lures running behind it. By taking it out of the water, you make sure that whatever comes up behind the boat has to eat what you have on offer. Unfortunately this has a down side to it too. Off our coastline we don’t get many chances at fish weighing 600 lb and up, so when they come around you want to give yourself the best odds of catching them. Although it is possible to land them on thin line, this very often results in extremely long fights that normally

This one got away. A blue marlin on 8kg line.

end with the fish winning. For some reason the wind also always seems to be a couple of knots stronger than the areas to the north and south of us, and we fish rather rough conditions most days. We always reserve the best weather days for record fishing to give ourselves the greatest chance of landing the fish, even if we only fish light for the morning and then change over to heavy tackle when the wind picks up and makes hooking and landing fish on thin line extremely difficult. We keep our heavy tackle on standby so that a quick change over is always possible; it only takes a few minutes, and it means you can still fish effectively in rough conditions, especially if the fish are on the bite. The biggest problem is catching too many fish that are not big enough to be a record. We have always tried our best not to kill fish that we think could come up a couple of kilos short, and this meant we had to catch a lot of fish before we had the fish we were really after. Although we had good success with the above-mentioned method, I felt the need to try to iron out as many problems as I possibly could. Personally I wanted to find a way to speed up the

process of hooking the right size fish on the right line class, while also trying to improve on the numbers side of things. This led to me doing a lot of research on switch baiting. I watched pretty much every video on the internet of blue marlin mauling teasers right up to the back of the boat only to crash a bait with the leader metres from the rod tip, and this fascinated me. I rig everything on the boats we fish on to be as simple as possible, because we are usually just a two-man team.That is a disadvantage, but my dad and I have built a very good level of trust and understanding between one another over the years and feel that we can work around it. Since I am no longer a junior, we have tried to improve our numbers game as well as fish for records selectively, and switch baiting allows us to do exactly that. Until recently this style of fishing was unheard of around here and, as far as I was aware, nobody was trying it aside from professional crew and skippers who worked overseas.The thought of being able to experience what I had watched on our own boat with the very same fish we had been catching all those years was incredibly exciting. We

had often spoken about the idea of trying pitch baiting, but never before fully investigated what it was all about. Finally it was time to give it a try! From the moment you set up the spread, you quickly realise it is going to take some time to wrap your head around the whole idea. You go from thinking about all the advantages to imagining every possible thing that can go wrong, and I guess that is only natural when you leave your comfort zone. After a bunch of missed fish, we soon realised that we needed to go back to the drawing board to re-look at what was going wrong and how we could overcome it. The spread I run doesn’t change very much at all from one trip to the next; I like to run one or two lures with hooks in them on the longs which are on 80- to 130 lb outfits, and two hookless teasers on the shorts.The lures with hooks in them often act as trap sticks for fish that don’t switch or fish that come up further behind the boat when you raise them. I also fish with a dredge tied off about 6-8 metres behind the boat. Whether you decide to fish light tackle or heavy tackle it makes no differSKI-BOAT January/February 2021 • 13

Striped marlin on 6kg line. This marlin was also lost. ence to your spread, as the baits you are going to use to hook most of the fish are in the boat.To me catching a fish of 1 000 lb-plus is the ultimate in big game fishing, so I make sure I have always got a 130 lb outfit ready to go with a big bait such as a small yellowfin, bonnie or skipjack rigged up. This main rig is on standby come rain or shine; the rest of the rods we have on standby depend on what we are trying to do at the time. If we are mainly trying to catch records, I will have a wide variety of line classes rigged up, including a 6-, 8- and 10kg ready, along with the big bait. I try to predetermine what we want to catch on each one; for example I will decide we’re looking for a stripey or small blue on 6kg, but nothing much bigger than 100kg. We’ll target a blue of 120-180kg on 8kg and a blue of 180250kg on 10kg. By doing this you can identify the species and size of fish to the best of your ability and pitch the appropriate outfit to it. The wide variety of species we find off Richards Bay also allows us to target fish like stripeys on very light line without running the risk of getting smoked by bigger blues. Obviously this can be difficult at times when you only have a second or two to make the call, so it is natural to make a mistake every now and then. However, if you get it right, you can have a shot at a record with most of the fish you raise. The downside to this plan is that you end up losing a lot of fish. Once you have hooked it the most difficult part starts. Putting big fish on the deck using thin line is not easy, to say the least, and although the reward is extremely high when you get it right, there are many days where all you have to take home with you is a story about the one that got away. Although I love the challenge of trying to outsmart and catch these fish on

Dale’s setup for a big boat (above) and smaller boat (below).

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thin line, it can become a little bit demoralising because — let’s face it — it’s lekker to catch something every now and then. This has led me to the way we fish at the moment. I try to mix the record fishing with numbers, and for now we are targeting the 10kg line blue marlin record.We are specifically trying to catch one over 200kg for a 20:1 catch ratio, which, to the best of my knowledge, hasn’t been done in South Africa. Due to the size of fish we are looking for, we don’t get an opportunity to pitch the 10kg on a regular basis and a lot of fish are raised in between. For fish that don’t meet our predetermined requirements we keep our 80 lb medium and our 50 lb small outfits on standby. This allows us to catch fish consistently and still gives us a shot at the right size fish on our selected line class, making the record catching process a lot more enjoyable as it can take many days to get it right. Advantages, like an increased hookup ratio as well as being able to have full control over what eats your baits, far outweigh the disadvantages of switchbaiting, in my opinion, but they are sill worth mentioning. One thing you will notice is the reduction in your bycatch. It is very difficult to switch fish like dorado, wahoo and yellowfin tuna, and I have had to watch a good couple of meals disappear without batting an eye at a bait. Switchbait fishing is also a lot more work.When fishing you have to focus all your attention on your teasers so that you do not miss a bite. Rigging baits is also an added extra which can take up to an hour every morning before you start fishing. For me personally there is no looking back though. I don’t believe that there is a right way or a wrong way of doing things, but

RECORDS WE HAVE CLAIMED Junior records — Dale Leenstra: 18.2kg dorado on 10kg line 83.6kg black marlin on 10kg line 131.3kg blue marlin on 10kg line 229.5kg blue marlin on 15kg line (This is the second 15:1 ratio fish on record in South Africa if I’m not mistaken) 42.3kg striped marlin on 10kg line 55.5kg striped marlin on 15kg line. 16kg shortbill spearfish on 10kg line. Mike Leenstra: 55.4kg Mako record on 8kg line

Right: Another blue marlin that got away. This one was also on 8kg line. Below: Blue marlin ready for release. It was too small for the record.

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Dale Leenstra and Mike Leenstra preparing to release another marlin on light line.

there definitely is a way that will work for you on your boat, and this method has proved to be successful for us. I believe it’s important to pick up useful information from anybody you possibly can, whether it’s what to do or what not

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do, it doesn’t matter. I hope that what I have shared will be food for thought for a few people this summer and will motivate them to try something different. There are very few anglers who actively target records

in South Africa and I would love it to become a regular talking point among our fishing community as I feel competitiveness and a good challenge are critical to moving forward and improving personally.

BOAT REVIEW

Reviewed by Erwin Bursik

EVIN Duncan of Atomic Power Boats arrived at Durban Rod & Reel Club’s slipway following a long tow up the coast from the Cape with his new Atomic 22 hitched behind his Ford Ranger. What a stylish entry this large monohull made to impress those of us eagerly awaiting her arrival. This sleek, almost racy craft in her centre console configuration and light grey and white linage looked stunning as she nestled on her tandem axle trailer, ready to be launched into Durban Harbour. My long-term habit is to slowly walk around the craft I am about to review, oblivious to manufacturers, salesmen etc. — just getting a feel for and absorbing the look of the craft. As I run my hand along her side marginally above her waterline, I not only feel the craft’s shape, but also note the external finish and smoothness of her gel coat and flow of her moulding. My immediate impression was just how perfect the Atomic 22’s mould must be to produce such a superb external finish. Before we got on the water, Kevin explained his interesting road to becoming a boat manufacturer. With a life-long love of boating and offshore fishing, he changed his successful commercial career a few years ago and began to engage in producing an offshore ski-boat that he envisaged would suit

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his exacting needs and would be a craft that he himself wanted to own. Experience, research and an incredible amount of hands-on work resulted in the Atomic 22 I was about to review. The craft was powered by twin Mercury Optimax 125hp motors swinging 15 pitch props that purred as they gently pulled the Atomic 22 off its trailer into the calm waters of Durban Harbour. This sleek monohull, with three of us aboard, soon exited the no wake zone, and as I applied power she got up on an easy plane as we headed for the harbour entrance and out to sea. With that power behind us, I couldn’t help reminiscing about the feel of the same size mono that had been my own craft for nearly 20 years — happiness! The hull cleanly sliced through the ocean’s surface as I opened the throttles to exit between Durban’s piers and take on the inevitable chop that persists as bay water pushes out and meets the surge of open ocean. I was thus able to begin to get her real feel as she used her sharp entry and aft stabilising wetted area to produce an effortless ride at around 18 knots. Out at sea off Durban’s beachfront, I had to contend with our dreaded south-easterly wind and the ocean swell it produces. Conditions were not that great for a day on the ocean, but were good for extracting any “ride” faults a craft may have.

For nearly five hours I rode and observed the Atomic 22 while photographing her as well as skippering. I was enthralled with the way she performed. I feel eminently qualified to write on this hull’s performance, as I was intermittently aware of the faults and benefits of the 21ft mono I owned and used extensively under these sorts of conditions. Kevin’s Atomic 22 was going to be put through its paces with the comparison constantly foremost in my mind. Perhaps that was a tad unfair, but if she compared favourably with my old mono she would be one hell of a craft. To cut to the chase, the Atomic 22 did admirably, and Kevin’s clever design of the shoulder entry, her wide beam and the aft stability has largely overcome most of the quirks I experienced with my Robcraft. I place great value in watching a craft’s over-water performance while I SKI-BOAT January/February 2021 • 23

am photographing her.This, together with reviewing the hundreds of photographs I take in enlarged format on the computer, details exactly how a hull handles every conceivable condition the ocean throws at her on that day, and provides me with a huge amount of information. Having gleaned this information from watching her, I then re-board the craft and put her through a huge range of trials to correlate actual feel with what I have visually noted. I don’t like to compare monohulls and twin-hulled craft because a mono’s ride has very distinct differences to that of a cat, most notably the entry and lateral stability when it comes to on-water performance. What I preferred to do is compare the Atomic 22 with my old mono in describing the vast improvements that Kevin has achieved in his design of this craft. The Atomic’s entry into the short sharp chop is impressive and, once on the plane, her wetted area aft design significantly increases her lateral stability to the extent that minimal motor trim is required. This aspect was well tested during a long run up the coast with the wind and chop on the craft’s aft beam. I was very pleasantly surprised. On a fast plane at 20- to 23 knots this craft literally flies.At these speeds the Atomic 22’s hull design fully determines her stance over water, and minimal if any bow up/down trim is required or effectual. Another aspect that has been incorporated into the Atomic 22 is the aerodynamically designed T-top that, in addition to looking stunning, has very little adverse effect on the craft’s ride. I found that very interesting and somewhat surprising. Lateral stability during regular fishing needed to be inherent in the aft hull design, because with the motors positioned very close together, correcting trim is ineffective unless you’re travelling at fairly high speed. On the Atomic 22, at troll speeds up to 8 knots with three of us aboard moving freely around the deck, there was no need to try adjusting lateral stability using the motors. Having her motors close together provides her with a very tight wake at troll speeds up to 7 knots and therefore provides a lot of clear water to run lures while fishing for marlin and sailfish. Talking about marlin fishing, when I tried backing up after first — and most importantly — trimming out her motors a

