Ski-Boat magazine May 2022 by Angler Publications

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May/June 2022 Vol. 38 No. 3

CRACKER OF A FISH Targeting Black Steenbras

TAMING THE KING Croc ’Cuda in KZN

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WHERE TO FISH

Secrets of the Eastern Cape

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CONTENTS

May/June 2022 Volume 38 Number 3 COVER: PROPER COPPER Andrew Sparg with a beautiful red steenbras (aka copper) caught off the Wild Coast. Photo by Damon Thompson.

FEATURES

Where to Fish Part 5: Secret spots of the Eastern Cape — by John Luef and Fred Clarke

Cracker of a Fish Targeting black steenbras aka musselcracker — by Craig Stubbs

Ambition Realised Introducing the Invicta Cat 30 — by Erwin Bursik

Taming the King ’Cuda cowboys show how it’s done — by Justin Paynter

The Secrets to Success: People,Technology, Longevity Lowrance celebrates 40 years in SA — by Sheena Carnie and Erwin Bursik

Dreams Come True on Your Doorstep Tigerfishing at Lake Jozini — by Philip van Wyk

Yellow-tin-funny Biltong Making the most of your tuna catch — by Martin du Plessis

Bulle on the Breede Tips for fishing the Breede River — by Jack Walsh

The Enigmatic Flying Squid You learn something new every day — by Johan Smal

DEPARTMENTS

Editorial — by Erwin Bursik

Mercury Junior Anglers

SADSAA News

Book Review: Full Circle

Subscription page

Ad Index

Kingfisher Awards

Business Classifieds & Directory

Bell Reel Kids

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

TAMING TIGERS

Editorial Assistant: Lynette Oakley Contributors: Erwin Bursik, Sheena Carnie, Fred Clarke, Martin du Plessis, John Luef, Justin Paynter, Johan Smal, Craig Stubbs, Philip van Wyk and Jack Walsh. ADVERTISING – National Sales: Mark Wilson, Manager cell: 073 748 6107 Lyn Oakley, Sales cell: 082 907 7733 ADVERTISING – Gauteng & Mpumalanga: Lyn Adams — 083 588 0217 Publishers: Angler Publications cc PO Box 20545, Durban North 4016 Telephone: (031) 572-2289 e-mail: angler@mags.co.za Subscriptions to SKI-BOAT: R220 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> Printing: Novus Print, Cape Town Distribution: On The Dot <Riaan.Weyers@onthedot.co.za> Full production is done in-house by Angler Publications & Promotions on Apple Macintosh software and hardware. 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.

4 • SKI-BOAT May/June 2022

N the 37 years since SKI-BOAT magazine’s inception in May 1985 we have carried the odd article on the often maligned tigerfish. Why should it be looked at askance, one may ask, when pound for pound this extremely strong and acrobatic fighter will arguably match the strength of any saltwater gamefish species. The only reason some anglers look down on the feisty tiger is that it lives in freshwater — and mostly outside of South Africa. Close to home, however, tigerfish are present in the Pongola River system which flows into Lake Jozini, and also in the eastern flowing rivers to its north, including a number of impoundments in Swaziland and Moçambique. Erwin Bursik When someone first suggested that we skiPublisher boaters put our boats into a dam to target a species of freshwater fish, I and many other ski-boat anglers dedicated to catching saltwater gamefish pooh-poohed the idea. No way, José! However, a small band of resident deep sea anglers — members of the Sodwana Hengelklub based in Pongola — and Arthur Duvenhage of D7 Boating wouldn’t give up. They literally and figuratively twisted my arm to attend one of the inaugural Tigerfish Bonanzas which are held annually from their club premises in the Pongola Game Reserve surrounding the northern reaches of Lake Jozini. I fished that event with Kemp Landman and Jaco Lourens and 200-plus other craft, many of which carried well known teams who regularly participated in the big ski-boat competitions at Sodwana Bay. The professionalism of this event and the complete difference to fighting the Sodwana waters was so addictive that I have only missed one event since the late 1990s. My team on Mr Ski-Boat has never been very successful, but I thoroughly enjoy the event and have no intention of missing any future Tigerfish Bonanzas. Over the years I have been fortunate to fish many of Kariba’s Tigerfish Internationals and have been fishing socially for tigerfish on the Okavango and Zambezi rivers in Namibia, and on Zambia’s Barotse floodplains, as well as on Tanzania’s Kilombero River. With that as a comparison, I am still convinced that Jozini has a tiger fishery that is not only exciting but which also seems to be producing tigerfish of ever increasing sizes each year when you look at the results from the Jozini Tigerfish Bonanzas. I recently had a look at the IGFA world listing pertaining to tigerfish (Hydrocynus vittatus) to see how many records were listed for this incredibly strong, acrobatic and hard-to-hook gamefish. The current All Tackle World Record of 16.10kg (35 lb 7 oz) was caught by Jennifer Daynes, fishing on Kariba in September 2001. All the men’s 2kg to 15kg classes have been filled with tigers weighing 6.41kg to 11.14kg. Not many women’s records have been claimed, but the junior and smallfry records have been claimed by fish weighing from 5.12kg to 11.14kg. Some of these gaps in records are no doubt because of the current trend to release all tigerfish, and of course IGFA record fish need to be weighed on an assized scale, and not on a boat. However, there is a way around this. Tigerfish can be kept alive for a considerable period prior to being weighed on terra firma, as has been proved during the Tigerfish Bonanza at Jozini. There, anglers had to transport the fish caught to one of three land-based weigh stations around the dam, before releasing them. This worked exceedingly well. A simple tripod with an assized scale attached can be quickly erected on a river or dam bank, and will fulfil IGFA record requirements and also ensure that the tigerfish in question can be returned to the water to swim free. The information generated by catching and weighing fish like this and maintaining logs of it all have great scientific value too. The thirst for adventure is embedded deep in the DNA of all deep sea anglers, and hunting tigerfish certainly fulfils this desire and is within easy reach in South Africa. The bonus is that it’s nowhere near as expensive as fishing the exotic destinations we travel to in an attempt to catch the glory fish the deep sea brigade are so besotted with. In this issue we have persuaded Phillip van Wyk, a highly proficient tigerfishing guide on Lake Jozini in northern KwaZulu-Natal, to share not only the excitement involved in catching this species, but also all the knowhow required to target tigerfish on this immense stretch of inland water with all its idiosyncracies. If you haven’t already tried to tame a tiger, maybe this is the year for a new adventure ... Till the next tide

Erwin Bursik

BACK TO BASICS

Part 5: Secret Spots of the Eastern Cape

Jacky Luef and Belinda Fischl with a Miss Lucy apiece. SKI-BOAT May/June 2022 • 7

Fred Clarke and a carpenter.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14

Area Name Cefani Table Top Cefani Cintsa & Cefani Cintsa Bay Cintsa 40m Fence Oxford Street Fence Table Top Kwelera Kwelera Bulugha Bump Small Bump Gonubie. Shallow Gonubie. Shallow Hillbilly

Fish Caught Englishman, Roman, Scotsman Various species Various species Black steenbras, yellowbelly rockod Dageraad & kob Kob & other species Various species Carpenters & dageraad Carpenters & dageraad Copper steenbras, Miss Lucy, butterfish Copper steenbras, Miss Lucy Soldiers Scotsman Coppers & geelbek

Coordinates 32:48S 28:10E 32:48S 28:09E 32:49S 28:08E 32:51S 28:07E 32:50S 28:10E 32:52S 28:07E 32:52S 28:07E 32:54S 28:07E 32:55S 28:05E 33:01S 28:16E 33:03S 28:13E 32:56S 28:05E 32:56S 28:03E 33:01S 28:12E

By John Luef and Fred Clarke

HE Eastern Cape around East London has quite an extensive coastline with many offshore areas to fish from a boat. In this article we are going to cover the entire area from the Nyara River which is the southern boundary of the Kei Marine Protected Area (MPA), down to the northern boundary of the Gxulu MPA. There are three extensive MPAs in this area and all skippers angling here are reminded to ensure they have the coordinates and are aware of all regulations pertaining to the MPAs. East London boasts a great diversity of species that can be caught from shallow reefs all the way out to and beyond the continental shelf, up to and over 100 metres of water depth. Fishing has generally improved in this area over the last number of years, with an abundance of species.This can be attributed mainly to the following things: a) The effectiveness of the MPAs, whereby, over the years, they have become overpopulated and many fish are migrating out of them. b) Bag and size limits that were implemented years ago are now showing their effectiveness. c) Recreational fishermen being far more responsible due to awareness and protection measures created by organisations such as clubs and associations. This area is also well known for very rough offshore seas and extremely difficult fishing conditions due to the notorious Agulhas current which predominantly runs down the coast off KwaZulu-Natal to Cape Town. At times, the water can move at more than 10km/h, making it almost impossible to keep a sinker and bait in the strike zone on the seabed. The area covered in this article has four registered clubs where vessels can launch from and proceed to sea to partake in recreational angling. Visitors to the area can contact the clubs (information below) to enquire about launch permits, costs, and any other relevant information for that site. • Cintsa East (Beach Launch) Mark Steinhobel 060 505 8653 Alt. Guy Swart 082 655 2739 • Kwelera Ski-Boat Club (River Launch) John Luef 082 898 2316. • Gonubie Marine Club (River Launch) Grant Keth 083 279 0260. • East London Ski-Boat Club (Harbour Launch) Graham Kingsley-Wilken 083 417 3920

SPECIES TO CATCH When fishing in the shallow reefs up to approximately 50m depths, the more common species to expect are kob,

black steenbras/musselcracker, Scotsman, dageraad, santer (soldier), Roman, Englishman, yellowbelly rockcod and moustache rockcod. The rarer species are German bream, white musselcracker, bank steenbras, baardman, John Dor y and catface rockcod amongst others. The deeper reefs will produce red steenbras, Miss Lucy (red stump), carpenter (dogs), seventy-four, yellowtail, butterfish and geelbek. Although these are predominantly deeper water fish, they have also at times been landed in relatively shallow waters. Gamefish are rare to our area, but usually bonito, marlin and yellowfin can be caught from around November to March each year. TACKLE In this area, anglers mostly use the “Scarborough” fishing reel, which generally gives a great feel of one-to-one on any fish, but anglers can use whatever they are most comfortable with. In the shallow waters, to reap the most fun out of the experience, any light tackle rod up to around 10kg is perfect with a 7” Scarborough reel and nylon line or braid, whichever you prefer. Generally, an 8- to 12 ounce sinker is sufficient. On the deeper reefs, a heavier rod with an 8” Scarborough is the most used. Braid is a must due to the strong currents. Because it is thinner than line, it can cut through the water and give you a better chance of keeping your bait on the seabed and a better chance of feeling the bites due to the depths at which we’re fishing. Nylon line has a lot of stretch so you don’t feel the bites as well. Here you rarely get away with a light sinker and generally a 16- to 32 ounce sinker is required. The old argument between circle or J hooks will forever continue, so I suggest using what you are comfortable with and adjust the size of hook depending on the species being targeted. John Luef with a kob.

