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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.
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Erwin Bursik Publisher
MARLINMUSINGS H
UNTING the mighty marlin off the south-east African coastline is arguably the absolute pinnacle of the sport of offshore angling in southern Africa.
As I write this editorial, we are in the midst of the 2024/25 season with Bazaruto’s traditional October to December season well and truly underway, and the massive billfish competitions held annually in early November now proving that Sodwana Bay is indeed the marlin mecca of South Africa.
This possibility was first investigated by a few of our anglers who had experienced the marlin fishing of the North Australian East Coast. In 1977, those anglers with the requisite knowledge set about arranging a marlin-only fishing competition at Sodwana under the auspices of the recently formed Sodwana Game Fishing Club. The rest, as they say, is history.
The billfish anglers who fished Paradise Island in Mozambique formed the nucleus. Armed with heavy marlin rods and 12/140 Penn Star drag reels filled with Dacron line, many of them had caught a good number of big black marlin, including some over the mystical 1000lb mark. Those of us who were keen, but couldn’t afford to fish at Bazaruto, let alone Australia, were encouraged to rig our craft with rudimentary fighting chairs and outriggers, and pursue this endeavour in the waters off Sodwana Bay.
Standing on the beach at Sodwana Bay in the run up to the 2024 OET, I admit to being extremely nostalgic as I watched the incredible line up of magnificent large ski-boats tackled up with the finest array of tackle money can buy, and anglers hyper excited to launch and set out for the first major “marlin hunt” of 2024. The nostalgia stemmed from the fact that, way back in 1978, I was among that first band of aspirant marlin anglers who set off from Sodwana for the sole purpose of targeting black marlin.
The minuscule part I played in that endeavour during those early years – and virtually every year since then – now gives me the privilege of standing back and basking in personal satisfaction, seeing our original dream more than fulfilled.
As happens in life, the baton of enthusiasm, experience and equipment innovation has now been passed to other younger generations. Since the 1970s, many avid ski-boaters from all over South Africa have expanded the sport of billfishing not only in terms of boats and equipment, but also, more importantly, with knowledge.
We started out targeting black marlin with live- and dead baits, and the current trend of enticing blue marlin – a species that was extremely rare in the early years –with trolled lures has dramatically increased the prominence of this species in competition catch statistics. Furthermore, Sodwana can brag that two blue marlin in excess of 1000lb have been recorded in those waters, thus confirming that the KwaZulu-Natal north coast is big billfish territory.
Another positive development that’s radically different to the way we fished back in the 1970s, is that South African marlin anglers countrywide have adopted the ethics of releasing all billfish caught during the annual marlin competitions and most of those caught during casual fishing. This care for the resource bodes well for the next 50 years of our sport.
Of course some South African anglers are still keen and able to fish further afield than Sodwana and experience some very exciting billfish off the Bazaruto archipelago, and in an upcoming issue we’ll have more about that.
In the meantime, SKI-BOAT magazine thanks all the loyal readers and advertisers who have supported us for the last 40 years, and wishes you all a safe and happy festive season.
Tight lines.
Erwin Bursik
BACKTOBASICS
By Nikki Smit & Graham Braby
BAHIA Formosa,or Bay Beautiful as it was named by Portuguese navigator and cartographer Manuel de Perestrelo,has a long and,at times,tragic history of fishing, that includes the establishment of a whaling station in the early 1830s where the iconic Beacon Isle Hotel stands today.Thankfully these giants are no longer targeted in this beautiful bay, but fishermen are certainly spoilt for choice with other species when fishing this coastline.
In decades gone by,commercial fishing was a prominent feature of Plettenberg Bay,with a colourful selection of trawlers gently bobby away in
the usually calm waters off Central Beach.These trawlers are now mostly absent,however,and fishing here is now predominantly a recreational activity.
Plett is a truly special place,and I can only imagine what settlers must have felt when they first saw the bay and its surrounds.
Protected from the elements by the majestic Robberg Peninsula,one of my favourite places to visit,you are treated to incredible vistas over the bay towards the mountains as well as the often contrasting wild scenes out to sea.No doubt sailors felt enormous relief when they rounded the point at Robberg and eased into the relatively protected waters of Bahia Formosa.
Plett Tourism recently announced
that,in addition to being nominated as Africa’s leading beach destination for the 15th year,the town was also nominated in the category of the world’s leading beach destination at the World Travel Awards.This marks its first global nomination,placing it alongside renowned beaches like those in Thailand,Hawaii and the Maldives.
We are indeed very privileged to live in one of South Africa’s most beautiful areas,one which features six Blue Flag Beaches,two marine protected areas,dramatic scenery and an abundance of marine life.Situated right in the middle of Plett’s famous Central Beach,is another well-known and extremely popular landmark – Plett SkiBoat Club.
Aerial photo of Keurbooms River estuary leading into Plettenberg Bay. By John Bozman.
FORTHEFAMILY
Plett offers a variety of activities for the whole family,which is great news for fishermen whose families might not be quite as enthusiastic about spending a day out on the water.The local attractions and activities include beautiful beaches,whale watching trips,hikes around Robberg,kloofing,elephant parks,Monkey Land,birds of prey, adventures parks and farmers’markets. For those keen on spending time out on the ocean,this can either done with their own boat,or by hiring a charter boat – whichever is easiest and best sits their budget.
LAUNCHING
There are two public launch sites – one at Central Beach and one up the Keurbooms River.They are marked with red stars on the map alongside.
Plett Ski-Boat Club offers a beach launch facility at Central Beach,and permits can be obtained and paid for at the Beach Control Office at the club house next to the NSRI.Most boats are launched via a dolly as the boats generally have to be pushed in quite deep before motors can be dropped.A push pole can also be used if your boat can accommodate this,and sometimes conditions allow for a traditional reverse drop on the beach.
The surf,on the whole,is not too taxing,and it is generally considered a relatively protected beach to launch from.Another bonus is that the site is not tide dependent.
There is a tractor service which can be hired,but skippers who are launching their own boats need a 4x4.
Alternatively,boats can launch up
the Keurbooms River at Alkantmooi, near the N2 Bridge.This site is managed by Cape Nature.Day permits are available at the boom,and annual permits are available from the Cape Nature offices in town.
This option is tide dependent,as the river gets very shallow between the slipway and the mouth at low tide,and the channels need to be navigated with care.The section of river between the slipway and the mouth is also a nowake zone.Skippers need to ensure they watch the tides carefully so that they are able to safely navigate both the channels and the mouth,and will not be caught high and dry in the impact zone.The mouth can also be tricky to navigate through,with a challenging surf to deal with,so skippers have to be sharp when using this option.
MPAS
Once you’re out on the big blue, options abound,but there are two MPAs which skippers and anglers need to familiarise themselves with:
•Robberg MPA bounded by the latitudes S34°04.916’and S34°07.633’ and longitudes E23°22.300’and E23°25.967’.
There is currently an appeal underway with regard to this MPA,but until this has been resolved,the Gazetted boundaries as detailed above are effective.
Kian Evans and Bruce Noble show off a yellowtail and snoek they caught in this area.
Google Earth map showing location of Alkantmooi access and launch site. The stars marked 1 and 2 on the main map indicate the two launch sites.
FISHING AT SEA
On colder days,Plett produces some pretty decent hake,and,as we all know, there are few things that beat fresh hake.They are found pretty much anywhere in the bay at around the 50-60m marks.Sometimes snoek are also caught,but this is not a common occurrence and it normally involves a fairly long run towards Eerste River and fishing the deep banks offshore.
Tuna have also been known to come into the bay,but this is also not an everyday occurrence,and,on the rare occasion that they are there,it’s normally over the summer months.
Kob,geelbek,roman,silvers and other reef fish can be found around the 24m depth off Natures Valley and Salt River.Please be mindful of the MPA boundaries in that are,and of sticking to the regulated bag and size limits. Anglers are encouraged to release the bigger breeding stock specimens as well as slow-growing fish such as poensies and rockcod.
Garrick can be caught along the backline along the sandy beaches on live bait or while trolling lures or cast-
ing plugs.The whole bay is also good for catching bonito,which certainly give a good fight for their size.
ESTUARY FISHING
If conditions are not conducive for fishing out at sea,the estuary will certainly provide some enjoyment.Remember to obtain a permit from Cape Nature when launching.As I mentioned,the river and estuary are very tide dependent,so make sure you don’t get stuck.
Species that can be targeted in the estuary include grunter,kob and garrick.The area surrounding the N2 bridge on both the Keurbooms and Bitou rivers seems to be good for garrick,and pretty much anywhere with shallow banks will produce grunter. Prawns are the bait of choice,and if you have the patience,you will be rewarded on surface lure and fly.
ROCKANDSURF
Rock and surf fishing in this area,like with most fishing,is totally dependent on the conditions.However,with a very large stretch of beach to choose from, one is sure to find a spot that works.
Species caught include white steenbras, kob and garrick.
ROBBERG PENINSULA
While fishing off a boat is prohibited in the MPA,fishing from land is not.
Garrick and bonito are some of the favourites caught from the point,but this involves a long but beautiful walk.
Species such as white musselcracker and galjoen can be caught on the wild side,as can kob.Ensure you are familiar with the closed season for galjoen.
To reach the coastline here you will also need an access permit which is available from Cape Nature at the entrance to Robberg.
No bait collection is allowed in the reserve.
For those wanting to make a weekend of it,the Fountain Shack is an absolute treat and only a relatively short walk from the parking area.
USEFULCONTACTS
Plett Ski-Boat Club 044-5334147
Cape Nature Offices 044-5332125
Robberg Nature Reserve 044-5332125
Plettenberg Bay and the Keurbooms River estuary offer anglers access to a wide variety of species.