fair amount, the Atomic 22 reacted well and I could adjust my speed to avoid excessive water pushing up onto the deck over the neatly designed motor well. Finally, with regard to performance, her natural bow-high stance during simulated surf work was an asset. On turns in fairly big swells I was able to force her into full lock turns and out the hole acceleration very easily and with no excessive torque on the steering. Furthermore, minimal cavitation was experienced. The twin 125hp Mercury Optimax motors provided more than enough torque and speed, not only out the hole, but also to get her quickly up and running in no time following the slowdown after jumping a crest. Kevin put a huge amount of thought into the entire deck layout and facilities, and in fact that’s an understatement. When I closely inspected each and every aspect of the Atomic 22 I was blown away with the detail as well as the moulding and positioning of all aspects of the craft. Within the space available here I can’t do justice to all those details, but a few ideas Kevin has incorporated need mentioning. For one thing, he sited the 300 litre built in fuel tank in the forward area of the centre console using its inherent weight to balance the riding stance of the craft.While fuel weight obviously reduces during a day’s fishing, there’s a large aft centrally sited fish hatch that can handle the big tuna caught off Kevin’s home port of Cape Town, and the fish weight will replaces the lost fuel weight.This hatch is ideally positioned to have the weight aft for the long ride home from the deep. What if you catch no fish? This hatch can then be flooded with water to balance the craft for the ride home. Another impressive feature is the T-top pod that, in addition to providing the necessary shade, also incorporates forward- and aft spotlights, VHF radio and sound system in a beautifully designed and rounded pod. I found the helm station was comfortable both whilst standing at the helm for long runs and while seated during all the trolling patterns we attempted. The helm seat with back rest was sited a tad close to the helm station for me, but an observant Kevin already noted that and said it will be changed on future models in accordance with owner requirements. Under the seat is the all-important insulated cool box — very handy! The entire fishing deck including the gunnel height has

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been designed and implemented in such a way that it can be reconfigured to each owner’s requirement.All the front seating and hatches — immaculately finished inside and out — were installed for those who want the Atomic 22 for leisure use as well as fishing. Each individual craft’s owner can determine how many of the extras that are available are needed or wanted. Looking at the aft deck area with its space and practical work area, I feel it offers great fishability and I believe I would enjoy fishing aboard the Atomic 22 while trolling for gamefish as well as billfish. The well-designed transom and motor well, livebait well and stern access will all help facilitate an enjoyable day out on the ocean. Whether you’re looking for a boat to undertake a foray out into the deep off Cape Point, to the still waters of Knysna lagoon, the mighty Vaal River or Jozini Dam, the various boating uses for each of these venues will determine what deck layout will best suit you. However, one thing doesn’t need to be adjusted — the Atomic 22’s hull will provide the ride and performance required to match any of these scenarios. The Atomic 22 will also win you over with her striking looks both on the water and off. As with so many of the boats I review, it’s impossible to convey the full extent of the niceties that the builder puts into making the craft as perfect as possible. I thus suggest you undertake a close personal onboard inspection of the Atomic 22 to appreciate the efforts Kevin and his team go to to satisfy his own personal high standard which results in the perfection I observed.

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TACTICS

Chasing down the speedsters By Mark de la Hey

HERE are a few unique things about wahoo. First, they are regarded as the fastest fish in the sea; hook one and you will very quickly see why! Another feature of this speedster is that both its top and bottom jaws are hinged which can make things difficult when you are trying to stay hooked up! Wahoo are generally open ocean creatures that follow the warm currents, feeding on flying fish and a variety of pelagic fish, so for most anglers the only time you would encounter one of these creatures is when you are trolling in the deep for marlin or tuna. They love a Kona or Rapala trolled at high speed, but even more than that, they love live bonnies. The only challenge is, once you catch a bonnie, where would you even start looking for a wahoo? Up and down our coast you do from time to time find them on the deeper pinnacles, but never really consistently or in great numbers, so using a live bonnie in these areas comes with an element of luck if you are lucky enough to hook even one. However, there is one special place along our KwaZulu-Natal coastline where wahoo turn up in great numbers year in and year out, without fail and pretty much in the middle of winter. In places like this you can spend the time to catch a live bonnie and actually target these elusive fish with good success — although there’s obviously plenty of failure too! Aliwal Shoal is a truly amazing place; it’s known as one of the best scuba diving destinations in South Africa and hosts some fantastic gamefishing throughout the year. From early May until the end of August the main wahoo migration also seems to take place there. Large shoals of big adult fish visit the area as well as massive shoals of small bonito which is exactly what we need to catch to catch them!

STEP 1: CATCH A BONNIE This can be the most frustrating part of all. If a bonnie doesn’t want to bite, it just wont bite! You can spend hours and hours trying to catch one and while you are reeling it in it gets smashed off by a wahoo! This will be enough to make you want to go home, but don’t — just keep your eyes on the prize! There a few different ways to catch bonnies. To start with you can spin for them with small spoons when you see the flicking on the surface.This can be one of the most effective methods if you have the right spoon; there are a few that work really well: • The Sebiel fast cast 0.5 oz — these spoons are nice and heavy and you can throw them a mile. More importantly, they do get eaten! All the colours work well, but the Natural Shiner and the True Shad are my go-to colours. • The Bite Me spoon — this one is legendary, catching almost anything that swims as well as the coveted bonito in a time of need! They come in various colours, but the redeye in 20g is undoubtedly the best. • The famous Halco Twisty — either in 20g or 30g size, this spoon has caught most species in the sea, including the bonito. It’s basically foolproof — throw, drop your tip, and wind!

WAHOO!

Mark de la Hey with another whopper of a wahoo.

SKI-BOAT January/February 2021 • 29

Close up look at the wahoo’s powerful hinged jaws. Below, left: Mark’s go-to trace for wahoo Below, right: Theo van Vuuren and Mark de la Hey examine the magnificent 41.05kg wahoo Theo caught in July 2020.

Now it’s not every day that the bonnies oblige and eat the spoon, so what then? There are many things that work, including the Pulsator daisy chain, but on the tough days even these don’t always work. One thing that has worked on 95% of those tough occasions, though, is the 2.5cm Yamashita skirt. It’s hard to believe that the bonnies can even find this tiny skirt in the ocean, but don’t fear, they will find it time after time! Rigging a 2.5cm skirt can be challenging, but the most successful way I have found is with 16 lb Siglon fluorocarbon, a Mustad Hoodlum no 2 hook, and a no 8 power swivel. Use a 1m piece of fluoro between the hook and the swivel, go light on the drag and you will be okay. The only down side of this set up is that the bigger tuna often have a go at this tiny skirt which invariably ends in tears! Fishing the skirt is really easy; let it out about 50 metres and troll it at about 6km/h in the area where the bonnies are. Wait for the reel to go, and go easy on it when you are winding it in!

STEP 3: WHERE AND HOW TO FISH THE LIVEBAIT The most important thing is not to troll too slowly with a bonnie; if you go too slow it will die, so about 8km/h is ideal with either one or two motors.Also don’t be scared to fish the bonnie close to the boat. Wahoo are really inquisitive and aren’t shy to eat a bonnie close to the boat, and remember that the closer the bite is to the boat, the less complications there are on the hook up! While trolling the bonnie we use a feather-light drag that just stops the line from peeling out while trolling. The reason we place a single treble halfway down the bonnie is that on most occasions the wahoo will cut the bonnie in half, then swing around and swallow the rest. On the first bite we pick up the rod and, as it hits, free spool the bonnie. Then, as the wahoo turns for the second half of the bonnie, drop the rod, let it start running and slowly tighten up — then hold on for your life! Obviously anything can happen here, but in most cases this is what happens and if you get it right it results in a solid hook up!

STEP 2: PREPARING THE WAHOO LIVE BAIT TRACE There have been and will be many more debates on this subject, but ultimately over many years and countless hours this is what it boils down to.The trace I find most effective when fishing for wahoo is as follows: 1.5m no. 7 lead wire with a BKK 1/0 single lead hook, and no. 7 wire again between with no. 1 BKK Fang treble that should be placed halfway down your live bonnie. Nice and simple, it has proved to be the most successful trace over hundreds of hours of fishing.

MY GO-TO SET UP I like a medium length rod and the Penn Ally 7ft MH is my favourite; it has plenty of back bone but a nice soft tip that is forgiving when the fish darts off at the boat. Any strong lever drag reel is essential, but with out a doubt the Penn Torque 40 is my baby — smooth as can be and plenty of power, it’s all that you could ask for and more. Other than that, plenty of time on the water will get you in the groove. Once you find that groove don’t forget it, and when it’s quiet, stick stay and make it pay!

30 • SKI-BOAT January/February 2021

COMPETITIONS

FULL STEAM AHEAD FOR DSBC FESTIVAL 2021

N 2020 most of the regular fishing competitions had to be cancelled, so we’re very excited to see that sponsors and organising committees are busy planning bumper events for 2021. Mark Wilson from SKI-BOAT magazine spoke to Hilton Kidger about the upcoming Durban Ski-Boat Club Festival...