KOB The bag limit is five per angler from a boat; minimum 50cm with only one above 110cm allowed. Kob are relative-

ly scarce here compared to other coastal areas, but there are a few areas, as indicated on the maps alongside, where they can be caught. Kob seem to like a neat bait and will readily bite on pilchard, squid and even octopus leg.Their favourite seems to be a mixed bait with a piece of squid dangling in the current. Generally, a 6/0 to 9/0 hook can be used with a relatively long hook trace as they seem to be sensitive to feeling resistance on the hook trace. Fred Clarke with a dageraad.

DAGERAAD The bag limit is one per angler, minimum 40cm. Dageraad are extremely plentiful in the East London area and can be caught in all areas and depths, even on the shelf. There are currently many of this species which are just under size, which is a good sign for this species in the future. Dageraad feed on many types of bait including but not limited to pilchard, squid and sliced fillet, but their favourite bait is a nice cleaned piece of octopus leg.A 5/0 to 6/0 hook is a good size to use for this species. BLACK STEENBRAS AKA MUSSELCRACKER The bag limit is one per angler, minimum 50cm. Black steenbras are abundant in the shallows and up to around 40m; there are also many juveniles of this species found in water up to 12m deep which is exciting for the future. They will feed on most baits but prefer a big eye (Fransmadam) or steintjie flapper.They are extremely exciting to catch as they bite ferociously and fight all the way up. They are also known to head for the nearest reef to cut off your trace. SKI-BOAT May/June 2022 • 9

Fred Clarke and Travis Hayward with a pair of seventy-fours about to be released.

Vicky Luef with a black steenbras.

Black steenbras prefer very clear water and like areas where there are lots of smaller fish and large reef.A minimum of a 10/0 hook is ideal for this species. SCOTSMAN The bag limit is one per angler, minimum 40cm. Scotsman were at one time a rare species for our area, but in the last few years they have become more abundant and some nice sized specimens are being caught. This species can be caught in all depths of water but they are more common in the shallows under 30m deep.

10 • SKI-BOAT May/June 2022

Allen Ford with a Scotsman.

Dennis Ford, John Luef and Byron Vermaak with a lovely red steenbras aka copper.

15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26

Area Name & Coordinates Stones 33:03S 28:02E Stones 33:05S 28:03E JK 33:09S 28:03E 9 Mile 33:06S 28:04E Trust Bank 33:06S 28:08E Gulu Drop 33:09S 24:46E Gulu Shallow 33:08S 27:45E The Wreck 33:01S 27:58E Hickmans Shallow 33:04S 27:51E Wenco 33:11S 27:52E Squid Grounds 33:02S 27:55E Igoda Shallow 33:06S 27:47E

Fish Caught Carpenters, coppers Carpenters, coppers Carpenters, coppers, Miss Lucy Carpenters, coppers Coppers, Miss Lucy, geelbek Coppers, black steenbras & others Kob, carpenters Kob Kob, black steenbras Coppers, carpenters Squid Kob, other species

They feed on most small baits with their favourite being a couple of pieces of squid. A 5/0 hook, not bigger, is ideal for this species as they have relatively small mouths. They are also strong fighters and give immense pleasure to light tackle anglers. They are one of the more stunning fish in the ocean with very vibrant colours. RED ROMAN The bag limit is two per angler, minimum 30cm. The red Roman is a beautiful bright red. For some reason, the bigger specimens are not found in our area

Dennis Ford with a soldier.

and they generally get bigger as you go down the coast towards Cape Town. The average size here is about 1.5kg. These fish are mostly found in shallow water under 20m where they feed on a variety of small baits like squid, octopus and pilchard. They have very small mouths and a 3/0- to 5/0 hook will be ideal. SOLDIER (SANTER) The bag limit is five per angler, minimum 30cm. Soldiers can normally be found in the shallows under 30m of water in shoals where they will aggressively feed on just about any bait preSKI-BOAT May/June 2022 • 11

sented to them. They are extremely feisty fighters and are great fun to catch. A 5/0 hook is the ideal size for this species.

Hayley Luef with an Englishman. ENGLISHMAN The bag limit is one per angler minimum 40cm.These fish are relatively rare for our area, but in recent times more of them are being caught in shallow waters up to 20m depth. Like soldiers, they feed on most small baits of pilchard, squid and sliced bait, and are also ferocious fighters. It is advisable to release them to allow their stocks to multiply. They can be caught on 5/0 hooks. Fred Clarke with a yellowbelly rockcod.

YELLOWBELLY ROCKCOD The bag limit is one per angler, minimum 60cm. This fish is known to be extremely slow growing and very territorial. There are plenty of juveniles around our area and very few will make the size limit. These fish enjoy sliced bait as well as small flapper baits. They can also be targeted on old smelly pilchards which most other species will not take. They have very large mouths and can be caught on 8/0 and larger hooks. They are known to grab a bait and head into a hole or crevice, giving the angler a hard time to get them out.

A warning to anglers: yellowbelly rockcod’s gill plates are as sharp as razor blades and have sliced open many an angler’s hands, so beware. RED STEENBRAS The bag limit is one per angler, minimum 60cm. They have a closed season for October and November each year, although clubs and associations have voluntary increased this to include September amongst their members. Red steenbras are the iconic species of our area and are fairly abundant on the deeper reefs, although they sometimes pop up on the shallow reefs as well. This species gives anglers one of the most exciting thrills when it bites as the bite is very aggressive and exaggerated. They then go on to give you one of the most exciting fights. Generally caught in around 90m of water, the fight is long, hard and tiring, but very satisfying in the end. This fish will feed on most baits from a mixed grill to a live smaller fish (butterfish, dikbekkie or carpenter), sliced baits, flappers and pilchard. Some have even taken small strips of squid. Some days they can be extremely fussy and will only take on certain baits, which makes it a great challenge to the angler. These great fish do not release very well, so it is sensible to move to other areas once you have caught your quota, as they will continue to feed. A 10/0 or larger hook can be used to catch this species. MISS LUCY (RED STUMP) The bag limit is one per angler, minimum 40cm.The Miss Lucy is one of the most beautiful fish to catch as they have banded shades of bright red and white which vary extensively in males and females, and have black speckles. They have huge bumps on their forehead which is more pronounced in the males. Once landed, they also have a very strong, distinctive smell. These stunning fish are mostly caught in the deeper waters in our area but can also be caught in shallow waters. They will feed on a variety of baits including pilchard, squid, mixed baits and octopus. Their favourite is a long, thin mixed bait. They give a very good fight especially in shallow waters, and can generally be caught on 5/0 and 6/0 hooks. CARPENTER (DOGS) The bag limit is four per angler, minimum 35cm. Carpenters are nicknamed dogs because their teeth structure is very similar to that of a dog. These are the most abundant species in our waters and can generally be caught in any depths from 20m and up to beyond 100m.They accumulate in very large shoals and it can become

very frustrating when an angler cannot get any other species due to their abundance and continuous feeding. They will feed and bite very aggressively on absolutely any bait. Because they have large mouths, they can be caught on 8/0 hooks. BUTTERFISH The bag limit is five per angler, minimum 30cm. These fish are also fairly abundant, with the juveniles mostly in shallow water and adults in deeper water on the shelf. They are also found in shoals and will feed on small baits of squid. They can be caught on a 3/0 hook with one small strip of squid and a luminous bead above the hook. They also make an excellent bait for red steenbras. Theo Kretzmann with a geelbek.

GEELBEK The bag limit is two per angler, minimum 60cm. Geelbek are so named because of the bright yellow colour inside their mouths. They are long streamlined fish and give a very hard fight to any angler. They have relatively soft mouths, though, and must be gently played so as not to rip the hook out of their mouths. Their bite is an unmistakable aggressive shake, and they often swim up with your bait, creating slack line. These are probably the most unpredictable species in our waters as they are mostly caught for three to four months following the annual sardine run on the deeper reefs. However, they can often be caught on the shallower reefs as well and can also be caught sporadically in unexpected areas all year around. They usually move around in large shoals. They will feed on pilchard, sliced bait and squid, but sometimes get “lockjaw” and although they can be seen on the fish finder, they cannot be enticed with any bait. Due to their large mouths 10/0 or bigger hooks can be used. SKI-BOAT May/June 2022 • 13

SEVENTY-FOUR This is a banned species and must be released. Seventy-fours have become extremely abundant on most of the deeper reefs in our area and large specimens are caught on virtually every trip to the shelf without being targeted. They feed on any baits put down for other species. In my opinion the decision makers should unban this species. YELLOWTAIL The bag limit is ten per angler with no size limit. This species is better known in the Cape and Struisbaai area where relatively smaller ones appear in very large shoals each year. They are abundant and are even netted from the beaches. In our area this species is not often caught, but those that are are usually much bigger, over 10kg and even up to 20kg in size. They are one of the strongest fighting fish in the sea, and when hooked, will run around the nearest reef to cut you off, so not many are landed. That is why heavy tackle is suggested. This species produces the most talk of the ones that got away when anglers are socialising over a cold beer and many stories of snapped 10/0 hooks will be heard. They will take on any large bait like two or three pilchards hooked through the eye together, flappers, and mixed grills. A big luminous orange floating

14 • SKI-BOAT May/June 2022

Allen Ford with a yellowtail

bead above the hook can attract them to your bait.A thick gauge hook, at least 10/0, can be used to try and land this very strong fish.

GAMEFISH As mentioned earlier, gamefish usually only frequent our waters from November through to March each year. The most common species caught then are bonitos, with the odd yellowfin tuna also coming out. Some skippers in the area have perfected the art of catching marlin and boast of quite a few being caught and released. Generally, bonnies can be caught on any feather, daisy chain or lure trolled at around 14km/h. Yellowfin also readily take this but are much scarcer. Tareting marlin is a very specialised form of angling, but they seem to take slow-trolled live bonito. Angling in the East London area is very exciting and rewarding due to the many species that are available to target and the vast areas that can be fished, from water less than 10m deep to over 100m deep. Deep sea angling in this area will never become boring as after many years of angling there is still the chance you can improve on any of your personal best catches and, as time goes on, the angling just gets better. To continue along this path and protect our heritage for future generations, please be responsible. The old saying comes to mind:“Limit your catch, don’t catch your limit.”

TACTICS

Rob Richardson proud of his catch of a big black steenbras.

Targeting black steenbras aka musselcracker By Craig Stubbs

HE black steenbras/musselcracker, alongside the red steenbras, is probably the most prized bottomfish species that ardent bottomfishing anglers target and long for, and a big specimen is both memorable and often celebrated on board. Known colloquially as “poensies” or “cracker”, these fish occur along most of the east coast of South Africa and are most abundant along the Eastern

Cape/Transkei and KwaZulu-Natal coastlines. The Transkei is recognised as the nursery for these fish, and many juveniles are hooked and landed there, whereas, along the KZN coast, most of the fish are larger adults. They are present all year round, throughout their range, but there are periods where they gather over certain reefs in higher numbers. This is often associated with spawning aggregations which occur in the cooler months between May and October.