SLOWLYDOESIT
Part 1:Getting to grips with slow pitch jigging
By Dwayne Boshoff
IN the NOVEMBER 2024 issue of SKI-BOAT, Justin Paynter and Mark Brewitt explained the ins and outs of speed jigging.Readers would have noticed some photos there of me with some of the fish I’ve caught on slow pitch jigging – a slightly different technique.
In this article I’ll highlight some of the differences between slow pitch jigging and the old traditional vertical jigging or speed jigging method.I am by no means a pro,but I’ve learnt a lot and paid lots of school fees,so am happy to share some tips I’ve learnt along my slow pitch jigging journey.
Before we get into too much detail, let me emphasise that there’s a lot of
useful info in this article,but I don’t want people to get overwhelmed,start overthinking,and not even try this method.The most important thing is to get on the water and start fishing.You can add the finesse to the method later.
In case you’re wondering who I am, I’m a 34-year-old passionate fisherman –some might say a diehard.I’m a tool jig and die maker by trade to financially
Dwayne Boshoff with a solid tuna caught while slow pitch jigging.
This side view (above) and cross section (below) of some of the author’s jigs shows their asymmetrical shape (sometimes centre-weighted). This design gives them the unique wobbling or fluttering movement in the water, creating the impression that they’re injured baitfish.
support my hobby! My dad introduced me to fishing when I was just four years old,and I’m still just as passionate as I was then,and am still learning.I love all the different facets of fishing because each one offers a new experience and a unique thrill,but I have always especially loved light tackle and artificial fishing.When I’m not fishing I enjoy spending time with family and friends and at church.
MYSLOWPITCHJOURNEY
For me,slow pitch jigging first started during the off season in deeper water. During the summer months we used to do a lot of light tackle dropshot fishing in the shallows whilst fishing for ’cuda, but in winter we’re forced to change strategy to target what whatever’s in season.We started fishing the deeper water and I was able to mess around with the lighter gear.
With slow pitch jigs,we could get down a lot faster and to greater depths, than what we could with dropshots.It proved to be very successful.
For the angler,the retrieve or action required with slow pitch jigging is also
far less physical than with vertical speed jigging.
WHAT IS A SLOW PITCH JIG?
The first major difference between slow pitch jigging and vertical speed jigging is the design of the lure. Whereas speed jigs are mostly narrow and symmetrical,slow pitch jigs are asymmetrical (not the same shape on both sides),and sometimes they’re centre-weighted with a keel.This design allows the jig to flutter on the fall while sinking.
The main difference in intent is that slow pitch jigs imitate a wounded or dying baitfish,whereas the old regular speed jigs imitate a fleeing baitfish.
Slow pitch jigs entice feeding when fish are lazy or feeding lethargically,as it’s an easy meal for them.Like predators hunting,fish often single out the weakest link – in this case the supposedly injured baitfish.
Slow jigs flutter,shimmy,dart,bob, spiral,weave,glide,vibrate and quiver, all of which is very effective at drawing the big fish’s attention.Through this erratic movement,slow jigs cover a
wider area of water,and the flash tied to the assist hooks adds to the show, pulling an even bigger audience.
JIG SELECTION
According to my research,the rule of thumb for choosing a slow jig is supposed to be 1gram per metre of water. However,with our conditions,target species,setups and the heavier braid we use,I personally recommend doubling your depth in metres to give you your jig weight in grams.For example, 20m = 40g;30m = 60g;100m = 200g. While it is important to fish your jig as straight down as possible,you also want to go as light as possible on the jig.Let me explain:You will get the best action and flutter out of your jig when your line is pretty straight down and not at a massive angle.This is because the jig will flutter at its optimum,on a fully slack line.When your line goes down at an angle,it causes resistance and drag on the jig,affecting the flutter. Having your line straight down,will also give you the best bite detection and control in the water column. Obviously a heavy weight is more
likely to drag your jig straight down,so why do I say you should go as light as possible? With a lighter jig the fall is slower,so it hovers in the strike zone for longer,it flutters more,and I generally find the smaller profile to be more effective – essentially it’s the perfect “bite size”.Of course the lighter jigs are also more affordable.
One helpful tip when going down is to thumb the spool slightly,or lightly pinch the braid between your index finger and thumb if you are fishing with a grinder.This allows the jig to sink in a vertical position,rather than fluttering all the way down,and gets it down much quicker.
Although many won’t agree with me,fishing is technical and colours play an important part.Flyfishermen are 100% correct when they say you shoud “match the hatch”.That means getting your artificial lures to look as much like the fish’s natural food as possible.
Generally,I prefer natural colours, and find that’s always a good approach when it comes to fishing with artificials or lures.
That said,Zebra Glow,for some rea-
son,is always a go to! It’s like the signature pattern of slow pitch jigs.I also like pearls,greens and green glow, blues,mackerel,sardine and any other baitfish patterns.
ROD SELECTION
People often ask:Do I really need a slow pitch jigging rod to jig? It boils down to having the right tool for the job.The more serious,good all-round anglers will know,there’s no such thing as an all-round or multipurpose fishing rod – there’s a rod for each application.
What makes each rod different? Rod builders will always focus on the dominant requirement when designing and building a rod.Although most rods are built for pulling power,special applications require specific needs.
For example,paddle-ski rods need to pull at acute angles and past the 90 degree mark;rock and surf rods need to be able to load the rod and cast distance;spinning rods require sensitivity and power transfer.
Slow pitch rods focus on imparting action to the jig.In fact,the rod imparts more of the action than the angler
Dwayne Boshoff with a lovely king mackerel caught while slow pitch jigging.
Slow pitch jigging rods have a fairly slow but springy action, and the recoil effect is what slowly lifts the jig and then pitches or flicks it, creating the impression of an injured baitfish.
does,and this is what makes this style of angling less labour intensive than vertical jigging.
Slow pitch rods have a fairly slow action,with what I like to call a recoil effect.This slowly lifts the jig and then pitches it;hence the name “slow pitch jigging”.
The pitch is like a flick.This happens when the rod recoils as a result of its slow yet springy action.This allows the jig to kick to the side,moving it into a horizontal position which sets it up to flutter perfectly on the fall due to the jig design.It’s very enticing!
The angler must allow the rod to soak up the tension,then spring back in order to pitch the jig.That flick from the pitch is also like a limping motion of a baitfish on its last legs.
If you want to buy a slow pitch setup,I recommend you look at a PE1.5-3 to a PE 2-4 rated rod which is generally a medium or a medium-heavy
Having assist hooks on both ends of the jig has some advantages, but you’re also more likely to lose more jigs to the reef. Nowadays the author mostly uses assist hooks on only one end and adds a bit of flash to entice the bite.
rated rod.That is the most versatile,and is the rod that’s in my hands most of the time.
The corresponding recommended jig weights will suit the depths we generally fish around KwaZulu-Natal.You may be unsure to start with and think it looks the size of your kiddo’s bream rod,but believe me,these small rods are well capable of handling some tough prey.
This facet of angling is fairly new to us here in South Africa,so there may not be a massive variety of slow pitch rods to choose from at your local tackle store,but the market is growing fast. Brands like Okuma,Assassin,Penn and Shimano all have slow pitch rods available locally,and there are also a few new up and coming brands like Noeby and Ecooda that you can look at.
I personally use Assassin rods,and have one of each of their rods in the range,namely the Jig Master,Abyss and
Spin Master.They range in price from about R1600 to R3900.The Jig Master is the cheapest in the range,but it also happens to be my favourite.The manufacturers have just recently improved it and launched a Jig Master II.
If you just want to get a feel for this whole jigging hype before you throw any money at the project,you can start off with your spinning gear.That’s where I started.
Coming from a spinning background,I like these Assassin slow jig rods because they don’t feel completely foreign in my hands like those fully Japanese specked imported rods.I think the Assassins are perfect for our conditions,target species and size of fish, while still providing all the advantages of slow jig rods.
If you’re fishing on paddle skis and jet skis where packing space is limited, something like the Assassin Duel,which is a spin/jig rod,will do well.
REEL SELECTION
When you select a reel for your slow pitch setup,bear in mind that slow pitch rods are not designed around pulling power.The preferred reels for slow pitch jigging are thus reels that are small and compact,yet powerful.This is to bully the fish,as the rods don’t have the “backbone”to do so.
Remember,the battle is part of the thrill.Get a reel that’s small and compact for comfort,with a combination of speed and torque.The fast retrieve quickly removes slack line,assisting with hookups and complementing the radical action provided by the jig and rod design.Torque is obviously to give you power.
Spinning reels or overhand reels are my personal preference.I use spinning reels on the lighter applications,and overhand on the heavy applications. The overhand reels generally have massive drag ratings and good line capacity.
BRAID AND LEADERS
My recommendation is 30lb to 50lb braid.Thin diameter braid is essential to allow you to maintain a vertical presentation with your lighter jigs.Remember what I said – you want to fish your lure as straight down as possible,because it gives you the most action,best bite detection and control.
Always use eight-weave braid.It’s round and smooth and comes off the
reel easier.Braid cuts through the water with less resistance,and also offers a much thinner diameter-to-breaking strain than nylon.
Fluorocarbon leader generally makes a difference when fishing with artificial lures.It’s also very hard wearing,meaning abrasion resistant.I recommend using 20lb to 30lb heavier than your braid.Make sure you tie nice slim, strong leader knots,as the guides on the rods are generally small to suit the thin blanks.
Multicolour braid also has a big advantage.It allows you control in the water column,identifying where the fish are holding,and how much more line you have to let out to reach the floor in comparison to when you first hit the bottom.I also memorise my last colour to act as an indicator or warning when I’m coming up fast.