SB: So Mr Kidger, what is on the cards for 2021? HK: I am pleased to say that the DSBC Festival is once again up and running for 2021 and we have secured a long weekend to boot. Registration will take place on 23 April and the fishing days will be 24 and 25 April, with Monday 26 April being our back-up day in the event of foul weather on either the Saturday or Sunday. We also have a bonus in that Tuesday, 27 April, is a public holiday. SB: That means anglers can make a long weekend of it for themselves and their families? HK: Indeed, and it also allows us to have this as a bad weather day if necessary. All in all, we are gearing up for a fourday bash one way or another.We will be having live entertainment from the Friday night to the Tuesday. We will also be using this opportunity to celebrate the occupation of our new location with 150 metres of beachfront — it doesn’t get better than that. It is also the 20th anniversary of this event, so that’s another reason to celebrate and thank our sponsors. SB: Being a long weekend, if you take the Monday off, with Tuesday the 27th a holiday, this sounds like good news for out of town entrees and families who will check in at B&Bs etc. 34 • SKI-BOAT January/February 2021

HK: It will certainly promote tourism and all accommodation units in the area will be booked out. After the impact of Covid-19 this will be welcome relief for the accommodation business. It is also good news for the fishing charter companies who will have their boats full. As a point of interest, we launch over 6 000 boats a year from our facility, so the DSBC, with its safe launch, is ver y much in demand as a fishing venue for out of towners. We always welcome them and we strive to be the “friendliest Club on the coast”. SB: Where will all the boats park? HK: On the beach as usual, and of course there will be top class security right through to Wednesday morning. Besides our tractor, CMH are on board with eight tow vehicles, all kitted out with Warn winches from Mr. Winch, so all launching and retrieving will be done by professionals. SB: The impact of Covid-19 must surely have put pressure on your traditional sponsors to support you as they have in the past. HK:That is a fact, but I am delighted to say that we already have Yamaha on board who have committed two 60hp 4-stroke motors. Yamaha have been with us since day one, and we’re enormously grateful for that! With this kind of backing, and with the fantastic assistance of Seacat, Durban Yamaha and Natal Caravan and Marine, we can once again offer a prize of a fully kitted out 520 Seacat on galvanised trailer with Lowrance electronics and Club Marine Insurance for a year. The winner also has a choice between forward- or centre console Seacat. Valued at R500 000 this prize is

quite something. All you have to do to win it is catch the biggest ’cuda and it’s yours. One of the important considerations, is that by making the biggest ’cuda the yardstick, it gives everyone the opportunity of taking line honours. These fish occur mainly in shallow water, between 10 metres and 25 metres deep, so no matter the size of your rig, you are in with a chance. We also limit the northern boundary to Tongaat River mouth and the southern boundary to the Amanzimtoti River. This limits the big boats that have the muscle to get further up north or south where the big ’cuda occur. In short, the playing fields are levelled. SB: It looks like your new venue is world class and will allow the public in general to enjoy the vibe. HK: That’s for sure! The view from the promenade will be magnificent, and the public will be able to experience this Festival as if they were in the “grand stand”. For many this will be a very first experience and they will be very much part of the vibe. Thank goodness it won’t be a virtual event! SB: These fishing events often just cater for the anglers, is that true of your festival too? HK: Stop right there! This is very much a family weekend, and the emphasis will be on entertainment for all the family including moms, dads, children and grandparents. SB: Any other tips for our readers? HK: Get to The Kingfisher and get your equipment in top class condition; don’t forget to sharpen your hooks, and tie them on properly — you don’t want to lose that prize-winning fish!

SKI-BOAT January/February 2021 â&#x20AC;¢ 35

COMPETITIONS

BLUEFIN TAKES THE TROPHY Two Oceans Mini Tuna Derby 2020 By Gavin Dave, Chairman of Atlantic Boat Club

N 2020 COVID-19 made it impossible to plan or organise the usual Two Oceans Tuna Derby. However, when it was clear that we were able to fish again,Atlantic Boat Club and Two Oceans Marine Manufacturing decided to hold a “Mini Two Oceans Tuna Derby” over two days, with a minimal entry fee and a cash prize for the winners.The competition involved fishing and drinks on the dock afterwards, with no functions at the club, which the Two Oceans Tuna Derby is so well known for. Conditions were looking great for the weekend of 14-15 November 2020 at 19 boats entered. The Two Oceans Mini Tuna Derby was much like 2020 — very strange to say the least, with not many winners but those that did win, won BIG! Out of 19 boats that fished we had only one fish to weigh, but what a fantastic fish it was! A 147.15kg bluefin tuna is the fish of a lifetime for any angler. The winning angler and only catch of the competition was Delon Walker fishing on Heliox. The current South African record for a southern bluefin tuna on 80 lb tackle is 107.80kg by Dirk Bester in 1996 off Cape Point. Delon’s fish is nearly 1.5 times that size, which is incredible! Hout Bay once again showed what a world class fishery we have in our Cape waters, and a huge thanks again to our long time Tuna Derby sponsor, Two Oceans Marine, for once again making it possible. Delon Walker and Kirk Gemmel shared their story below …

WHAT A DAY! By Delon Walker and Kirk Gemmell On the weekend of 14 November 2020, Atlantic Boat Club (ABC) hosted the Two Oceans Mini Derby in Hout Bay. It was a scaled down version of the original annual event due to COVID restrictions. A group of friends decided to enter the competition on the good boat Heliox, a charter operated vessel owned and skippered by Delon Walker. At 5am on day one we headed in a direction of 270° from Hout Bay, and at about 19 nm we observed a lot of bait

Riaan Coetzer, Delon Walker, Warwick Forde and Kirk Gemmell with the prize-winning 147.15kg bluefin tuna that was caught off Heliox on 15 November 2020. Photo by Gary Lategan. and some longfin on the surface. With signs looking positive, we put lines in, in the hope of getting stuck into a Derby contender. When the first catch report call-up came at 11am things were looking bleak as none of the boats had anything to report.At this time we noticed a long liner about 15 nm south of our position. A decision was made— lines up and run! The further south we went, the more the weather conditions deteriorated, with the south westerly picking up. Fifty minutes later lines were back in the water, and after our second time past the longliner on the starboard side, mayhem struck! The reel started screaming with the starboard short corner rod bent over. For that rod, the nominated angler was Delon Walker, and the fight was on! The fish’s initial run was straight down and he kept going in the same direction for ten minutes, and fought deep for another 30 minutes. The fish then shot straight up to the surface 500m from the boat, and headed away

and around the stern of the boat. The decision was made to start following the fish as we were drifting too fast. At this stage we knew it was a big fish, but we had no idea what was to come of it. Some skilful boat manoeuvring was required to follow the fish in the choppy conditions as it frequently changed direction. Inevitably a few harsh words were exchanged. Seventy minutes later we had a visual on the fish. We suspected it was a big eye or a bluefin, but all we knew for sure was that it was huge! Minutes later we had the fish swimming parallel to the boat, just out of gaffing range. Delon took one step back, pulling the fish centimetres closer. Riaan was ready and, at exactly the right time, secured the gaff and pulled the fish to the side of the boat.Warwick secured the second gaff. The next challenge was how to get the fish into the boat. The decision was made to secure the fish with two ropes and then take a breather. Finally Riaan managed to get a rope through the gill plate and mouth, and Kirk got the rope on the tail. SKI-BOAT January/February 2021 • 37

With a huge effort from all four anglers and a bit of good timing with the swell, we managed to pull the fish over the gunnel and into the boat. We informed the control boat that we landed a contender and at the 2pm call up it was revealed that this was the only fish landed at that stage. At 4pm we headed for the scales. As we came alongside there was great anticipation to see what this bluefin would weigh. The scale revealed a surprising weight of 147.15kg! It was a possible record in a few categories. On day two poor conditions prevailed and none of the boats caught anything. Our spirits were still high, though, as we realised weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d won the Mini Tuna Derby with our bluefin. At prize giving we were crowned the winners and it was mentioned that this was the biggest tuna ever caught in the history of this competition. Team Heliox would like to thank Atlantic Boat Club and Two Oceans Marine for successfully hosting and sponsoring the 2020 Tuna Mini Derby during these difficult times. The winning Team: Delon Walker (skipper), Riaan Coetzer, Warwick Forde and Kirk Gemmell. The winning formula: Rod: Trailblazer 50/80 lb Reel: AVET PRO EXW 50/2 Line: T-Line / 37kg IGFA rated Lure: BigT kona (Plett Pusher) For enquiries about chartering Heliox in Cape Town contact Delon Walker on 083 330 8033, visit <www.helioxcharters.co.za> or find Heliox Charters on Facebook and Instagram.

38 â&#x20AC;˘ SKI-BOAT January/February 2021

Angler Delon Walker with his 147.15kg bluefin tuna caught in November 2020.

HISTORY Frikkie van der Westhuizen with a magnificent bluefin tuna caught off the Cape.

By Brian Cohen and Hymie Steyn

40 â&#x20AC;¢ SKI-BOAT January/February 2021

N the November issue of SKI-BOAT Hymie Steyn interviewed Brian Cohen about the giant bluefin tuna fishery which existed brief ly in False Bay in the late 1960s. During the time the bluefin visited that area of our coastline Brian managed to catch 42 of the giants. The first article in this series gave a general overview of the fishery and when it first came into being; in this, the second part of the three-part series, Brian discusses some of the detail of how the fish were hooked and fought… BOATS AND HOW THEY WERE RIGGED The boats used in the early days were ordinary displacement hulls, all in the 30- to 45 foot range. Most of the boats were slow, averaging eight to 10 knots. Speranza, belonging to the Hare brothers from Kalk Bay, was capable of doing 25 knots which was phenomenal for that time. Volante, which belonged to Bruno Mercorio, was an extremely successful boat as far as bluefin was concerned. Bruno did incredibly well, and he landed the most giant bluefin at that time, followed closely by me. Some of the major players in the tuna f leet were Kingfisher (Brian Cohen), BlueBird (David Susman), Pea Hawk (Geoff Sonnenberg) and Marlin (John Robertson). The other boats of note would be The Plettenberg, which belonged to Reggie Vos and Vic Edwards, and Nimbus, which belonged to Jimmy Rawbone-Viljoen from Gordons Bay. Neville Wall on Orca also landed several bluefin. Poketta was also one of the boats in the fleet.And there were several other boats that came there from time to time including The Fisherman belonging to Lennie Payne, and Seabreeze belonging to Charlie Haylett. As far as the fighting chairs were concerned, initially we had the ordinary fighting chair without the footrest, which was the standard chair used when fishing for longfin and yellowfin tuna off Cape Point. However, those chairs didn’t provide enough leverage for fighting these giant bluefin. David Susman and Mike Stott both had a lot of experience catching giant bluefin off Canada and off Bimini, and they explained that we need to have footrests fitted so that we could fight the fish in a much more favourable position. Some of the boats had these built in factories in Cape Town and other ones who were more fortunate, like David Susman on Blue Bird, were able to import ver y sophisticated fighting chairs made by Pompanette, which was the most famous fighting chair for bluefin at that time. In those days they already cost several thousand rand.