These fish stir up quite a bit of emotion from a conservation point of view, so it is worth expanding on the subject. Firstly, they are an endemic species (native to our eastern seaboard), they are extremely slow growing and take a number of years to reach sexual maturity. They are listed as Orange on the WWF SASSI List, meaning that they are prone to exploitation, and one should think twice before har vesting this species. So, from an angling point of view, be responsible with your catch, and remember the bag limit is one fish per person, with a minimum size of 50cm tail length. Although they are caught as bycatch during “general” bottomfishing, there are a number of things you can do to up the odds in your favour should you wish to target these beasts of the deep. They are incredibly strong fighters, and are fine sports fish, particularly when they get around and above the 20kg mark. If you are ever fortunate enough to get one above that magical 30kg mark, you are going to be in for a proper game of tug of war which will test your skills and tackle to the limit. WHERE Cracker can be found in shallow water along the Transkei coast, but larger adults are best located in water between 40- and 70m deep in KZN, with a few fish occurring deeper in water up to 100m in depth. Without doubt, my most consistent cracker spots are in water depths of 55to 70m, so when I am fishing that depth zone there is always that little tingle of excitement and an air of expectation. Isolated, larger pinnacles of rock within a given reef structure are prime cracker habitat, but unlike rockcod that set up camp and reside largely in a small area on a reef, cracker seem to be willing to travel around the reef or between reefs as they defend their territory or seek out a meal. Although they can be caught throughout the day, the majority of my cracker have come earlier on in the day, or later in the afternoon/evening.

Craig Stubbs with a solid black steenbras aka musselcracker. 20 • SKI-BOAT May/June 2022

HOW One sometimes hears stories of cracker being caught on a “piece of squid” on a small 2/0 hook, but these stories are few and far between and 90% of my cracker have been caught when I was rigged and baited accordingly. You have two options here. One is to deliberately target cracker (or other large bottomfish species) with a single hook rig and big bait, and the other is to include a large hook and bait in your general bottomfishing trace.

It is for this exact reason that I recommend always having a large hook and bait included in your bottomfishing traces even if you are targeting red fish, so that when Mr Cracker shows up, you have a nice snack for him to crunch down upon. Hook wise, a good old Mustad Kendal Round in size 9/0 or 10/0 is a good choice. If you prefer circle hooks, which I find myself fishing more and more these days, then a circle around a 14/0 or 16/0 in size will do the job, depending on manufacturer. Minimum line diameter of .8mm is preferrable, and nothing heavier that 1mm line is needed.Make sure your swivels are in good shape and knots are well tied. I find that once you have used a swivel for a while, some of the protective coating seems to crack and peel off, and actually leaves a fine but sharp cutting edge which can cut into your line. For that reason I regularly replace my swivels and throw old ones away as soon as they show any signs of wear. This problem of line damage can easily be overcome by using heavier mono, of 1 to 1.2mm which is more abrasion resistant, but I honestly feel that as one goes heavier, your strike rate reduces. My choice is nearly always to fish lighter, but I make sure my components and knots are not going to let me down. As a further note, and particularly if you are fishing lighter, regularly run your mono trace through your fingers to check it for abrasion, particularly if you have caught a nice rockcod, as their fine, sharp teeth can damage lighter line. If there’s any doubt, rather take a minute and replace your snoot than later lose a nice big fish. BAIT Black musselcrackers love a nice, energetic live mackerel, so that rates as my favourite for targeting them. Like most fish, they also seem to be willing to move a fair distance to get that mackerel in their mouths. When fishing a live mak, a bridle rig with a cable tie between the eyes is preferred as the live bait is less likely to tear off the hook during the bite and this method also exposes the majority of the hook shank which plays towards a more solid hookup. Fear not, however, if you can’t get your hands on live bait, as cracker readily devour dead baits too. A whole, dead sand soldier (regular bycatch on smaller hooks when bottomfishing) is a very effective bait, particularly with the tail chopped off, the fins trimmed and a slice or two made in the side of the bait to release some scent. Another very effective cracker bait is a mixed bait of squid arms and fillet. Trim a portion of the squid that con-

Once you have caught your limit of one black steenbras, you can use this simple system to release other black steenbras accidentally caught, or any other deep water species. It is endorsed by the scientists at ORI as being a good way to maximise the survival rate of deep water fish that anglers want to release. As the weight takes the fish back down to the depths at which it was caught, the pressure increases and the swim bladder deflates so the fish stays down. tains the arms so that three or four arms remain, and thread this onto your hook, so that the arms are free to move about in the current. Next, cut a slender and relatively long fillet of fish (fillet of descaled redfish), and thread this onto the hook so that the majority of the fillet hangs down below the hook bend. What you now have is a long, well proportioned bait with plenty of movement and smell that is relatively hardy too. When tying this bait on a circle hook, be careful of overcrowding the hook which makes setting the hook difficult. You can also try a whole red eye sardine in lieu of the trimmed fillet, but red eyes can be a little fragile and are easily pulled from the hook. STRIKE AND FIGHT Cracker are not normally shy or delicate with a bait. They are large, and often aggressive fish, which means that if one is showing interest in your bait, you will be well aware of it. There will be the odd occasion when your rod is virtually pulled out of your hands as you are instantly connected to a powerful fish, but generally this bite consists of a series of hard jolts as the cracker bites at your bait. The cracker’s jaws are powerful and armed with strong and mainly blunt teeth which it uses to crush and devour a bait, so when you feel that strong bite, be patient and use the line control that

a KP reel so beautifully allows. Keep light tension on the line and wait for a solid pull before winding hard and sinking the hook home. I’ve definitely lost a few cracker by waiting too long and being stripped of my bait, but being patient on the bite has allowed me to hook my fair share. The upside of being overly patient and missing a fish from it stripping your bait, is that you may have another shot at the same fish on your next down, but if you strike early and prick a fish, you won’t get a second chance at it. When hooked, cracker are incredibly tough fighters, particularly for the first few minutes after being hooked. They take short, fast runs along the reef as soon as they are hooked, so give them their due by backwinding while still applying maximum “safe” pressure. Those powerful short runs and big head nods are very characteristic of a big cracker, so one is seldom left guessing what one has hooked. Cracker also tend to run “along” a reef rather than dive behind ledges etc, so being cut off isn’t as common as it is with fish such as yellowtail and big amberjack. Once the cracker begins to tire, the rest of the fight is about slowly gaining line while remaining vigilant of not pulling hooks on those powerful head nods. A long, soft bottomfishing rod does well at absorbing those nods, but once you have a fish under control be patient and slowly bring it up to reveal your prized specimen. SKI-BOAT May/June 2022 • 21

BOATING

AMBITION Introducing the Invicta Cat 30

By Erwin Bursik

NNOVATING the South African boat building industry — that was the vision of two University of Pretoria Mechanical Engineering graduates who dreamt of designing an offshore sportfishing craft and then going on to build it. This was no small task for Henry Swanepoel and Ryan Dyer who both detested the “cut and paste” design method of new hull development so common in the marine industry. They wanted to use their attained theoretical knowledge and computer22 • SKI-BOAT May/June 2022

Ryan Dyer (left) with Henry Swanepoel at the helm.

aided engineering, along with mastery of the concept of fluid dynamics, to design a hull that optimises the efficiency of a craft’s wetted surface area whilst on the plane. The two youngsters undertook their initial market research during a visit to the Miami Boat Show, where they came up with the concept of developing a 30ft offshore craft with a stepped hull, powered by four motors. Ambitious in the extreme, but they achieved it! The first Invicta Cat prototype in its

REALISED by Maiden Voyage Industries semi-finished format of a centre console model was launched into False Bay in early March 2022. I was privileged to be invited for the launch, and the lure of an opportunity to skipper a craft powered by four 140hp Suzuki outboard motors was impossible to reject. The documentation and photographs I was sent prior to my arrival in Gordon’s Bay had my mind doing summersaults with the thought of what I was going to see and experience when I eventually got to skipper the Invicta Cat and put theory into on-water practice. It was extremely exciting, yet equally daunting as I’d never before skippered a craft with four motors with counter-rotating props and an unconventional hull design. My initial response was “Incredible!” and the longer I spent on the craft with various other skippers and guests, the more I got to appreciate what this craft achieves by way of both performance and comfort. Within three to four months the final cabin, which I saw in mould format, would have been fitted and the fully completed Invicta Cat will be ready for me to finally review and report on in detail. They say the proof of the pudding is in the eating thereof, and during the inaugural trials off Harbour Island, my “first taste”of the Invicta Cat 30 was unbelievable. DESIGN OVERVIEW The Invicta Cat 30 is a custom-built 30ft power catamaran with a high-performance hull featuring two transverse steps, allowing for passive air ventilation, which decreases wetted surface area and can increase fuel efficiency by 10–15% when planing. The prototype vessel is designed for sportfishing with a walk-around pilothouse featuring a flybridge and dual helm station. It is specifically designed to withstand the harsh sea conditions fishermen encounter in and around the Cape of Storms. Once the detailed hydrodynamic design specifications of the hull were accepted, a computer-aided design (CAD) model was generated for the hull.The model is parameterised to minimise the effect of any possible downstream design iterations.An isometric view of the CAD model of the Invicta hull design can be seen in the illustration on the right. To test, iterate and optimise vessel performance and stability, Maiden Voyage Industries uses specialised virtual tow tank testing. This virtual tow tank testing provides both quantitative and qualitative results, which can be used to predict if the craft performs according to the hydrodynamic design specifications. Ryan Dyer, who was initially involved with developing inhouse hydrodynamic design programs for the unconventional hull design, now manages the virtual tow tank testing of Maiden Voyage Industries hull designs through his company Cauchy Consult.

Prototype walk around bait station with EVA marine decking.

A CAD model generated for the Invicta hull design.

Pressure distribution on the hull surface (speed = 30 knots). SKI-BOAT May/June 2022 • 23

A LONG LINE OF HA SWANEPOELS Henry’s interest in fishing and boating started at a very young age thanks to his father, Hendrik Swanepoel, a passionate offshore angler and avid boat owner who was then operating out of the Western and Eastern Cape. I first met a young Henry Swanepoel 11 years ago at the boat show in Johannesburg when he wanted practical tuition on how to fight marlin using the fighting chair on our boat show stand. He was preparing for a planned marlin fishing trip to Madagascar (see SKI-BOAT March/April 2011). He duly went on to catch his first marlin on that trip.

Henry Swanepoel and Erwin Bursik reminiscing. Boat building seems to be in Henry’s genes, as his grandfather, after departing the Belgian Congo due to political unrest, returned to South Africa and commenced building offshore trawlers in Paarden Eiland. He subsequently established a rep-

utation for being the first boatbuilder to mould and build big trawlers out of glass fibre. In a fascinating book, H.A. Swanepoel — His Family in Africa by Edward Griffiths, I read a detailed family history of Henry’s forebears. The constant thread was of men searching for opportunities and, by sheer hard work and persistence, achieving success. The first Hendrik Arnoldus Swanepoel was recruited in Amsterdam by the Dutch East India Company and came to work as a butcher stationed in what was then Cape of Good Hope in 1699. His sense of adventure and innovation led him trekking inland and farming.These genes were passed on to all the succeeding generations of Hendrik Arnoldus Swanepoels who “trekked” north to South West Africa (Namibia), Rhodesia (Zimbabwe) and ultimately Belgian Congo. It appears that Henry has inherited those genes from his dad Hendrik who has achieved many goals and accolades in his long and fruitful business career, and is now able to assist and take a huge interest in Henry’s current boat building business. Keep your eyes peeled for further updates on the Invicta Cat in future issues of SKI-BOAT.