TERMINAL TACKLE AND ASSIST HOOKS
Assist hooks are sometimes rigged to both ends of the jig.This gives you a much better hookup rate,and the smaller hooks on the lighter jigs share the load.It also assists with the jig fluttering action – I call it the parachute effect.
The downside is that there’s a greater chance your jig will get tangled with your leader,and you will get hooked up on the reef more often.
If the drift is up or the reef is hun-
gry,it’s advisable to pop the bottom ones off.
Over time I have taken a liking to some more expensive jigs that I don’t want to risk losing to the reef,so now I stick to using one assist hook.
I’ve also paid lots of school fees using standard assist hooks that come fitted on some jigs,and I prefer using my own.I can rely on them not to fail, so I don’t require another hook to share the load.
Some jigs don’t come fitted with assist hooks,but you can buy them made up or tie your own.Adding tinsel or a small skirt for attraction is a good idea.
You can buy proper PE cord for making assists,or a cheaper option is to use that casting leader braid that the rock and surf guys use.It comes in 50m spools and I use 180lb to 220lb.
Proper quality hooks and decent split rings will help avoid tears.Vary the hook size according to the size of the jig.I prefer the hook gape to be narrower than the width of the jig,otherwise it tends to get hooked up on the jig.
In the next issue we’ll talk about putting all this tackle to good use.I’ll cover where to use this technique,the species you can target,the conditions that are best suited to it,and the action and retrieve you want to implement.
In the meeantime,just get out there and have fun fishing
THEY say the more things change the more they stay the same,and that was certainly true at the 2024 Mallards Mercury OET Bill- & Gamefish Tournament which took place during the week of 4 to 8 November at Sodwana Bay.
As in the past,Mallards Marine and Mercury were the two main sponsors of the tournament.Thanks to them,a beautiful Cobra Cat 630 fitted with two 115hp Mercury motors was up for grabs.Garmin also came to the party,adding a GPS fishfinder combo with auto pilot and VHF radio to the winning boat just to seal the deal.
That wasn’t the only top quality prize on offer,
though.In fact,the list of prizes was at a level never before seen at this tournament! In addition to the many smaller prizes up for grabs,McGee Ford sponsored two D/C pick-up bakkies – one for the winners of the 10kg line class and the other,a stunning Ford Raptor,for the OET Slam winners.
Some of the vendors/sponsors had beautiful exhibitions in the hall and that helped create a really festive atmosphere. Tropical Dream Tackle,Pulsator,Na Na’s Tackle,Beach & Beyond, Grimbeek Taxidermy,Garmin,Bite Me/Nomad,Columbia Clothing,Runva Winches,Bushtrack/Scottfin,Jean Meintjes Metal Sculptures,Africa Lures,Ilander Lures,Xeroderm and Cross Country all had their products on display.
ABOVE: Ryno Stander on Against All Odds with a stunning sailfish.
RIGHT: Janiene Martin on Maverick caught this beautiful black marlin on day 2.
The list of sponsors is extensive,and,as usual,those are the real heroes behind the success of our annual OET tournament.
Sodwana Bay Ski-boat Club’s hall was once again used as the gathering venue for the 2024 event.This has to be the best purpose-built venue for a fishing competition in the whole of South Africa! The designers thought of everything that would be needed to host a fishing tournament – toilets, stage,bar area,weigh-in area,offices,vendor cubicles,backup generators etc.The difference between hosting a competition at their old tent venue compared to the new hall is like chalk and cheese!
Something that never changes is that anglers are always thirsty! Tops Mbazwana stocked the bar,and Simonsvlei brought their Numzaan brandy for anglers to sample.
In total,85 teams competed in the 2024 OET,with teams having the opportunity to compete in 10kg and 37kg line classes.
New to the OET this year was the introduction of the “OET SLAM”,where the first team to safely release all five billfish species (blue-,black- and striped marlin,shortbill spearfish and sailfish) could walk away with a brand new Ford Raptor valued at R1.1 million.
At the registration on Sunday 3November it was clear from the get go that the teams were all very motivated.This time around it seemed that the teams made a bigger effort to dress the part every day and the team spirits were also very high.
The anglers were impeccably behaved all round,which shows the level of anglers the OET attracts.Camaraderie was also at an exceptionally high level,with teams eagerly supporting each other out at sea,during weigh-ins and at the prizegivings.
On the Monday morning boats were lined up at the ramp from 2am,waiting for the boom to open at 4am and launching to commence at 5am.Thanks to the brilliant service of the OET beach control crew (Melissa,Nico,Louis/Hooter,Sipho and the Basjan tractor),launching was swift and flawless and all the boats were on the water before 6am.
The weather on day one wasn’t too bad,and the teams
efficiently handled the 13 knot wind and the choppy sea, managing to release 11 billfish.The water temperature was cold for this area at that time of year,and that trend continued for the whole week.Although the lack of warmer water caused challenges for the billfish anglers,it was was good news for the gamefish anglers who really benefitted from the colder conditions.
A big surprise awaited everyone at weigh-in as the number of gamefish brought to the scale was more than we’ve ever had before.It was clear that the cold water brought the gamefish in to feed,and that would be the case for the rest of the week too.
Day two’s catches were very similar to day one’s,with almost the same number of bill- and gamefish recorded. However,conditions had deteriorated and the sea turned out to be quite challenging up to 10am,with big swells and wind making it very difficult to get into deeper water.
Day three was called off due to unsafe sea conditions,and day four turned out to be a real doozy,with cold winds,rain and huge swells.Boats that didn’t have a cabin or clears over their T-tops will definitely be back next year with these additions.The OET anglers are tough,though,and the teams took the challenge head on,managing to release ten billfish and bringing many gamefish to the scale.
The final day turned out to be the best day of the week weather wise,and another 12 billfish were safely released with many more gamefish being caught.In total,36 billfish were safely released during the week – nine blue marlin, seven black marlin,five striped marlin,13 sailfish and two unknown species.Another six billfish catches were disqualified.With the rough sea conditions,there were equally as many failed hookups each day as there were fish safely released.
With the huge number of gamefish being caught,the 10kg anglers really took the challenge to the 37kg teams and kept them on their toes right to the end of the tournament.
Competition in the 37kg line class was neck and neck between Ripshore and Galoza, with Visstappen and Top Shot close on their heels.In the 10kg line class the battle was on between Basjan,Dr Sangoma,Na Na’s and Dev-Ocean.The big surprise came when both Basjan and Dr Sangoma outfished all the 37kg line class boats except for one.
In the end it was the 2023 winners, Ripshore, who took the ultimate victory,winning the 2024 Mallards Mercury OET Bill- & Gamefish Tournament with 1151.8 points.The win secured them ownership of the Mallards Cobra Cat 630 with two 115hp Mercury outboard motors.They also received the OET auction cheque to the value of R514500. Congratulations Ripshore for winning two in a row!
Basjan took victory in the 10kg line class with 839.1 points,followed by DrSangoma with 526.9 points and Na Na’s with 388.8 points.
Galoza took top spot in the 37kg line class with 508 points,followed by Visstappen with 439.2 points and Top Shot with 284 points.
Team Jasper landed a beautiful 35.6kg yellowfin tuna which earned them the Calcutta prize money.
Each year the OET donates to a charity organisation,and this year’s beneficiary was the Cancer Association of South Africa (CANSA).For every billfish safely released during the week,the OET pledged to donate R1000 to CANSA.McGee Ford and Cross Country raised the stakes even higher,and a cheque to the value of almost R100000 was handed over to CANSA.
Mpumalanga Deep Sea Angling Association thanks all of the OET sponsors for their contributions towards the OET.
4. Goloza
5. Visstappen
6. Na-Na’s
7. Dev-ocean
8. Bite-Me
9. My Lady
10. Kat-Astrofe
TOPANGLER
Geoff Woollatt
TOPLADYANGLER
Rachelle Botha
WITH THANKSFOR SPONSORSHIP
points
points
points
points
points
points
Wickus Theron on The Kraken with his 23.2kg ’cuda.
Dr Sangoma came third. Basjan took second place.
Without these amazing sponsors a tournament of this magnitude would not be possible.The OET is definitely one of the biggest offshore angling tournaments in South Africa and it is an honour to have all of these sponsors on board.
To all the anglers,thank you for your camaraderie,sportsmanship and excellent behaviour during the week.Many of
the female anglers commented on how well behaved the anglers were.Hats off to all of you!
Congratulations again to Team Ripshore on winning the 2024 Mallards Mercury OET Bill- & Gamefish Tournament.You are obviously the team to beat next year,and all the teams will be back in 2025 to take up that challenge.
Geoff Woollatt took the prize for top angler.
Rachelle Botha was the top lady angler.
Visstappen came in fifth. Goloza was fouth overall.
RIDINGTHEWAVESOF
SUCCESS
CMI Brokers celebrates 40 years of excellence
THIS year marks an extraordinary milestone for CMI Brokers (formerly Club Marine Insurance) as they celebrate 40 years of service,growth, and leadership in the insurance industry. From humble beginnings as a social watersport club in 1985,CMI has evolved into one of South Africa’s premier providers of shortterm insurance solutions.
Under the exceptional leadership of Caryne Duvenhage – a former Springbok barefoot waterskier,boating enthusiast and visionary businesswoman – the company has grown from strength to strength.
Over the last 25 years,Caryne’s dedication,industry expertise and forward-thinking
approach have transformed the business, expanding its offerings to include domestic, cargo,business,specialist risks and other areas.
Her commitment,coupled with the support of a skilled and professional team,has enabled CMI to deliver exclusive solutions to clients both locally and abroad.