Vic Cohen in a fighting chair fighting a tuna using a Penn Seanator 12/0 reel. These were fitted to a few select boats, making them the ultimate from the bluefin fighting point of view.The other boats all made do with local homemade fighting chairs with newly attached footrests. TACKLING UP The tackle used was obviously nearly all 130 lb class. The rods were the normal tuna rods that were used for longfin and yellowfin, and the Senator Penn reels were standard fittings in those days and could be bought from Jack Lemkus Sports in Cape Town. Senator 12/0 was the ideal reel for giant bluefin; it held about 500 yards of Dacron. There were various makes of Dacron, and some anglers preferred one kind and others preferred another, but they were all in the 130 lb class, which was more or less the ceiling for the bluefin. Multirex Dacron came out towards the latter part of those days; it was 180 lb breaking strain, which was the maximum allowed by IGFA at that time. It was extremely strong and very, very good and proved to be very successful when targeting giant bluefin. The standard 130 lb class Dacron which was very popular and used by most of us at that time, was Millwood Terraline and it was green.We would fill the Penn Senator 12/0 reels with 500 yards of 120 lb line and we never really went below that. The 9/0 reels were more for yellowfin and longfin off Cape Point and were not man enough to do the job on bluefin. Of course, we then go to the Rolls Royce of fishing reels, the Gold Finnor which was from America. I was fortunate enough to have a 12/0 Finnor reel, which could hold 600 yards of 130 lb Dacron similar to the 12/0 Penn Senator.The Finnor was normally rigged

to fit the Bimini Tycoon rod with Finnor eyes and fittings. Finnor reels were made of durallium, which was the type of metal used in aircraft. It was a gold colour and it looked magnificent. It had a gear change on the side so one could fight with either a three-to-one reduction or two-to-one reduction, and certain reels were fitted with two gear changes — two-to-one for fighting the tuna when it was all off at a distance, and then when the tuna arrived alongside the boat and one needed to bring the trace up, you could change the gear down to one-to-one. It was extremely expensive — R1 000 to R1 500 for a reel which was a fortune in those days. Jack Lemkus Sports would import them specifically for buyers. The wealthier anglers would use nothing but a Finnor but there weren’t many around because of the exorbitant price, and they certainly were the number one to use. GETTING THEM HOOKED As far as fighting the giant bluefin was concerned, there were lots of inferior 130 lb class lines, and one that comes to mind was called Green Spot. It was a thinner type of line and was brought out with great enthusiasm, but it turned out to be a complete flop. Many giant bluefin were lost with this Green Spot line which unfortunately snapped on many occasions after long fights. The number one spot in Fish Hoek Bay to anchor on the buoy was about 100 metres off Sunnycove Station. The water depth there was six and a half fathoms up to seven fathoms, dropping down to five fathoms. We felt this was the number one spot because when the new incoming bluefin came into Fish Hoek Bay they worked their way around the SKI-BOAT January/February 2021 • 41

Brian Grobler’s 571 lb bluefin hooked off Fish Hoek in 1966. Photo from Field and Tide.

42 • SKI-BOAT January/February 2021

Sunnycove Station side into the bay and we felt that this was en route to them arriving in the bay, so if one could anchor off Sunnycove Station and begin chumming, then it made sense that the new bluefin, which would be working their way into Fish Hoek Bay for their initial visit, would immediately be attracted to the chum and would not be aware of the fact that the boats were targeting them. The bluefin were very, very clever and it was a great problem to get them to take the bait with a hook and line in. We had to resort to trying all sorts of different tactics. For instance, I would go to Glencairn swimming pool with several different kinds of seven strand wire and we’d paint them with several different colours of paint to look less obvious in the water. We tried turquoise, copper, green, light blue and dark blue to see which was the least conspicuous to use for these giant bluefin. There were also all sorts of other tricks to consider. I developed, a wonderful technique for when we anchored and we started chumming. We didn’t initially put the lines into the water, we would just carry on with a chum slick of bait, which was the main method of attract-

ing the bluefin to the boat. When we were on anchor at the buoy and the giant bluefin came up and started eating the chum, we would get them feeding freely over a period of about 15 or 20 minutes without any line or hooks in the water so the bluefin would become totally happy to take everything that hit the water and they didn’t have to be aware of any danger areas which they were certainly very capable of doing. Then, once the bluefin were relaxed, especially if there were two or three at a time, I would take a baited hook and put that amongst a handful of chum and let it go down. More often than not, because they were so relaxed, the bluefin would take the bait with hook as well as the handful of chum which would sink down with it. The normal thing when one arrived at the spot was to put the anchor down and then put a buoy at the end of the anchor so we could release that instantly once the tuna was hooked and would be able to give chase and gain line. Once we were on anchor and the chumming process began, there were normally two sets of bluefin tackle put out — one would have a whole live

chokka on it if we could get that, which would be on the end of a wire trace, a seven strand trace which was normally 12 foot long.At the end of the trace we would attach a normal toyshop balloon, which would float the bait and let it go back about 20 or 30 metres into the wake where the line of chum would go past. That bait would be three- to five metres below the surface and would float there while we waited. The other rod and reel would normally be attached to a live mackerel (if we could get one) which would be hooked through the back. The trace would be attached to an “outrigger” — a long five- to ten metre pole that would be put out from the side of the boat.We attached that to the end of the trace with a peg or a bicycle handle. We had to elevate it to the level where the whole live mackerel would be just in the water, so it would be jumping around and splashing and kicking, but be attached at all times to the outrigger. This often proved irresistible to the bluefin and it was an unbelievable sight when they came rushing up from the deeper water and jumped out of the water to take the mackerel. The outrigger line would then snap from the peg and the reel would go screaming off.

Aerial view of Fish Hoek circa 1972. Boats used to anchor in areas marked with x.

SKI-BOAT January/February 2021 • 43

A typical scene on a boat in the 60s showing Gold Finnor reels and banana butt rods used by Brian Cohen and Bruno Mercorio.

Jimmy Rawbone-Viljoen and Roy Hare with Roy’s 550 lb bluefin tuna caught off Nimbus. The outrigger bait would always be on a ver y tight drag, so when the bluefin hit the bait hard the hook would immediately be sunk into the mouth and the bluefin would take off at great speed. In contrast, the line off the back of the boat with a balloon would be on virtually no drag — in free spool — and once the bluefin took that bait (normally the squid) which was about three metres below the surface, it would go off quietly for about 30 or 40 metres on free spool before we picked up the rod to strike and then put on the drag after the fish took off on its first run. DOWN TO THE FIGHT When it comes to the fight, I could talk forever about that. These bluefin were giants and we called them express 44 • SKI-BOAT January/February 2021

Alby Upton’s 500 lb bluefin landed in 40 minutes.

trains and tanks because of their strength. They would take off at great speed on the first run and it was quite common for them to use four or five hundred yards of line on the first run. If the anchor was not immediately thrown off and was not attached to a buoy then there was no way at all that one could successfully land the fish that took the bait, because before one could even get the boat manoeuvred into place or the engine started, the entire reel would be emptied and the line would obviously part. The fight was certainly something that had to be done very skilfully. In the very beginning we learned a lot from our mistakes and many, many giant bluefin were unfortunately lost because of our ignorance. The main method of going after the bluefin once the fish took the bait and the reel went off screaming for the first run, was for somebody to run to the bow and throw the buoy attached to the anchor line over the front of the boat. With that done, in less than half a minute the engines could be started, and the boat could give chase, which would help the angler recover some line. Many bluefin were lost when they went under the boat or if the crew were not quick enough to throw the buoy. This was the most dangerous time from our point of view because the bluefin might go under the boat into the props, or the buoy might get hooked into the anchor ropes once it was thrown into the water. This could cause damage to the line which would part.

There was also another problem in that there were often lots of commercial fishing boats in Fish Hoek catching chokka and mackerel, and they were also all at anchor. Often with a long 400 or 500 yard run, our line would go past the various commercial boats, foul their anchors or catch all their chokka lines which would all be fouled up and, more often than not, eventually break.We had to use certain methods to keep tight onto the bluefin to try and them out of the bay into clearer waters. Bruno Mercorio was especially skilled in fighting the giant bluefin and often managed to get his fish right into the breakers in Fish Hoek Bay after he’d fought them for several hours in the deep water in False Bay. The boat would sometimes have to chase the giant generally averaging four to ten kilometres from Fish Hoek Bay, from a water depth of about six to seven fathoms, right up to the centre of the bay where the water went up to thirty or forty fathoms. That made things very, very difficult. Once the bluefin got us out into the middle of the bay or down towards Cape Hangklip into the ver y deep water, they would go down very deep and one would have to pump and bring them up from great depths. That was a huge task, and often too much for the angler who would, more often than not, have to give up. It was certainly a mammoth task. I once managed to get a bluefin of 600 pounds to the boat in 30 minutes, but the standard fight would average three hours, with some going up to four or five hours. My biggest giant bluefin

Mike Youngelson’s 665 lb bluefin caught on 5 January 1965. Photo from Field and Tide.

took about five-and-a-half hours to bring to the boat, but I can tell many stories of fights on T he Plettenberg, T he Fisherman, Nimbus and Seabreeze which went on for eight-, ten- or even twelve hours. Then there’s the giant that Boet du Toit hooked on my boat, Kingfisher. Boet was a one-armed angler who was very famous at that time; he was a very skilled angler despite his disability. We fought that bluefin for 18-and-a-half hours, but Boet had to give up after eleven hours. One couldn’t really blame him that he couldn’t handle it any longer as he was physically exhausted, so Roelf Van der Merwe took over and fought the fish for another four or five hours. Unfortunately, after fighting it for 18 hours and ending up almost 50km from Fish Hoek Bay between Cape Hangklip and Hermanus, the line parted.We were devastated because we saw it ver y clearly on numerous occasions and estimated that fish to be well in excess of 1 000 lb. Poor old Boet was in tears and he couldn’t get up for three days after that. CHALLENGES OF GAFFING Gaffing the giants was very difficult because that was also a dangerous time. Sometimes after a long fight the giants were belly up when they came to the boat, but that was not the norm. Bluefin would often be quite green when you got them to the boat after three or four hours, and then somebody with special gloves had to take the trace. This was allowed by IGFA as long as they held the wire trace and only for the final

Piet Bornman caught a 609 lb bluefin off Portifino on 31 December 1965. Skipper: Jan Jenkins

couple of metres. Physically trying to pull the bluefin to within gaffing distance was very, very difficult and the hook would often pull, or the trace would break or the bluefin would suddenly dive under the boat and that would be the end of the story. Many bluefin were lost at this stage. We used the local gaffs as best we could and relied a lot on the advice given to us by David Susman. He suggested we use a flying gaff — a very big gaff which was designed specifically for bluefin and marlin, and which was pioneered overseas. These gaffs had a huge hook on the end and were much bigger than the standard yellowfin and longfin gaffs. The end of the hook of the gaff was detachable from the pole used and was attached to a long length of nylon rope; the moment the gaff was sunk into the bluefin the pole would pull free. Once the hook part pulled free of the pole, we would then be able to grab hold of the rope and the bluefin would be more easily brought under control. The flying gaff which we used was top of the range and was made by Pomponette and could be imported, but we also very successfully started locally producing our own types of flying gaffs. This was ver y important because without a flying gaff, unless your bluefin came in belly-up, you had no chance of bringing them to the boat. Once the bluefin was secured to the boat, if it wasn’t over 450 lb (the average for the bluefin we were catching then), then we would attach a rope via a block and tackle pulley type system called a gin pole on the side of the boat