73-foot plug of a trawler under construction. Pokkie M, one of 22 boats built by Maritime Industries (Henry’s grandfather’s company) between 1965 and 1967. Top and left, photos accredited to Fishing Industry News SA. 24 • SKI-BOAT May/June 2022

ADVERTORIAL

Suzuki introduces new high performance DF115B and DF140B

UZUKI is introducing two new models to its range in the form of the DF140B and DF115B. These new outboards are mechanically controlled and replace the outgoing DF140A and DF115A models. The new additions to the Suzuki outboard range provide an upgraded compression ratio of 10.6:1 for better top speed and quicker acceleration as well as increased fuel economy through improved thermal efficiency. These outboards also include a 40 amp alternator that delivers improved output and battery charging at low idle speeds. A redesigned cowling incorporates a new air intake structure with improved water separation and a silencer-resonator system to provide a more pleasant boating experience at all engine speeds. The new design also has a smoother and more dynamic aesthetic appeal. To make routine maintenance easier, Suzuki has made it possible to easily

26 • SKI-BOAT May/June 2022

replace the oil filter by removing the upper engine cover. To further increase ease of maintenance, the hole for the oil level gauge has been widened to 15mm which enables the use of a larger oil change hose. In addition, a new oil spill catcher on the filter mount prevents spillages and a new easy access water detection fuel filter helps protect the engine against contaminated fuel. The DF140B and DF115B provide heavy-duty performance and long-lasting durability in a lightweight, mechanically controlled package. Tanja Maes, Marine Manager for Suzuki Auto South Africa said,“The new DF140B and DF115B models are the latest in a long line of our innovative, lightweight and fuel-efficient four stroke outboards that give customers the power, performance and reassurance that they need for a wide variety of boating activities.”

TACTICS

’Cuda cowboys show how it’s done By Justin Paynter

ASTER is done and dusted, the winner of the Durban Ski-Boat Club Festival has taken their brand new boat home, and the stories of the big one that got away still linger in the air. It’s now time to put on your jacket and beanie and brave the cooler weather as the next three months will test your hunting skills, looking for the elusive crocodile ’cuda. Getting a fish over 20kg is a commendable achievement, but if you get a fish over 30kg, well you’ll have bragging rights up and down the coastline. You will gain instant social media creditability, your follows will jump a few places, and your name will definitely make it onto your club’s brag board. So, what’s the big deal? Well, the only analogy that comes to mind is like watching Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton going head to head on the final race of the 2021 season. Just when you think it’s done and dusted and your trip was uneventful and a big zip is on the score sheet, all hell breaks loose. Your rod is doubled over and your reel is screaming louder than Max’s car on the final straight. As you glance down, the spool is getting smaller and smaller (just like Lewis in Max’s rear view mirror) and 300m of line has been dumped into the Indian Ocean. Screams of “I’m getting spooled!” echo around the boat as your crew scurry to clear lines, turn the vessel and try to gain some line back. This is the moment we live for. That moment that nothing else matters —where you zone out, the world slows down and you feel that immense weight of a fish on the end of your line. All your focus is now on ensuring that you convert that pull into an IDB (in da boat). Hunting these big fish is not an easy task, and in most cases your tactics, preparation, traces and area will differ from your normal summer ’cuda game plan. In saying that, it is not impossible to get a 30kg fish off the fence on the Bluff or Number 1 on a standard ’cuda trace, But when you’re going out to target these monsters specifically, things do change. Hopefully some of the tips below will increase your success rate as we move into crocodile hunting season.

Right: Kyle Loumeau with a proper king ’cuda.

AREA North of the Durban port: Scavengers (40–50m) (Mapelane); Patinga (20–25m) (Richards Bay); Mtunzini High Points (35–50m); Zinkwazi Shallow (18–25m); Zinkwazi High Points (40– 50m); PG also known as Prince’s Grant (18–30m). South of Durban harbour: Windy corner (16–30m); Hibberdene (16–30m); Scottburgh (18–30m); Sikombe (16–24m) These areas are renowned for big fish during the autumn into early winter months. These spots are well kept secrets and all information of what is coming out is kept highly confidential and well guarded by the locals. However, as soon as one decent fish is caught it goes viral on all fishing groups within minutes, and it is only a matter of time before you are able to make an educated guess of where that fish was caught and get confirmation that the bigger fish have arrived. These areas all have their own type of fishing styles. Some you slow troll or drift over your GPS marks, others you are required to put pick and fish out the back of your boat with balloons. Guys often tend to bottomfish to create activity near their baits which is said to bring in the inquisitive crocodile ’cuda. It is very simple to figure how to fish an area when you arrive. If most of the boats are trolling, then you really have to do the same. Throwing anchor on the trolling line of the other boats is not really the gentlemanly thing to do. No matter which area you choose to fish, patience is key. It is highly unlikely that you going to get a fish over 30kg as soon as you arrive. Hours and hours can go by without you getting a pull, but you can lure the fish in by bottomfishing, using a flasher or a chum bag, and the next moment you’re on. You can’t get disheartened if you blank; that is the nature of this type of fishing — high effort plus patience equals high reward.

Warren Jensen (above) and Johan Nel (right) show off two beautiful king mackerel caught off KwaZulu-Natal. 30 • SKI-BOAT May/June 2022

BAIT This is a fiercely debated question and one that will always give rise to different opinions. It always brings me back to the question of:“Why are the paddle ski guys so successful?” The answer is something I have tried and tested and it works — quality dead bait. Most of the guys in the know like Paul Nixon, Roscoe Rautenbach and Adam Waites will try for livebait, but if they don’t manage, they will have quality dead bait. These dead baits include bonnies, walla walla and mackerel.The theory is simple: the bigger the bait, the bigger the fish. Yes, livebait is great, but being able to rig a dead bait properly with a Pulsator chin weight and some decent VMC trebles down its side, will get any big fish excited. Remember, these fish are big and are just cruising looking for an easy meal. Throwing a live mackerel in the water and asking a 30kg plus ’cuda to chase it around the water might cause the fish to lose interest due to the effort that’s needed to catch that bait.

Rigged walla walla bait and (inset) rigged mackerel bait fitted with dusters, chin weights and multiple treble hooks. However, if a nicely rigged walla walla which is doing the hula hula gets pulled slowly past its face, it’s game on! Again, you can’t disregard livebait; you need to have a variety to ensure you have what they are looking for. Livebait of choice: Bonnie, mackerel, shad, mozzie, razor belly and seapike. Dead bait of choice: Bonnie, walla walla and mackerel. TACKLE Rods and reels for your normal gamefishing application or normal ’cuda fishing is perfect for this sort of fishing. My preference is the Daiwa boat rod/ Dorado Ski or ’Cuda light paired with a Saltist 40H. The most important thing when it comes to the rod and reel combo, is to ensure you have enough line on your reel. Don’t go to a gun fight with a cap gun; you will be looking for trouble. I have recently started using Maxima Tuna blue 10kg line and have been very impressed with it. However, I also have two reels spooled with Maxima Ultra green 12kg line. You can’t go wrong with it; it’s honestly bullet proof in my eyes. What makes it so good is the way it disappears in the water and its durability. Some guys will fish this line straight to the swivel of their ’cuda trace with no leader. No matter what your preference, make sure you are well spooled.

TRACES As I mentioned in previous articles, I usually use about 3/4 size wire in front and 4/5 between the hooks when ’cuda fishing.When targeting these big fish, however, I would go 4/5 as lead wire and 5/6 between the hooks because the mouth and teeth of these fish are a lot bigger than those of a teenage ’cuda and it gives you more peace of mind. I like to fish with as much finesse as possible, but sometimes you need to be more practical if you want to land the fish. Bonnie dead bait trace: No 6 swivel 4/5 wire in front Pulsator Live Glow/Pink or Pink Yamashita duster Pulsator chin weight 1.5 ounce or 2 ounce depending on size 5/6 wire between hooks two VMC treble hooks One hook should be positioned just behind the dorsal fin and the other close to the tail. Positioning of hooks can either be done on the top, side or bottom of bait; that is personal preference. No matter where I position the hooks, I like to pin them in place to stop them from moving or falling out. I do the same with the Pulsator chin weight, and I believe this has increased my conversion rate. Walla walla dead bait trace: No 6 swivel 4/5 wire in front Pulsator Live Glow/Pink or Pink Yamashita duster Pulsator chin weight 0.5 ounce depending on size, or I will use a no 1 front hook 5/6 wire between hooks 4- 6 VMC treble hooks down the side of the bait; the number of hooks depends on the length of the bait. Because it is a thin bait, I won’t pin them into the bait.

Deadbait traces for mackerel and walla walla.

Mackerel dead bait trace: No 6 swivel 4/5 wire in front Pulsator Live Glow/Pink or Pink Yamashita duster or green bead Pulsator chin weight 0.5- to 1.5 ounce depending on size 5/6 wire between hooks Two VMC treble hooks, one positioned just behind the dorsal fin and the other close to the tail. SKI-BOAT May/June 2022 • 31

Livebait trace.

Livebait trace: No 6 swivel 4/5 wire in front Pulsator Live Glow/Pink or Pink Yamashita duster or green bead 5 wire between hooks (I won’t go more as I want the bait to have a natural action, and the thicker the wire, the less chance there is of this.) One No 1–3 single hook in the nostrils of the livebait. One No 2 treble VMC or a single No 4/5. If the bait is bigger, I would use two back hooks, similar to the dead bait trace. HELPFUL TIPS • Be prepared and do your homework. • Don’t be put off by the water colour; these predators are often caught in dirty water. • If the bite is slow, scale down on the wire or use a purple Pulsator duster. • Have patience and persevere. • Don’t be afraid to blank; it happens. Thank you to one of my good mates and Vice Commodore of Durban Ski-Boat Club, Robbie Loumeau, on the boat Vaai Dalla for the pictures of Warren Jensen and Kyle Loumeau. Robbie has put in the time hunting big fish and has been rewarded with two early season fish. Now you have all the information you require, and just need to add water and get busy catching… • Feel free to follow Justin on Instagram: jt_paynter

Adam Waites and Rob Waites were chuffed with these solid ’cuda caught off their skis. 32 • SKI-BOAT May/June 2022

ADVERTORIAL

Team Lowrance SA: Front left to right — Michelle Botha, Misa Shangase, Lisbeth Plotz and Toboho Mokoena; Back left to right — Steph Geel, Renier Smit, John Minnie and Haven Honiball. Missing: Werner Lang.