FROM WATERSPORT CLUB TO INDUSTRY LEADER
Born out of one of South Africa’s leading boating businesses,led by industry icon Derrick Levy,Club Marine & Boating evolved under the chairmanship of Vince Warriner. Initially a vibrant watersport club hosting
Derrick Levy along with Vince, Andrew andCathiWarriner in the early days of Marine & Boating.
Caryne Duvenhage has been the driving force at CMI since she took over completely in 2002.
boat rallies,waterski lessons and fishing competitions,it catered to families and enthusiasts alike.For an annual fee of R35, members received a T-shirt,cap,and subscriptions to top watersport magazines including SKI-BOAT magazine.In addition, through a partnership with Derek Warne & Associates,an exclusive package for club members included low-rate boat insurance and the widest boat covers available.
“
Caryne’s qualifications, dedication, and expertise have been instrumental in building CMI into the iconic brand it is today.
– Derrick Levy, Boating World
For over a decade,the club provided both recreational benefits and the country’s first standalone watercraft insurance.In 1999,Caryne,with ten years of boat sales experience behind her,took over its management.In 2002,she successfully negotiated taking over the club completely,transforming it into a professional insurance brokerage.
It was clearly a good move,and the company has since flourished.Their expertise now covers a wide range of insurance needs,from watercraft and cargo to homes,buildings, businesses,and specialist risks.CMI’s network of trusted partnerships with leading insurers,including Santam,Bryte,Old Mutual and CIB,allows them to continue to innovate and adapt to global trends such as cyber risks,war and strikes, renewable energy and specialised liability covers.
“Forty years ago the idea of having an insurance company attached to a boat sales company and watersport club was, in my opinion, a shot in the dark. How wrong I was!
Club Marine Insurance has mushroomed exponentially over the last 40 years and deserves its dominance in the field of boat insurance.
– Erwin Bursik, publisher, SKI-BOAT magazine
The brokerage also actively supports selected charities and orphanages,as well as numerous initiatives including golf days, KZN school rugby trials,fishing tournaments and sailing events such as the MSC sailing regatta and ILCA/Laser Nationals.
LOOKING TO THE FUTURE
Caryne is grateful for all the support she and CMI have received over the last four decades,and shows no signs of taking her foot off the pedal.
“As we reflect on 40 remarkable years,we are equally excited about the road ahead,”she said.“We’ve built a trusted brand,and we are ready to embrace new opportunities while continuing to prioritise our clients’needs.Thank you to our valued clients and partners who have been part of our journey – we look forward to strengthening these relationships as we grow together.”
Whether you need watercraft-,domestic-,business-,cargo-, building- or travel insurance,CMI remains fully committed to delivering innovative insurance solutions for every possible situation.
Here’s to the next 40 years of success!
“Who would have guessed 40 years ago that CMI would morph into the ever-growing business and success it is today! Congratulations to Caryne for having the vision, courage and determination to see it through. You and your hard-working team deserve every accolade on this milestone!
– Vince Warriner, former chairman, Club Marine & Boating
Part 2:Tips on buying secondhand trailers and motors
By Craig Stubbs
IN the November 2024 issue of SKI-BOAT we looked at the upsides and downsides of buying a secondhand vessel via a dealer or privately,and what potential pitfalls you could face.In that article I focused mainly on the vessel itself and its structural integrity.In this second part,I hone in on the outboard engines as well as something that’s often forgotten – the trailer the boat sits on.
When it comes to outboard engines,there are basically two options that you will come across:two-strokes and fourstrokes.Without getting too technical,two-stroke engines are older technology;they are being phased out pretty much globally,and are being replaced by four-stroke engines.
This does not mean that you should avoid two-stroke engines,as there are some great deals to be had in the second-
hand market on boats equipped with them.However,you need to know what to look out for,as the majority of twostroke engines will have quite a few years on them.
TWO-STROKES
Let’s talk two-strokes to begin with.As much as the technology may be a little outdated,a good pair of two-stroke engines will push you along very nicely when they’re running optimally.Parts for well established brands are still freely available in our market,and,with many experienced two-stroke mechanics still plying their trade,there is not too much on them that cannot be fixed.However,there are a few things to look out for.
My golden rule is that if there is corrosion on the outside, then there is definitely corrosion on the inside.If a second hand outboard is riddled with external corrosion,then I rec-
ommend you think twice before purchasing it.
When viewing an outboard,take off the cowling and thoroughly inspect the powerhead.Check around bolts and on the casings and covers for signs of paint bubbling and rust.Also check the actual external midsection and lowers of the outboard.If there is paint peeling and bubbling off,then it could be an indication that the motor was not well looked after and its lifespan may be reaching an end.
I am also very wary of old outboard engines that have been resprayed.If the outside needed that level of restoration,then the inside is bound to be much worse.
The challenge with internally corroded engines is that all those tiny fragments of corrosion and build up break off and quickly block up cooling jackets and channels.This causes overheating problems and,in the worse case scenario,corrosion can eat through water jackets,sleeves and housings. When that happens,it’s a big repair job.
Also check around the outboard tilt tube and mounting brackets,as excessive corrosion can lead to these areas seizing up.If that happens,the motors will need to be taken off the vessel for replacement parts to be fitted.Depending on the level of corrosion,they may not actually be able to be removed without potential damage beyond repair.
Once you have thoroughly inspected the engines externally,you need to hook them up to a pair of flush muffs and run them yourself.Ideally,you want to ask the seller not to prerun the engines before you get there,and do the cold start yourself.I prefer to run them with the cowlings off so I can hear the engine better.
Get your ear nice and close to the block and listen for any “knocking”or “piston slap”which could indicate some potential internal issues.
Pay attention to the “telltale”of water coming from the engines – both in terms of strength and temperature.If the flow is very weak,you will probably need to replace the impeller and housing.If the water gets very hot after a few
Proof that well maintained motors can give exceptional longevity. The Yamaha 85s on the author’s charter vessel are nearly 15 years old but still look and run like new.
A look inside a cooling jacket that was removed on an overheating engine. There was quite a bit of build up in there which needed attention.
A look at an impeller that could do with replacing. Although I’ve seen a lot worse, some with pieces broken off, when you’ve gone to the effort to remove the housing you may as well replace the impeller with a new one.
minutes,it is a good indication that the engine is perhaps not cooling very effectively.Of course the above two points depend on you having a good flow rate of water via your hose pipe in the first place.
Nudge the motors into and out of gear to check that the engines’gear shift is smooth.The shifts can be a little “clunky” on some engines but should never need to be wrestled in and out of gear and there should not be too much grinding or meshing of gears when engaging from neutral to either forward or reverse gear.
If you do buy a secondhand two-stroke outboard,regardless of when it was last serviced I highly recommend you take it for a good carb strip and clean,fit new plugs,have it timed and tuned and have the gearbox oil replaced.Unless the water stream is really strong from the telltale,replacing the impeller is good standard practice too.This way,you are assured of a relatively hassle free time on the water from the start.
FOUR-STROKES
When it comes to four-stroke outboards,I follow the same basic checks for corrosion and,again,would shy away from an outboard showing signs of a lot of it.
Mechanically speaking,a lot of the history and current status of these engines can be looked at via a professional diagnostic test.This needs to be carried out by a certified agent. Do not trust a diagnostic test done over 100 hours ago,as a lot can change in that time.
Most vessels equipped with four-stroke motors will be at the higher end of the price bracket compared to vessels equipped with two-strokes,based purely on motor cost,and there is nothing wrong with insisting that a diagnostic is carried out (within reason).
While two-stroke motors won’t necessarily have hour meters on the engines,nearly all four-stroke motors will. Certain brands need major (and costly) service work carried out at certain hour intervals (particularly at higher hours),so do your research before you buy and find out what those first few months of ownership may look like from a service cost point of view.
Four-stroke engines can deliver some impressive hours (into their thousands) of smooth service when they’re well maintained,so don’t be scared off by the hours,but make sure you do your homework on short- to medium term maintenance needs.
After popping on a set of flush muffs,most four-strokes will fire up within a turn or two of the ignition key and,within a few seconds,should run smoothly in idle and throughout the rev range.
Any rough running is not a good sign,and I would definitely consult a trusted professional before buying a boat equipped with four-strokes that are running rough.It may well be a small problem,but four-strokes are a lot more complicated – mechanically and electronically – than two-strokes, and it can cost a lot more to resolve these issues.
Here again,if I bought a vessel with a set of four-strokes on it,I would take them for a basic service even if they weren’t quite due for one,so that I could start my ownership journey with peace of mind.
TRAILER TALK
Next we’re going to look at something that’s often overlooked when it comes to secondhand vessel purchases – the boat trailer.
It has become very expensive to rebuild trailers from scratch,and the costs of replacement parts such as axles and braking systems have also gone up and up,so if the trailer the vessel sits on looks like it’s on its “last legs”,then beware that building a new trailer for a 19ft vessel is going to set you back anywhere from R80000 upwards,and extensive work on restoration adds up quickly.
That’s not to say you shouldn’t buy a secondhand trailer,
Not a drop of rust or corrosion in sight, but remember, if you are buying a meticulously looked after and maintained vessel, then you are going to be paying a premium.
A well looked after galvanised trailer like this will give you years and years of dependable service.
again just check it out carefully before you do.
A fully galvanised trailer in decent,rust-free condition is an absolute blessing when buying,but if you find a boat with a painted steel trailer,with just a few rust spots,there is work you can do yourself to save you money and protect the
longevity of your investment.
Firstly,get your boat off the trailer onto some tyres (or similar),because working on a trailer with the boat still on it is absolutely back breaking work.