Mike Stott’s bluefin from False Bay. and use that to get it onboard. We would attach a rope around the tail of the giant bluefin which was then attached to the gin pole, and with three or four people pulling it could be manoeuvred and hauled into the boat. This proved to be quite successful for the average size fish, but once the bluefin was bigger than normal there was no way — even with a big, strong block and tackle and pole — that they could be brought into the boat. My two giant bluefin of over 700and 800 lb had to be towed back into Simon’s Town and that was a lengthy business. In the next issue Brian will discuss some of the well known personalities of that era and the likelihood of this type of fishing being seen again. SKI-BOAT January/February 2021 • 45

PRESIDENT’S REPORT

Phillip Marx, SADSAA President

HAT what a year we had in 2020! With a move to Level One of lockdown we are almost, but not quite, back to normal, but I wonder if it will ever be the same again.We have seen businesses close and people lose their incomes in a way that has not been experienced in many, many years. There’s no doubt that we are going to experience a downturn in our numbers next year, so now more than ever, SADSAA needs to be showing our members a good “value proposition”. It is my belief that we are going to see a continuation of the trend that clubs, especially inland clubs in the bigger centres, are experiencing, which is decreasing affiliations. The number of boats that are coming up for sale on a daily basis on the social media platforms and the online sales sites is a direct result of how badly the middle income earners have been affected by 2020’s events. With this in mind, we need to look more closely at ourselves as an organi-

sation and what we can and should be doing for all our fellow anglers, from the recreational weekend warrior to the internationals representing South Africa overseas. Thanks to our input — along with that of the South African Sports Angling and Casting Confederation (SASACC), South African Consolidated Recreational Angling Association (SACRAA) and South African Fishing Tackle Agents and Distributors (SAFTAD) — we saw that angling was one of the first sports to enjoy relaxed restrictions as we moved from level four to level three of the national lockdown. Details of this kind of input need to be spread far and wide, so that the average angler becomes more aware of what we do behind the scenes, rather than thinking that belonging to SADSAA is only for the elite few competitive anglers wishing to rise to the top to wear the green and gold. During the hard lockdown, our Development Officer, Neil Coetzer, was hard at work putting out interesting videos on our Facebook page of everything from how to rig a bottom trace to how to tie a Bimini Twist. We even had the lighter side of things with Protea angler, Richard Hartly, showing us his Banger! These were all extremely well received, and I congratulate Neil on his efforts, but we need

more! We must also thank our senior anglers who have taken the time to write articles for SKI-BOAT magazine. SASACC has been ver y busy through this period as well, and I congratulate Andries Maree and his team for creating a better structure in the area of competitive angling. Neil Coetzer has also been very much part of this process. The SASACC AGM saw the adoption of a number of new SASACC policy documents; these are all structured in such a way as to bring us closer so that we can present a unified face to SASCOC and to the angling world in general. The decision by the SADSAA Action Committee to move 2020’s programme to 2021 has proven to be the right one, and we look forward to getting back to some serious competition again soon.This was not an easy call to make, and we thank all the provinces for their support. At our recent AGM we voted on and accepted certain changes to the SADSAA constitution.These are mostly in an effort to save money. It is hoped that we will be able to run a tighter ship going forward so that these savings can be spent on our anglers and development of new talent. In closing, we wish everyone a fantastic festive season, safe travels and tight lines.

ENVIRONMENTAL PORTFOLIO

ADSAA’s Environmental Officer, Mark Beyl, invited the Minister of Environmental Affairs, Forestry and Fishing (DEFF), Mrs Barbra Creecy, to have a virtual meeting with SADSAA. This meeting was held in September 2020, and was attended by Mr Beyl, SADSAA President, Phillip Marx, and SADSAA Vice-President, Chris Schorn. SADSAA’s goals were to establish an open line of communication with the minister, in order to re-initiate regular meetings; to either revive the now defunct Recreational Fishing Forums or to establish a new consultative forum; and to request that SADSAA be allowed limited access to certain scientific working groups in order to add our input, specifically when it comes to determination of bag limits, MPAs and fish stocks in particular areas. 46 • SKI-BOAT January/February 2021

SADSAA also suggested that a reporting structure be established in order to provide information on potential illegal fishing activities, to assist law enforcement to secure a sustainable fishing industry. It was a very constructive meeting, and the minister and her delegation reacted very positively to the suggestions made by the SADSAA representatives. Minister Creecy has already come back to Mark Beyl, giving him the relevant contact details within the Department in order to set up further meetings related to the different aspects discussed. We extend our thanks to Mark for taking the initiative to try and improve our relationship with DEFF, and trust that it will be of benefit to all our members going forward.

UPCOMING TOURNAMENTS 5–12 February 2021:Two Oceans Marlin Tournament, Struisbaai 21–26 February 2021: Mapelane Billfish Invitational, Mapelane 5–7 March 2021: DSBC Interclub, Durban 8–12 March 2021: SADSAA Bottomfish Nationals, Struisbaai 10–13 March 2021: Marlin Interprovincial, Richards Bay 15–19 March 2021: Mynmanne, Sodwana Bay 26–28 March 2021: Umkomaas Interclub, Umkomaas 2–4 April 2021: Richards Bay Bonanza, Richards Bay 5–9 April 2021: SADSAA Junior Gamefish Nationals, Durban 9–11 April 2021: Umhlanga Festival 12–16 April 2021: SGDSAA Rosebowl, Sodwana 15–25 April 2021:Tuna Masters Hout Bay 23–27 April 2021: DSBC Festival, Durban 24 April – 1 May 2021: GBBAC Offshore Classic, Gordon’s Bay 26–30 April 2021: SADSAA Gamefish Nationals, St Lucia 26 April – 1 May 2021: Port St Francis Ski Boat Challenge 29 April – 2 May 2021: Gonubie Marine Club Inter Club 1–2 May 2021: Umlalazi Cuta Challenge, Umlalazi 6–9 May 2021: Mapelane Trophy Interclub, Mapelane 7–9 May 2021: Shelly Beach Interclub 9–14 May 2021:All Inland InterProvincial, Sodwana Bay 13–16 May 2021:All Coastal InterProvincial, Gonubie 17–22 May 2021:WPDSAA Own Choice Tuna Interprovincial, Miller’s Point 20–22 May 2021: EFSA European Species Championship, Iceland

SADSAA CONTACTS: Email: <info@sadsaa.co.za> Website: <www.sadsaa.co.za>

READERS’ QUERIES SADSAA’s President, Phillip Marx, has undertaken to answer a limited number of readers’ queries regarding SADSAA in each issue. If you have a question you would like answered, email him on <president@sadsaa.co.za>.

RECORDS

OME new records have been registered since our last report. The first, which earned her South African, All African, and Merit Awards, was Karla Rautmann of Western Province, with a 94.9kg yellowfin tuna taken on 24kg line on 31 May 2020. A photo of Karla and her record fish appeared in the September 2020 issue of SKI-BOAT. Congratulations Karla — running away with the Junior records!

The next record was for a 6.36kg giant kingfish (GT), caught by Geraldine Breedt of Zululand, fishing from St Lucia on 29 August 2020. Geraldine used 4kg line for her new South African and All Africa record.Well done, Geraldine! Last but not least, Border angler, Shaun Gericke, accounted for new All Tackle records for South Africa and All Africa, with a 2.6kg threetooth puffer. It’s a strange fish which is being caught quite often off the East London coast of late. Great achievement, Shaun!

NEW COUNCIL MEMBER PROFILE

EET the new SADSAA PRO, Martin du Plessis (FS). Martin fished his first interclub in 1984, and has now been fishing competitively for 36 years, representing Natal, Zululand and the Proteas at various stages. He has served on the Durban Ski Boat Club and Natal Deep Sea Angling Association comittees, and is currently a member of Bloemfontein Diepsee Hengelklub Whilst still being actively involved, fishing at club and provincial levels, the latter part of Martin’s fishing career has been devoted to the development of juniors and serving on various committees and councils. He has run numerous clinics, including a clinic for the Free State Juniors just prior to lockdown Martin’s goal is to give back to a sport that has given him so much. He will continue to fish competitively, and was recently selected to represent Free State at the 2020 Bottomfish Nationals at Struisbaai, which was postponed to 2021. However, Martin would like to devote the majority of his time and energy to the administrative, development and PR side of fishing. Martin has moved up through the fishing ranks, from the ground to senior level committees, and has strong relationships with a vast number of people ˚n the SA fishing community. He has also travelled abroad extensively for both work and fishing, and built numerous strong relationships with people around the world. Martin is head of the Underlying Ground Rules Committee (Human Capital) in his current organisation, has good business and HC acumen, and is passionate about this. For Martin, passion is key, and he believes a “want or desire” is 95% of the job done. These reasons, along with his passion for the sport of fishing, put Martin in a strong position to carry out the role required by the Public Relations Officer on the SADSAA Council.

SKI-BOAT January/February 2021 • 47

FISHING TALES

Rob Naysmith and Gavin Zurnamer show off Rob’s 47kg yellowfin tuna and the tackle that landed it! 50 • SKI-BOAT January/February 2021

… it must be summer By Rob Naysmith

HE snows have cleared, the air has begun to warm and the Agulhus current has started its summer push around Cape Point and into the Atlantic Ocean. Since May the Atlantic Ocean has been dominated by the cool Benguela current drifting up from the icy polar region of the Southern Atlantic, and thankfully so. It brings with it the nutrients to begin the food chain — plankton blooms that encourage our pilchards, anchovies, mackerel, and many other similar species, to breed. With an abundance of food comes an abundance of spawn, and so it filters its way up the food chain … right up to the yellowfin tuna. Every year, soon after the first full moon in October, the tuna start to make their appearance. Despite all the other chaos we’ve endured, in this respect 2020 was true to form. Usually the bigger class of 15- to 30kg longfin tuna begin to arrive in the deep grounds of the Canyon around this time, however, they can be unreliable early in the season, and are very quick to move on when conditions and food aren’t yet up

to their expectations. Another batch of tuna arrive at the same time as the longfin tuna — the ever exciting, adrenalin pumping, back breaking yellowfin tuna the Cape waters have become world renowned for. These tuna are attracted by the huge shoals of anchovies that mass off Cape Point at this time of year, and are found in an area which we now call the “Dumping Ground” starting 8- to 10 miles off the Point. This area got its name from the ammunition dumping area marked as a big red circle on the navigation charts; such features make for excellent points of reference when landmarks are hard to see. FISH WITH ATTITUDE The early fish are generally in the smaller 25- to 50kg class, and although I have caught a few that reach the 100kg mark, they are more of a rarity. Now don’t be disillusioned by their size, these fish arrive with a different attitude to those we catch out in the deeper waters where the trawlers and long-line boats operate.These fish jump! In fact, if they don’t jump, they’re usually not there. And when they’re jumping, they are

high-powered and as cheeky as sin, but they can also be the most difficult tuna to catch. Why do they jump you ask? It’s because of the balls of food, predominantly anchovies, that scatter in all directions when attacked. In the latter part of October 2020 I got an invite to chase these yellowfin on a classic Cape Town tuna sportfisher — Corsair. Owned by my friend Gavin Zurnamer, Corsair is not only one of the most beautiful boats I’ve ever seen, but she also has a remarkable history of being a great fish attractor. I had the privilege of skippering her for a few years and I cannot remember a trip where we returned without a fish; she is phenomenal. But I digress … I guess that’s what happens when a head filled with so many old memories is allowed to wander. With a weather forecast of light winds all day and a swell dropping from 3 to 2.5m during the day, we left Simons Town harbour at 7am for our run down the False Bay coast, past Millers Point, towards Cape Point. I know many readers will frown on our late start, but here’s the thing — life is about choices.