THE SECRETS TO SUCCESS: People,Technology, Longevity By Sheena Carnie

N 2022 Lowrance South Africa celebrates 40 years of the brand being in the country, a legacy that has seen them gain a large market share in South Africa. So what sets Lowrance apart from other brands? Lisbeth Plotz, managing Director of Lowrance South Africa says it’s three things: their technology, their team and their longevity. On the technology side, Liz said Darrell Lowrance, founder of the Lowrance brand, believed in technology and in always doing something

One of the latest units Lowrance has brought into South Africa.

new. Darrell was responsible for many breakthroughs in the industry. In addition to inventing the first recreational sonar products for anglers, he led the development of the first graph recorder and the first integrated sonar/GPS unit. “Our team of people is fully involved in the business and in operating the units,” Liz said.“So many brands are going the corporate way and South Africa is not ready for that. You buy a boat from a person; you buy the electronics and knowhow to operate them from a person. We believe that’s important.” When it comes to Lowrance SA’s team, Liz herself is at the SKI-BOAT May/June 2022 • 35

36 • SKI-BOAT May/June 2022

forefront of the business and is the driving force behind their recent success and numerous awards. Although she only took over the agency herself in 1998, she has been involved right from the beginning when she worked in accessories sales for Marine & Boating which first imported the units. Liz gives kudos to Derrick Levy who, 40 years ago, as MD of Marine & Boating,“had the vision to imagine that marine electronics would be a thing of the future for ski-boaters and bass anglers.” As far as Liz is concerned,“any brand is only as good as its backup and I believe we have the best team to back up Lowrance in South Africa. Our team members all play very important roles and support each other in their various duties to form a homogenous company.” John Minnie, an avid deep sea and bass angler, has been with the company since 2009. He is their Technical Manager and provides technical support to the brand as well as doing seminars and talks around the country. John also travels to the international conferences and has been to Tulsa for technical training. Renier Smit joined the company in 2011 and is in charge of customer care and the warehouse. He also provides technical support and knowhow to the brand. Renier is a keen deep sea angler. Steph Geel, a keen bass angler, started with Lowrance SA in 2016. She is the Dealer Liaison for KwaZulu-Natal and the Cape provinces, as well as the go-to person for social media and marketing. Werner Lang is the Dealer Liaison and support for Gauteng, Limpopo, Mpumalanga and North West. A keen angler in numerous facets, including deep sea, bass, bream and carp, Werner has been with the company since 2021. Haven Honiball is in charge of receiving and dispatching goods, as well as telephone sales. He joined Lowrance SA in 2020. Michelle Botha is in charge of the admin and accounts department and is the friendly voice at the end of the line, when you phone in. She has been with the company since 2015. Lowrance’s 40-year history in South Africa gives clients peace of mind that they have been around for a long time and are thus reliable. “New brands sometimes come in at a better price but they don’t always last long,” Liz commented. So what does the future hold for Lowrance SA? “I guarantee we will be in the forefront of technology,” Liz confidently stated. She is also happy to highlight that Navico, Lowrance’s parent company, is currently investing a lot into the deep sea market which also bodes well for the future.

A few of the awards Bismonte Trading/Lowrance SA has won over the years.

SKI-BOAT May/June 2022 • 37

DRAGGING ANGLERS OUT OF THE DARK AGES By Erwin Bursik

N the early 1980s the use of electronics on ski-boats was very much in its infancy with a few echo sounders of various makes finding their way mainly onto the bigger sportfishers. However, a few visionaries who had faith in the future of digital equipment imported some of the sonar units available in the USA into South Africa. They subsequently persuaded a few of the ski-boat owners of that era to fit sonar machines to our boats to open up the never-before-seen topography of the ocean f loor. Using those paper machines with a revolving stylus, we could turn our hitherto visual “marks” into black scratches on the paper. A new era had arrived. One such visionary was Derrick Levy, then managing director of Marine & Boating in Durban, who “signed up” at the Chicago Boat Show to become the Lowrance agent for South Africa. Armed with this appointment and as a major sponsor of the biggest South African deep sea angling competition of the time, The Umhlanga Festival, Derrick, together with Lowrance’s Darrell Lowrance and Howard Yeilding started promoting the Lowrance sonar fish finders. During Darrell and Howard’s visit to South Africa, a number of training semi-

Barry Woods (winner of the 1985 Umhlanga Festival) with Lowrance’s Howard Yeilding and Derrick Levy, MD of Marine & Boating at the time. nars were conducted and the ski-boating fraternity began to understand both the workings of these machines as well as the concept of using a beamed pulse via the sounder’s transducer to display (on the sensitised paper) the bottom profile and markings which were said

Two of the first Lowrance units brought into South Africa, the X-15 and X-16, and a paper printout from the X-16. A shows “found”; B — Zoomed in on the fish; C — Grey line used to differentiate fish near the bottom. 38 • SKI-BOAT May/June 2022

to show fish around the reef and mid water. I was initially sceptical, and eventually Derrick said to me “Take this Lowrance X-16 and mount it on Sea Lord. If it works pay for it, if not, I will take it back.” Needless to say, it worked. Over and above this sales ploy, I was afforded the opportunity to take Darrell Lowrance onboard my boat for the first day of the 1986 Umhlanga Festival. He spent all day playing with the X-16 and really impressed me with the readings he was getting. Phrases such as thermocline, fish arches, chart speed and definition on the chart paper were all now making sense. However, the thing that has stuck with me ever since, was when Darrell said: “Take this sounder and throw it overboard if you don’t believe what it is showing, and I will give you your money back.” Throughout the decades that have followed, and with a number of other brands having come into the South African market, Lowrance has held its head high and provided the most up to date sonar equipment and a level of service that has always been professional and technically sound. With the Lowrance agency having been taken over by Bismonte Trading, trading as Lowrance South Africa, in 1998, it’s in safe hands with Lisbeth Plotz at the helm. Having been with the brand since it arrived in South Africa, Liz has masterminded the grand heights to which the brand has soared in SA. Team Lowrance, congratulations on flying the Lowrance flag so high for 40 years!

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SKI-BOAT May/June 2022 • 39

ACTING PRESIDENT’S REPORT U19, are always incredible events. They REETINGS to all our anglers. are the start of competitive angling for so We hope that the first few many and the promise of things to come. months of the year have been SADSAA recently announced that a productive and that you have new U21 division would be introduced, all had a chance to spend time on the to be fished alongside the Seniors at the water and land a few good fish. Nationals each year. We hope this will SADSAA’s Annual General Meeting allow our younger anglers the opportuniwas held on 8 April and by the time you ty to bridge the gap more easily between read this, the new council should have the Junior and Senior ranks, and hopefulbeen announced. I would like to take ly keep them fishing for longer. this opportunity to congratulate all the Along with the introduction of the successful nominees. U21s, SADSAA has been pushing the Being part of this organisation at this development of women’s angling. In line level requires an inordinate amount of with this, the first SADSAA Ladies team time and sacrifice, and finding people has been announced and they will comwho have the passion and drive to take pete in the Gamefish Nationals in April. on this task is not always easy. We wish all our anglers well for this tourThe group of candidates for this nament. year’s election is an incredible bunch of The Senior Bottomfish Nationals will men and women who have selflessly Chris Schorn, also be held in April, hosted by Border given of their time to continue to proSADSAA Acting President Deep Sea from East London Ski-boat mote and champion our incredible sport that has given so much to each of us. I hope that in the next Club. Always a challenging venue, East London is well issue we will be able to introduce these dedicated individu- known for its coppers, and I am sure we will see some truly decent fish coming out. als to you so that you are aware of who your team is. It is with enormous pleasure that I am able to announce With this in mind, we bid farewell to our President, Phillip Marx, who has steered this ship for the past five that in May SADSAA will be hosting our first special needs years. Phillip took over the reins from Geoff Wanvig when angling weekend. Our “All Stars” from all over the country he stepped down, and was able to see us through some tur- will be gathering at the Durban Ski-boat Club, for a weekbulent waters. It has been my privilege to work closely with end of deep sea angling with the sole purpose of exposing Phillip through his term of office, and a more dedicated and those family members who wouldn’t usually get this opporpassionate supporter of deep sea angling would be hard to tunity, to experience the pleasures of being at sea and fighting a fish. find. We thank SASACC, SADSAA and all the other sponsors Phillip announced recently that he would be moving on to champion our cause as the new Vice President of who have made this event possible with as little expense to SASACC (South African Sports Angling and Casting the anglers as was viable. All the skippers are giving their Confederation). We wish him well with this new set of boats and time to this at no cost, and we thank them and all the others who are working so hard to make this event a responsibilities. The year has started well with all the planned events resounding success. Of course, this is not a sport that has no costs.The barribeing able to be hosted with a minimum of fuss. The Gamefish Interprovincial, hosted by Natal Deep Sea ers to entry are high with the cost of tackle and the boats at the Pennington Ski-boat Club, was a resounding success themselves, and now with fuel reaching record heights, we with some great catches being made. Our congratulations are being challenged even more. Thanks to global events over the past few years, go to the team from firstly with Covid and then Zululand who led from the Russia/Ukraine crises, start to finish. Keep up to date with all we are constantly being The Junior Bottomfish the SADSAA news by reminded just how much Nationals was the next visiting our website we rely on others. We wish tournament on the calenwww.sadsaa.co.za everyone affected by that dar and this was hosted by or our facebook page conflict a peaceful resoluthe Eastern Province Deep @sadeepseaanglingtion as speedily as possible. Sea Angling Association association On that rather somber from St Francis. These junnote, I wish you all tight ior tournaments, with the lines and fair seas. two age groups of U16 and

40 • SKI-BOAT May/June 2022

GAMEFISH INTERPROVINCIAL GALLERY Photos Courtesy Lucy Allison

Zululand with a good haul of fish: Reinhardt Kerkhof, Henk Mathee, Shaun Aspden and Brad McLaren (capt).

Natal with some of their catch: Terry Dowsett (skipper), Mark Brewitt, Russel McKelvey (capt) and Ryan Dalton.

Southern Gauteng with a decent tuna: Neil Coetzer (capt), Richard Hartley and Ockie Theunissen.

Zululand took the gold medal and were congratulated by Anton van den Berg, Nick Nel and Dave Murgatroyd.

The Natal U21 team of Ryan Pellew, Chais Gaul and Jan du Plessis (capt), took the silver medal.

Nick Nel and Dave Murgatroyd congratulate Southern Gauteng on taking the bronze medal at the 2022 Gamefish Interprovincials.

SKI-BOAT May/June 2022 • 41

TACTICS

42 • SKI-BOAT May/June 2022

HENEVER one thinks of tigerfishing, our minds seem to almost automatically drift to some remote wilderness in Africa where you have to battle your way through hippo pods and crocodiles to get to the best fishing waters. And then — as the sun sets romantically in a blaze of orange, with the call of a fish eagle in the background — you’ll be standing there fighting this behemoth of a tigerfish.A true angler’s paradise. For many anglers this experience remains something that they can only dream about. Travelling to some of the African countries has become a logistical nightmare and costs have shot up, making it next to impossible for the average angler to experience the true fight of Africa’s river monster. The thing is, there is actually no need to leave South Africa to catch tigerfish; you can experience first-hand what it feels like to be fighting with a river monster right here! Pongolapoort dam, better known as Lake Jozini, is the southernmost point in Africa where tigerfish are naturally found. The lake sprawls across Maputaland in northern KwaZulu-Natal, nestled between the Obombo and Lebombo mountain ranges. Built in 1972, the dam was to be used as a holding reservoir for water desperately needed to irrigate the surrounding areas. As this is the only lake in South Africa where tigerfish naturally occur, it’s a popular destination for angling enthusiasts in search of the ultimate freshwater fishing experience. Today the lake is surrounded by game reserves teeming with wildlife on the shores of the lake, making it a spectacular place not just for the fishing, but also for water-based game viewing and birding.There are regular sightings of buffalo, elephant, rhino, waterbuck, tsesebe, wildebeest, giraffe, zebra, kudu, bushbuck, duiker, nyala, impala, warthog and even the occasional sighting of leopard which roam the Lebombo mountains. Over 350 species of birds have been recorded in the area. If you have to compare the quality and quantity of fish in Jozini to other places such as the Zambezi, I would personally say that it is up there with some of the best destinations. At Jozini the average size fish are 5- to 6 lb (around 2.5kg) and we have regular catches of fish over 10 lb (4.5kg). With the dam record standing at just over 21 lb (9.5kg), it’s fair to say that there are some real trophy fish in this lake. Lake Jozini has an amazing climate with warm to extremely hot weather all year round. Winter temperatures average 25°C and summer 35°C, making it ideal to target tigerfish all year round. Unlike other destinations where the fishing is limited depending on rainfall and water colour, Jozini always has a pocket of clean water somewhere. I have found that if you are after quality fish then the winter months from mid-March to end of August are the best. However, if you are after quantity rather than quality, then the summer months are best, and you can sometimes catch up to 30 fish in a two-hour session. Methods of tigerfishing vary all over southern Africa, with each place having its own best method.These methods range from flyfishing, spinning and trolling with lures and spoons, to dead bait and livebait fishing with fillets and live tilapia/bream. Fishing successfully for tigerfish on Jozini requires a lot of local knowledge and patience, as techniques used in other areas of Africa don’t necessarily work here. On Jozini we prefer to use livebait as the main option, but this means that you will need to have some patience out there. We also use other methods such as spinning and trolling, but find these are more effective in the warmer months when the fish are more active on the surface. One must remember that the tigerfish at Jozini are very different to those in other areas in Africa, and prefer open water to structure.They do congregate around structures, but unlike bass you don’t find them within these structures. Here we often see anglers sitting at these structures for a short time and then moving off, which does not work at

Philip van Wyk working the water.

Diagram showing how to anchor and place your bait.

Jozini. Here patience is the key; we often sit for hours in one spot before considering moving. Ideally what we do is look for a drop off point, then we anchor on the shallow side and fish into the deeper water, waiting patiently for the shoals to move past. Unlike the bass that ambush their prey, tigers will move around and physically hunt down their prey, so sitting in one spot and waiting for them to pass by is key. When fishing with livebait into the drop off, there is always a better chance for larger fish. Spoons are also used from time to time. We use copper double-bladed FZ spoons at 17/18g, or the single blade. When using spoons, again, look at the wind and pick a bank where you can start at the top of the bank and drift down the bank as the wind pushes you. Always be sure that the wind is coming straight off the shore so that you can anchor perfectly on the shallows and fish off the back of the boat into the deep water. Casting towards the bank with a fast retrieval can be a fun way of catching a lot of fish, but not necessarily big fish. I cannot stress enough what a big factor the wind is on Lake Jozini.You always want to be on the sheltered side of the lake, and you always want to be on the side bank from which the wind is coming. As soon as you see white caps on the water you need to move as the tigers here really don’t like the wind. I find some of the best fishing happens on a north or northeasterly wind, within fishing limitations depending on the strength of that wind.The southerly wind generally brings 44 • SKI-BOAT May/June 2022

in rough weather. The tackle we use here varies from angler to angler, but in the 22 years I have been fishing this body of water, I have found that the best rig is a round profile baitcaster with 16 lb monofilament line on a 7ft medium/heavy rod. Do not use braid when fishing for tigerfish, as this line has no stretch in it at all and the force and speed at which the tiger hits the bait will break your line. I have proved this to many anglers over and over. The rig I personally use consists of a ±12 inch black carbon-coated steel trace with a power swivel on one end. I then like to slide about three orange or red beads on the trace between swivel and hook just for colour, and then finish with a 7/0 hook. This is my standard trace that I use on all my trips. I then hook the livebait through the tail, Diagram depicting the rig as this allows it free natural I personalley use. movement in the water.Try to avoid hooking the livebait so far up that it cannot swim properly, because tigerfish in Jozini are rather fussy feeders and I believe they can often see or sense when there is something trying to catch them. When fishing with bait, always remember to fish free spool. Never set the drag on your reels as these fish are very sensitive to any tension. If you strike and the fish feels the tension, it will almost immediately drop the bait. On free spool, however, they don’t feel any tension until you engage the spool to strike. Make sure to close the spool when you’re ready to strike, as some anglers completely forget about this and I have heard the words flying from across the dam as the fish strips the line.

When fighting the tigerfish, be sure that you have no slack line. Keep the tension on the fish all the time, otherwise he will throw your hook very quickly.Tigerfish are notorious for jumping out the water, although this is more prevalent in smaller fish, and many anglers are completely surprised by the power of this fish as it shoots out the water.Again, be sure to keep that tension, not giving any slack, otherwise the fish is gone. The tigerfish is not the easiest fish to catch, and with a hook-up rate of 2:10 strikes, it is a fish that takes some patience to land, but if you stick to the tips above you will be sure to bring out that dream Jozini tigerfish. Lastly I would just like to remind everyone how unpredictable the weather can be on Lake Jozini. Strong storms can pick up very suddenly, going from calm, mirror-like water to sea conditions in a matter of minutes. This is very dangerous for smaller boats and you need to always be on the lookout for this, so check your weather before going out.

You do not want to be on the main lake when the southerly is blowing, and need to be extra cautious as the conditions can get worse than the ocean.Wind currents are often heavily affected by the mountains, causing the water to turn into a washing machine with no distinct wave direction. Many

boats, both big and small, have capsized in these conditions. In the summer months there are typically late afternoon thunder storms or wind storms, and many anglers have been caught offguard, so checking weather constantly through the day is important.

SKI-BOAT May/June 2022 • 45

RECIPE

à la Martin du Plessis

TEP one to making “Yellow-TinFunny” biltong is to catch one! First prize for this beautiful fish is seared tuna and sashimi, but why throw away the off cuts? They’re perfect for biltong. I used to buy my fish and meat biltong spices from a well known butchery in Durban. One day the butcher pulled me aside and said,“I’m going to give you a recipe. You won’t buy my spices anymore, but this is how you make biltong: Salt and pepper. No sauces, no marinades and no spices, just salt and pepper.” I have made it this simple way ever since then, although I like the taste of coriander and couldn’t resist adding a bit.

INGREDIENTS 2kg meat 1 bag coarse salt 2 tsp coarse ground black pepper 2 tbsp coriander seeds

46 • SKI-BOAT May/June 2022

METHOD • Toast the coriander seeds in a dry pan, then grind down in a pestle and mortar. It should be mostly powdery but with a few pieces of seed/shells left. • Using a sharp knife, and following the grain of the fish, cut the tuna into 1” (2.5cm) thick lengths and place in a non-metallic container. • Cover both sides of the fish with coarse salt — liberally — all over. You shouldn’t see the fish when you’re done. Cover the container with cling wrap and place in fridge for 45min. In winter I let it stand outside the fridge. • Remove from fridge and brush off all the salt just with your fingers. Don’t wash it, just brush it off by hand. • Sprinkle remaining spices evenly

over both sides of the salted fish. Pat spices gently so they stick on the fish. • Add a hook to the thickest end of each length of tuna. Plastic-covered paper clips make for a cheap solution. Hang in your biltong box, making sure none of the pieces are touching. Place some newspaper or paper towel below the fish to catch any liquid that may drip. • Drying times will vary depending on humidity, airflow and temperature. For me, curing for three days is sufficient as I like it pink in the middle and soft. The length of curing time is up to you.Test the readiness of your biltong every couple of days by squeezing the sides together with clean fingers. If you feel any give in the fish, it’s still wet inside.

OPTIONS Just before you hang the salted strips, brush on a thin layer of Kikkoman soya sauce mixed with wasabi. If you’re going to do this, be a little leaner with the salting process as the soya sauce adds salt. I also make biltong with bonito using the same method.The meat is redder and excellent for biltong. I once took a few pieces of bonito biltong into Kingfisher for the staff to test and guess what it was. I had everything from ostrich to rooibok biltong suggested and nobody guessed that it was bonito. When your biltong is ready to snack, slice thinly, sit back, relax and enjoy. It tastes even better with your feet in beach sand, a view of the ocean, great company a cold beer or a slightly chilled glass of your favourite red.

SKI-BOAT May/June 2022 • 47

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FREE DIGITAL E-ZINE ON WWW.ISSUU.COM SKI-BOAT May/June 2022 • 49

Kingfisher Award Application Form I hereby apply for the Kingfisher Award in the category:

Meritorious Fish

Outsanding Catch

Tick the appropriate box and supply us with the following information. Please remember to print clearly. Applicant’s Details: Name: ................................................... Address: ............................................... ............................................................... ............................................................... Code: .................................................... Tel No: ................................................... E-mail: ............................................................... Club (if member): .................................. ............................................................... I, the undersigned, agree to abide by the rules of this award. Signature: .............................................. Meritorious Fish Species: ................................................ Weight: .................................................. Date of Capture: .................................... Where Caught: ...................................... Skipper’s Name: .................................... Outstanding catch Category applied for (tick appropriate box): 3:1

5:1

7:1

10:1

Species: ................................................ Weight: .................................................. Line class: ............................................. Date of Capture: .................................... Where Caught: ...................................... Skipper’s Name: .................................... Digital emailed photographs should be high-resolution.

50 • SKI-BOAT May/June 2022

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) The Kingfisher Award - Meritorious Fish To satisfy the requirements for this award, anglers are required to catch a fish included in the list detailed hereunder, equal to or better than the nominated weight. Tackle used is of no consideration here, the fish’s weight being the main criterion. RULES:

The different eligible fish and their corresponding minimum nominated weights are as per the list below. A gold digital certificate will be awarded for this achievement. Complementing this section is the second award category: 2) Kingfisher Award - Outstanding Catch To satisfy the requirements for this award, anglers can catch any recognised fish and the weight of that fish must equal or exceed 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. SPECIES:

1) There is no restriction on the number of awards which can be applied for. 2) Award applicants must submit a photograph of the relevant fish with the application form, preferably a photograph of the angler holding the fish. 3) SKI-BOAT reserves the right to use the photograph as it sees fit. 4) Entries must be on the official form which is included in all issues of the magazine. 5) Entires must be received within 45 days of capture. 6) Certificates awarded will be as follows: Meritorious Fish - Gold Outstanding Catch 3:1 - Bronze; 5:1 and 7:1 - Silver; 10:1 - Gold 7) 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. 8) A selection of award winners’ names will be announced in future issues of SKIBOAT, along with relevant photographs. 9) Award applicants should allow 30-45 days for processing of applications. 10) There is no charge for Kingfisher Awards.

Barracuda Dorado Kingfish (Ignobilis) Garrick (Leervis) King Mackerel (’Cuda) Black Marlin Blue Marlin Striped Marlin Prodigal Son Sailfish (Pacific) Spearfish (Longbill) Spearfish (Shortbill) Tuna (Big Eye) Tuna (Longfin) Tuna (Yellowfin) Wahoo Yellowtail

NOMINATED WEIGHT: 15kg 12kg 20kg 12kg 15kg 100kg 100kg 60kg 15kg 25kg 20kg 20kg 30kg 25kg 50kg 15kg 15kg

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 on 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 Award Page of any of the billfish species nor GTs other than those that are released.

Submit application to: Kingfisher Awards, PO Box 20545, Durban North 4016 or email angler@mags.co.za

SKI-BOAT May/June 2022 • 39

Submit application to: Kingfisher Awards at angler@mags.co.za STAND A CHANCE TO WIN A REEL

This 35kg red steenbras was caught off Struisbaai in the Western Cape on 4 January 2022 and earned

Sarle ´ Visser

a Gold Meritorious Award for her outstanding catch. She wins this issue’s great prize for

Above: Gert Krugell has been awarded a Gold Meritorious Award for this yellowfin tuna, caught in December 2021 off Shelly Beach.

On the right: Bruce Hulett from Durban is awarded a Gold Meritorious Award for his 16kg Nile perch recently caught in the Nile River in Uganda

To the left: Bianca Edwards has been awarded a Gold Meritorious Award for this 27,5kg yellowfin tuna, caught on 23 December 2021 off Protea Banks on the South Coast.

SKI-BOAT May/June 2022 • 51

TACTICS

BULLE ON THE BREEDE Some tips for fishing the Breede River By Jack Walsh

RIVER cabin cruiser lies silent and still as though in a mystic pool, with the water’s smooth surface doubling its image. The tranquility is shattered by the clatterwhine of a ratchet, quickly thumbed to silence by an unseen angler, as a flash of movement in the sunlight highlights the striking curve of his rod. Though reduced to a steady whine, the green monofilament skims off the “millionaire’s” spool, as one of the giants of the Breede River swallows and departs with the now crushed “orgie” in its gullet. Seconds earlier, despite being harnessed by the hook through its

52 • SKI-BOAT May/June 2022

underbelly, it had made a last fearful dash for freedom. The fight first reaches a balance — ten metres won by the fisherman and ten metres by the fish — then it starts swinging in the angler’s favour. Finally, some thirty minutes later, with the fish now only commanding something over 100 metres of line, a violent swirl on top of the water is seen as its dark shape breaks the surface and its broad tail waves at the angler. As it nears the shadow of the boat, the fish dives and runs again, finally commencing a slow circling of the vessel, as it uses its shape to develop maximum resistance side-on to the current. With the rod bent double, the fish now lies wallowing just out of range of the

angler’s gaff. He edges it closer until, with a sudden lunge, he slips his hand under the gill plates and, with a mighty heave, slides it over the gunnels where it crashes to the deck. Quickly he covers its head with a cloth, finds and loads the tagging tool and inserts it under a scale that is larger than a two rand coin.As the point bites, the fish heaves once, then lies still as the angler feels the tag pass the backbone and, with a quick twist, withdraws the tool in the hope that the barb is locked beneath it. He hastily measures the fish, removes the hook from behind its jaw plate and, as the adrenaline drains away, struggles to lift 30kg of golden brown kob over the gunnel and back into the water. The angler holds its head steady into the current to allow its gills to sense the flow over them, and as he feels its body move he allows the fish to sink and silently glide away.

CATCHING BIG KOB How do we catch the “bulle” of the Breede River as well as the many other species of fish available to the angler in this estuary? It is a wonderful fishing ground as it yields fish as high up as the Pont at Malgas, and the lower 10km of it towards the mouth can certainly be called prolific. Kabeljauwbank, the Fyver, Maanskynbaai, the Sandbank, the Kraaltjie, Groves’ Jetty, Green Point, Rooiwalle, Goudmyn, Karoolskraal and the Power Lines are just a few of the fishing spots — some modern day, some known 200 years ago. Most people today would not believe what we used to catch in the river itself when I was a youngster. Our regular hauls consisted of kob, elf (shad), galjoen, zebra, white musselcracker, bellman and leervis (garrick). White steenbras were an embarrassment, and you only looked for the big ones of several kilos. Back then spotted grunter was a rarity, and kabota (triple tail) were unheard of. But things change. Today the grunter replaces the steenbras, which has become the rarity, as have the huge blouelf (blue Shad). Though the kob are ever present and the river is still famous for its bulle of 30kg plus, they are not as plentiful as they once were, particularly the sought after 100 pounders — fish of 46kg and above. Having said that, a lot of fish are still caught in the estuary and a little local knowledge can increase your chances tenfold. In this article I’ll share some of the tips I’ve picked up from years of fishing the Breede. Firstly, unless you are fishing from the side for kob, you must fish with light tackle. For the experienced angler, 4kg class monofilament on a small level wind reel is my choice on a 10- to 12wt fly-rod. If you do not have confidence fishing this light, go no heavier than 9kg. Of course the big disadvantage of light line is that it seldom survives the tangle with another boat’s lines or anchor when the fish runs and you must follow. When the river is busy, the odds on the fish escaping increase tremendously. However, it is immeasurably better that you reach the stage of the odds being with the fish, than that the odds do not apply because nothing has bitten on the heavier line. At night the best bait for kob is a whole octopus leg hooked once through the thick end on a 4/0 or 5/0 hook. A whole small squid or a squid head are next best, and then a long strip of squid body with or without a fillet of pilchard. Sometimes kob only want livebait, and then the “orgie” (pinky), the smallest member of the grunter family, in my

Groves Jetty with Witsand and the main sandbank in background.

Pumping for mudprawns. opinion outfishes a live mullet two to one. At daybreak and sunset livebait is top of my list and seekat drops to the bottom. During the day bloodworm takes over as the preferred bait, particularly at high tide at Rooiwalle (if the fish are low down), Karoolskraal and the Power Lines. Some baits work best only at certain spots, but that becomes too complicated to record in detail here. At all times you need to get a sense of where the various species are feeding at the various stages of the tide, so whenever I arrive at the river I ask my friends who has caught what, where, when, and with which baits. It then takes me 48 hours to get a feel of what is there for the catching, and it is amazing how that varies. The major influences are the salinity in the river, the water temperature, the variation between the sea and the river temperature, the water colour, the strength of the tide, neaps or spring, and lastly the moon’s phase.Though the rules are never hard and fast, I favour fishing during oncoming spring tide

with the growing moon, particularly for night fishing; waning springs and new moon for daytime; and I also like it when high water is a couple of hours after sunrise and a couple of hours after sunset. If you can work it out and follow the fish on the tide, they always bite best at the apex of their travel for the hour before it peaks. TARGETING OTHER SPECIES Leervis (garrick) can only be taken on artificial lures or livebait and sometimes they like the dirty water and sometimes the clear. Generally they are caught best up river when it is clearer and at the top of the incoming fresh seawater column. With the incoming tide, the river bream (Cape stumpnose) arrive first, followed by the grunter. Often after that, near the mouth, the blaasoppies (pufferfish) arrive, biting through your light trace and forcing you to give way, often before the white steenbras that follow. However, again, nothing is written in stone and all of this is fluid. SKI-BOAT May/June 2022 • 53

Grunters are the enigma. At night they will take squid or pilchards, but very seldom during the day. Occasionally they go for bloodworm, though this is more the favourite of the steenbras — especially whole or smaller worms. Both of these species like pencil bait, pink prawn (cracker), or white river shrimp (caught higher up above Stretcher’s in the reeds with a plastic Coke bottle). Medium sized kob also like these shrimps, but still the most consistent bait for both grunter and steenbras (and often kob during the day) is the local and prolific mud prawn. I say prolific because, despite the fears of the conservationists, in the early 1990s when fishing in the river was at its highest level, the mud prawn population was shown to be on the increase year after year by the Stellenbosch University scientists. Grunters are very shy and fussy feeders, so do not put more than one prawn on the hook, but the livelier and larger the better. In contrast, the steenbras and smaller kob often choose the line that has two or three prawns strung together. The lighter you fish for grunter and steenbras, the better, but your sinker must be heavy enough to keep your bait on the bottom, particularly on a fast moving spring tide in the deeper channels. steenbras and kob only take one way — fast and solidly, though the steenbras’s opening run is like an express train against the kob’s more slow and steady departure. Grunter, on the other hand, can emulate a steenbras, or stop and start, or nibble like a pecker so that, when you strike in frustration, you get the fright of your life when it takes off and breaks the trace.

54 • SKI-BOAT May/June 2022

Jack Walsh and a typical Breede River catch. As I have said, the lighter the line and the trace the better for these two species, but for kob you need a 10- to 20kg trace. Their teeth are sharp and although they will not bite through the line because they are too widely spaced, a light trace will chafe through during an extended fight. The large elf (shad) prefer small live mullet, fresh fish or squid. A very light wire trace is a must because it is not for nothing that they are known in other parts of the world as the “tailor”. They cut through anything! It always amazes me how the numbers of dassie (blacktail) and wildeperd (zebra) have reduced in the river compared to when I was young. Perhaps the vast increase in water traffic has driven them away from an area that is not their first choice of domain, as it is with

other species. Or perhaps the reduction in the inshore fish populations has reduced their need to seek food in the rivers. I hope this reminiscence of my favourite fishing venue will help you achieve “tight lines” in the Breede, my personal Utopia on this planet of ours. I have a passion for this river which has lasted all of my lifetime of fishing, and I was first taken there when I was eight years old. This river has withstood the excesses and extravagances of man remarkably well. If we simply remember to respect it, take out of it only what we can eat, throw back all large fish, such as kob of over 10- to 15kg, and pollute it as little as possible, it will still thrill the anglers of the future in the same way that it gives many of us pleasure and relaxation today.

SKI-BOAT May/June 2022 • 55

A MENEER OF A YELLOWTAIL by Nicholas Henry (12)

E set off early on 6 March 2021 from Struisbaai harbour on a 28 foot cat, Ocean Charter, with big fish on our agenda. It was a rough day but we got through and eventually made it to the fishing spot at 12 Mile Bank. When we found the mark we anchored the boat because there was a strong current flowing. We rigged our 10/0 hooks with whole chokka and sardines, and dropped our lines down, then we played the waiting game with peckers stealing our bait. The other boats fishing the area didn’t anchor, and that would cost them big fish. Suddenly my dad hooked up and then I was also on! The adrenaline was rushing and I had to tighten my drag quickly as the fished raced off. The fight was long and tiring, and when I finally got my yellowtail to the surface I couldn’t believe my eyes — it was my biggest fish yet! The skipper, Bertie Swart, helped me gaff the fish and pull it on board. When we weighed it and it was an astonishing 14.5kg. Dad was also happy with his fish. Our day ended with lovely fresh yellowtail on the braai!