Next,head down to your local hardware store and look for the Duram NS range which I rate highly.You will need a tin each of NS1,NS4 and NS8,as well as a steel brush and paint brushes.Use the steel brush to rid the trailer of any loose rust, then the NS1 to convert the rust,the NS4 to prime it,and the NS8 to coat the trailer.It’s dirty and tedious work,but the results can be surprisingly good at restoring a trailer that is not too far gone.
Make sure you wear the correct protective gear when you’re working with corrosive paints and wire brushes etc as you don’t need any nasty mishaps during the process.
As standard practice,regardless of condition,I always recommend changing wheel bearings on your new trailer –either yourself or via a service centre – so that this crucial element is taken care of to give you some peace of mind.
Be very wary of unregistered trailers,or the good old seller trick telling you,“I’ve got the papers stored somewhere and I’ll send them to you soon.”The paperwork required to deregister/ scrap and re-register a trailer is quite a frustrating process that requires loads of patience and time and is not recommended unless it’s completely unavoidable.
We all dream of owning that brand new,customised fishing boat that will fulfil our every dream,but often this is not possible or feasible,and you have to make do with a secondhand vessel.I hope this two-part series has given you some insight,tips and information that could lead to a more educated and pleasant buying experience if you are in the market.
They say any deal that’s “too good to be true”should be avoided,and that definitely applies to boat buying,but there are some good boats available at reasonable prices in the private market – if you know what to look out for.If you are not confident that you know what to look out for,then I really would recommend working strictly through a recognised dealer.
To wrap up,don’t “lowball”a potential deal just because you hold the cash and wish to squeeze every cent out of the seller.At the same time,know your potential post-purchase costs and don’t get suckered into a “money pit”because you’re over excited about making the purchase.The sign of a good deal is when both parties walk away feeling that they have each conceded a little.
If you know what you are looking for and look around for long enough,you will most likely find the right deal for your specific needs.
A corroded tilt tube and corroded bolts would make me look very carefully for further signs of corrosion on a motor.
UNDER NEW MANAGEMENT
By Mark Wilson
SCOTT Davey,Managing Director of Acsa-Mag,made contact with me in October 2024 announcing that Mr Winch was busy undergoing a total metamorphasis and that he wanted to chat.When I pressed him to at least hint as to what was on the cards,all he would divulge was that a total overhaul was already in the works.
Forced to wait until our meeting,I did some research on Acsa-Mag and learned that they have been in business for over 30 years and incorporate Natal Power Steering,Do-Rite Pallet Jacks and National Power Steering.That list of subsidiaries now also includes Mr Winch.
Erwin Bursik and I recently attended a very informative meeting with Scott and were shown around the revamped Mr Winch premises – still located at 6 Arbuckle Road in Durban. The workshops are quite something to behold – organised,neat and still sporting the expertise of the original staff at Mr Winch.
Scott’s business partner André Torr is based at the Mr Winch premises and is totally focused on customer satisfaction which is the hallmark of all the brands Acsa-Mag manages.
team ready to help you with all your
and power steering needs.
GOODNEWSFORWINCHOWNERS
Some great news for Mr Winch customers is that the company now offers trade ins on old winches when you buy a new one from Mr Winch.
If you can’t quite afford a new winch,they’re selling refurbished and rebuilt winches which come with a 12month warranty.
Mr Winch has also expanded the brands of winches on offer,and the lineup now includes,Comeup,Warn and Runva winches.
Even more exciting is the news that a range of “Mr Winch”branded winches will be launched in December 2024. There’s a photo of one of the winches alongside,and more details will follow on our social media channels,so keep an eye out for that.
All your power steering needs can also now be met under the same roof as winch repairs and sales.
Do yourself a favour and give Scott or André a call or pop into the workshop and see why Mr Winch/National Power Steering should be your preferred choice for everything related to winches and power steering.
Contact the office on 031 312 4004/1030 or visit the workshop at 6Arbuckle Road,Durban.
The
winch
Above: Scott Davey and André Torr of Acsa-Mag will be overseeing operations at Mr Winch.
Below: One of the models in the new Mr Winch range of winches.
WHAT’S NEW FOR 2025?
Introducing FURUNO TZTXL
FURUNO has once again raised the bar for sportfishing enthusiasts with the introduction of the complete NavNet TZtouchXL series of multi-function displays (MFDs),specifically designed to cater to the needs of serious fishermen.
They are introducing six new models for 2025.The TZT10X,TZT13X,and TZT16X each feature a built-in 1kW TruEcho CHIRP or CW fish finder as well as built-in 235kHz or 455kHz CHIRP™ side scan.This technology shows fish and structure in high detail port and starboard,providing crucial insights for successful fishing trips.The fish finder and sidescan functions can be accessed by the TZT22X,TZT24X and TZTXLBB across the NavNet network.
NavNet TZtouchXL enables the user to tailor the system with a wide array of high-powered fish finders for deep dropping.For anglers who like to deep drop or sword fish,the DFF3-UHD Network Fish Finder offers high-powered 2kW/3kW output to go deep.
For anglers looking for an added element of control,two new remote control options are available, identical in function to the keypad on the TZT10X and TZT13X.
The vertically oriented MCU006 and horizontal MCU006H can control any TZtouchXL MFD in the network.Both feature a comfortable RotoKey™ and bevelled buttons for enhanced ease of use.The ten dedicated dual-purpose buttons operate different functions,including the ability to access the Edge Swiping functionality that makes the NavNet TZtouch
series so easy to use.
The eye-popping DFF3D Multibeam Sonar shows fish and structure around the vessel in 3D while generating amazing custom-shaded relief maps.
All the essential fishing tools like magnetron and solidstate Doppler radars,AIS,and NAVpilot autopilots are compatible.Plus,if you have a Furuno sonar,you can even display it right on your TZtouchXL screen with an optional video kit.
All-new cartography called TZMaps offers an unprecedented level of detail and customisation to suit the needs of every boater.Powered by TimeZero,it provides all-new charts with a single purchase directly from the MFD.
TZMaps combines the detailed appearance of raster charts with the flexibility of vector charts,featuring crisp detail at any magnification level and eight customisable colour palettes.
Furuno’s BathyVision charts offer custom depth colour shading and configurable contour lines with resolution that provides the most eye-popping and accurate fishing charts available.
Please note: TZMaps® and BathyVision® charts with associated features for the South African region will only be available in the second half of 2025,subject to the manufacturer’s delivery schedule.In the meantime,the standard MapMedia mm3d charts with limited TZTXL features are available to use until the TZMaps® and BathyVision® charts are available for TZTXL MFDs and TimeZero Professional.
Your authorised Furuno dealer will give you further details.
PRESIDENT’SREPORT
HAPPY New Year to you all! As we start a new year,it is always good to remind ourselves of the primary purpose of our organisation.Last year in this slot,I tried very hard to give a broad overview of exactly what SADSAA does for the recreational angler in South Africa and internationally.This year,I would like to start by sharing a more detailed description of what it takes to achieve SADSAA colours,and the highest fishing honour – Protea colours.
Wearing the Green and Gold must be the ultimate aim of all competitive sports people in South Africa,and angling is no different.Granted,ours, for the most part,is more about skill than physical prowess,but the skill required to reach the top is hard earned for most and worth recognising.
Jean Schoonhoven,SADSAA Public Relations Officer,has explained it very succinctly below:
THE PATH TO EARNING PROTEA COLOURS
Earning Protea colours in deep sea angling is a prestigious milestone that recognises an angler’s exceptional skill and dedication.
To achieve this coveted status, anglers must progress through a series of structured steps set out by the South African Deep Sea Angling Association (SADSAA).
Getting started: The basics
To begin the journey,an angler must be an active member of a ski-boat club affiliated to SADSAA through one of our provincial bodies.The angler must stay in good standing with their club, province and SADSAA.
The path to Protea colours starts with the angler competing in at
Chris Schorn, SADSAAPresident
least three interclub tournaments for their club,followed by participation in one association interprovincial event. This earns the angler half provincial colours in most provinces.
Advancing to full provincial colours
Next,the angler must participate in two interprovincial tournaments for their province to earn full provincial colours.They are then eligible to be selected to compete in a national tournament for their province.
At this point many anglers decide that the competitive scene requires too much time,energy and financial input, and they draw back.
To have reached even this level is something that few do,and it is already a huge accomplishment.
Those wishing to continue on this path will have to take part in at least three national tournaments for their province,and at least two of these must be in their chosen facet of angling,such as Bottomfish,Tuna,Gamefish,Light Tackle Billfish,or Heavy Tackle Billfish.
SADSAA Colours and the road to Protea Once an angler has participated in three national tournaments,they become eligible for SADSAA Colours.It goes without saying that this takes time and a level of dedication that many do not have,and getting this far should be counted as a success.
To be considered for the prestigious Protea Colours,the angler must achieve at least one SADSAA cap in their selected facetof angling.
Anglers aiming for Masters Colours must first have earned Protea Colours. Masters Colours are there for the angler who has already achieved the ultimate, but who wishes to stay current in the sport.It also gives up and coming anglers space within their provincial sides to continue on their path and not be blocked by those already at the highest level.Remember that
“Masters”deep sea angling is not age related,so must not be seen as such.
The path to Protea Colours varies slightly for senior and junior anglers.
Criteria for senior anglers
•Club Colours:Participation in two to three interclub events depending on provincial policies.
•Association Colours:
Participation in one or two Association interprovincial events, depending on provincial policies.
•Inter-Provincial Colours:Earned by competing in two interprovincial events.
•Provincial Colours:Earned by competing in three national tournaments,with at least two in the chosen facet.
•SADSAA Colours:Achieved after participating in one event in the specific facet.
•Protea Colours:Awarded after meeting all the previous requirements and having angled at an international event representing SADSAA and South Africa.