Left: Corsair, a legend among Cape sportfishers. Right: Some of the lures that work well for jumping yellowfin. SKI-BOAT January/February 2021 • 51

52 â&#x20AC;¢ SKI-BOAT January/February 2021

You can choose to get up before the birds and race out there to catch a fish, or you can get good at fishing, wake up later, take a comfortable ride out and catch lots of fish. What I really enjoy about fishing on Corsair is that I no longer have to drive; that’s a big plus. I can spend my time reminiscing with Gavin, sharing the librar y of fishing adventures we’ve enjoyed over the years, and laughing at the things we got up to. Like the time we thought it was a great idea to handline a yellowfin on 6m of 400 lb trace line tied to the back of Jabulani. It was the first time we’d seen a really angry tuna jumping and snarling — until the 14/0 circle hook straightened like a needle. Oh yes, on Corsair I also get to work the back deck for a change — that’s my home. READING THE SIGNS Back to our October trip … After an unsuccessful stab at some yellowtail around the Point we moved out eight miles to begin our search for the shoals of jumping yellowfin that had commandeered the airwaves since they arrived a few weeks before. For some bizarre reason, these yellowfin only start to show themselves around 10am; maybe they also learned the “early start to catch a fish” principle. My theory is that they wait for the angle of the light to silhouette the anchovy shoals. With a troll spread of six outfits out the back of the boat, we scanned the ocean for signs. Knowing what signs to look for when you’re tuna fishing is the most fundamental element to success. Spotting birds is a sign, but which birds and their actions is the secret. Sea surface condition is another sign, but spotting a current line or a shiny oil slick is the secret. A frenzy of boiling water with tuna and tiny baitfish breaking the surface in all directions holds no hidden secrets. With the weather gurus having wasted their money predicting the Lotto, what chance did we have of an accurate forecast? The south-westerly wind was whipping up a few whitecaps and deep troughs, making for an uncomfortable sea state.The best place to be in such a situation is in the saloon, drinking coffee and tucking into the lunchbox … which invariably leads to an eventual doze.And so it came to be — until all hell broke loose. Feet banging on the cabin roof, yelling from the bridge and the clattering of rods akin to a bout of fencing indicated pandemonium had struck. A massive shoal of wild yellowfin harassing a quiet neighborhood of anchovies had popped up within casting distance of the boat. Over a 60-something year lifespan of fishing, one develops an instinct — a natural, unsolicited reaction, almost something from deep in the DNA that

Jared Zurnamer was thrilled with his beaut of a yellowfin caught the same day. possesses your body. It was a blur from the couch to watching a popping plug flying through the air towards the boiling mass. I know I didn’t do it on purpose; I wouldn’t be that insane. That “Oh no!” feeling paralysed me; that feeling where you just know things are not going to end well. The popper landed on the far side of the shoal, leaving me only one direction home — through the minefield. At that point it is of no concern whether one retrieves fast or slow, something is going to try to break that popper … there’s no sneaking home through the back door. TROUBLE ON THE HORIZON An enormous black-backed bucketmouth, followed by a huge yellow sickle fin erupted behind the popper and simply inhaled it; my life flashed before my eyes. As much as I tried to avoid setting the hooks, the fish did it for me. It was at that very moment that I remembered exactly why I had chosen to stop catching these fish years ago. Gavin hooked up at the same time, so with a quick one-two, we sorted out our lines and separated the fish. Still in disbelief at what I had just done, I allowed my fish to get clear of the boat and troll lines we still had out the back.

In tuna fishing you never willingly give a fish its head, you hang on and stop that fish as soon as possible; you make the fish fight for every inch of line. In my youth hunting yellowfin was a passion, just like the new and younger anglers of today. I used techniques that landed many fish over 90kg in under five minutes, but I’ve also spent over four hours of absolute pain and misery at the fins of a few. Funny how we remember the worst experiences in a time of crisis, and I was in crisis mode. I stood there pinned against the gunwale, holding a long rod with a coffee grinder reel; the fish was having its way with me. I thought back to my years as a boy, standing in the Umgeni River using a coffee grinder to flick bread to shoals of hungry mullet … and now I was connected to the brute of the sea with one; that’s just wrong. And using a long rod on a fish that fights up and down — that’s just as crazy. Gavin’s 46kg yellowfin was in the boat within minutes, having smoked his popper like a fat cigar, and choosing defeat over a complete system flush each time it tried to run anywhere. I, in the meantime, had managed to dump a comfortable 200 metres of braid into the Atlantic — 200 metres that I was going to have to wind back with a very angry fish on the end. I’ve been asked many times what I think about during a fight — what gives me the staying power and determination to hang on to a big fish for what may seem like an eternity? Let the truth be told: I just want my lure back. In typical tuna fashion, my fish sounded and the fight quickly turned from one of long surface retrieves to short, quick strokes with the rod fully bent at all times. This technique keeps the fish facing you, not allowing it to turn and take line; it has to swim towards you. Long rods are designed for casting and softer, more forgiving retrieves on a fish, so they’re probably the worst rods to be holding when you’re attached to a tuna — and I was. MAKING THE TACKLE WORK Now I’m one of those anglers who prefers to allow the tackle to do the work. Why own a dog and still do the barking yourself? There was only one solution — shorten the rod. That led to raucous laughter from those who noticed I had taken to riding the rod butt like a horse. With my hands wrapped around the first guide, I now had a six foot rod instead of an 11 foot rod, and a lot more pulling power for less effort. One trait of the yellowfin found in this 100- to 200m water, is that they are hugely energetic and regularly visit the surface during a fight. This is unlike the fight of those tuna found out in the Canyon around the hake longline boats SKI-BOAT January/February 2021 • 53

and trawlers; those fish sound immediately on hook-up, fight more doggedly and stay down for the duration of the fight. My personal preference is for a tuna to stay down where I can exert maximum and sustained pressure on it. The tuna on the end of my line was a classic zippy, in-shore yellowfin — deep down one minute and zinging across the surface seconds later, ripping line off the grinder. Old memories flooded back — memories of that old stalemate scenario where neither opponent wants to concede defeat. We settled down to the good old cranking and grinding till my arms ached, just to gain about 20m of line, then I had to stand and watch the fish take it all back plus interest, as if I didn’t exist. Yup, that’s the hardest part with tuna fishing — just when you think you’re winning, you’re not. And here’s a heads-up to anyone about to do their first battle with a big yellowfin: hang in there, even when your brain starts to tell you that the fish is going to beat you, hang in there.They do eventually give up, and very often quite dramatically too. From a heavy fish down deep, thudding its head, swimming in one direction, it will change to swimming in ever decreasing circles on its way to the boat. After what seemed like an eternity, my fish decided to show itself on the surface about 20m off the starboard

54 • SKI-BOAT January/February 2021

bow. The retrieve turned to one of frenetic cranking on the grinder with the rod pointed above the fish, and it slowly came towards the boat. Suddenly there was chaos, and gaffs appeared from nowhere, with Gavin shouting, “Now you have it!” and my body saying,“Thank goodness!” As it turned out, the fish was just coming to have a look at what was annoying it so much. I swear I saw it smile as it cruised effortlessly past, out of gaff range, still looking quite healthy, and proceeded to tear another 30- to 40m of line off the grinder. I’ve caught hundreds of big yellowfin over the years and it’s still a total mind-bend when they do that; it’s really not sporting! NOW YOU HAVE IT ... OR NOT This scenario repeated itself another four times, with Gavin saying each time, “Now you have it!” I eventually had to ask him politely to please stop saying that, because the fish could hear him. Then the opportunity came again in similar style — fish on the surface, crank like a demon and put maximum pressure … This time it swam a little too close to the boat, and the first gaff got it on the side of the gill plate. Gavin the gaffman flew past me en-route down the gunwale, so his son, Jared, braced against the transom, had no option but to just stick his gaff into a boiling cauldron of white water, thrashing fins and a

barrage of instructions that could definitely have been delivered with more finesse — and hope something stuck. And there it was, all 47kg of my tuna motionless on the deck, spent in every way, with bright, radiant colours reflecting in the sunlight. As I’ve done since boyhood, as a sign of respect to this and all those hard fighting fish gone before, I removed my cap in admiration. Once a tuna is on the deck you need to take care of it. Dispatch it as quickly and humanely as possible; bleeding is secondary, with the heart still pumping. Get as much blood and adrenaline out of the fish as possible, remove the innards and get its core body temperature down fast. As callous as this may sound, it’s the right thing to do if you are going to kill a fish. Flaked ice in the body cavity and chilled water slurry all over its body is the secret to a perfect tuna steak or fillet. Soon we were back on the troll — well the others were anyway; I had a couch that needed comforting.Through the drone of the diesel engines came that all too familiar sound of a screaming 50 lb reel. Again instinct took over and I quickly found myself skidding across the deck towards a fully bent rod with line melting off the reel.Then reality hit home. I casually turned around and walked back into the cabin saying, “Not my rod.” That fish became Jared’s problem.

PLACES

WELCOME TO TANDWENI VILLA Tigerfishing from a luxury base

ESTLED between the Lebombo mountains and the western escarpment, lies Lake Jozini, South Africa’s largest impoundment containing tigerfish. Targeting these awesome predators on light tackle produces extreme excitement within a spectacular environment that oozes tranquility. Ski-boaters who have not yet experienced the fishing on Lake Jozini have certainly missed out. Fishing from one’s own ski-boat and exploring this large expanse of water while endeavouring to catch its tigerfish — working out where to fish and how to fish compared to the tactics we normally use on the ocean — adds a new dimension of intrigue and pleasure to the day’s outing. Tandweni Villa offers two aspects that will appeal to any ski-boater. First, the opportunity to use one’s own craft at a very different venue, and second the opportunity to soak up luxury in the midst of a beautiful African landscape with a game reserve feel.This will no doubt appeal to every ski-boat crew member — and their better halves. Situated on the western shore of Lake Jozini within the Pongola 56 • SKI-BOAT January/February 2021

Biosphere Reserve,Tandweni Villa offers you the ultimate relaxing getaway in a privately owned, modern villa with breathtaking views. The villa boasts expansive open spaces with large glass doors and windows, giving guests panoramic views of the bush as well as Lake Jozini, the Lebombo mountain ranges and the Jozini gorge. With five bedrooms and five bathrooms, including a master suite, Tandweni Villa comfortably accommodates ten adults. It’s the ideal getaway for families or groups of friends looking to enjoy a relaxing break away from the hustle and bustle of ever yday life. Spacious lounge and dining areas, all with expansive views of the natural surroundings, allow you to unwind and soak up Africa’s beauty. Take your own boat along and try to tame Africa’s most ferocious freshwater gamefish, the tigerfish, or else make use of Tandweni Villa’s own 26ft Buttcat. The private mooring jetty makes it easy to head out on the water and see if you can reel in a big catch or enjoy the magnificent sunsets with a sundowner in hand. Both fishing and pleasure trips are catered for, and there are plenty of great

game viewing opportunities out on the lake and on land. The villa also has a plunge pool where guests can lounge away the day in the African heat, and in the evening you can enjoy a fire and braai in the outdoor boma under the stars whilst sipping on a beverage and reliving the day’s special moments. Other conveniences are a wellequipped gym, as well as a fenced off enclosure that offers guests the opportunity to take a walk in the bush and feed the tame nyala.The venue is a great bush experience for the kids with plenty of space to let them run free and be wild at heart. Tandweni Villa is only three-and-ahalf hours’ drive from Durban or six hours from Johannesburg, but guests can also make use of the exclusive grass airstrip access and aeroplane hangar which offers the convenience and luxury of flying in to Tandweni Villa for an unforgettable break. For further enquiries, and details of tailor-made packages or specials, contact Danica on 0836266001, email <admin@tandweni.co.za> or view more about this amazing getaway destination at <www.tandweni.co.za>.

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60 â&#x20AC;¢ SKI-BOAT January/February 2021

TACKLE

Superficial external corrosion only; externally washed down and sprayed with Q20 before line removed. By Paul Nixon RING out the “big guns”, it’s marlin season and the huge yellowfin have arrived off Sodwana, Richards Bay and Cape Point! The season for hunting these special fish is upon us, and it’s these excursions out on the ocean that we plan for and dream about all year. So much goes into preparing for the long haul to these trophy fish destinations, and that is where the word “service” is heard over and over again. We service our tow vehicle, boat trailer, boat motors and everything we need to get onto the water to fulfill that dream. But what about our fishing tackle? That’s unfortunately an afterthought for most of us, and yet a realistic look at this aspect quickly confirms that one’s rod and reel are the most important of all once you’re on the water. When one is harnessed up and attached to a huge, ballistic marlin, only then do you start weighing up the options and that your reel doesn’t disintegrate in a pall of smoke causing the special fish to remain just a dream gone wrong. How can you ensure that doesn’t happen to you? So often when the “big gun” is pulled out of storage after a year’s hibernation a dusting off of the cob-

webs and a quick spray of lubricant on the roller guides and reel’s exterior surfaces is all the tackle gets before the angler thinks he’s ready to go fishing. Whilst I acknowledge that the components of big game rods and reels have been fine-tuned to withstand great pressures — and certainly do — if they’re properly serviced prior to being taken into battle, not only do you have a better chance of staying attached to your quarry, but you also know that the reel will stay smooth and cool for the duration of a long fight. Think of your reel as a high performance race car, built for extremes, yet needing highly skilled and quality service teams and lubricants to keep it going well. The 50-, 80- or 130 lb Penn International reels, Shimano Tiagras and the more exotic reels are masterpieces of engineering and deserve the attention to detail necessary to ensure they retain their status as the unbreakable linchpin between man and beast. These big game reels and rods should be professionally serviced at least once a year depending on one’s time on the water, but my advice is that between services the following preventative superficial maintenance routine should be followed religiously… After a day on the ocean, especially on a ski-boat, where your tackle has been subjected to hot sun, salt spray

and hopefully strenuous action, the reel needs a washdown. I recommend using a bucket of fresh water with soap or salt solvent. Use a sponge to thoroughly douse the rod and reel. Don’t ever use a hose, especially a high pressure cleaner — never. Pushing your drag setting to sunset is optional, but in my opinion not essential. Finally, rinse the reel and rod with fresh water and allow them to dry properly before storing, even if you’re only storing it overnight. If you are preparing to store the rods and reels for a long period then an external coating of spray-on silicone

SKI-BOAT January/February 2021 • 61

Note two corrosion spots that have been exposed while fighting fish.

Spool with line removed after 8 years. Note no centre spool corrosion as line was loaded after silicon coating. based lubricant is recommended. Also note that rods and reels need to be stored out of the sun’s reach in a dry, dark environment. Following a fight with a big fish it is highly recommended that the top 200m of line that has endured the most vigorous strain during the fight is run off behind one’s craft. Not only will this reduce the pressure on the reel’s spool, but it also gives you the opportunity to closely inspect every bit of this line by running it through your fingers to check for any abnormalities that may

62 • SKI-BOAT January/February 2021

have damaged it. It is essential to then rewind the line under fairly heavy drag and evenly spread it across the reel’s spool width. I so often discover spool corrosion on these big reels that has been hidden under hundreds of metres of nylon or braid. Saltwater has obviously crept in over time, and so the corrosion pitting begins. I recommend that even with new reels a fine coating of silicon is sprayed or rubbed onto the spool surface and allowed to dry before you spool the line.

I don’t intend to go into the internal components of a big game reel as far as servicing is concerned other than to say that corrosion and caked old grease, worn drag assemblies and tired/rusted bearings are the major source of internal trouble.This can be overcome if you get your reels fully serviced every so often. For further information on reel repairs feel free to contact Paul Nixon on 083 940 6273 or email <fear_no_fly@yahoo.com>.

SCIENTIFIC

John Luef with a tagged Englishman about to be released.

By John Luef

Fred Clarke with a tagged Scotsman.

64 • SKI-BOAT January/February 2021

EEP sea angling can give any angler many exciting and thrilling experiences, but there is little to beat the satisfaction of fighting a nice fish on light tackle, landing it, taking some photos and then tagging the fish and releasing it to fight another day. Hopefully it will get caught again sometime in the future, because these recaptures allow scientists to learn a lot about various aspects of the species. In my opinion anglers generally go through a few phases when getting involved in deep sea angling. First the excitement grabs you and you want to get out there as much as possible and you keep nearly all the fish you catch, only releasing undersize and over quota fish. You also fish with heavy tackle so that you don’t lose any fish hooked. Then, after a while, the initial novelty wears off; you have been involved with the sport longer and have caught some nice fish, and you are more aware of the environmental issues which are normally “preached” by clubs, associations and affiliations involved with the sport. You also start experimenting with lighter tackle. At this stage you start releasing more fish and keeping less.

Finally, when you have been involved with the sport for many years, you become a wiser fair weather fisherman. You discover that light tackle fishing is a lot more exciting and gives you much more pleasure when landing a nice fish, you learn to appreciate the privilege of catching nice fish and releasing them to fight another day, and you only keep one or two fish for the pan.At this stage you often look back at your angling experiences and wonder why you did not do this a long time ago. I have been involved with deep sea angling and the tagging of fish in the Border area for many years now and have noticed a fair increase in many species in our area over the past few years. For example, we have recently experienced a mini “explosion” of dageraad. A few years ago this species was fairly rare, but now they can be caught in abundance at virtually any depth ranging from 10- to 100m. It’s also nice to see that there are numerous fish in and around the 40cm length. Scotsman, rockcod and even Englishman have also experienced nice recoveries, as these species are also being caught in far more abundance than they were a few years ago. In my opinion, this can be mainly attributed to the implementation of the Marine Protected Areas (MPA) in our area by Border Deep Sea Angling Association, which were eventually gazetted into law many years later. Many species resident in these MPAs have become overpopulated and are now moving out of these reserves through MPA spillover. I also believe that an increase in anglers’ awareness of environmental issues and responsibility in that regard has made a difference, as has the cutting back of bag limits over the years. Should these trends of good catches continue, there is a healthy future for our sport in this area. In the last three months, since our hard lockdown due to Covid-19, I have managed to tag close to 180 fish in our area! On one

John Luef with a nice musselcracker ready to be released.

John Luef about to release a tagged musselcracker.

SKI-BOAT January/February 2021 • 65

Fred Clarke about to release an Englishman.

Tagged Scotsman about to be released. memorable trip with fellow Protea anglers,Allen Ford and Francois Beukes, we tagged 28 fish of nine different species in one day. These species were dageraad, Scotsman, Englishman, German bream, black musselcracker, yellowbelly rockcod, moustache rockcod, dane and soldier. We also had three recaptures of tagged fish which was exciting. These fish — a moustache rockcod, a yellowbelly rockcod and a dageraad — were successfully re-released with their original tags. On another recent trip, fellow tagger Fred Clarke and I managed to tag and release 58 fish in a single outing. Conventional tagging of marine fish in South Africa is managed by the Oceanographic Research Institute (ORI) which is a division of the South African Association for Marine Biological Research (SAAMBR).They strive to stimulate community awareness of the marine environment through education, and promote wise, sustainable use of marine resources through scientific investigation. The ORI-Cooperative Fish Tagging Project (ORI-CFTP) is a citizen science

project that was initiated in 1984, with over 345 000 fish being tagged since then! It involves the cooperation of conservation-conscious recreational anglers who voluntarily tag and release the fish they catch, but it also relies on general anglers at large to report to ORI any recaptures of fish with tags in them. This has great scientific merit, allowing scientists to learn more about movement patterns, growth rates, mortality rates and population dynamics of important linefish species. It’s important to note that when any angler catches a tagged fish, that fish still belongs to the angler and can be kept as long as it conforms to legal requirements, or it can be released. It assists scientists greatly if the following information is recorded and reported to ORI: the unique Tag Number (it has a A,B,D or M on it followed by 6 digits), the accurate length of the fish (normally fork length unless it has a rounded tail, then total length), the species of fish, the date of recapture, the exact locality, whether the fish was kept or released, and finally the angler’s name and contact details. Please handle the

fish with care if you intend releasing it again. ORI has a highly informative website <www.oritag.org.za>, which contains information about the project, useful responsible angling tips, and details of how to get involved.The website also contains links to videos you can watch to get more information on how to correctly handle, measure and tag a fish. When tagging a fish, it must be handled with the utmost care so that it’s not injured or subject to undue stress. The fish must be gently placed on a measuring mat to get an accurate length, and it is advisable to cover the fish’s eyes with a damp towel as this tends to relax it.The tag is then inserted with a sharp, hollow, stainless-steel applicator needle.The tag is plastic and has a small barb on it to keep it in place once it’s inserted. The tag is usually inserted in the dorsal musculature, above the lateral line of the fish, by first removing a scale and then inserting the tag in-between the dorsal spines at a 45° angle. This is to ensure the tag does not interfere with the fish’s movements.This process must be carried out as quickly as possible to get the fish back into the water in the shortest time possible. If necessary, hold the fish gently in the water to revive it and then release it. ORI provides detailed instructions to all taggers when they join the project. We all love the sport of deep sea angling and want this privilege to continue for many generations to come, so we all need to become more aware of environmental issues and protect our oceans.Tagging fish is very satisfying for me because I know that in one small way I am contributing to the future of our sport. Anyone who wants more information or who would like to become involved with the tagging project can contact the ORI Tagging Officer on +27 79 529 0711 or email <oritag@ori.org.za>.

66 • SKI-BOAT January/February 2021

SCIENTIFIC

A mobile fish ID app for South African marine anglers and fish enthusiasts By Dr Judy Mann

OW many times have you seen a fish and wished you knew what it was? Or wished that you could simply measure your fish and know instantly what it weighed? Many years ago, Rudy van der Elst produced the popular A Guide to the Common Sea Fishes of Southern Africa, a book that became the go-to guide for anglers and fish lovers along the entire South African coast. But times have changed, and most people now have a cell phone in their pocket. Imagine if you could have brilliant photos, up to date information, distribution maps, current regulations, a way to compare similar species and a length-weight calculator for 249 of the most common fish species caught along the South African coast! Dr Bruce Mann of the Oceanographic Research Institute based at SAAMBR in Durban has produced the perfect app for you.A fish scientist and a fisherman with over 30 years’ experience, Bruce is the right person to compile the app. Not only does he have an indepth knowledge of the 249 species in the app, but he also understands the needs of anglers. Bruce spent nearly two years working on the app to make sure that the information is accurate, and that the app is easy to use. All proceeds from the sale of the app will go towards the ORI Cooperative Fish Tagging Project. “We made this app because of our passion for South Africa’s linefish,” said

Bruce.“We hope that anglers will enjoy using the app to learn more about the fish they catch. And we hope that the app will inspire everyone with an interest in fish to care a little more about our amazing linefish.” The app is based on linefish research undertaken in South Africa over the last 50 years and includes the most recent information available. Each species profile was carefully researched and then written so that the information is accessible and easy to understand. Dr Larry Oellermann, SAAMBR CEO expressed his delight at the production of the app: “This is something I’ve dreamed of for years — a way of figuring out what species I’ve caught, and all the information I need to know about it. Now I have 50 years of linefish research, at my fingertips.” APP FEATURES For each of the 249 species you will find multiple high quality images, a species profile including details on common names, scientific name, family name, description, distribution, habitat, feed-

ing, movement, reproduction, age and growth, current status, capture and current fishing regulations, and a simple map of the species’ distribution in southern African waters. The search function enables you to search for fish names using their common names in English or Afrikaans, or by using their scientific name. For those who think in pictures, Fish Groups provides a simple line drawing of the general shape of the different fish families. Clicking on the shape takes you to the family of fish in this group and you can then look at the actual images of each species in the family to find your fish. The length-weight calculator is a useful tool that can be used by anglers who release their fish but want to know what its weight was. Simply measure the fish before it is released, enter this measurement and the approximate weight is automatically calculated. My List allows you to record your own catches or fish observations. Fishing Regulations provides useful information on the current linefish regulations for marine recreational anglers in South Africa. A general summar y of the regulations as well as speciesspecific regulations are provided. For more information on the app visit < w w w. s a a m b r. o r g . z a / m a r i n e - f i s h - g u i d e - fo r southern-africa-app/>. The app was produced by MyDigitalEarth <www.my digitalearth.com/> and is available for both iPhone and Android phones; just go to the app store on your phone and search for Marine Fish Guide of Southern Africa. SKI-BOAT January/February 2021 • 67

SKI-BOAT magazine, in conjunction with Mercury, is proud to offer all junior deep sea anglers the opportunity to win awards for excellence in angling. If you are 16 years old or younger and you submit a photo of yourself and the fish you caught, you will receive a handsome certificate suitably inscribed confirming the catch. And there’s more ... Once a year the names of all junior anglers whos photographs appeared on the Mercury Junior Angler page will be included in a lucky draw and the winner will receive, courtesy of Mercury, a fantastic prize of a 2.5hp outboard motor. All you need to do is send us a photograph of yourself and your catch, together with the following details: • Your name address, telephone number and date of birth • Species and weight of the fish you caught • Line class used • Date and place fish was caught • Boat and skipper’s name All entries should be sent to : Mercury Junior Angler SKI-BOAT magazine PO Box 20545, Durban North 4016 or email your entry to <angler@mags.co.za>. There is no restriction on the number of awards that can be applied for, and SKI-BOAT magazine reserves the right to use the photographs as it sees fit. A selection of five award winners will appear in each issue of SKI-BOAT magazine. Junior anglers, Mercury and SKI-BOAT magazine acknowledge that you hold the future of our sport in your hands. Here’s your chance to show us what you can do!

68 • SKI-BOAT January/February 2021

MY LIFE STORY by Gerhard Oosthuizen (10)

WAS highly disappointed when I found out that my school didn’t offer fishing lessons! From a very young age, even before I could talk, my dad and Oom Kevin used to take me fishing. Now all I want to do is eat, sleep and fish and it’s all their fault. I have been very blessed with opportunities that most kids my age could only dream of. I have caught very nice fish from my dad’s friends boats, inclusing shortbill spearfish, wahoo, king mackerel, dorado and prodigal son, but the one fish that I will always remember is my first marlin ... The weather and water was not nice and my dad and Oom Kevin kept saying that we were not going to catch many fish.We had tried for a long time, but no fish were bitting and the sea was getting rough. My dad had caught a

small bonito and put it on a strong rod to try to catch an amberjack, but the bonito eventually died. Dad put the bonito into the livewell so we could put small lures out to catch a few more bonito, but then Oom Kevin spotted a marlin swimming on the surface. My dad quickly cut off the sinker and threw the dead bonnie out. It was not long before the marlin came and ate the bonito right behind Oom Kevin’s boat! Before I knew it I had the rod in my hand and the marlin was fighting and jumping like crazy. My arms were so sore and I didn’t have a bucket, so Oom Kevin used his slop and tied a rope to the rod in case it got pulled out of my hands.After a long fight I landed the black marlin! Oom Kevin grabbed the marlin and we loaded it onto the boat for a few pictures. Now I’m more hooked than ever!

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72 • SKI-BOAT January/February 2021

BUSINESS CLASSIFIEDS & DIRECTORY

Last word from the ladies!

RAPALA LIP

Be careful what you wish for

YOU JUST MIGHT GET IT T ALK about the emancipation of women — ha! Not in my little world. I have read lots about it, since most women’s magazines are full of it and carry on as though women control the world. The editors of those magazines, and contributors, should come and live with me for six months — or rather my husband. Now that would be an interesting scenario. Then they would finally experience the “reel” world, a world governed by that word “reel” and everything it brings with it, especially that other special word — “fish” — and all who fall under its spell. I was pretending the other day that the catching of fish was prohibited. Wouldn’t that be wonderful? Just think, it would completely change the lives of women worldwide.Wouldn’t it be nice, as a woman, to be considered more important than a slimy, wriggling fish? Life would be wonderful. And then lockdown happened! Fishing was banned. I thought the wish fairy had finally heard my pleas. But what is it they say? Be careful what you wish for? They’re right! For a day or two I was overjoyed that I would no longer be a fishing widow ... or not for a few months at least. There would be no early morning boat lunches to prepare, no smelly fishing clothes to wash, no sharp hooks lying around my lounge where unsuspecting bare feet can find them. For a change my husband would be around the house on the weekends and we could relax with the kids together, instead of me having to entertain them while Dad is off fishing with his mates! By day three I had realised the error of my wishes ... A man deprived of his fishing is like a smoker deprived of his drug of choice. In short,ANGRY! Did I mention my husband is also a smoker? He threatened all manner of violence against a certain NDZ who he blamed fully for depriving him of both cigarettes and fishing. It didn’t matter

who said it was actually a committee decision, he’d found his nemesis and he would not be calmed. The fact that his beer boep expanded considerably while he was deprived of these two pleasures is apparently also her fault. In fact, he was ready to send her the Woolworths till slip looking for a refund when he had to buy new work trousers upon his return to the office because the old ones no longer fit. However, I digress.... First thing in the morning, instead of him looking out to sea through the binoculars to check on the boats launching and in which direction they are heading to fish, my dear fisherman hibernated in bed, moaning about the beautiful sea that was unfishable. Inevitably it was glorious fishing weather almost every day! Beware wife, beware kids, beware pets — a fisherman deprived of fish is a bomb ready to explode! Thankfully NDZ doesn’t live in our house or there would have been bloodshed for sure. (She probably doesn’t know you have to carefully check every cushion before lowering your derriere onto the seat.) However, since my beloved fisherman couldn’t actually release his frustration on her, who bore

the brunt of the aggro building up? That’s right, the allegedly emancipated wife! All those hours spent with mates talking fish, making tackle, planning trips, drinking to the fish, dreaming about the fish — that’s what they are used to, and without it they turn all their attention to us. It turns out that’s not such a good thing after all. Instead of just having to prepare boat lunches for him and the crew and wave him off for the day before dropping the kids at the beach and heading off to my craft club, I had to prepare breakfast, lunch and dinner and listen to all the whinging all day long! I couldn’t even relax around the pool with a good book like I usually did on the weekends because hubby dear was casting poppers into the pool. He only stopped when I reminded him that it’s expensive to keep having to replace the Kreepy Krauly pipes because he’s punctured them! Even the dog started to look depressed because fishing was banned, and he normally lies at the door just waiting for our beloved fisherman to return from a day on the sea. Perhaps it is cupboard love after all and he’s just waiting to devour the leftover boat lunches. In short, despair washed in waves through our home, and I have to admit I was missing having fresh fish to cook for dinner. My only consolation was that I was not alone in this boat. The Fishing Widows’ Whatsapp group was buzzing non-stop all day long with the women plotting and planning how to get their men back on the ocean. When angling groups started lobbying for fishing to be opened up again there was no bigger supporter of their cause than me! Thank goodness Christmas came early and they were allowed back on the ocean in June, otherwise one of us might not actually have seen Christmas this year! You can be sure I’ll be more careful what I wish for in future. Merry Christmas y’all!

YOUR CHANCE TO GET EVEN LADIES — are you an angling widow? Are you a frustrated crew member? Do you outfish the men on the boat and have to deal with their Rapala Lips? Do you bite your lip at the comments coming from chauvinistic male anglers? We’re looking for new writers for our Rapala Lip column. All contributions are gladly accepted and they will appear anonymously to protect the writers from divorce suits, cold shoulders, banishments, cut up credit cards etc. Come on ladies, share your stories with us — you know you want to. Email them to <sheena@mags.co.za>. 74 • SKI-BOAT January/February 2021

Ski-Boat January 2021

Articles inside

New Fish guide app

TAG, YOU'RE IT!

SERVICING IS CRUCIAL

JUMPING YELLOWFIN

WICKED TUNA PART 2

Bluefin takes the prize

CATCHING WAHOO

Boat Test: Atomic 22

Marlin on light lines

Editorial