58 • SKI-BOAT May/June 2022

SKI-BOAT May/June 2022 • 51

SEA LIFE

THE ENIGMATIC FLYING SQUID

You learn something new every day By Johan Smal

ID you know squid could fly? In January I embarked on a sea-birding cruise, dubbed “Flock to Marion”, which took us to the two Prince Edward Islands (Marion Island and Prince Edward Island) situated down in the Southern Ocean’s notorious Roaring Forties (46°49’23”S 37°51’30”E). It was an incredible trip with some phenomenal sightings — some more unexpected than others. The organisers of our cruise kept a running tally of the daily sightings, not just of birds but also of marine mammals and other notable sightings. Standing in front of the notice board one morning, I chuckled at the new entr y under noteworthy sightings: “Flying squid”. “You must be joking! They’re trying

to pull a fast one on us; surely that was a mistaken flying fish sighting,” I said to my daughter. Within minutes of noting the pictures on the Facebook page, Mrs Wikipedia came to the rescue and confirmed that all squid can fly, but flying squid just tend to do it regularly, while other squid only do it sometimes to escape from predators. Apparently squid use their water jets to jump out of the water to lunge, and then adjust their fins to work in the same way as the wings of a flying fish, a bird or a plane. This allows them to fly for distances of up to 30 metres, and even then they can adjust their fins to return safely into the water. Known by all saltwater anglers as good eating and superb bait, these inksquirting, large-eyed, multiple-armed, elongated, chitinous rod-like tapered and caudal finned creatures play a cru-

Flying squid seen in the Southern Ocean. Credit Jens Stalberg 60 • SKI-BOAT May/June 2022

cial role in the open ocean waters and in feeding the nations. Tales of giant squid have been common among mariners since ancient times when Aristotle, who lived in the fourth century BC, described a large squid. In 1873, a squid apparently “attacked” a minister and a young boy in a dor y near Bell Island, Newfoundland. Since then, the exponential advancement of scientific research methodologies and technology that can operate in the hadopelagic zone that extends from a depth of 6 000m to the deepest trenches in the ocean, have now brought these creatures into our homes. Squid are capable of changing colour for camouflage and signalling purposes, with some bioluminescent species using their light for counter-illumination camouflage. They are extensively preyed on by sharks, other fish, seabirds, seals and cetaceans, and is estimated that some 2,2 million tons are commercially harvested annually. According to <www.squidworld.com>, even though 300 species of squid have been identified and classified, it is believed there are at least 200 more that still need to be evaluated. Squid are found in all the oceans throughout the world, including in the freezing cold Antarctic waters. They eat a range of different foods, including tiny animals such as krill, some fish, and even each other. Squid usually live about three- to five years, but some large squid have been known to live as long as 15 years. Giant squid grow up to 13 metres in size, with the pygmy squid usually only around 18mm long. In general squid typically grow to be between 30- and 60cm in length.

Unlike the octopus, which is a benthic organism (meaning that it resides on the sea bottom) or the cuttlefish which seeks refuge among plants and rocks lying on the seabed, most squid are nektonic, which means that they swim freely within the water column. Squid are almost constantly on the move and are classified as pelagic, meaning they swim freely in the open ocean. However, the so-called pelagic zone consists of various marine habitats, ranging from the sunlight zone to the unexplored trenches of the deepest hadopelagic zone. Squid mainly inhabit the mesopelagic zone (200m to 1 000m deep), where they usually hide during the daytime, and as soon as night falls they swim up to the upper 200m epipelagic zone to feed. The normal depth range where each squid is encountered depends on the species, and varies from shallow coastal waters to the deep and dark depths of the abyss. Except for the famous giant squid, which is suspected to live in depths of more than 1km, the average depth of the squid’s habitat is around 300m below the sea surface. There are three species of squid which most commonly fly: • The Japanese flying squid, Japanese common squid, or Pacific f lying squid (Todarodes pacificus) which are short-lived and only survive

Squid taking to the air above the ocean. Credit Kevin Westermann about a year. They have a mantle length of up to 50cm. • The European f lying squid (Todarodes sagittatus), which commonly has mantle lengths of between 25- and 35cm. It is a species of squid from the continental slope and oceanic waters of the eastern Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea. • The neon f lying squid (Ommastrephes bartramii) which is sometimes called the red flying squid, akaika or red squid. It is a

species of large flying squid found in subtropical and temperate oceanic waters globally.Adult males usually have a mantle length up to 32cm, but may go up to 45cm. Adult females are much larger, usually having a mantle length of around 50cm with the maximum known length being 60cm. Neon flying squid are highly migratory and have a lifespan of about one year, during which they complete a cyclical migration between their feeding and spawning grounds.

MISSING: FIRST ISSUE OF

HE very first issue of SKI-BOAT magazine (pictured here) has gone missing from our archives and we’re devastated! Obviously it has great historical and sentimental value to us and we would love to get hold of another copy. If anyone is clearing out and is prepared to part with their copy, or else if they can’t bear to part with it and will allow us to photocopy their issue for our files, we would be most grateful. Please contact our office on 031 5722289, email sheena@mags.co.za or call Erwin Bursik on 0825700329 if you are able to help us in this regard. For interest’s sake, this issue’s cover featured John Barrett with the marlin he caught during the Durban leg of the EFSA vs South Africa deep sea angling “tests”.

SKI-BOAT May/June 2022 • 61

BOOKSHELF

AD INDEX

COMING FULL CIRCLE

Book review by Erwin Bursik

HE front cover of Pat Garratt’s latest book, Full Circle, says it all.The emblazoned circle hook symbolises the conclusion of the trilogy covering the lives of four friends whose love for fishing bonded them together from adolescence to parenthood.This book tells how their love of a sport has seeped into the upbringing of their children. Pat’s use of a circle hook on the cover is no doubt also a way of promoting this hook which is much easier to remove, and is ideal for use when one intends releasing fish and doesn’t want them hooked in the gut. My first thoughts on Full Circle were two-fold: The first was just how mature Pat’s narrative has become, and the second was whether deep sea anglers would be keen on this book which centres on freshwater angling. The first two books in this Born to Fish trilogy focused on

62 • SKI-BOAT May/June 2022

saltwater fishing and I wondered if those readers would be interested in a story which had shifted to the freshwater environment. Speaking for myself, I was literally captivated by the story, but then I have dabbled quite extensively in flyfishing and most aspects of freshwater fishing. In the end I decided that the story and Pat’s incredible knowledge of all the facets of fishing — from bass, trout, yellowfish and tigerfish to fishing the Breede Estuary, rock and surf angling and ski-boat fishing — would greatly interest other readers too. What I have enjoyed in all three of these books is Pat’s ability to introduce fish science throughout his fishing tales, and his way of expounding on each species’ behaviour and the anglers’ targeting practices. The depth of this narrative can only be conjoured up by someone who has spent a vast amount of time actually playing the game and who has the ability to detail those aspects in addition to portraying the aspirations and feelings of young anglers growing up. All of Pat Garratt’s books have had the same effect on me: his ability to draw the reader into his personal love of the sport encourages us to relive our own fishing experiences.While reading, I often felt I had fished the exact same rivers, dams and estuaries and of course the ocean. As the renowned marine biologist that he is, throughout his stories he drip feeds the reader information of immense scientific interest. He also shares his hope that it will become the norm for the majority of fish caught by recreational anglers to be released.That said, he fully appreciates the value of those fish kept for personal consumption, and in the book he rates them in terms of flesh appreciation and shares the odd method of preparing and cooking them. So, the full circle has been completed and I for one will treasure all three of these books for years to come.

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SKI-BOAT May/June 2022 • 63

Last word from the ladies!

RAPALA LIP

When the fish don’t bite...

By Fransien Myburg

HEN you get married and take your vows, you have to promise you’ll stay together “for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health, till death us do part”, but nobody mentions what happens if you don’t catch any fish... On a recent holiday our group of friends was spread over three boats fishing off St. Lucia. We had a small inhouse competition between us, and the winner was whichever team caught the most fish. The three boats launched very early at Mapelane, and our family, the Myburgs, headed straight for the bait spot. Our three children — Phillip, Estelle and Fransien — enjoyed catching bait, and after about 30 minutes we had enough and headed for Chisa, a reef just east of Mapelane. Impatient to get stuck into the fish, we rigged the live bait and slow trolled over the reef. Nothing. Meanwhile we could see that the Burger family (dear friends who we love a lot) were catching fish hand over fist. Spirits on our boat dropped like a heavy sinker, straight to the bottom, while Rapala Lips sprouted. We were ver y happy for the Burgers, but we wanted to catch some fish too — ideally more than them. Of course my darling husband, Chris, and I also tell our children that we should just enjoy the fun of competing, and winning isn’t everything, but really … I grew up in a very competitive family, so losing isn’t an option, and having strikes and then losing the fish is more than a touch disappointing. My Rapala Lip was even bigger than the children’s and I looked at Chris with that “I can’t 64 • SKI-BOAT May/June 2022

take this any more” glare. By this stage the Burgers had four ’cuda and two skipjack on board and we had none! Chris could see trouble brewing faster and fiercer than a storm on the Highveld, and realised he’d better implement his plan B before we replaced him as skipper! He decided we should put out our X-raps and troll a bit deeper in search of tuna seeing as the ’cuda weren’t interested in our livebait. After just ten minutes of trolling we had our first hook-up! There is something about a screaming reel that makes you feel ecstatic despite the chaos that comes with it. “Take that, do this ... And whatever you do, don’t lose the fish!” Instructions flew left and right, and sulky Rapala Lips disappeared in an instant. It was our five-year-old son, Phillip’s, turn to fight the fish, and Chris quickly stepped up to help him. I took the gaff, but suddenly clouds appeared on my horizon again … this would be my first time gaffing a fish and I worried whether I would get it right. My marriage might not survive me mis-gaffing the only fish we’d hooked so far. As the fish got closer to the boat we saw it was a big tuna.There was no way I was going to risk messing that up! I took over helping Phillip with the rod and Chris took the gaff. I shot him some warning looks just incase he wasn’t giving the task his full attention. We all held our breath for a minute, but then the fish landed safely on the boat. Phillip couldn’t believe what a big fish he’d caught, and in an instant I fell in love with Chris again.Who can resist a man who finds the fish and gets it onboard?

Great team work had led to our success, with Fransien taking photos and Estelle steering the boat under her father’s supervision. This 18.8kg tuna was Phillip’s first deep sea fish other than bait. Now we were fully energised and knew we were back in the race. We immediately put out the lures again and circled round looking for more tuna. Twenty minutes later we had another hookup, this time it was Fransien’s turn, our oldest daughter. We could tell by her face that this was also a big one. Her arms quickly got tired and her Rapala Lip started protruding until Dad stepped in to help. Her long lip quickly turned into a big smile when her 15kg tuna landed on the boat! We were ecstatic. A few minutes later Fransien and Estelle saw a dorado coming into our spread ten metres behind the boat! It hooked up, and watching it jump was awesome; I knew a delicious dinner was on the cards. Estelle was delighted with her 5kg jumping fish. Within an hour our team work and Chris’s Plan B had landed three great fish – and saved our marriage.Although we ended second in the competition because we caught fewer fish, we still felt like the champs. Well done to the Burger family and skipper Barend who won the competition – you were a great team.That night we enjoyed three different species of fresh fish for dinner, what a treat! I grew up with a mom and dad who taught us a love for St. Lucia, the sea and especially deep sea fishing; I will always be grateful to them for that and grateful that now Chris and I can do the same for our children.

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Ski-Boat magazine May 2022

Articles inside

Dreams Come True on Your Doorstep

Ambition Realised

Where to Fish Part 5

Taming the King

Cracker of a Fish