•Masters Colours:Reserved for those who have previously earned Protea Colours but wish to stay current by fishing local nationals tournaments.
Criteria for Junior Anglers (U16 and U19)
Junior anglers aiming for U19 SADSAA Colours must participate in at least two Junior Nationals in their chosen facet. Selections for the U19 category may also be based on the angler’s CV.The requirements include:
•Club Colours
•Junior Inter-Provincial Colours for U16/U19
•Junior Provincial Colours for U16/U19 (two events in the chosen facet)
•Junior U19 SADSAA Colours
Criteria for anglers under 21
Anglers under 21 are eligible for selection based on their CVs,but they must have competed in at least two U19 Nationals in their chosen facet.If this criterion isn’t met,they must participate in one U21 Interprovincial and one U21 National,or two U21 Nationals in the chosen category.The requirements for U21 anglers include:
•Club Colours
•Junior Inter-Provincial Colours for U16/U19
•Full Provincial Colours for U16/U19 (with participation in two events in the chosen facet)
•Junior U19 SADSAA Colours
•U21 Inter-Provincial Colours (one event in the facet)
•U21 Nationals (two events in the facet)
SADSAA TOURNAMENT CALENDAR 2025
13–15 February El Gouna InternationalEl Goana,EgyptProtea
19–22 February SADSAA Heavy Tackle Billfish Sodwana BaySSBC Interprovincial
14–16 March Durban Ski Boat Club InterclubDurbanDSBC
16–22 March Tuna Challenge 2025 St FrancisPSFSB
20–22 March Zululand Interclub St LuciaSLSBC
20–23 March Shelly Beach Gamefish ClassicShelly BeachSBSBC
4–6th April Umhlanga Festival UmhlangaUSBC
18–21 April Umlalazi Couta ClassicUmlalaziUSBC
20–26th April SADSAA Tuna NationalsHout BayABC (or 4–10 May)
25–28 April Durban Ski Boat Club FestivalDurbanDSBC
29 April – 3 May Tuna Masters Hout BayABC
28 April – 2 May SADSAA Jnr Bottomfish NatsGqeberhaPEDSAC
30 June – 4 JulySADSAA All Inland Sodwana BayMDSAA
30 June – 4 JulySADSAA Junior Gamefish NatsSodwana BayMDSAA
9–12 JulySADSAA Jnr Bottomfish Interprov.TBC
TBClater in July SADSAA Light Tackle Sodwana BayNGDSAA
Billfish Interprov.
26 July – 2 AugHIBT 2025 HawaiiProtea
4–9 AugustEFSA European NorwayProtea
Sea Angling Championship
13–16 AugustSADSAA Bottomfish Interprov.DurbanPYC
These structured steps ensure that only the most dedicated and skilled anglers are selected to represent South Africa in international competition, proudly wearing the Protea Colours. The journey to Protea recognition reflects an angler’s commitment and passion for deep sea angling,culminating in the honour of representing the country at the highest level. DATE TOURNAMENT VENUE HOST
26 Oct – 1 NovSADSAA Bottomfish NationalsRichards BayMSSBC
2–7 NovemberOET Game & Billfish TournamentSodwana BayMDSAA
9–14 NovemberBillfish 15000 Sodwana BayDSBC
17–21 November SADSAA Heavy Tackle Billfish Nat.Sodwana BayMDSAA
It may seem that there’s not much linking billfish and tigerfish other than the fact that they’re both species of fish found in South African waters, but many South African billfish anglers also eagerly venture to inland venues like Jozini/Pongolapoort Dam to catch these tough-fighting smaller, sharptoothed, stripey species of fish.
Andre Maree and Berno Meyer are two such anglers. These cousins earned their billfish stripes in the 1970s, catching their fair share of marlin off Sodwana on their boat fm Charlie, and although they still target marlin sometimes, in recent years they have particularly enjoyed targeting the tigers of Jozini.
Berno and Andre have introduced their sons to the sport too, and the two families did particularly well at the 2024 Tigerfish Bonanza. Erwin Bursik persuaded them to share some of their sectrets to tempting tigers to bite...
By Andre Maree and Berno Meyer
THERE is a certain feeling of inadequacy that overcomes a person when the leaderboard at the competition you’re fishing at keeps ticking over,but no matter how hard you try,your boat is not able to make it onto that leaderboard.
An array of questions fog one’s mind:What’s the right place,right bait, right trace?
Adding to the pressure is the fact that,in this new digital age,the crew is able to keep tabs on the minute by minute additions to that leaderboard, and they’re quick to tell the skipper he’s not keeping up.This was very much the case during the recent Tigerfish Bonanza held at Jozini/ Pongolapoort Dam.
This year those of us aboard fmCharlie and Obsession were acutely aware of that leaderboard,but,to our
delight,we were right up there and very much “in the prizes”.
As cousins who both farm in the Pongola/Piet Retief area and who are both ardent anglers,the two of us have fished together for decades.
We started off frequenting Sodwana Bay when we acquired our original fmCharlie in the mid-1970s.We were very much part of the group of dedicated billfishermen who,during the late 1970s and early 1980s,set out to prove there was a billfishery off Sodwana that could compete with the one off the central Moçambique coast.
We clearly got something right,as the flags on fmCharlie showed when we returned to the beach.
We were never “bounty hunters”, though,generally preferring to fish simply for our own pleasure rather than competing in the events held annually off Sodwana Bay.We did,however,compete in those occasionally,and
HOW TO TEMPT A TIGER
Lessons from marlin masters turned tiger tamers
fmCharlie won the Billfish 15000 in 1998 with Andre skippering and Berno as crew.Berno also won a comp on Lady Ace,so the two of us did scoop up a few prizes.In those days the biggest fish won the comp,and there was one occasion when we had the most points but didn’t win because we didn’t have the biggest fish.
Since the early ’90s we’ve been fishing in Bazaruto,always on the hunt for that elusive grander.However,despite our efforts,we’ve yet to land a fish weighing 900lb or more.We have hooked some impressive catches that might have reached that mark,but haven’t managed to bring them to the boat.
We also explored a few other areas in Moçambique – Berno has fished at Inhaca,and together we also explored the waters around Canda Island when our children were younger.That was a fantastic experience,as there’s an
abundance of gamefish in that area and the kids quickly picked up fishing skills.
While we’ve continued to fish at Sodwana,we stepped away from those competitions for a while.Our sons are older now,and we still target marlin there whenever time allows,but our passion for fishing extends beyond just billfish.We enjoy pursuing all species, both in saltwater and freshwater,and targeting the tigers at Jozini is one of our favourite pastimes.
We’ve got pretty good at that too, and at the 2024 Tigerfish Bonanza, fmCharlie took the prize for top boat with four tigerfish (2500 points), including the fourth biggest tiger of
Nowadays the younger generation of Maree and Meyer anglers are taking centre stage.
Chris Maree (above), Hugo Meyer (left) and Kyle Maree (right) show off some of the tigers they caught at the 2024 Tigerfish Bonanza.
69cm. Obsession,skippered by Berno, caught the second biggest fish which measured 69.5cm and the tenth biggest which measured 65.5cm.
I guess the Maree & Meyer “old boys”still know a few tricks!
Erwin Bursik has stayed in touch with us over all these decades,and he twisted our arms at this year’s Tigerfish Bonanza,urging us to pass on the knowledge we – and these days our sons – have gained on how to catch tigerfish in our home waters of Jozini Dam.
Both of us have always been intensely single minded with regard to our fishing exploits,setting our own gameplan and then sticking to it and, above all,never stopping working to achieve our goals.We don’t believe in the “follow my leader”plan and spend as much time as we can in the area where we believe fish will be holding – be they marlin or tigerfish.
Andre Maree and Berno Meyer have been catching tigerfish since long before catch and release was the accepted modus operandi at Jozini.
Simeon van Heerden, Kyle Maree, Chris Maree, Andre Maree and Gerdus Combrinck at the 2024 Tigerfish Bonanza where the Maree family took top honours on fm Charlie.
Luck is a major factor in angling,and whether one is fishing the OET or Billfish 15000 with close on 100 boats ploughing up the waters off Sodwana Bay,or the Tigerfish Bonanza on Jozini Dam with 200 boats racing around, temping a fish to strike is the first goal. Thereafter tackle and rodmanship play their role and you,the angler,are totally responsible for your part.
With this in mind,we will happily share our knowledge of where to look for tigerfish and the tackle and bait we use.Hopefully that will result in you getting a big tigerfish to strike and hookup,and in you bringing one of those magnificent fish to the net.
So,let’s get down to business!
TYPE OF ROD
While the type of rod is not as important here as it is when you’re deep sea
angling,and largely any light tackle rod will suffice,we recommend 6- to 8 foot fast action rods that have a “backbone” to exert pressure on what can be a fast and hard fighting fish.Tigers know the tricks of using underwater structures and reed banks to tangle up one’s line, so you need to bully them way from that.
TYPEOFREELANDLINE
The open-faced spinning reels in the 4000 to 6000 class are what we prefer. It’s important to ensure that the drag –from just off freespool to full strike – is extremely smooth,thus ensuring an even connection between rod and fish during the aerobatics and head shaking that’s so prevalent with this species.
We use braid line in 15- to 30lb breaking strain,and a fluorocarbon leader.
TRACE CONFIGURATIONS
This is the most lengthily deliberated of all aspects of targeting tigerfish.
The tiger’s teeth are legendary and so is the bony structure of its mouth and throat.Added to this,the tiger hits hard and fast with little finesse.This results in the well accepted adage that, whether you’re fishing in fresh- or saltwater,tigerfish are the hardest gamefish to get to the boat.If you actually get a hookup,your tackle then has to weather their speed and acrobatics as they fight for their freedom.
