SNARING A SPEEDSTER PART 2

Catching ’cuda on the drift and on anchor

By Justin Paynter

SIT down and wait.This is most anglers’perception of catching ’cuda on the drift or on anchor.It couldn’t be further from the truth.Most top ’cuda fishermen will tell you that the more action you create in the water,the more likely you are to entice a bite.

When fishing these two different techniques,there are obviously pros and cons to both,but both are very productive.This article will enlighten you on how to entice a bite and ensure you give yourself the best opportunity to put a fish on the deck.

The most obvious question is:when do I do this? Well,certain areas allow for these techniques better than others.Places like,Sodwana,Cape Vidal,St Lucia,Mapelane allow for long drifts which have been proven over the years to be very successful.When I fish these areas, this would be my preferred method, depending on the weather conditions and current,of course.

Areas like deep Umdloti,also known as mid reef,river mouth and Port Edward all the way down to the reserve have produced massive fish caught on anchor.

’Cuda on the Drift

When deciding to drift,you need to ascertain the following:

•Are the conditions favourable to drift?

•Is my boat set up correctly for this form of fishing?

•Have I got the right equipment to entice the bite?

FAVOURABLE CONDITIONS:

As I already mentioned,certain areas work extremely well for drifting as the current generally pushes you in the direction you want to go.Many areas also have long shelves that you can drift along.By this I mean that you will choose a line you'd like to drift,say 40m,and then do a drift down it.

I tend to do around three drifts down a certain line, always ensuring that I watch my GPS and fishfinder unit as this will show me if I am drifting down the line I want to drift,and to see if there are any showings.

If I haven’t had a pull after three drifts,or if I haven’t seen any decent showings,I will then choose a different line.

Once you can ascertain the depth at which the fish are feeding,you will be able to determine where they are holding.This will mean that you do shorter drifts over the mark where you have had the pulls.

Current plays a huge role and so does the wind factor.You can’t drift and expect to catch fish if there is no current and you aren’t moving.You also can’t position your boat in a drift, and have current working against the wind.This will affect your drift and,in some cases,depending on the strength of the wind and current,you might move in the opposite direction to which you wanted to go.

These factors can only be assessed on the day when you arrive at the area you want to drift along.When you get to your mark,switch off the engines and just wait a few minutes to see how the boat behaves.

Turning your engines in a specific direction,will also improve a drift line and direction,and this has also been covered in previous articles.If you are happy with the direction in which you are moving,go up about 600- to 800m from the first mark you want to drift over and start setting up.

SETUP:

When you’re drifting,you want the boat to turn 90 degrees to the shelf.This gives you a much bigger surface area to fish off, as you have one whole side of the boat and the stern on which to place rods.

As I have said in previous articles,it is so vital that you have numerous rod holders on the transom of the boat,along the gunnel and a standup one on the T-top.

When drifting,I like to fish four rods.The first rod I will put out the back,with an 8 ounce sinker,and the next will be a surface bait far out on the T-top or stand-up holder.I will then put one out from the bow with a 3 ounce sinker,and then a short flat line along the gunnel.

ENTICE THE BITE:

So now that the drift is perfect and the rods are setup do we just sit and wait? No,that’s not what we do! It is your job to ensure that an inquisitive ’cuda moves closer to your baits.

There are a few ways you can do this:

• Use a flasher on your downrigger.This will create action and flash in the water,which will bring fish in to see what is happening under your boat.

• Whipping a spoon or buck tailing or throwing a surface bait is a great way to attract fish to your baits.The new Dirty Prawn Bucktails have been working exceptionally well this season,as have the Rapala Flash-X Skitter.They have produced some outstanding catches along the whole KwaZulu-Natal coast.

• I would also try a variety of baits,including live- and dead baits.On a drift,a sosatie stick works well on an upright rod.

With regard to tackle,as I’ve mentioned in previous articles,it all comes down to preference.I like a rod with a soft tip because it allows the bait to have a more natural action in the water.I am currently using the Kingfisher Poseidon Couta Lite and the Daiwa Grandwave boat 701 rod.

I have them paired with the Daiwa Saltist Blue 40 H.I used to use the 50 H but just find that the 40 H combined with those rods is really well balanced.Again,it all depends on how deep your pockets go and your preference in brands.These have worked for me,they are robust and hard wearing,and I will continue to use them for many years to come.

I generally like to fish 10kg line,as that is our normal line class for competitive angling,with no more than a 40lb leader.However,if I am going to places like Zinkwazi and St Lucia or am fishing deeper waters,I’ll fish anywhere from 12to 15kg line class.I would then opt not to fish with a leader, obviously water condition dependent.

Just remember,these fish are hunters;they prey on bait fish,so the more action you create in the water,the more chance you have of getting a bite as they will come to see what is happening.

’Cuda on Anchor

I am not going to go into details of how to anchor and ensure you are on the right spot,as this has been covered extensively in previous articles.(See the Mayand Julyissues of 2019 for great articles by Anton Gets specifically on anchoring,and the January 2022 issue for another excellent article by Craig Stubbs.)

When fishing an area where you are going to anchor,you need to be patient.Once you have chosen your bump/mark to anchor on,let the fun begin.

SETUP:

You will have the nose of the boat into the current,so your lines will be out the back of the boat.

In this case,you can fish more than four rods if you want to,but this will be determined by how experienced you are as ’cuda angler and how experienced your crew is.It’s all good and well to fish with lots of rods,but you need to be able to clear lines quickly when you have a strike.You might also need to buoy off to follow the fish,so there are a lot of factors to take into consideration when deciding how many rods to fish with.

I would generally fish with five rods in this situation — one on the surface in the T-top,one on the downrigger,one on a balloon if the conditions allow it,one on a 3–5 ounce sinker and one on an 8 ounce sinker.

ENTICE THE BITE:

This is a little bit different to drifting as you are staying in one spot and need the fish to come to you rather than you going to them.

Most anglers still tend to fish with a flasher and a chum bag,and yes,this brings the sharks,but it also brings the crocodile ’cuda you are looking for.

When fishing on anchor, you have a few options — once again whip a spoon,use a bucktail,throw a surface bait or,probably the most effective form,bottomfish.The movement of red fish moving up and down the water column brings in big,lazy ’cuda and entices the bite.

This,however,also calls in the sharks.This form of fishing can be highly frustrating,and you can lose a lot of tackle,and you might get five or six shark pulls (mainly hammerheads), but in between will be that big croc you have been looking for.

No matter how you decide to fish,do your homework to find out what works in certain areas.Ensure you are well prepared and have a variety of baits and artificial lures to ensure you have every opportunity to entice a bite.

Till next time,tight lines from Pink Pants.