The diagram above shows the trace setup we use as well as the style of float we have found most effective.We use fluorocarbon leader in the 20- to 30lb class attached to 30cm of Black Tiger Wire (stainless steel leader) in 30- 40lb breaking strain.
The hooks we usually use are
The authors’ preferred trace configuration.
Over the years Andre and Berno have refined their choice of tackle, settling on this type of float (left), 4/0 Penetrator
J-hooks, and Black Tiger Wire as part of their winning formula.
Penetrator J-hooks in 4/0 size.We use either one or two hooks depending on the size of the livebait we use.
BAIT VERSUS LURES
There is no doubt that fishing spinners and trolling certain lures produces fish, but we find those mainly bring in the smaller tigers,and spinning while on anchor with livebaits set for the big mamas doesn’t seem to entice the big fish to bite.
For this reason we generally don’t mess around with this style of fishing, as Murphy’s law states that when you are doing this and a big strike happens, you’ll be playing pick up sticks and will lose the strike you have been eagerly awaiting.
Some anglers believe that using whole sardines,redeyes,chicken livers or hearts can encourage big fish in the area to strike.This is another school of thought we generally don’t subscribe to.It’s a case of an impala temping you when you are after a buffalo.
At Jozini when we’ve used spinners, chicken livers,hearts and sardines, we’ve typically only caught smaller fish. Although we usually stick to bait,we have,however,caught some tigerfish while trolling CD 9 Rapalas.
We are fortunate that Berno lives in Pongola and is able to supply us with fresh livebait,and for this we like bream larger than 80mm.Alternatively we use dead bream with cuts made in the body.
We only use chicken hearts,livers and sardines if we’re targeting smaller tigers.
WHENTOFISH
Tigers don’t like the north-easterly winds,and certainly we tend to have more success when the westerly blows. The old adage of “West is best and east is worst”seems to hold true.
During normal conditions,when there are not 200 boats running around the dam,the early mornings produce the best results.
WHERETOFISH
From early spring until the first significant rains,the best fishing action can be found at the point where the river enters the dam – depending on the dam’s water level.Upriver towards the bridge and up towards Royal Swazi are also good.
During the summer and autumn months,particularly April and May,the western shores are prime fishing location and the eastern side tends to have less fish activity.
WHERETOANCHOR
We prefer to anchor close to the bank and reed clusters in about 3–8 metres of water along the old river channel. Make sure you keep a fair distance from any structure to avoid your fishing line snagging frequently.
Always deploy two anchors – one in the bow and one in the stern,especially
if there is a lot of wind.This is vital!
On a calm day,drifting in the suggested areas often produces good fish.
How long should you stay in one area? Our thinking is this:give it an hour,and if there’s no action,move on.
The above is good advice for fishing in the hotter months.In the colder months we fish much deeper – generally depths up to 20 metres.
HOWTOFISH
When you’re fishing with light line and a single hook using livebait,it’s important to feed the tigerfish for ten to 15 seconds before striking.However,this method can often lead to you getting snagged on structure when you strike. This technique also increases the likelihood of the tigerfish swallowing the hook which can result in a higher mortality rate for the fish.
When using a float,strike as soon as you see a bite,and consider using more than one hook.
As I’ve said,tigerfish are a challenge to catch,especially the big fish,but as the years go by,it seems more and bigger fish are being caught than there were in previous years.The regulation requiring all tigers caught in Jozini to be released does seem to be working, and we look forward to witnessing this trend continuing into the future.
A day spent targeting tigers on Jozini is a wonderful experience,so we hope these tips improve your chances of landing some.
Kingfisher Award Application Form
I hereby apply for the Kingfisher Award in the category:
Meritorious Fish Outstanding Catch
Tick the appropriate box and supply us with the following information. Please remember to print clearly.
Digital emailed photographs should be high-resolution.
YOUR favourite offshore angling magazine, SKI-BOAT , in conjunction with The Kingfisher and the South African Deep Sea Angling Association, is proud to offer all South African ski-boaters the unique opportunity to win awards for excellence in angling.
All deep sea anglers who achieve laid down standards of excellence will be entitled to apply for the KINGFISHER AWARD.Upon ratification by a panel of adjudicators,the angler will receive a handsome digital certificate,suitably inscribed.
The Kingfisher Award will be made for fish caught in two sections:
1) Meritorious Fish
This award is for a fish that’s a memorable achievement for the angler,if not
RULES:
There is no restriction on the number of awards which can be applied for. Award applicants must submit a photograph of the relevant fish with the application form and a photograph of the angler with the fish.
SKI-BOAT reserves the right to use the photograph as it sees fit.
Entries must be on the official form which is included in all issues of the magazine.
Entires must be received within 45 days of capture.
No witnesses of the catch are required. The award is made in the true spirit of sportsmanship and relies on the integrity of the angler to make a just claim. Aselection of award winners’names will be announced in future issues of SKIBOAT, along with relevant photographs. Award applicants should allow 30-45 days for processing of applications. There is no charge for Kingfisher Awards.
a personal best,and is not confined to the species listed below.
Tackle used is of no consideration here, the fish's weight being the main criterion.
2) Outstanding Catch
To satisfy the requirements for this award,anglers can catch any recognised fish species.As a guideline,the weight of that fish must equal or exceed the suggested weights below,or certain laid down fish weight:line class ratios.
Awards will be made in the following ratio categories:
3:1 – Bronze Award
5:1 – Silver Award
7:1 – Silver Award
10:1 – Gold Award.
Applies to IGFA line class 1kg ,2kg,4kg, 6kg,10kg,15kg,24kg,37kg and 60kg.
RELEASED BILLFISH AND GT (Ignobilis) KINGFISH
With the strong trend towards releasing these and other fish, we have decided to amend the Kingfisher Award rules to provide for acknowledgement of all released fish. All we need is a photo of the fish being released or prior to release (e.g. GT held next to the boat) and the approximate weight of the fish which should fall in line with the stipulated weights set out above.
In line with this trend we will not be carrying photographs on the Kingfisher Awards page of any billfish or GTs aside from those that are released.
This stunning sailfish, weighing ±30kg caught and released off St Lucia earned Johan Swart a Gold Meritorious Award for his outstanding catch.
Wesley Uys has been awarded a Gold Meritorious Award for this 18.6kg dorado caught on 37kg line class on 26 June 2024 off Shelly Beach, KZN.
Our apologies for the typo in the previous issue.
Rachel Ledsham has been awarded a Gold Meritorious Award for this 14.7kg ’cuda caught off St Lucia, KZN, in March 2024.
He wins this issue’s great prize for
Andre Wentzel has been awarded a Gold Meritorious Award for this 76kg yellowfin tuna caught off Gordon’s Bay, WC, in March 2024.
Geoff Raasch has been awarded a Gold Meritorious Award for this 19.8kg wahoo caught off Techobanine, Moçambique on 5 October 2024.
British Seagull outboards keep going decades after the factory closes
By Erwin Bursik
OUR recent “Snapshot of History”articles have produced much positive feedback from readers.Two of those responses provided us with some information on one of the front-runners that replaced the sail and/or oars as a means of propulsion for small craft.
Both Karl Hermann from Kloof in KwaZulu-Natal and Carl Krause from Benoni,Gauteng,approached us with insight into the British Seagull outboard motors that first saw “service”during the run up to World War II.
These were rugged two-stroke marine outboard motors with a relatively slow turning propeller that proved very popular for use on dinghies,tenders and small yachts.
This simple single-cylinder,watercooled two-stroke engine was basic, with an unprotected Magneto atop,a simple carburetor,pull-cord starter,and small fuel tanks bolted on top.It was powered via a drive shaft to the gearbox and a substantial propeller that provided staunch,slow speed thrust.
They were originally manufactured in Wolverhampton in the UK around 1935,but the factory later moved to Poole and remained there until it stopped producing motors in 1996.
During WWII the Royal Engineers and Royal Navy used these motors extensively to propel folding boats and inflatables,and they gained a reputation of being virtually indestructible.
Some subsequent modifications to
the original resulted in the Silver Century Plus model that manufacturers bragged could propel a displacement hull up to 26ft in length.
Karl Hermann owns a ±50-year-old British Silver Seagull that he acquired in 2010,and which he still uses frequently on his bass boat on Inanda Dam.The dam is close to his home and allows him to access some easy fishing,but he also has a ski-boat based at Fairlands Angling Club for bay and offshore angling.
When Karl invited me to visit him and see the Seagull motor,it immediately brought back memories of when I used a Seagull as a standby motor on my original ski-boat way back in the early 1960s.
Karl Hermann with his ±50-year-old British Silver Seagull. Transom mounted with clamps — not safety chains.
Simple mechanics — easily accessible for on-water servicing. Four bladed propeller — designed for thrust not speed. Note shear pin device enabling a change whilst at sea.
It was wrapped in plastic and kept in the centre hatch just in case the two old Johnson motors I had gave up the ghost.I pulled out the Seagull twice,if my memory serves me correctly,and then I thumb-screwed it to the transom, started it and used it to set a course back to DSBC while I tinkered with the obstinate Johnsons until I got them up and running.
I never had to rely on the Seagull to power me all the way home,but I am sure the slow and steady pace we achieved with a single Seagull only, would have got me back to Vetch’s.
When the Durban Ski-Boat Club first started,the British Seagull was very popular,usually as a second motor but there were a number of boats that used two Seagulls as their power source.
In those early days,the saying was that Seagulls were so easy to work on, that if one broke down at sea,the skipper just had to take the motor off the transom and,with minimal tools,perform a full overhaul on the deck,and it would soon be up and running again.
Physically seeing a Seagull again at Karl’s house and watching him put the pull rip cord around the flywheel was
Carl Krause has a hobby restoring vintage outboards. These four beauties are some he’s worked on.
really exciting.A half-hearted pull was all it took to get the motor running beautifully with its lower unit immersed in a bucket of water.That sound alone made my day,and brought back even more memories of using a British Seagull.
I spent a good while admiring the Seagull,checking that my memories aligned with the reality of the motor.I also poked and played with it both when it was running in the tank and also thereafter when I could get up close and personal with the motor.
Here’s a summary of some of the notable points when using one of these motors:
•The starter rope slotted in the notch around the “flywheel”and the pull –haven’t done that in 40-plus years.
•The throttle lever on the tiller bar.
•The fuel tank on top of the motor that we had to shield while refueling at sea – 25:1 premix.
•The transom clamp and turn buckle to tighten it on – and the safety chain (things we don’t have to worry about these days).
•The special spring and shear pin holding the prop in place that could be changed at sea with spares held in one’s tackle box – along with some sparkplugs.
•The aft seat in the boat needed while skippering the craft using the steering arm and throttle lever.
•Finally,the sound of the un-muffled motor with the exhaust underwater. It all brought back a lot of wonderful memories of a very different era! Surprisingly,Karl isn’t the only one
still using an old Seagull outboard.Every year on 30 December a large number of Seagull outboard owners hold a regatta on the Kariega River at Kenton on Sea especially for craft powered by British Seagulls.A massive 207 boats took part in the event at the end of 2023!
The Seagulls aren’t the only old outboard motors that have stood the test of time.Carl Krause of Camping and Boating Centre in Benoni has a hobby restoring vintage outboard motors,and he sent me this photo of a few meticulously restored outboards.He assures me that they all run sweetly when he has finished restoring them.
There’s clearly still plenty of life in these motors after the warranties run out – if they’re properly maintained.
been going for five years.
Over 200 boats took part in the 2023 event.
If readers have photos of old tackle, boats or motors, or have a story to tell about the way they fished “in the old days”, they’re welcome to email them through to <sheena@mags.co.za>.
This magnificent collection of 45 Seagull engines belongs to Dale Cunningham, organiser of the annual Kenton Seagull Regatta.
RIGHT: The Kenton Seagull Regatta has
MY FIRST ’CUDA: WHATAFISH!
by Ross Wille (15)
Ross Wille with his 34.5kg king mackerel caught at Sodwana Bay on 6 July 2024.
AFTER our early morning wake up call,we collected the boat from the boatyard at Sodwana Lodge and off we went to the beach.The tractor pushed us into the water and we headed north into a choppy sea.When we arrived at a set location,we put out a few daisy chains,hoping to catch some live bait.It wasn’t easy,but after one or two hours we managed to catch a perfectly sized bonito and quickly hooked it up to our bigger rod.
The live bait was put out on a slow troll,and within 20 seconds the reel started screaming! There was pandemonium and huge excitement on the boat for a few minutes.It was my turn to fish,and directions were flying from every angle:“Pick up the rod! Reel,reel,reel! Turn the boat left! Pick up the rod! Let it run! Don’t touch the drag! Pick up the rod!”Finally we all settled in for the fight.
It was clear from the beginning that this was a big fish,but we didn’t know what species.The fish stayed very low,and after 15 minutes we feared that it might be a big shark.My arms and back were aching,and it seemed like this fish was simply dominating me.She came and went just as she pleased,taking more line while I was trying to win line back. Backwards and forwards it went.After a long 25 minutes I managed to bring the fish close to the boat and get a glimpse of it,but that just spooked it and off it went again,reel screaming.I lost a lot of line and the battle resumed.
Ten minutes later it was finally next to the boat,subdued.Captain Chris gaffed the fish and then we realised that a second gaff was necessary to get this monster onto the boat.One,two,three and there she was,on the deck – mission accomplished! Only once the fish was in the boat did we realise the enormity of this once in a lifetime catch.My first ’cuda,and a proper monster!
I had eventually found some luck! The fishing gods were on my side that day,and Captain Chris Hamel succeeded in keeping his promise that I would catch a nice fish.I never expected to catch a fish of this size!
Back on the beach,the onlookers were all amazed by this huge,beautiful fish.It weighed in at 34.5kg,and when other skippers and fishermen gave us the thumbs up and congratulated me,I realised it was clearly a notable catch.I was so fortunate to be invited on the boat and then to have the opportunity to land this amazing fish! It was a day I will never forget,and I can’t wait to do it again.
Our 2024 Bell Reel Kids winner, Sebastian Jansen van Rensburg, has put his Bell jacket to good use on his fishing trips and will no doubt get plenty of use out of his new Shimano rod and reel over the holidays.
2025 BELLREELKIDSWINNER
SEBASTIANJansen van Rensburg is our lucky Bell Reel Kids winner for 2024. His photo and story appeared in the July 2024 issue of SKI-BOAT,and his name was later drawn in our annual lucky draw.He recently received his fabulous prize of a Shimano rod and reel from Raj Singh,Bell Equipment Customer Relations Facilitator.
Fourteen-year-old Sebastian’s story was all about catching fish off his paddleski while on holiday in Moçambique,but he loves fishing off ski-boats too,and has caught a variety of fish.If you’re under the age of 16 and love fishing,write us a short story about your favourite fishing trip or a special catch,and you could be the proud owner of a bundle of goodies courtesy of Bell Equipment.If we use your story you also stand a chance of winning a Shimano rod and reel.
All the details are on page 58 of this issue,so get busy these holidays.
Our sincere thanks to Bell Equipment for their continued support of our junior anglers through this feature.
#Pink wave hits OET
By Claire Burger
ONCE again Team Aqua Joy has outdone themselves! An all-ladies team entering the renowned OET? One of the biggest saltwater comps in South Africa? It’s a man’s playground,you know!
We were nervous about the unknown,but really had nothing to worry about.Family,friends and Yamaha backed us all the way,and once we got to Sodwana we were welcomed with open arms.I quickly realised that everyone there shared the same love and passion for fishing as we did,and we spent hours sharing tales of our experiences.
I loved every minute of it:The buzz of excitement from the crews of over 100 boats.Discussions about who was going to take the crown this year.Five fishing days that amounted to 80% experience and skills,and 20% luck.We knew the 20% luck was going to make all the difference!
The pre-dawn hours have a wonderful sense of tranquility before the world slowly stirs to life,and when all the boats were lined up waiting for their turn to launch,Team Aqua Joy was in the midst of them — ready for anything.
Day 1:Yay! We scored a hook up with a black marlin,but its high energy jumping led to a great escape.What a slap in the face! Our Rapala Lips were so long they could have reached the bottom of the ocean.Billfish certainly are a force to be reckoned with,and we reminded one another that fishing is about the thrill of the hook up as well as the landing of the fish.
Day 2:There was great excitement when Fransien brought in a 3kg bonito — finally,livebait! I mean,what marlin wouldn’t want to eat one of those rigged up?
Each of us had a turn to hold the elastic on the outrigger in our fingers, relishing the light tension of the elastic as the bonito called to the big fish from the ocean depths.The unspoken promise lingered at our fingertips.As time passed by,we started filling in for each other,all getting comfortable on the boat.
After too long without any action,Fransien looked at me and said,“Clairie,I’m going to catch a fish for you!”
Delicate tension strung between hope and reality.
She looked up and said,“Here it is now.”
Snap went the elastic! Never in my life have I heard a reel screech like that;the speed was unbelievable.But as fast as it all started,it stopped again.A wave of Rapala Lips came over our boat.The fish had run off with the whole 3kg bonito,and only a lonely hook was left behind.Oh my heart!
Three days fishing with no fish landed can really eating into one’s ego.
On our last day on the sea my heart rate started to slow
down.The feeling was similar to the one you get before going back to boarding school after an amazing family holiday.I was sad it was coming to an end,but I knew I had made some amazing new memories:All the inside jokes and stories of small heads and eating pomelos that make you laugh so hard your stomach hurts.The karaoke,Visage’s blow out night,and, of course,the happy birthday serenade I received over the radio.The good times with friends and our journey made this trip one for the books.
Then there was my own rewind moment on the boat — gazing out between the Yamaha engines,konas dancing in the foam inviting the fish to the party.Suddenly,an emerald flash near the konas and a snap of the elastic on the outrigger.The sound of the reel fires up your heart with anticipation.
“FISH ON!”
The skipper turned on the taps to ensure a hook up,and our team members all jumped to their posts,ready to bring in the other rods.No one asked questions,they just did what had to be done.My 12 minute interval was nearly over — one minute to go — this fish was mine!
The run had begun,and the fish was on,so I settled into the fighting chair and started my grand fight, winching in every metre with the utmost care.
We needed this fish! We hadn’t landed any fish in three days,and after our marlin and Houdini bonito,getting a few points for team Aqua Joy was all that I was focused on.
Don’t stuff this up,Claire!
I could feel the fish fighting with everything it had,and finally we got a show.One of the most beautiful fish in the sea,a true marvel of nature — a huge dorado bull. I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw the huge forehead,vibrant greens, yellow and blues.
Everyone was stunned at the size. This baby was coming home! Its last dance near the boat is a sight I’ll never forget.The thrill of victory surged through me as Chris,our skipper,hoisted the dorado aboard.Our relief and joy echoed to the shores.
For the first time we had bragging rights thanks to two beautiful dorados.What a great birthday gift!
Aqua Joy also won the crown for the largest dorado caught at the comp.It was an amazing feeling standing at that scale with a 20.2kg dorado and my amazing team beside me.
My 20% luck came through,and on my birthday too.Best present ever!
The pink wave has well and truly hit the OET,and it all began with a call from a friend:
