Ski-Boat magazine July 2015

CONTENTS July/August 2015 Volume 31 Number 4 COVER: Young guns still use old tricks Daryl Bartho with a beautiful ’cuda caught off Durban using “old-fashioned” tackle consisting of a KP reel, whipping stick and home-made spoon. See page 21.

FEATURES 12

Spooning The historical importance of spoons to South African anglers — by Erwin Bursik

21

Whip It! Old methods still draw the fish — by Daryl Bartho

25

White Marlin off Struisbaai An unusual catch strays off course — by Johan Smal

30

Living the Dream Review of the Riviera 50 Enclosed Flybridge — by Erwin Bursik

25

39

Angolan Bills New methods produce record catches — by Jonathan Booysen

44

First Come, First Served 2015 Durban Ski-Boat Club Festival — by Mark Wilson

51

Down to the Nitty Gritty Taking a closer look at what lies beneath — by Dale Grobler

58

In the Galley Preparing perfectly seared tuna — by Daryl Bartho

63

Knot Savvy — Part 8 Learning to plait your double line — by Paul Borcherds

71

71

The Gems of Gondwana New jewels in Namibia’s crown — by Erwin Bursik

80

Get Packing!

Preparation is part of the fun — by Craig Thomassen

DEPARTMENTS 8 9 55 57 68 77 79

Editorial — by Erwin Bursik Postbox Subscribe and WIN! This issue’s Kingfisher Awards SADSAA News & Views Reel Kids Mercury Junior Anglers

82 83 83 84 88 89 90

30

Marketplace Smalls Advertisers’ Index Where to fish in Africa Business Classifieds Charters & Destinations Directory Rapala Lip — Last Word from the Ladies

The official magazine of the South African Deep Sea Angling Association

Publisher: Erwin Bursik Editor: Sheena Carnie Advertising Executive: Mark Wilson Editorial Assistant: Vahini Pillay Advertising Consultant: Joan Wilson Administration Executive: Anne Bursik Accountant: Jane Harvey Executive Assistant: Kim Hook Admin Assistant: Sunny Kandaswami Boat Tests: Heinrich Kleyn Contributors: Daryl Bartho, Erwin Bursik, Jonathan Booysen, Paul Borcherds, Dale Grobler, Johan Smal, Craig Thomassen, Geoff Wanvig and Mark Wilson.

Advertising – National Sales: Angler Publications Telephone: (031) 572-2280/89/97/98 Mark Wilson cell: 073 748 6107 Joan Wilson ADVERTISING – GAUTENG & MPUMALANGA Lynette Adams (011) 425-2052 or cell 083 588 0217; lynadams@mweb.co.za; skiboatgauteng@icon.co.za Publishers: Angler Publications cc PO Box 20545, Durban North 4016 Telephone: (031) 572-2280/89/97/98 Fax: (031) 572-7891 e-mail: angler@mags.co.za Subscriptions to SKI-BOAT: R160 per annum (six issues).

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SKI-BOAT Magazine, ISSN 0258-7297, is published six times a year by Angler Publications & Promotions cc, Reg. No. CK 88/05863/23, and is distributed by RNA, 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.

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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.

8 • SKI-BOAT July/August 2015

EDITORIAL

R

ELEASE! In the realms of angling jargon this word has been used more in the last ten years than in the entire history of the sport of angling.

The trend of letting fish go only started in the early 1980s here in South Africa, when Rudy van der Elst of Durban’s Oceanographic Research Institute started their tag and release programme for billfish in South African waters.

To begin with this idea had a very slow growth curve of acceptance. In fact, there was so much resistance to the idea that the first tags introduced to the Bazaruto Sailfish Classic caused a strike amongst participating lodge skippers. This strike was very simply resolved by paying each skipper who released billfish an agreed amount of cash to compensate for the Erwin Bursik “meat value” of the released billfish.

Publisher However, despite a lot of opposition from some anglers who bandied about the now jaded quote, “We’re releasing them to tell the longliners where the billfish are in our waters”, the momentum of this aspect of sport angling sped up exponentially.

The releasing of billfish along the entire East African coast boomed from the early 1990s, especially when major compeitition organisers introduced release or tag-and-release into their tournament rules. From Kenya in the north right down the eastern seaboard of South Africa, the insistence on releasing billfish caught in competitions has become almost mandatory which is hugely encouraging. The overflow to this practise has been a mental shift among many of those targeting billfish to relase them even when they’re not fishing competitively.

This change of mindset amongst sportfishermen has, in latter years, encouraged most anglers to at least consider releasing a wide variety of game- and bottomfish with or without tags, with anglers further enhancing their experience of catching a fish by letting it swim free.

When the older anglers among us reflect back to the era before 1980 when all caught fish — both in fresh- and saltwater — were killed regardless of any thought to the sustainability of our aquatic resources, one can only shudder at the horrific overkill. As guilty as many of us are, myself included, we can only resort to the defence that at the time it was “the done thing” and the accepted result of catching fish.

Fortunately many of us have now “seen the light” and the idea of conserving our resources has penetrated to a point where most anglers nowadays have it within their psyche to release fish that are not destined to end up on the dinner table, and to derive the ultimate pleasure of letting these fish roam free.

Things have changed so much that, much like reformed smokers who moan long and loud about other smokers, many of us who experienced the “good old days” feel more than a trifle upset when we see a fish land up on the scales instead of being returned to the ocean, river or dam. Yes, we had our chance and caught more than a few fish, but now we need to think of future generations.

A lot of good work is being done to spread this message even further than it has already gone. One just has to peruse the international anglers’ media, especially the publications produced by the International Game Fishing Association (IGFA) — an organisation originally founded to correlate world fish species records — to see the remarkable, all encompassing efforts they’ve made which have enormous scientific value. IGFA has also expanded their record keeping to include over 150 fish species where length records apply to fish measured and subsequently released to swim free.

Another incredible initiative that IGFA instituted was the satellite tagging and releasing of more than 400 billfish worldwide. Much of the research data has been released and we hope that, in time, a summarised extract of the data will be issued so that the billfish anglers of the world can learn a lot more information about the species they target.

I take this opportunity to appeal to all anglers to release the fish that are not required for their own consumption as well as all the fish species that have little or no food value.

Till the next tide.

Erwin Bursik

POSTBOX

Letters to the Editor Something on your mind? Write to The Editor <sheena@mags.co.za>

SKI-BOAT IN HIGH PLACES Dear Editor SKI-BOAT magazine certainly gets around — here’s a photo of Dr Hubert Waldheim, President of FIPS-Mer enjoying the March 2015 issue.

HYMIE STEYN <hymie_sadsaa@absamail.co.za> OUTRAGEOUS TUNA OFF HOUT BAY Dear Editor I was looking forward to sleeping in on 1st May, but my lie-in was rudely interrupted by my ringing phone. Irritation turned to excitement when I saw it was my fishing buddy, Robin Vermaak.

“Pack your bags, we’re flying to Cape Town tomorrow for two days tuna fishing in Hout Bay,” he said. Sleep was forgotten.

Robin has represented the Zululand Deep Sea angling team on two occasions and is an excellent angler. Ever since he told me about his epic battle with a ±100kg tuna on 10kg line which was lost after a six hour fight I have had a burning desire to catch a big yellowfin tuna off Cape Point.

Robin had arranged a charter with Byron Ashington aboard Outrageous, a 24ft AceCraft. On our first day the boat was skippered by Byron’s assistant, Nic. We left Hout Bay harbour at 6:45am with the water at 11.4°C. Robin also invited a business colleague, Uwe Schmall, to join us and on the first day a university friend of mine, Nico van der Walt and his 14-year-old son, Emil, also came fishing with us. Although Robin briefed us on what to expect, I was astounded at the distance one had to travel to reach the tuna grounds which are 6090km from Hout Bay. After two and a half hours Nic pulled back on the throttles and proclaimed that the water temp had jumped to a whopping 16°C. He suggested we put out four flat lines with big Halco lures and troll to a distant trawler on the horizon. We trolled for approximately ten minutes before we went tight on one of the flat lines and, after a brief fight, we landed a 12kg tuna.

We brought the boat to a standstill, started chumming and soon caught two more yellowfin of the same size. Our method was to use a 50 lb rod with a fluorocarbon leader and an 8/0 hook. A piece of chum is placed on the hook and is dropped down together with a few other pieces of chum. Line is then stripped

Uwe, Lucas and Robin with the 83kg yellowfin tuna.

Robin, Uwe and Lucas with the 111kg yellowfin tuna. from the reel to ensure that the baited hook descends freely at the same speed as the remaining pieces of chum. The reel is set on a very light drag with the ratchet on. As soon as the baited hook is taken by a tuna, the drag is set to its fighting drag and the fun begins. Generally tuna do not feed deeper than 10 metres below and if the water is clear, one can watch the tuna taking the bait.

We moved closer to the trawler, picked up a very good showing close to its bow and immediately started to chum. Within minutes we had a double hook-up on tuna. I took one rod and Emil the other. I quickly landed a longfin tuna of ±8kg but the attention quickly turned to Emil who was struggling with what appeared to be a sizable yellowfin. An hour later, after a lot of encouragement Emil landed a very nice 55kg yellowfin. After catching a few more longfin we called it a day.

Byron was at the helm the next day

and decided to run directly to the trawlers. After catching 10-12 longfin tuna we heard that bigger yellowfin tuna were coming out near a trawler 7km north of us and headed there.

Once we were close to the trawler I started chumming and peeling the line off the 50 lb rod with a piece of baited chum.

I went tight within five minutes and when the fish gave a violent and sudden run down deep I called for my Black Magic stand-up harness. The fish settled at a depth of about 100m below us.

The first hour of the fight everything was going according to plan. Just after the first hour we spotted the shine of the fish 25-30 metres below and I was making good progress. After 80 minutes the leader popped out of the water and I made the school boy error of thinking that the fight was won. The fish started circling beneath the boat and each time I would win a half a metre only to lose it once the fish started with its next circle. The leader was on the rod tip 15 times!

Eventually the circles became shorter and shallower and the fish passed close enough for Nic to try to gaff it. This attempt at gaffing only reinvigorated it and it ran at least 80 metres straight down again! This mentally broke me and I was ready to hand over the rod to someone else, but Robin and Byron persuaded me to continue to fight. I mustered my remaining strength and started the arduous task of attempting to lift the fish.

Now I was gaining a metre with every turn of the reel and suddenly the leader was on the rod and onto the reel again.

Robin expertly gaffed the tuna and despite its desperate attempts to escape, a second gaff was inserted and the fish was pulled onto the boat. I collapsed from pure exhaustion and it took me a while to gain enough strength to pose for the countless photos taken of the 83kg fish!

The trawler moved further north and we followed it. Soon we went tight again and it was Uwe’s turn. From the outset it was clear that his fish was bigger than mine. The fish’s first run was a staggering 450m straight down and the gold of the spool could be seen through the line left on the spool. Luckily the fish settled and Uwe’s long, hard battle commenced.

Despite Uwe pulling very hard on the fish it only appeared beneath the boat after 110 minutes and after two circles below the boat it was close enough to be gaffed. With a huge effort it was pulled aboard. This fish weighed 111kg and as far as we know is the biggest tuna ever caught from a ski-boat in South African waters. Byron later advised us that this was the third biggest yellowfin tuna ever caught from Hout Bay. That night we celebrated amid promises to return next year for Robin’s tuna.

LUCAS LANDMAN <lucasl@tradecurrency.co.za> SKI-BOAT July/August 2015 • 9

TACKLE TALK The three commercially-made chrome-plated spoons on the left are based on homemade brass, white metal and pure tin spoons (right).

The historical importance of spoons to anglers in South Africa

P

EOPLE in general have ver y short memories, and I’ve found this to be especially true of South African anglers, particularly when we start discussing fishing tackle.

Offshore tackle trends seem to come and go and our anglers apparently feel obliged to use the latest — and ostensibly the best — lures on the market. It seems that as soon as there are reports that the latest lure is catching fish, yesterday’s favourite lure goes back in the cupboard and the anglers rush out to purchase stock of the new lures.

We are all guilty, to one degree or another, of “follow the sheep” syndrome.

Have a look at all the unused tackle in your cupboards, drawers and tackle boxes — especially the lures which have been carefully put away — and 12 • SKI-BOAT July/August 2015

take a few minutes to reflect on these tackle items. Remember when you rushed out to your nearest tackle store to buy that particular lure and how well it worked? Why is it not in your current tackle box? Why haven’t you used that trusted lure for so many years? Why do you continually try new lures you have not tested in your home waters instead of resorting to the tried, tested and proven lures of yesteryear?

A few weeks ago one particular photograph caught my eye — it was of Daryl Bartho holding up a good-sized ’cuda caught on a Scarborough reel, a “whip” stick and a “Natal spoon”. I mulled over the tackle he’d used and started remembering the hours I’d spent “whipping a spoon”. I remembered the incredible adrenaline rush as the result of a strike from a ’cuda, the moment in

time when everything stopped dead for one second before the rod bent and one’s hand slipped from the reel handle to palm a spinning Scarborough that had gone from zero to 10 000rpm in a split second. Oh yes, those were the days my friend!

Why should that memory be dealt with in the past tense I wondered.

A trawl through my old tackle brought to light my long dormant spoon moulds, some cast but unfinished spoons and some made-up spoons. I began to wonder where my other spoon moulds had gone — obviously I’d lent them to someone and they hadn’t been returned.

“So what?” you say. “Just tie a brand new perfectly painted and rigged vertical jig onto the end of your space-age braid line, exiting from a fancy fixed-

by Erwin Bursik

Back in the day. This Indian cane rod (left) features traditional white porcelain rod guides.

Top, right: Joe Mara with his Natal bamboo rod and a 98 lb sailfish caught off Durban in 1954. Note the spoon in the sailfish’s jaws and the very heavy leader used for ’cuda fishing in those days. (Photo from A Fisherman’s Tale.)

Above, right: Joe Mara and Arthur Rodgers with the ski-boat they used in the late 1940s and early ’50s. Note the “outrigger” placed midships and the heavy cord/cotton handline they used. (Photo from A Fisherman’s Tale.) spool reel on a new generation ‘toothpick’ rod that looks like a grunter stick, but packs the punch to crank in a 40kg GT.” True, you could do it that way, but I will venture to say it’s not nearly as exciting and doesn’t give you the pride you’ll feel once you’ve mastered whipping a silver Natal spoon.

Then I started wondering where the “spoon” originated and how it became an integral part of the sport of offshore ’cuda angling. I expected it to be a quick research exercise, but in fact it became an all-consuming obsession that has totally captivated me. In the end I traced spoons back to the mid 1930s, but the real reward was in doing

the research which provided me with a great deal of pleasure and also rekindled my love and respect for the spoon. The “Natal spoon” has now existed for at least 80 years in the form we know.

While researching this article I have read and re-read Joe Mara’s book, A Fisherman’s Tale, which was published in early 1986 in conjunction with Angler Publications. Each time I read it I gathered more information and memories from this treasure trove of the history of angling off the KwaZulu-Natal coast.

Another important aspect to remember is that offshore angling only started in this country after the end of the Second World War in 1945. At that time the only tackle available were

Scarborough reels — spindle and bush — loaded with cotton line attached to bamboo rods that had circular white porcelain eyes.

Prior to this, back to the 1930s, surf casting was the only way to catch fish.

Back then decent fishing tackle was virtually unobtainable and anglers mainly used fish hooks, flax line and “tickey cotton line” that was then being used as hand line by the commercial offshore boats. Even this tackle became almost unobtainable during the war years, and those who targeted fish from the rocks and beaches had to make do or make their own.

During this period imported Scarborough reels were copied locally by SKI-BOAT July/August 2015 • 13

Three spoon moulds used during the late ’60s, ’70s and ’80s. Most ski-boaters had many varieties of these style of spoons which were extremely popular at the time. A person’s spoon designs were closely guarded and sharing was a no-no. individuals, but they used much thinner flanges and a bicycle hub to allow it to spin more easily and cast a bit further.

Before 1935 the “spinner” was a hollowed, concave bit of flat copper which was pressed into the shape of a “spoon” and then chrome-plated. To cast it a sinker had to be deployed halfway up the trace.

The loaded spoon made from pure tin or white metal was apparently first made by “Coffee” Engelbrecht during 1939 and soon became extremely popular, especially with anglers fishing for shad.

What really blows my mind is trying to envisage fishing from the South Pier or the beach, casting such a spoon with a long bamboo rod, a spindle and bush Scarborough reel and cotton “string”.

Difficult as it may have been, the tough anglers of that period perfected the art and caught a lot of fish.

During the first few post-war years fishing tackle was still difficult to obtain until stocks imported from England arrived by ship into South Africa.

As most offshore anglers know, our sport really only commenced in South Africa when Hayden Gray launched his first ski-boat from the beach at Vetch’s Pier, Durban, during 1945.

Those pioneering ski-boat anglers really had to be something special to go deep sea fishing at that time. The skiboats themselves were of very basic construction, with three or four wooden seats bolted to the flush or self-draining deck, and were powered by two 3-5hp motors. There were no 4x4s or tractors to help launch, so the day would start with the guys manually pushing these craft on under-slung trailers across about 100 metres of soft sand to reach the water.

When it came to tackle, each angler had a heavy and light bamboo rod, both fitted with heavy Scarborough reels loaded with heavy white cotton line. In

addition, most craft had up to six lines of cord attached to the boat or to a short “outrigger” bolted across the centre of the boat, extending possibly a metre on each side of the gunnels. A spoon was attached to the end of each piece of very heavy white cord.

Once at sea the modus operandi was to troll four or five of these heavy lines with big loaded spoons as the terminal tackle. ’Cuda were the primary target, but this method also produced Natal snoek, little Eastern tuna and other gamefish prevalent in this area. Only when the early morning flurry of ’cuda quieted down did the bamboo rods come out and bait fishing commence.

At the end of a day’s fishing the boat was left at the water’s edge and all the equipment, motors, tackle and fish were carried up the beach. Then the trailer had to be pulled down to the boat where it was loaded and manually dragged up to the hard surface of the beach. That’s really a hard day at sea.

In December 1947 the port captain banned ski-boating, but two years later, following legal intervention, 20 ski-boat licenses were issued and ski-boat angling resumed in earnest.

Spoons played an important part in fishing from craft for many years, especially when it came to targeting ’cuda.

During the early 1950s the major breakthrough in the angling world was the introduction of nylon fishing line.

As a result of this innovation fishing and casting became far easier and angling in general took on a more refined slant.

Together with the introduction of glass fibre fishing rods and more refined reels, these advances paved the way towards the offshore techniques that we modern day ski-boaters have become used to.

But back to the spoon ... Offshore anglers fishing from the mid-1950s to late 1960 were largely of the old breed who spent a great deal of time and

effort devising, making and perfecting innovations in fishing tackle. They also spent a lot of time working on techniques to target ’cuda which were not as easy to catch as they had been a decade earlier.

At that stage the spoon would be dropped almost to the bottom and was then “whipped” up from the depths, the action of the rod causing the spoon to “flutter” on its way to the surface, ostensibly imitating a darting baitfish.

Two things happened around that time to change these techniques — the first was the design of the spoons and the second was the design of the rods which needed to have a sloppy mid rod action and a fairly firm top section for this type of spinning. Anglers needed the rod to have a lazy whipping action that not only induced the correct movement on the spoon, but which was also easier on the anglers. These type of rods required a lot less exertion than the emerging quick-taper glass fibre rods coming onto the market.

Furthermore, anglers being what they were at that time fashioned reputations based on what they could produce with their particular design of spoon. A person’s spoon designs were closely guarded and the lending or borrowing of spoon moulds was a definite no-no.

A serious “whipper” would develop a blank spoon from white metal and then tweak it by filing and bending until he felt that his spoon was “the one”. He would then make a two-piece Plaster of Paris mould of the spoon. The first two or three spoons cast in this mould were made either from pure tin or white metal or a combination of these two metals for final trial at sea. Only then would the angler take his mould and spoon to a foundry to have an aluminium mould made.

During the start of my fishing time in the ’60s and ’70s some guys were masters of the spoon. People like Syd SKI-BOAT July/August 2015 • 15

Hadenam, Brian Petersen, Les Buckle, Pat Lloyd, Don and Ray Preen, Kenny Wightman, the Mattsson brothers, the Clark brothers and Alby Upton were right at the top of the rankings. Each had his own style of spoon and a specific style of whipping his particular spoons.

Most of us who managed to get a variation on one of the so-called “special spoons” used them with various degrees of success, but whipping a ’cuda spoon is a definite art. I have tried to emulate a number of the anglers mentioned above, and although I have caught many ’cuda I could never match the catch rate of these masters.

I firmly believe that making one’s own terminal tackle gives one a great deal of satisfaction and allows the angler to expand his thoughts and modify tactics according to those thoughts. When he gets to use that item while fishing and when a strike or catch ensues, it provides an inordinate amount of selfsatisfaction.

With this in mind, I’ve detailed below some of the methods anglers have used to make their own spoons, just in case you want to give it a try.

I’ve already mentioned the efforts anglers took to turn a productive spoon into an aluminium two-piece mould that would last for eons and would allow him to “throw” as many spoons as he desired.

Once the mould was obtained many

RIGGING TIN SPOONS N order to rig a spoon a wire ring is formed, usually using no 5 wire.

The basic ring is formed by coiling one leg of the wire around the starting coil.

Tighten it up to the size of the final ring required. Then, holding it tightly continue weaving the longer wire leg around until you are satisfied that you have sufficient thickness and strength — usually three circles is enough.

Next take each leg of wire and wrap it tightly around all the circles, then twist off. If you want to rig small spoons for snoek and similar fish, use thinner no 3 wire.

Thicker no 7 wire can be used for big spoons, but it is harder to work with and does not provide as neat a finish as no 5 wire.

After smoothing the spoon with emery paper and then water paper, the best way to polish it was to “bone” it with a car’s headlight bulb. as that would bring down the cost of a pure tin spoon and would make the spoon harder. Soft, pure tin spoons were a problem when ’cuda fishing because the fish gripped the spoon between its wicked teeth and the angler could not strike the spoon from between the ’cuda’s teeth to effect a hook-up.

The ’cuda teeth marks could easily be seen on a pure tin spoon, whereas on a white metal spoon one could see where the ’cuda teeth were unable to hold and slid across the spoon’s surface making scratch marks.

anglers then polished up the inner surfaces to ensure as clean a cast as possible. Thereafter some would “smoke” the two inner surfaces of the mould with soot from a burning candle. This not only improved the finish of the cast spoon, but also made its release from the mould a lot easier.

The casting material was generally a specific grade of tin called “Hoyts No 11” which was 90% pure tin. Another option was white metal used by the motor industry of that period to line big end bearings in car engines. Often a combination of the two metals was used

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

I

1. The start of the first circle of wire.

2. After completing the first circle.

3. After completing three circles using No 5 wire.

4. Showing both wire legs before wrapping.

5. One wire tightly wrapped and twisted off.

6. Completed rig after second wire has been wrapped and twisted off.

SKI-BOAT July/August 2015 • 17

Anglers could easily tell the percentage of pure tin content by placing the spoon between their own teeth and experiencing the degree of “crackle” felt when they bit into the spoon. This is difficult to explain, but a hard human bite, even on a pure tin spoon, showed very minimal bite marks, but the crackle one sensed was very pronounced. As the percentage of tin decreased and the percentage of white metal increased, the crackle faded away until there was none on a purely white metal spoon.

After a spoon had been cast it had to be trimmed and, depending on the quality of the mould, that could take quite some time. When that was completed a small hole had to be drilled at each end of the spoon. This was used to wire on a single hook, back to back single hooks or a suitably sized treble hook. The trace was attached on the opposite end of the spoon, with or without the addition of an extra single hook.

Split rings weren’t used because putting a split ring through the drilled hole in these soft metal spoons was difficult and the end of the spoon often broke, making it useless. Instead trace wire No 5 to No 7 (depending on the size of the spoon) was neatly twisted to form a perfect ring. (See box on page 17 to see how to make the ring.)

Another differential was the final shine achieved on a pure tin spoon

18 • SKI-BOAT July/August 2015

compared to one made of white metal.

A scraped or polished pure tin spoon has a very bright almost ice blue hue to it, whereas the white metal in the amalgam tended to give a bland white shine.

Back then one of the biggest jobs before going to fish a competition was to get all one’s spoons out of the tackle box and spend hours shining them to perfection.

The quickest and easiest way was to use the back of one’s bait knife to scrape the three surfaces of the spoon.

However, when doing this in a hurry the shuddering of the knife often left an effect on the spoon.

Most avid spinners used to polish each spoon very carefully with emery paper, then water paper and finally give them a serious buffing with a glass bottle, silver tablespoon or, by far the very best, the headlight bulb of a motor car.

The latter was tough, easy to hold while buffing, did not break easily and fitted into one’s tackle box.

The beautifully polished tin spoons, shining to perfection, were then wrapped in tissue paper or toilet paper, placed a small plastic bag and stowed in the tackle box.

Then came the die-cast metal spoons which were commercially manufactured and chromed. Some even had multicoloured chrome tape adhered to the spoon. They were okay and caught a

few fish, but I would wager much that not a single whipping expert would ever be seen using such a spoon.

As with everything else, time and attitude changes the direction one was hell-bent on travelling. It was the original rapala that found its way into deepsea fishing and started the new trend.

After all, nobody could make a rapala at home and simply trolling them caught all species of gamefish. It certainly was easier.

In the ’50s, ’60s ’70s and ’80s on virtually every craft at sea off Durban working the ’cuda shoals one would see at least one crew member whipping a spoon from the boat’s transom. These days that’s a rare occurrence.

It seems the abundance of weighted, well finished jigs and plugs that are so easy to purchase nowadays, along with the totally different style of fishing reels that deep sea anglers are using have sounded the death knell for the art of spinning, spooning or whipping.

Fortunately there are still a handful of anglers who learned the art and have passed it on to their sons. Sadly most of today’s anglers will never feel the electric strike of a ’cuda hitting a whipped spoon, the spinning of the Scarborough reel and the immense satisfaction of knowing that all this results from the spoon you made by pouring hot metal into a mould.

BACK TO BASICS

I

MUST admit I was a bit surprised when Erwin Bursik asked me to jot down a few words for an article he was going to be publishing about the technique of whipping and throwing a spoon, especially as there are so many legends out there who pioneered this art. Although it might seem a bit old-fashioned, trying to learn the technique was a no brainer for me after I witnessed the quality fish caught using this method.

It was back in 1994 that Calvin Johnstone and George Drummond first introduced me to the technique of whipping

by Daryl Bartho

a spoon while fishing for ’cuda off Christmas Bay. I’ll never forget the day I first tried my hand at throwing the spoon. We were fishing off Tinley Manor and already had a few nice ’cuda on board, but the bite had slowed down a bit and we had the last mackerel on Calvin’s rod. I asked the guys if I could tr y throwing the spoon with the KP/Scarborough reel. After all, how difficult could it be?

Long story short, one big bird’s nest and a very big tangle resulted in me losing that precious last mackerel after the spoon connected with Calvin’s rod tip, slicing through his

Old methods still draw the fish

The author with a good ’cuda caught off Zinkwazi while using a whipping stick, KP reel and homemade spoon.

Three of Daryl Bartho’s spoons — the third one from the left still needs to be rigged and polished.

On the right is a side view of the spoon and in the centre you can see a close-up of the wire ring used for rigging the spoons. line. Needless to say I was not very popular after that and it was suggested that maybe the whipping stick should be put down.

It wasn’t until 1997 when I was up at Guinjata with Brad Nicolson that I tried throwing spoon again. Brad and I entered a little species competition which the late Ted Adams had initiatedfor all the boats in the Guinjata area. We fished on my 12’ 6” Olufsen Ski-Vee Buzzard and Brad showed me the basics of whipping. I clearly remember watching him cast that spoon, letting it sink and, almost shot for shot, hooking up on kingfish and ’cuda at Paindane.

Nothing compares to the feeling you get when that fish hits the spoon and you go tight on the KP. Everything slows down for a split second before the line peels off the reel followed by shrieks of laughter — normally from the rest of the crew who take delight in you getting burnt by the rapidly spinning KP reel.

Some days you’ll whip all day without getting so much as a few teeth marks on the spoon, but it’s those days when the fish are wanting some action that makes all the effort worthwhile. There have been many occasions when things have been slow on the baits until the flutter and shine of the spoon amongst the baitfish turns on the bite.

I like to mix it up a bit when working the spoon through the water column and like to retrieve the spoon at 45 degrees while slow trolling with baits out. My first few upright strokes of the rods are quick, but then I settle into a slower motion alternating a few quick, short pulls with a longer slower one.

I have found that watching your line gives you a good indication of whether your action is correct. After every upward stroke of the rod you should drop your rod tip back down which should result in a big arc of slack line.

22 • SKI-BOAT July/August 2015

This arc of slack line allows the spoon to flutter for a second or two before the next upward stroke of the rod makes it dart forward again resembling a wounded baitfish. Often you’ll get the pull on the slack while the spoon is fluttering and there are plenty of times when you’ll get the spoon back to find teeth marks on the spoon despite you not feeling the bite.

I tend to use a thicker mainline for whipping and prefer a softer, more limp line. The thicker diameter of the line prevents it from cutting into your index finger when the reel spins. The line I am currently using is Double X Platinum 16kg line and I find it does the trick.

The action of your rod is the biggest factor when it comes to working a spoon. You need a fairly long rod with a very soft action so that the rod bends from the tip right the way through to the grip. My favourite rod is the Ski Whipper from The Kingfisher. I have used this rod for years and am always amazed at the amount of pressure it can absorb when going tight on decent ’cuda and tuna.

When rigging the spoons I tend to use No 5 wire and rig a swivel in the front with a small VMC No.2 live bait hook and an Owner No.2 treble hook at the back of the spoon.

To shine the spoon I use a knife to get the basic rough shine and then use the back of a whisky glass to get it really smooth and shiny. When the round base of the whisky glass is run firmly up the spoon it leaves the spoon looking like a mirror.

This is indeed a labour of love because you will spend hours rigging and shining your spoons as nobody sells these white metal spoons already rigged and polished. However, it’s all worth it when you go tight with a decent fish and you’ll quickly forget about all those wire pricks to the fingers and aching hands after shining a dozen spoons.

SKI-BOAT July/August 2015 â&#x20AC;¢ 23

TOP CATCHES

by Johan Smal

Part 1

Doug Boyes and Gareth Beaumont take a closer look at the 75kg white marlin caught off Struisbaai.

I

N previous issues of SKI-BOAT, I’ve reported on the first sailfish and greater yellowtail/amberjack catches and encounters in the Cape Agulhas region. Another very sensational and exceptional catch recently made was of a white marlin (Kajikia albida), ostensibly the first one of its kind ever to be caught in the Indian Ocean by a

sportfisherman. The lucky angler was first time marlin catcher Doug Boyes fishing off Tyler in the Alphard Banks area during February 2015.

Other records I’ve received indicate that some 52 white marlin have already been caught in the Indian Ocean over the last 16 years by longliners. Some of these were caught just off Durban.

I’m still investigating many of the technical matters surrounding the occurrence of these fish in our waters, but considering the immense value of the catch to billfish anglers and scientist alike, we decided to share this abridged report in the meantime. The outstanding aspects will be shared in the next issue of SKI-BOAT. SKI-BOAT July/August 2015 • 25

Note the dorsal fin markings on the marlin caught by Doug Boyes.

THE CATCH South Sea Safaris skipper Gareth Beaumont’s 2015 marlin season at Cape Agulhas started with a bang — in three days he raised 27, hooked 19 and successfully released ten of these prized species. Most of the hookups were striped marlin apart from four blacks which unfortunately were all lost.

Around midday on 12th February, the six-man crew had yet another double hook-up. Unfortunately one parted company but the other fish was successfully brought to the leader.

This fish behaved typically like a striped marlin entertaining the crew with a good series of acrobatic jumps and was still very feisty at the boat.

However, Gareth immediately realised that it had some distinct differences compared to the typical striped marlin he’s become so accustomed to catching in these waters.

As always Gareth was working against the clock to let the fish free as soon as possible, but this time with the added pressure of a burning uncertainty about the particular species. The fish was soon tagged and released in good condition and fortunately a video recording was made and some pictures taken before the fish was sent on its way.

Unfortunately those shots taken in the heat of the moment were not the greatest quality, especially for authentication purposes of such an out-of-place species.

Intrigued, the crew’s initial thoughts were that it was either a hatchet or white marlin. However, the fact that

The anal fin of the white marlin caught off Struisbaai. both those species are usually only found in the Atlantic Ocean and not in the Indian Ocean, with the cold Benguela current running inbetween, was very disconcerting to say the least.

IDENTIFICATION OF THE SPECIMEN After consulting an old chart of the world’s billfishes and comparing the morphological characteristics noted on this fish, Gareth concluded that it could be a hatchet marlin (Tetrapturus albidus). However, further adding to the confusion, the footnote on this particular chart stated “Same appearance as white marlin except pectoral fins pointed as opposed to rounded in white.

Hatchet and white marlin probably the same species.” I’ll deal more closely with this longstanding confusion between the hatchet -and white marlin

and recent rediscovery of the roundscale spearfish (Tetrapturus georgii), in the next issue of SKI-BOAT. Following some independent research, mainly studying some publications by world renowned marine scientist, Dr John Graves — Professor of Marine Science Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS), USA and considered to be best mind for this particular subject — I eventually concluded that the fish could well be a white marlin.

Occurring in the tropical and warm temperate waters throughout the Atlantic Ocean and some small parts of the Mediterranean Sea, this particular species has a distribution from approximately 45°N to 45°S in the western Atlantic Ocean (America’s side) and 35°S in the eastern Atlantic Ocean (Africa’s side). (See distribution chart SKI-BOAT July/August 2015 • 27

courtesy of Florida Museum of Natural History, right) However, a practical explanation for marlin bridging the cold Benguela current corridor was still missing. Looking back at the “Sea Secrets” series which was published in SKI-BOAT in 2013, where I reported on the warm Agulhas current’s ring shedding phenomenon, I continued searching for some answers.

After lots of digging and having a good look at various satellite images of sea surface temperatures around the Cape, I realised that by staying in these warm water rings, it could well be feasible for particular warm water pelagic species to get across the cold Benguela Current.

I subsequently received an email from Rudy van der Elst who concurred with this theory. “The ‘fence’ that keeps white and striped marlin apart off the Cape has always worried me. I am sure that there are plenty of holes in this fence! So, a white marlin at Struisbaai is not really a surprise,” he said. Now retired, Rudy is one of our leading authorities on marine fishes and author of A guide to the common sea fishes of Southern Africa.

I also received a published report from Virginia Institute of Marine Science PhD student Nadya Mamoosadeh of another white marlin catch by a long-liner off Cape Point between January and March 1961. Working with Dr John Graves as her direct supervisor, Nadya is currently collecting genetic samples (small fin clip DNA) for her research on the distribution of striped and white marlin species and relationships between these populations worldwide. This study will probably provide answers to some long standing questions around the migration routes and especially high concentrations of striped marlin frequenting the Agulhas waters during the summer months of January to March.

In the journal Tunnies and Marlins of South Africa published in 1962 by Messrs FH Talbot (Australian Museum, Sydney) and M J Penrith (South African Museum, Cape Town), their opinions were penned down as follows: “During much of the summer period surface temperatures of 21°C are found right around the Cape, and there are no obvious hydrographical reasons why the different species of marlins should not move between the two oceans.”

REPORTING THE CATCH Despite realising the importance of formally reporting such an exceptional catch, the occurrence was initially kept under wraps because of the risks and possible repercussions associated with claiming such an illogical occurrence and unique find in our waters. However, after conducting a fair 28 • SKI-BOAT July/August 2015

The red shading on this map shows the normal distribution range of white marlin. amount of research some very motivational endorsements on most of the scorching issues started to flow in.

To begin with we approached the IGFA representative in South Africa, Erwin Bursik. He kindly referred the matter to IGFA (USA), putting the proverbial cat amongst the pigeons it seems.

Due to the poor quality evidence initially provided, our standpoint was not convincing and they initially declared that it was a striped marlin.

Following many phone calls, countless emails, extended dialogues, more convincing debates (based on the info that flowed in) and lastly distributing a copy of the video, Dr John Graves finally confirmed that it looks like a typical white marlin. Subsequently other experienced individuals also agreed with this finding. We were obviously ecstatic about the outcome.

However, there is still a big footnote attached to the answer which we won’t be able to put to bed with regard to this particular catch. During earlier years specimen validations were mainly based on morphological charactertistics but nowadays genetic data also plays a substantial role in finally deciding taxonomy. In order to confirm any “new” or unusual species beyond all doubt, sufficient genetic tissue (the dead specimen or suitable DNA samples) is required for the final stamp of approval.

Therefore, this particular process of only studying poor photographic evidence taken in the heat of the moment remains questionable to some extent.

This is especially true given the specific morphological deviations — mainly fins — which are prevalent within the striped mar-

lin, white marlin and round-scale spearfish species. The gross morphology of white marlin for example, is very similar to the roundscale spearfish, often resulting in misidentification of roundscale spearfish as white marlin.

I’ll discuss these differences as well as recent taxonomic changes to the billfish species as a direct result of genetic analysis in the next issue of SKI-BOAT. WHITE MARLIN FEATURES The white marlin was first described by Poey in 1860 as Tetrapturus albidus but was recently changed to Kajikia albida as a result of genetic analysis.

The maximum length for the white marlin is 280cm and the IGFA all tackle world record stands at 82.5kg. They have a reputation for being very acrobatic whilst on a line and put up a very strong fight considering they’re one of the smaller species of billfish. White marlin apparently overtake their baitfish prey with speed rather than using their bills to slash and stun.

Some of the main distinguishing features can be seen on the attached pictures of the white marlin caught off Struisbaai which was estimated to weigh around 75kg. Ignoring the line damage at about the fifth ray of the first dorsal fin which affects the profile, one can see the fin’s more rounded tip with a maximum height at least equal to the fish’s body depth. The spots which can be seen on the dorsal fin also appear on striped marlin but are much more conspicuous and prominent on white marlin. Note the almost total lack of the vertical bars which are much more prominent on striped marlin, as well as the dark blue dorsal colouration fading into a silver-white with brown spots.

COLLECTING PROOF Contrary to popular belief, this specimen would have been more valuable dead than alive, especially in terms of scientific requirements. As our world is changing rapidly due to global warming, this

will definitely not be the last unusual catch to be made in South African waters and it is important that these are reported without delay. My belief, therefore, although it’s very controversial issue and is vigorously condemned by some purists, is that any new or strange specimen that anglers are uncertain about, should be boated, brought to shore, reported and donated for detailed scientific analysis.

BOAT REVIEW 30 • SKI-BOAT July/August 2015

Riviera 50 enclosed flybridge DULATION, excitement, anticipation and, above all, nervous tension prevailed as Madness III, all 23 tons of her, hung suspended in mid-air as she was gently hoisted and lowered from the deck of the container ship that had carried her from Australia to Durban, South Africa.

There was total silence among those of us who were fortunate enough to be aboard another Riviera to witness this auspicious event. The moment

A

this magnificent 56’ 8” craft slowly nestled down onto the floating crane’s large deck we all let out the breath we’d been holding in an audible rush.

Resounding cheers followed soon aftewards. Madness III had finally arrived in Durban.

No adjectives can adequately describe this beautiful craft. The words “I dreamed a dream” came to mind as I tried to absorb the full extent of the Riviera 50. This would be the

by Erwin Bursik

only time anyone would be able to see the full extent of her as she was lowered. Once she was settled, being able to walk around her to experience her immensity and to closely scrutinise her underwater hull design and propulsion system was, for me, an incredible experience.

Derrick Levy of Boating World, the importers of this craft, promised I would have an opportunity to review the Riviera 50, but the chance to do

that came far sooner than I’d expected.

Following the excitement of the official launching and naming of Madness III came the official SAMSA surveys, other paperwork and final sea trials before she sailed from Durban to her port of destination, Richards Bay. Graham Morgan, the proud owner of Madness III, was now in a position to live his dream. Everyone who know Graham will remember his roots in offshore angling with Nomads Game

Fishing Club. His last ski-boat was Angler’s Taxi, then he aquired his first sportfisher, also a Riviera, which he named Madness, and another bigger Riviera named Madness II followed.

Wanting an even bigger craft, Graham’s search for the craft of his dreams took him to America and Australia, and after an incredible amount of research and assessment the Riviera 50 with the enclosed fly bridge was the sportfisher destined to become Madness III. SKI-BOAT July/August 2015 • 31

Graham invited me to join him, his son Lloyd and long time friend and fishing companion, Anton Fourie for a day’s fishing for marlin off Richards Bay. Needless to say no arm-twisting was needed as I shuffled my diary to experience this day on the ocean on one of the best sportfishers to have come into service in South African waters.

Wednesday, 29th April 2015 was Dday and as Madness III slipped out of her moorings at Zululand Yacht Club and idled along the Tuzi Gazi canal towards the Richards Bay Harbour entrance, I felt like I was living a dream.

Comfortably ensconced in the fully enclosed helm station/fly bridge, I relished the feel of the twin Volvo IPS 950 diesel pushing a combined 1 500hp idling below me. Calmly but eagerly I awaited the command to unleash their enormous power to get this huge craft onto the plane and out to deep water to commence fishing for marlin.

Once she was up and running, so was the computer in my head, thinking about the hull design I had so carefully scrutinised and comparing that to the way she was taking on the moderate early morning chop on the open ocean.

As Madness III was being lowered from the container ship in Durban, I had carefully inspected the IPS pods and propellers protruding from aft hull and I was keen to experience their performance and compare that to the many shaft-driven sportfishers I have skippered over the years.

These two aspects are probably the most important affecting the Riviera 50’s performance.

At the outset I must explain that this review was a “by-catch” of a day’s serious marlin fishing rather than a dedicated boat review per se.

Having already “blooded” Madness III with a small striped marlin, it was now time to target “the big ones”.

Armed with a full array of big 80 lb outfits and a large collection of lures, this was to be the day Madness III was going to do what she was designed to do — hunt the big blue- and black marlin in the deep water off Richards Bay. This entire day provided me not only with a handsome experience of how this craft performs, but also, more importantly, how she physically fishes.

Unfortunately we failed in our mission to catch a marlin, having just one strike and no hook-up, but working the deck and skippering Madness III gave me my “day in heaven”. What I lost in photographic opportunities I made up with experiences of the full range of niceties that Madness III has to offer.

When it comes to fishability, the fishdeck is spacious and extremely user-friendly. The three of us were able to deploy the spread of 80 lb outfits and retrieve them very easily during SKI-BOAT July/August 2015 • 33

34 â&#x20AC;¢ SKI-BOAT July/August 2015

The aft helm station, ideally positioned to give a full view of the fishdeck.

Graham Morgan, the proud owner of Madness III, and his even prouder son, Lloyd, take the Riviera 50 for a spin.

our single strike. We were also able to quickly stow these outfits and lures, leaving a completely free deck to fight a big fish.

In the cockpit area and part of the transom configuration, three tuna tubes, a good-sized livebait well, and a prep station have been nicely located.

We used all these facilities and they worked exceedingly well. Another major plus was the fitment and ease of deployment of the RUPP outriggers.

They were perfectly positioned and running the lines could not have been easier, even in the roughest seas.

Graham opted for a teak deck and a South African-made Stevens fighting chair. Both looked good and were 100% functional, completely in keeping with this exquisite craft’s overall look.

The gunnels’ height and the upholstery on the inside of them is perfectly designed for the serious deckie work of leadering and releasing big marlin as well as fighting gamefish when the big outfits are stowed out of sight.

Those on marlin watch have to be careful not to fall asleep while making the most of the comfortable aft-facing couch with an over cover which allows one to sit on a specially upholstered seat above the couch’s back rest with one’s feet on the couch seat, providing a splendid view out aft.

I spent a lot of time assessing the helm station and flybridge which, in the case of the Riviera 50, is accessed via a stairway in the aft starboard side of the saloon area. To put it mildly, it is magnificent! The flybridge on Madness III is totally enclosed and encompasses a large forward helm station with all the electronic equipment and facilities one could expect on a craft this size. They all proved practical and extremely user-friendly for the craft’s skipper.

In addition, an aft console on the starboard side with full sight of the entire fishdeck is well positioned and incorporates the full range of electronics, including a joystick command control with both docking and fish-fighting applications that are instantly activated by the touch of a button. As an example, the fishing mode needed while fighting a big marlin, is activated by the mere touch of a button. When the skipper presses the button the onboard computer tells the IPS pods to splay outwards, enabling this huge craft to have the manoeuvrability of backing up and following a fish far quicker and tighter than anything I have experienced in the past.

This facility, together with the berthing mode and the ability to hold a static position via the GPS link to the

IPS computer, can only be comprehended and fully appreciated when one actually experiences it on board this extremely large craft. This facility allowed Graham to berth the craft in a very tight mooring during a reasonably strong northeasterly with apparently no effort.

It’s hard to believe, but with the joystick this 23 ton 57ft craft can be made to move ever so slowly sideways then backwards into her moorings, with no shouting or using mooring lines for urgent assistance.

A look at the photograph on the previous page showing the IPS propulsion underwater unit will enable you to visualise how they work, bearing in mind that each is controlled independently via the computer. This is mind blowing technology.

One also has to remember that Riviera had to redesign the hull to maximise the use of the IPS system. This is because the craft is effectively being pulled forward instead of being pushed forward which is what we’re used to.

The differences in this style of propulsion became apparent as soon as Madness III started to increase speed and get onto the plane. There is no “out-the-hole” burst of power necessary, the boat simply eases forward, gaining momentum equally as quickly,

SKI-BOAT July/August 2015 • 35

but with less heavy throttle engine exertion and no diesel smoke.

On the run straight out to sea off Richards Bay at a constant 20 knots the boat’s ride was amazingly stable and smooth. I did, however, experience a different sensation to the ride. During the time I had the craft under my command I got the feeling that the craft’s bow/planing shoulder section is held onto the water rather than with shaftdrive/outboard powered craft where one continually wants to lift this angle of approach into a bow up stance.

The Riviera 50 with its strong keel and straiked underwater hull designed produced an incredibly stable and soft ride and I admit to looking down at the GPS and being rather shattered that we were cruising at a speed of 23 knots. It felt as if we were only doing 17 or 18 knots. Her ride was extremely comfortable for everyone on board even in the reasonably big seas we experienced which were caused by the ever-increasing northeasterly wind — and the high speed at which we were cruising.

With a top speed of 33 knots which I did not attempt to achieve, this is one hell of a machine.

We did ten hours of marlin lure trolling that day, and although the sea was not that rough with a maximum of 20 knot northeasterly over a moderate swell, this big, heavy, stable craft remained laterally stable throughout, trolling at a constant speed over water (SOW) of between 6 and 8 knots. What surprised me most was the tight wake she was throwing right up to 10 knots. The prop wake seemed very deep and very tight, with the majority of white surface water emanating from the hull-through-water movement.

The wake started to rise about 20 metres aft, but was still confined, thus allowing for easy deployment of lures from all positions in clean water.

Another extremely important aspect with regard to the comfort of those aboard, is that there is no fume or diesel smoke emission suck-back into the cockpit 36 • SKI-BOAT July/August 2015

or main saloon. The entire aft section of the saloon is fitted with a glass partition which can be lifted to provide a totally open vista of the fishdeck, and to have no smoke or diesel fumes in this area is absolutely fabulous. This, together with the fact that there’s no shaft vibration, is a major reason why the IPS propulsion system has virtually taken over from shaft-driven systems for craft under 70ft in length.

Exhaust emission from the twin diesel Volvo 950 engines is routed out through the underwater IPS pods and is dispersed underwater and far enough astern so as not to belch white or black smoke when the two motors are being worked hard during fast manoeuvring That, in a nutshell, is the working side of the Riviera 50 and the aspects which you, our readers, cannot easily evaluate from photographs, promotional brochures and the full 17 pages of details and specifications that I was given by Derrick Levy.

Giving a full break down on the internal finishes and all the facilities on board Madness III in this limited space would be impossible. Rest assured that the craft has been very well designed, is impeccably laid out and is very practical to use. She has been opulently finished off with stylish decor and hardware.

The robustness of all the internal designs is by far the best I have seen. It is such a pleasure to appreciate the aesthetics of the craft and to note that after an in depth examination of draw-

ers, lockers, hatches and other areas where rigidity and quality can be assessed, I found the highest standard of workmanship throughout.

Some of the extraordinary things that intrigued me were the special upright rod cupboards that Graham had restyled from general stowage. You can tell this is a fisherman’s boat — even the double beds in the main and second suites open upwards at the touch of a button to expose large specialised rigged rods’ stowage.

Another nice touch is an effective dishwasher which has been fitted in the galley — no washing of dishes to interfere with fishing and relaxation.

One final aspect that really blew my mind was the array of touch-screen electronics installed on this boat.

Graham chose Raymarine’s Sonar GPS instrumentation which is installed in the flybridge, the helm station and in the saloon area where a large screen display is constantly visible to everyone down below. This is a real boon to those on the fishdeck. The skipper is also able to view the inside of the enormous engine compartment via a camera positioned in that area.

On re-reading my review of the first Riviera to be imported into South Africa during 2000 (see the May/June 2001 issue of SKI-BOAT magazine), I see that some things haven’t changed — Riviera is all about quality and perfection. Is it possible to perfect perfection? Perhaps it is.

I finish this review with the stock phrase of Derrick’s late father, Arne Levy: “One word — Perfect!” It applied then to a Riviera product, the 43 Riviera Sport Fisher and, having spent some time aboard Madness III, I cannot think of a better adjective than that to define the Riviera 50 — perfect!

To Graham Morgan and all who sail with him on Madness III, I know you will relish the ride, but my hope is that the ride will be embellished with the excitement of you releasing many, many big marlin.

Š Angler Publications

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TACTICS

by Jonathan Booysen

New methods produce record catches

O

VER the years, I have been fortunate to visit many fishing destinations and get a taste of the different fishing techniques used at each venue for different species. The one common thread that I have seen is that most people are resistant to change. Common phrases you hear are: “Why change what’s working?” and “Don’t reinvent the wheel”. Unfortunately this narrow minded view is the downfall of many and results in a stagnant fishery. All it takes is one person with an open mind who can think outside the box and who has the conviction to implement the changes.

Sometimes these changes do indeed crash and burn after producing worse results than the current techniques.

However, in a few instances, fisheries have been transformed and phenomenal success has been achieved. One of the places where such a success story has unfolded is in Angola.

A few years ago big game anglers fishing in West African waters targeted the abundant Atlantic billfish species using the old “drag and snag” method where lures and bait/lure combinations were trolled around on heavy marlin gear. The catch rates were pretty good for the effort that was put in and big blue marlin and sailfish were recorded in good numbers during the Offshore World Championships qualifying events held at Luanda and Lobito each year.

Then several of the competitive anglers representing Angola in places such as Costa Rica, Brazil, Guatemala and other sailfish hotspots, returned to

Angola with a new style of angling which has transformed offshore fishing and put Angola on the map for sheer numbers of Atlantic sailfish.

Protea team members Neil Coetzer, Jonathan Booysen, Handro Swart and their skipper Carlos Moran with an Angolan sailfish. Photo by fellow team member Friedel Kirstein.

The Protea team ready to fish the Lobito Big Game Tournament.

CHANGE BRINGS RESULTS Any doubt that the changes have improved the statistics was dispelled after the first tournament in 2013 when the number of billfish released increased exponentially compared to the previous results (see table below).

With most boats now using the overseas methods, the number of sailfish released is really world class.

During the 2015 Lobito Big Game Tournament held in March, 40 boats recorded 997 billfish released. A few weeks later the 24th FIPS-M World Trolling Championship was held in Lobito and 230 billfish were released between 15 teams in three days, despite unfavourable water conditions. In 2014 two world records were set in Angola for Atlantic sailfish, namely the All

CATCH STATISTICS Before the change: 2012: 21 blue marlin 18 white marlin 15 sailfish First tournament after the change: 2013 Lobito BGFT 238 sailfish 7 blue marlin 1 white marlin Second after the change: 2014 – Lobito BGFT 514 sails (two world records) 7 blue marlin Third after change: 2015 – Lobito BGFT 989 sailfish 8 blue marlin

SKI-BOAT July/August 2015 • 39

40 â&#x20AC;¢ SKI-BOAT July/August 2015

Left: An Aftco line clip holds the line while trolling with a fixed spool reel with the bale arm open.

Above left: Close up of a naked ballyhoo with a circle hook.

Above right: Cut down half beak as described below.

Tackle Record of 64kg and the Ladies 10kg Line Class Record of 61kg.

While participating in the 24th FIPSM World Trolling Championship out of Lobito in March 2015, I was privileged to witness the effectiveness of this technique first hand. What was interesting is that this method has been around for many years and is widely used in the Americas. It has not been kept a secret at all, but has only recently been introduced to West Africa’s sailfish fishery.

This technique is pretty typical when it comes to targeting sailfish in that teasers and ballyhoo (halfbeaks) are the order of the day. The teasers include two weighted dredge teasers pulled off the stern cleats and two squid chains pulled through the outriggers. These teasers raised everything from small tuna and dorado to sailfish and blue marlin.

As far as the sailfish baits are concerned, we ran two skipping ballyhoo close behind the squid teasers and two swimming ballyhoo rigged with a “Costa Rican X” on the long riggers.

(See box on page 42 for details on how to rig swimbaits with a Costa Rican X).

The rigger lines were connected to

the clips using a ten-twist loop and were set just tight enough to hold the bait at trolling speed. All baits are rigged on circle hooks (8/0 and 9/0) and 80-100 lb nylon or 80 lb fluorocarbon leaders. Every boat had a standby 80 lb pitch rod rigged with a big ballyhoo on a 12/0 circle hook, just in case a big blue marlin showed up in the spread.

NEW TACKLE FOR NEW TECHNIQUES What really interested me was the tackle that was used. The old heavy marlin tackle has been replaced with 30 lb spinning outfits. The reels of choice were Shimano Stella 20 000, Saragosa 25 000 and Daiwa Saltist 6 500. These were spooled up with 30-40 lb braided backing with a 100m topshot of 30 lb high-vis mono.

This change eliminated the chance of overwinds and increased hookup ratios by reducing the resistance during the feed.

The trick is to keep the line from running off the spool while trolling but also have the reel’s baling arm open when the strike happens. This problem was solved quite easily by using an

South American techniques are being used effectively in Angola.

Examples of swimbaits rigged with a Costa Rican X. Supplied by Paul Borcherds. adjustable Aftco line clip. This clip is cable tied onto the rod just above the spool. Once the bait is in position, open the baling arm and run the line through the clip. The clip must be adjusted so that it is just tight enough to hold the bait in position but releases the line when there is a strike.

A problem that we encountered was in getting the right size bait. The majority of the ballyhoos were really big and the sailfish battled to get the whole bait into their mouths.

FIXING THE BAIT This is where a bit of bait modification came in — we needed to shorten the bait and make it easier for the fish to eat. To do this we needed a small softie with the skirt trimmed down, some wax thread, a short section of 150 lb mono with a loop crimped at one end and a second crimp to secure the hook.

• Cut a large ballyhoo in half and discard the head section.

• Squeeze the flesh out of the front few centimetres of the remaining tail section of ballyhoo.

• Insert the crimped loop into the front of the bait so that the loose skin covers the crimp.

• Secure the bait to the mono leader with wax thread.

• Pass the other end of the leader through the back of the softie and crimp a small loop as close to the face of the lure as possible.

• Pass the appropriate sized circle hook through the leader loop.

This bait was fished close to the teaser and required a much shorter feed time to be successful.

FROM GOOD TO EXCELLENT By applying the above mentioned angling techniques adopted from other countries,Angola has gone from being a “good” fishing destination into an “excellent” one. These results were obtained by thinking outside the box and applying different methods used in other countries. Angola in now rated amongst the top destinations to target large numbers of Atlantic sailfish. It makes you wonder what our local waters could produce with a little ingenuity.

SKI-BOAT July/August 2015 • 41

RIGGING BAITS TO CIRCLE HOOKS USING THE X KNOT

By Paul Borcherds This is a simple yet effective way to pre-rig the ballyhoo so that it’s ready to use when needed. Rig it with an egg sinker for the teaser baits or without the weight for the flat line bait.

1. Remove the eyes of the ballyhoo and cut the bill short to just in front of the upper mouth. Cut a one-metre length of heavy wax thread. Fold in half and thread through a 14⁄ to 1 2⁄ oz egg sinker weight. Slide the loop side of the wax thread over the head. Pull the gills open and thread each side of the loop under the gill plates. Push the sinker in underneath the gill opening.

2. Make an overhand knot with both strands of the wax thread (the opposite side to the loop). Pull down on the strands and let the knot slip all the way down until the knot closes the top beak and the egg sinker is snug up in the gill cavity.

Make another knot and pull down to secure the first knot.

2 3. Seen from underneath — the sinker is secured within the gill cavity and underneath the mouth.

4. Take one of the wax strands and pull over the head and thread through an eye socket. Do the same with the other strand in the opposite direction through the socket.

5. Place the ballyhoo on its back and make another overhand knot with the two wax thread strands. Pull down on the strands and let the knot slip up behind the sinker on the body side. Make another overhand knot and pull down up 4 to the first knot securing the knot in the gill cavity. Trim the tag ends of the wax strands.

6. With all the above steps done correctly and all knots secured, a clear figure X should be seen on the top of the beak. This X also closes the beak to prevent water from entering the bait which can cause it to bloat and wash out prematurely.

7. The final step is to insert the point of a pre-rigged 7/0 VMC 7385 circle hook underneath the X. The hook shank should 6 lie flat against the beak.

42 • SKI-BOAT July/August 2015

1

3

5

7

COMPETITIONS

t

oa B i k S urban

2015 D

44 â&#x20AC;¢ SKI-BOAT July/August 2015

val i t s e F Club

by Mark Wilson

T

HE Durban Ski-Boat Club Festival is still an incredibly popular offshore fishing competition and remains one of the largest events of its type in the southern hemisphere — possibly the world. This year’s festival ran from 25th to 26th April and amassed the support of 377 boats with a total compliment of 1 035 anglers.

Despite the difficult economic climate we’re enduring at the moment, sponsors have remained loyal to this festival and one of the draw cards to their commitment must be the sheer number of participants each year.

I’ve attended this particular festival for nigh on a decade now and it always amazes me that it provides a different interesting angle to work with each year. This year the committee set out to attract participants by sweetening the pot and did what I believe is a first for a competition of this kind.

The main prize of a brand new Seacat 510 with twin 60hp 2-stroke Yamaha motors worth R350 000 would have set most anglers’ hearts racing, but that was just one of the prizes which were collectively valued at R1.5million. Another fabulous prize up for grabs was a Seacat 636 with a set of 115hp motors worth R660 000. That would be awarded to the angler who caught a ’cuda of a pre-determined weight which had been established, written down and sealed in an envelope prior to the festival commencing.

With incentives like that and an active imagination, it’s easy to imagine ’cuda of all sizes donning crash helmets and scurrying for the hills.

This festival is fiercely contested over two days and as always the early launch on the first morning was a sight to behold. I have the privilege of witnessing this from the ocean, but am sure it’s no less impressive when viewed from the sandy beach in front of the Durban Ski-Boat Club.

Hilton Kidger, skipper of the boat on which I was based, set off the horn to commence proceedings and we joined the armada as it churned the ocean into a white froth. Once the adrenalin settled we joined the odd collection of tightly grouped boats seeking out livebait which proved to be particularly scarce on the first day.

The reason this particular event is labelled a festival as opposed to a competition is because the organisers take into account the anglers’ needs as well as those of the family members and supporters who crowd the club for the

SKI-BOAT July/August 2015 • 45

46 â&#x20AC;¢ SKI-BOAT July/August 2015

Smiles all round as Bill Harrison from Natal Caravans and Marine and Ryan Hansen of Durban Yamaha congratulate Greg Stoter on his win at the 2015 Durban Ski-Boat Club Festival. duration of the festival. To this end every effort is made to ensure the festival is equally enjoyable for the landlubbers. As always food and beverages were on sale, seating inside and outside the club was well appointed and I was impressed to see that the organisers set up benches under cover on the beach itself next to the massive kiddie water slide which the youngsters love when they’re not using the trampoline.

Back to the fishing ... The last two festivals have created some talking points of note — firstly when a ’cuda won outright by just a few grams in 2013 and then last year when two anglers weighed in fish of exactly the same weight and shared the main prize.

Everyone wondered what “something special” 2015 would offer up.

Personally I thought the festival gods had used up all their aces, but boy was I

proved wrong.

Greg Stoter arrived at the scales at mid-morning on the first day with the first fish to be weighed — a stunning 26.4kg ’cuda. His catch set the benchmark that the other anglers had to chase for the remaining time out at sea, but in the end no-one managed to eclipse it. No doubt Greg’s heart must have stood still every time another boat radioed in a good ’cuda catch.

SKI-BOAT July/August 2015 • 47

The general consensus is that although the ’cuda were scarce, on average they were much bigger fish than the smaller shoaling ’cuda which were caught over the last two years.

Despite the scarcity of ’cuda the weighmaster was kept busy with an assortment of good gamefish vying for the other prize categories.

Good yellowfin tuna featured regularly on the gantry, followed by beautiful specimens of wahoo, snoek, prodigal son and the odd dorado.

Once again the festival was extremely well organised, from the launching and retrieval of over 300 boats daily with the ever reliable Landrovers, to a committee that was constantly vigilant to the needs of sponsors, participants and supporters alike. To the committee, I again extend well deserved congratulations.

To Greg Stoter, congratulations on 48 • SKI-BOAT July/August 2015

WORTHY CATCHES: Dinesh Rikisahedew, 32.35kg wahoo James Santowski, 29.95kg prodigal son Michael Ebelchite, 25.5kg y’fin tuna Ron Mattig, 7.76kg snoek Roxanne Stone, 11.85kg y’fin tuna (Lady) Matthew Fen,17.9kg y’fin tuna (junior) your achievement — you are now one of a select group of winners of one of the largest festivals of its kind worldwide. We look forward to seeing you return to defend your title next year.

For those who want to take Greg’s place at the top of the leaderboard next year, be sure to book your place well in advance — who knows, perhaps 2016 will be your year.

TOP TEN ’CUDA: Greg Stoter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26.40kg George Murgatroyd . . . . . . . . .25.35kg Michael Wilson . . . . . . . . . . . .24.90kg Matthew Bouwer . . . . . . . . . . .24.50kg Tony Ferreira . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24.35kg Graham Smith . . . . . . . . . . . . .23.95kg Darren Gray . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23.90kg Peter Flanagan . . . . . . . . . . . . .21.10kg Donovan Harvey . . . . . . . . . . .17.05kg Kenny Moore . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16.95kg

INFORMATION

by Dale Grobler

Taking a closer look at what lies beneath IN the March/April 2015 issue of SKIBOAT Dale Grobler explained how to use InsightGenesis mapping to get a better idea of the structure you’re driving over while out at sea, and how to use that to find fish. In this issue he looks at DownScan and SideScan imaging.

O

NE of the biggest challenges with deep sea fishing is finding structure and baitfish. At the moment I’m using a Lowrance HDS Gen3 on my boat with DownScan and SideScan, but if you have a newish Garmin or any other new generation unit you should have similar options.

The newer generation units have a much wider scan ability which translates into less time being spent searching for the bait and structure. There is nothing worse than driving around aimlessly when you could have missed the bait by 50m.

SideScan really shines in freshwater lakes and dams where it proves deadly for finding structure, weed lines and humps where bass hold. I have used it very effectively on the Umngazi River and Albert Falls Dam. In the top image alongside the SideScan feature shows the watercolumn and ocean floor on either side of the boat.

The red circles indicate where fish and their shadows can be seen. The measurements along the bottom of the screen indicate how far the objects are from the boat.

The bottom image alongside is a SideScan view of Limestone Reef off Durban. You can clearly differentiate between the reef and the sand.

SKI-BOAT July/August 2015 • 51

At sea SideScan is useful for finding bait quickly and efficiently as I don’t have to drive over the bait to see it, but can search left, right and below the boat at the same time. This feature can also be used in dams and rivers to find fish or bait.

The only thing is that when you’re using SideScan at sea you have to have nearly perfect conditions — a flat sea and not much deeper than 40m. Your trolling speed has to be around 2 knots in the sea whereas in freshwater you can get up to about 5 knots depending on the conditions. The one thing that SideScan hates is a swell out at sea or a chop on a dam which distorts the image. The beauty is that if you’re using SideScan in conjunction with DownScan you are guaranteed to find the marks a lot quicker and have more productive time fishing.

DownScan really comes into its own out at sea. This feature, when used in conjunction with SideScan and traditional sonar, will put you on the bait in seconds. I use DownScan to locate reefs, pinnacles and good diving spots, and use DownScan along with traditional sonar for finding bait- and gamefish.

The dedicated high-res downscale imaging sounding focused vertically beneath the boat delivers very high definition to remove all guesswork of finding boat structure and thermoclines.

This is great for finding where the fish are holding. It allows me to correctly position my boat and baits at the right depth and to know where the fish are holding on the structure in relation the current. This enables one to fish more affectively and to maximise time on the water.

DownScan will be effective up to 1 000m depending on what transducer you have fitted on your boat. Most of the units in our waters will be effective to about 300m of water.

This split screen shows the boat’s snail trace as well as a SideScan image of the boat coming up on the Hawthorn Wreck off Durban. Bait can be seen over the wreck.

This split screen shows the boat’s snail trace as well as a DownScan image which shows baitfish suspended over the wreck. The wreck lies 20m below the surface.

SKI-BOAT July/August 2015 • 53

This split screen shows the boat’s snail trace, a DownScan image of T Barge wreck off Durban and a traditional sonar image of the area. The current was running north to south, so the baitfish were mostly clustered behind the barge.

Again this screen shows the boat’s snail trace, a DownScan image of T Barge wreck off Durban and a traditional sonar image of the area around the barge. The red circles indicate pelagic fish — possibly ’cuda, GTs or wahoo — which were suspended above the baitfish, above the barge. Dale and his crew hooked into two nice fish when they sent down their lines, but had only gone out with light rigs and were broken off. DownScan and SideScan certainly make it easier to target fish directly.

DownScan gives incredible images at speeds of up to 10 knots, so it’s ideal to use when trolling as you can then mark anything that goes under the boat and come back at a later date to investigate.

When I did the Insight Genesis map off Durban this was how I mapped the area. (See “What Lies Beneath” in the March 2015 issue of SKI-BOAT.) I covered a predetermined area, downloaded the images, marked areas of interest on my computer and then went back and investigated more thoroughly. If it was an area I planned to dive in I would generate a much more detailed map by slowly covering the area at about 5 knots.

54 • SKI-BOAT July/August 2015

The SideScan and DownScan images accompanying this article were taken off Durban and clearly show the bait shoal, some pelagics and the structure below and alongside the boat.

There’s a good video on youtube showing exactly how to use these features. Look at <www.youtube.com/ watch?v=9tdYT3i9ip8>.

• Readers who would like to have a better idea of what their regular fishing spots off Durban and surrounds look like can send Dale the co-ordinates <daleg@fmi.co.za> and he will map the area and upload the images to our SKIBOAT magazine Facebook page for the benefit of other anglers as well.

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E-Zine Subscriptions (Electronic Format): www.zinio.com/SkiBoat SKI-BOAT July/August 2015 • 55

Y

OUR 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 skiboaters the unique opportunity to win awards for excellence in angling.

All deep sea anglers who achieve laid down prestigious 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 certificate, suitably inscribed, PLUS a hand-embroidered cloth badge – both confirming the catch 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.

Certificates Certificates will carry all the information about the catch (fish, weight, line class and ratio), the successful angler's name and the date on which the catch was made.

Digital emailed photographs should be high-resolution.

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 below.

SPECIES Gamefish: Barracuda Dorado Kingfish (Ignobilis) Garrick (Leervis) King Mackerel (’Cuda) Black Marlin Blue Marlin Striped Marlin

NOMINATED WEIGHT 20kg 15kg 20kg 15kg 24kg 225kg 150kg 75kg

SPECIES Gamefish: Prodigal Son Sailfish (Pacific) Spearfish (Longbill) Spearfish (Shortbill) Tuna (Big Eye) Tuna (Longfin) Tuna (Yellowfin) Wahoo

RULES: 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) Entries must be received within 45 days of capture.

6) Certificates awarded will be as follows: Meritorious Fish - Gold

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

Meritorious Fish

Outanding 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: .............................................................................

NOMINATED WEIGHT 18kg 35kg 20kg 20kg 30kg 25kg 50kg 20kg

SPECIES Gamefish: Yellowtail Shark (Hammerhead) Shark (Mako) Shark (Thresher) Shark (Tiger) Bottom Fish: Kob (Daga) Musselcracker (Black)

NEW!

NEW!

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.

The different eligible fish and their corresponding minimum nominated weights are as in the accompanying list below.

A gold certificate and a hand-embroidered cloth badge will be awarded for this achievement.

NOMINATED WEIGHT 18kg 200kg 80kg 110kg 200kg 30kg 27kg

Outstanding Catch 3: 1 - Bronze; 5: 1 and 7: 1 - Silver; 10:1 - Gold.

Cloth embroidered badges will be awarded in all categories.

8)

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.

9) A selection of award winners’ names will be announced in future issues of SKI-BOAT, along with relevant photographs.

10) Award applicants should allow 30-45 days for processing of applicants.

11) There is no charge for Kingfisher Awards.

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: ..........................................................

Perfectly seared tuna

by Daryl Bartho

INGREDIENTS Tuna medallions (we work on 280g per person) 1 Tablespoon of coconut oil Coarsely ground salt & pepper 40g white sesame seeds Seasonal fresh veg Potatoes (coriander/wasabi mash) Coriander Wasabi Cooking time: Tuna one minute Vegetables six minutes

METHOD • The most important thing when catching tuna is to make sure you slurry the fish as soon as possible after landing it. Leave your tuna in the ice slurry for about two hours while you’re washing the boat.

• Once you’ve filleted the tuna separate the four loins and remove the skin and all the bloodline. You should now be left with four freshly chilled fillets.

• Cut medallions from each fillet — approximately the thickness of your thumb.

• Place medallions on a cutting board and grind a good amount of coarse sea salt and black pepper onto the upward facing side. Sprinkle the white sesame seeds onto the fillet before placing it seed-side down on the hot pan.

• Try not to use olive oil in the pan as you will need to have the pan and oil at a high temperature and olive oil breaks down at high temps. Rather use coconut, peanut or sunflower oil. We always drizzle about two tablespoons of Talya’s amazing Soy Sake sauce over the sliced tuna pieces.

• While the medallion is sizzling in the pan, quickly season the other side and sprinkle the white sesame seeds on as well. Turn the fillet over quickly and sear the other side for about 30 seconds. The sesame seeds should be a lovely golden colour.

• Remove from pan, place on cutting board and allow to cool for 30 seconds.

• Slice the medallion into slices no thicker than your pinky. Enjoy with coriander mash and some steamed vegetables or even just fresh avo.

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ALL THE BACKUP YOU NEED T

HE all new Penn Mariner Species family of rods feature spiral tubular glass blanks and are specially designed to withstand South Africa’s harsh fishing environment.

Penn wanted to design a series of rods with the perfect actions for South Africa’s most popular species, and this was achieved through a year of thorough testing throughout South Africa.

The Mariner Species rods are fittedwith Fuji guides to withstand the harsh force of today’s braided lines as well as the harsh saltwater environment we fish in. The strong HDPS graphite reel seat ensures the reel fits tightly onto the rod with no movement when you’re fighting that fish of a lifetime.

Penn has used the all new HD EVA grips on these rods to ensure you have the most comfortable grip possible when fighting large fish. The reel seat position has also been closely adjusted to allow for the most comfortable battle possible.

Certain longer models have been designed in two pieces so that

they’re easier to transport and store on smaller ski-boats. That’s just one more way that Penn tries to ensure you have a pleasurable fishing experience.

The rods are available in the following models: Kayak 6’6” • 10-15kg • 1 piece Couta 8’5” • 10-15kg • 2 piece Dorado 7’6” • 10-20kg • 1 piece Snoek 6” • 4-8kg • 1 piece Bottomfish 9” • 15-30kg • 2 piece Bottomfish 9” • 30-50kg • 2 piece Each rod comes with a rod bag, because the guys at Penn know what it means to protect your investment.

Penn Mariner Species rods have been designed to match the Penn Squall series of reels. This family of reels is available in both star drag and lever drag options, in a size to suit your requirements. These reels feature Penn’s “Dura Drag” system, power handles, harness lugs on certain models and a XXX strong frame design to eliminate flex under big pressure. They are manufactured with a lightweight graphite body to ensure the angler doesn’t get tired after a long battle.

For more information on Penn products, ask your nearest tackle dealer, or contact Penn’s South African distributors, Pure Fishing, on (011) 023-5100.

SKI-BOAT July/August 2015 • 59

BACK TO BASICS

by Paul Borcherds

Part 8: Learning to plait your double line

P

LAITING (or braiding) with kangaroo leather has been a widely practiced tradition in rural Australia since pioneering times. It is used in the production of fine leather belts, hatbands, bridles, dog leads, bullwhips and stock whips, amongst other items. Big game anglers cottoned on to this idea and began plaiting double monofilament lines as an alternative to using the Bimini Twist.

The plaited double is a very reliable connection that travels through both fixed and roller guides very smoothly and provides a connection method that retains the full breaking strain of the line being used. This type of connection is used by big game anglers worldwide especially in heavier monofilament line classes of 50 lb and upwards.

International Game Fishing Association (IGFA) rules for line classes up to and including 10kg allow a maximum double line length of 4.57m. For lines over 10kg a doubled line of up to 9.14m in length is permitted. It is relatively easy to plait a double of this length in any size boat because of the method employed.

To commence tying a plaited dou-

bled line most anglers put the rod and reel being rigged in a rod holder. Pull the required amount of line off the outfit from the rod tip and put the reel in gear with enough drag to stop line coming off the reel during the tying process.

Remember that to tie a 4.57m long maximum IGFA length double will require more than nine metres of line to be pulled off the outfit. Always pull off an extra metre of line if you are attempting to tie a double to the maximum length the rules permit to allow for the tying process and cutting off of tag ends.

It’s vital that consistent tension is maintained on all legs during the plaiting process to ensure you end up with a neat, tight plait. The secret to tying a neat plait utilising this method is to keep the rod with a consistent slight bend or load on it during the process.

With experience you will learn how much of a bend you need to keep in the rod to maintain the correct amount of tension during the plaiting process.

This consistent loading goes a long way towards ensuring each of the line legs are evenly tensioned throughout the

whole length of the knot.

There is no set rule for how long the plait must be, but you can use this as a general guideline: 3” for 16-20 lb 6” for 30 lb 8” for 50 lb and above There are also a number of different ways to finish off a plaited doubled line.

A. Create the plait and weave the tag end back up through the plait.

B. Create the plait, form a second loop with the tag end and pull the double line through the tag end loop.

C. Create the plait and finish it off with a series of hitches around both line legs and a Rizzuto Finish — basically the same as finishing off a Bimini Twist with a reverse whip finish.

All three of these finishing methods result in a reliable connection, so feel free to tr y them out and choose whichever one suits you best The Bimini Twist is a fantastic method for tying short doubles, but for longer doubled lines it usually requires two people to get it right. With a bit of practice the Aussie Plait will be very easy to master as an alternative to the Bimini Twist.

TYING THE AUSSIE PLAIT 1. The standing part of the line must remain tight until the knot is completed. To start with measure the desired length for the double line.

The size of the loop can be adjusted as required either for personal preferences or to conform to IGFA rules pertaining to double lines. Leave a tag end of 40-60cm depending on the line class. Leave a longer tag end in heavier line classes of 80 lb to 130 lb .

2. At the required length of the double line place the tag end underneath the standing or main line. Hold the crossover as this will be the starting point of the Aussie Plait or Braid.

3. Cross the standing part with the tag end and bring the tag end through the loop.

4. Pull the tag up tight around the standing line. This is the most important part of the Aussie Plait. If this crossover is not very tight the whole plait will slip if it’s caught against a rod guide or hand.

5. Pull the tag end upwards to the standing line, ensuring the crossover is secure and tight against the standing line. At this point you essentially have three strands coming down from the connection — two strands of the loop plus the tag end.

64 • SKI-BOAT July/August 2015

6. Begin the braid by alternating overand-under wraps of the tag end around the two loop strands.

Basically one loop leg over the tag, then the other loop leg over the tag, then the tag over the first loop leg and so on.

It’s just like plaiting ladies’ hair — ask your wife or girlfriend if you’re not too sure how to go about it.

7. It’s important that this is tied as tight as possible. This can be accomplished by keeping tension on the main line and by pinching the weave between your fingers to keep it from slipping.

8. Continue plaiting or braiding tightly downward with the same over-andunder action.

9. After completing about half the desired length of the plait, loosen the pressure on the braids which will create a more open weave.

Continue braiding loosely for the remaining length of the plait.

10. Halt the braid by bringing the tag end back through the middle of the loop.

11. Pull the tag upwards and tightly against the plait.

12. At this point you need to weave the tag end back up the plait.

Cutting the tag end at an angle

makes the weaving process easier as the line can be more easily pushed through the braid openings.

13. Insert the tag end into the opening of the bottom weave.

14. Pull the tag through, creating an interlocking effect. Ensure that you pull the tag tight with every weave created.

15. Continue weaving the tag end back up through the braid openings until you get to the intersection of the loose wraps and the tight wraps.

16. Trim the tag end, leaving approximately 3-5cm.

This will ensure the tag end will go through the guides smoothly without damaging or getting caught up in the guides.

17. Take a lighter and burn the tag end.

Push the metal part of the lighter against the burnt end to form a mushroom head on the end of the tag. This bulge will ensure that the tag does not slip back through the plait.

Do not melt the tag end down too far and be very careful not to compromise the weaved portion with the lighter in any way — only melt the tag end.

18. The completed Aussie Plait with back weaves.

A1.

A2.

A3.

A4.

A5.

A6.

A7.

A8.

A9.

A10.

A11.

A12.

A13.

A14.

A15.

A16.

A17.

A18.

SKI-BOAT July/August 2015 â&#x20AC;¢ 65

B1.

B2.

B3.

B4.

B5.

B6.

B7.

C1.

C2.

C3.

C4.

C5.

C6.

C7.

C8.

C9.

66 • SKI-BOAT July/August 2015

ALTERNATIVE FINISHING METHODS B1. With this finishing method ensure you have double the amount of tag end to work with. As in the first part of A above, create a tight plait and stop about three-quarters of the way along the desired length that you wish to create. Hold the tag end through the middle of both loop legs.

B2. Whilst holding the plait, double the tag end back. This doubled over tag end with a loop will be the new strand to plait around and over the loop’s legs.

B3. Continue plaiting as before for another 2-4 inches depending on how long you want the plait to be.

B4. Once you have completed the plait to the required length hold the plait in one hand and with the other hand push the double loop through the smaller loop of the tag end.

B5. Now pull gently on the tag end to close the tag end loop around the double line loop. Once the tag end loop is nearly closed, moisten this section and seat the knot against the plait.

B6. Trim the tag and burn it as described in A above.

B7. Completed plait with tag end loop finish.

C1.As described in A & B above, create a plait but complete it to the required length with tight plaits and pull the tag end through the middle of the double line loop.

C2.Hold the plait with one hand and make an overhand or hitch around the double line with the tag end.

C3.Moisten and seat this overhand or hitch up against the plait. Make another overhand knot and pull tight. You may also make alternative hitches around the double line as opposed to making all the hitches in the same way.

C4.Keep making hitches around the double line — five to seven is sufficient. Ensure each hitch is pulled tight up against the previous one.

C5.Take the remaining tag and encircle the double line.

C6.Keep encircling the double line another five or six times, moving towards the plait through the same loop.

C7.Hold the end of the plait and start to reverse the encircled line with the reverse whip method as described in the March/April 2015 issue of SKI-BOAT where I described how to tie the Bimini Knot.

C8.Once the reverse twists are out, moisten the line and pull the tag up tight against the hitches. Trim and burn the tag as described above.

C9.Plait with a series of hitches around both line legs and a Rizzuto Finish.

Geoffrey Wanvig, SADSAA President

S

OMETHING that is very often discussed amongst the true sport anglers is what’s known as the Anglers’ Creed, but very few general anglers have actually ever heard of or seen the creed. In the interests of developing the true spirit of sportsmanship among all anglers I have decided to publish this for us all to strive to live by.

THE ANGLERS’ CREED • I enforce safety first.

• I offer my experience to educate.

• I only use legal tackle.

• I respect my fellow anglers.

• I respect the ocean and its inhabitants.

• I support catch and release.

• I limit my catch, not catch my limit.

• I am a protector of the environment.

• I support pro-active resource research.

• I am proud to be a sea angler.

SAFETY • Never risk a life when trying to catch a fish.

• Observe and understand all boating regulations.

• Keep a safe distance from shorebased anglers.

• Gain knowledge of common beach dangers including ocean currents, waves, rocks and offshore reefs.

• Report dangerous drivers and skippers to the necessary authorities and associations.

EDUCATION Knowledge is an invaluable asset and can only be used to its full extent if it can be shared amongst all anglers.

Development courses will attract com-

petitive anglers and will also ensure an awareness of the environment and conservation concerns.

LEGAL TACKLE • Only use tackle that is appropriate for the size and type of fish beung targeted.

• Use tackle as laid down by the various associations.

• Dispatch fish immediately with a firm tap on top of the head with a blunt instrument.

RESPECT FOR ALL ANGLERS AND OTHERS • Prepare your boat and trailer before launching at boat ramps to avoid delays.

• Friendly rivalry can exist between anglers without the need for anyone to dominate.

• Be courteous to those whose communities you enter when fishing i.e. other club waters.

PROTECT THE OCEANS • Keep up to date with regulations and observe them.

• Help and explain fishing regulations and the reasons for them to others, especially illiterate people.

• Acquaint yourself with legal bag sizes or possession limits.

• Keep the oceanic waters clean.

LIMIT MY CATCH, NOT CATCH MY LIMIT • A vital way to conserve fish stocks is to limit our catch by taking only our immediate needs.

• Use common sense and restraint when fishing and return endangered or threatened species back to the waters.

• Return unwanted livebait to the waters from which they were taken.

THE ENVIRONMENT AND HABITAT • We will only use recognised beach launches and entrances to avoid erosion of dunes and destruction of the vegetation.

• We will become familiar with life cycles and breeding seasons of aquatic species and other fauna.

• We will remove all nylon line, bottles, six pack holders, bait bags and other rubbish from all fishing sites.

• The only things we as anglers will leave behind are good memories and our footprints.

SUPPORT RESEARCH • Keep a safe distance from aquatic wildlife and avoid undue noise.

• Become involved in programs that restore coastal vegetation.

• Participate in research, rehabilitation and monitoring programs such as those run by SAMLMA and all ORI tagging programs.

PRIDE IN BEING A SEA ANGLER Be proud of your sport, remember at all times that it is not a right but a privilege to fish in the sea, lakes, estuaries and rivers.

• The Anglers’ Creed was created and is enforced by the South African Federation of Sea Angling.

SUPPORT CATCH AND RELEASE • Retrieve the fish as quickly as possible.

• Ensure that the fish are not left to flop or flail around.

• Revive a tired or semi-conscious fish before releasing it.

• Minimise handling to ensure that released fish have a good chance of survival.

SADSAA CONTACTS: Office phone: (012) 996-9007 • Email: admin@sadsaa.com • Website: www.sadsaa.com 68 • SKI-BOAT July/August 2015

PLACES HAKUSEMBE RIVER LODGE RIVER quietly starts in the central highlands of Angola and meanders southwards towards the northern Namibian border.

Through its lower f lood plain it builds and spreads as it has done for eons. The Cubango, as it is called in Angola, becomes the mighty Kavango/ Okavango River that moves at its steady, fast pace along the border, then enters the Okavango Delta to deposit its water into swamps and ultimately seep away into the desert sands of the Kalahari.

Hakusembe River Lodge is situated on the Namibian banks of the river approximately 15km west of Rundu. This lush green oasis-like lodge with its stilted deck offers visitors a panoramic 180 degree vista over the mighty river and the lush Angolan riverine border a few hundred metres across the water.

Dick Pratt and I, together with our wives, had been invited to indulge in the superb accommodation and delicious cuisine at the lodge and to target

A

by Erwin Bursik

necessitating finely tuned boat handling in the swift flowing water — proved extremely meaningful to them.

On the fishing front I can only liken this style of fishing to that which I experienced on the Zambezi in Zambia’s Barotse Flood Plains area at Matoya Lodge.

Dick and I had great fun on high speed bass boats travelling as much as 30km upstream with The tranquility of Hakusembe River Lodge can only be Gondwana’s Director, Jaco Visser, to experifully appreciated when you stay there. ence not only this magical waterway, but also to enjoy the fishthe tigerfish and nembwe that are the ing it offered. The lodge’s record for major sportfish of this area. tigerfish is 8kg and the nembwe fishing In addition, Gondwana’s manageis also excellent, as was seen in the ment asked Dick and I to train their artlure fishing competition held in the boat skippers in on-water boat handling area a few weeks before we arrived. as well as safety applicable to inland The Okavango River has not been an watercraft rules and acceptable regulaexceptionally popular destination for tion during “classroom lectures”.

South Africans and was largely unknown The aptitude of those attending the except for those who did their border classes was both exciting and enlightenduty there many years ago, but as a fishing. All the participants grew up on the ing destination for either conventional river, mostly using makoros on a daily tackle or casting a fly, the area is basis and thus their river knowledge well worth considering. was outstanding. Their progress to single- and twin outboard powered craft has been good and the tuition and practice on the river — including “man overboard” exercises, reporting and recovery

New jewels in Namibia’s crown SKI-BOAT July/August 2015 • 71

The skippers at Hakusembe received their well-earned certificates from Gondwana Collection’s Director Jaco Visser (far right).

Erwin Bursik’s last cast into the Okavango River was rewarded with a mighty tigerfish.

Paul Opperman showed Erwin Bursik and Dick Pratt how to target the prized nembwe.

NAMUSHASHA RIVER LODGE This exquisite lodge, situated on a quiet backwater lagoon on the Kwando River at the start of the panhandle of the Caprivi Strip overlooking the Bwabwata National Park, provides visitors with luxury accommodation and outstanding cuisine.

Other attractions at this stylish establishment include the meandering papyrus and reed-lined waterways with great bream and tigerfish potential and daily game drives into the national park. Of great interest is the 15-20 minute boat ride through the delta, passing many pods of hippo and beautiful birds to rendezvous with the game drive vehicles based on the other side of the swamp area. The game viewing was great, with much of the big game (aside from rhino) being seen in the savannah/bushveld type terrain.

Again Dick and I spent a couple of days training, assisting and, in many instances, learning from the very enthusiastic local skippers working for this lodge. The area of operation is much more confined than in the open, fast flowSKI-BOAT July/August 2015 • 73

The delighted boat skippers received their certificates from Erwin Bursik and Dick Pratt. Vera and Nicoline were very proud of their team. ing Okavango River, thus requiring a very different type of boat handling skills.

Not only do the skippers need an intricate knowledge of the maze of channels and back waters, but they also need to take into account the complicated sand banks and shallow waters as well as the many pods of arrogant hippos.

The skippers honed their basic skills and adapted well to the techniques and boat handling skills demonstrated to them. They also acquired a lot of theoretical knowledge regarding boats and boating that will stand them all in good stead in their chosen occupation.

Unfortunately time constraints prohibited Dick and I from trying out the fishing potential of the waters adjacent to Namushasha. However, everyone who has fished there assured us the fishing was as exciting as it is at many other areas in the Okavango swamps, with tigerfish, bream and barbel being the main target species.

Namushasha River Lodge is situated roughly halfway between Victoria Falls and the Namibian town of Rundu near the western extremity of the Caprivi Strip. With the excellent roads we experienced in Namibia, a safari from North-eastern Transvaal up through Botswana and across Namibian territory to end up at Etosha Game Reserve is well worth considering.

The photographs of Namushasha River Lodge only partially capture how special this place is.

74 â&#x20AC;˘ SKI-BOAT July/August 2015

FISHING’S ALL I THINK ABOUT

by Kyle Solomon (8)

I

’M very lucky to live on the KZN south coast near Port Shepstone. I love fishing — actually all I think about is fishing and I even have all of Darrell Hattingh’s fish moulds on my mirror.

My dad has these special spots we go to late in the afternoons and the game is on. Most of the time we tag and release and we really like helping with research. I even did a school project about tagging and got very good marks for it. I have tagged and released nearly 80 fish and have recaptured 13 fish, some that have been free for 112⁄ years. I do the fishing and my dad does the tagging — I think this is a good deal and I keep him very busy.

My fishing rod is special — because I’m so small I need a light rod so I use a Shimano Vengance Couta. I broke my old rod on a big fish — it must have been a huge poensie.

My reel is a Shimano Saragosa and I’ve had it a long time.

One of my best memories of fishing with my dad was a double up poensie. We only tagged one of them so that we could get the other one back into the water as soon as possible. We have tagged 13 poensies so far and maybe 20 yellow belly rockcod. We’ve also tagged some catface rockcod, but we also love eating catface so we keep some of the big ones.

My best fish so far was a 78cm Cape yellowtail that we tagged. It was a very strong fish and I was very tired when it got to the surface, but we tagged it and let it go and I felt great. I’ve also caught some hammerhead sharks — that’s great fun, but we can’t tag or eat them, so we just cut them free.

My best type of fishing is with a stick bait, and with my rod I can cast it quite far. I love catching tuna and skipjack; they pull me all over the boat, but some get taken by huge sharks. It’s nice to see the sharks but I prefer to get the fish out. We’ve tagged a lot of yellowfin tuna but we often catch them in the gills so then we keep them to eat. They have a huge heart because they need to pump a lot of blood around their bodies.

One of my best days’ fishing was last year during the sardine run. My mom and brother took me to the Hibberdene launch straight after school. The sea was perfect and my dad was waiting for me with the boat ready. That afternoon we tagged five yellowbellys, three poensies, one yellowtail rockcod and one catface. We only got back to the beach very late, but we had so much fun.

I just can’t wait to go on my next fishing trip and I’m always checking the sea and wind with my dad.

MARKETPLACE

SWEET DREAMS ARE MADE OF THIS

N

OW here’s a luxury fishing boat that every angler longs to own. The Riviera 37 SportFisher is a fantastic fishing machine — tough, superbly finished, with power and space — and capable of maximum performance along even the most difficult coastline. Close on 43ft in length, she’s also great for entertaining friends or spending the weekend on the water with family.

Riviera never compromises on quality when it comes to fittings and finish and this dual-helm 37 model is no exception. When it comes to equipment the fastidious manufacturer has left nothing to chance. Raydome, GPS/ fishfinder, fighting chair, outriggers, stainless steel rod holders — you name it, it’s there!

Sporting two powerful twin diesel Volvo D6 370hp motors with four-blade propellers, autopilot and long range fuel tanks, the Riviera 37 will easily get to where the “big ones” hang out. Not only does she have the legs to go the distance, she’s also responsive and remarkably quiet.

Everyone’s favourite spot on this dual-helm boat is the flybridge which boasts seating for the skipper and guests and offers a commanding view over the water. This is the place to be when the dolphins come out to play or whales surf the waves. Should the weather turn, you can still take in the sights from this vantage point from behind the protection of all-round clears.

If they’re not on top they’re inside or outside enjoying the sunshine in the cockpit. Here guests can catch a tan, have a meal or simply watch the action going on behind them. Several anglers can bait up together in this popular spot and attend to a large number of rods even with the fighting chair in place.

Everyone will be comfortable on the wide coaming surrounding the fishdeck which offers plenty of room for entertaining and extra protection at sea. Watersport lovers have easy access to the water from the swim platform.

Once inside the saloon, plush soft leathers beckon invitingly and you can’t help being impressed with the gleaming teak cabinetry, table and entertainment centre. This is a very warm and comfortable space with every mod con right at one’s fingertips.

Two steps down and the chefs in the party will be delighted with the galley which boasts a convection microwave oven, twin burners, pantry, running water and a wide countertop for preparation purposes.

Carefully engineered to maximise the available space, the master cabin fills the bow, showing off hand-crafted, varnished timberwork and many convenient features. It’s hard to resist the inviting queen-size bed with plenty of storage underneath. The full-sized shower stall with a built-in bench seat can comfortably accommodate even a six-footer standing up straight! The kids or weekend guests will be very comfortable in the second cabin.

When the action’s over for the day it’s all about relaxation and celebrating together with chilled drinks to bring on the mood. Where better to enjoy your cocktails as the last light of day fades into the evening than on a magnificent Riviera 37 SportFisher with the sound of the waves gently lapping the hull?

Kim Labuschagne of Durban is a happy 37 owner of four years who’s had some fabulous trips with his son David. “The 37 is so easy to handle even with just two of us on board and she has plenty of space for moving around when the fish are biting. When we’re far offshore and the weather turns I feel totally safe and comfortable as she’s very stable even in rough conditions.”

If you’d like a private viewing of the Riviera 37 call Boating World on (021) 418 0840 or pop down to the Durban Boat Show in July where you’ll meet Derrick and his teamwho will be happy to welcome you on board for a closer look. For further information email <info@boatingworld.co.za>.

78 • SKI-BOAT July/August 2015

TACKLE TALK

by Craig Thomassen

GET PACKING! M Preparation is part of the fun

OST of us fish for the sheer pleasure of it. For those of us who do, there is nothing more exciting than preparing for a trip where we hope to catch something spectacular. In fact, the preparation is almost as much fun as the trip itself, as the delicious anticipation builds up with each piece of tackle that we pack. Pick up a big popper or stickbait, check the hooks and split rings, then think about what might eat that lure on the upcoming trip. It’s enough to give me sleepless nights — it happens all the time!

When we know well in advance that we are doing a trip then we have plenty of time to prepare and pack and relish the anticipation. There’s nothing better than loading up your gear on the day of departure and knowing that you couldn’t be better prepared. It’s a comforting feeling and allows you to head off on your adventure full of confidence. If you’re well prepared the only things that can spoil the trip are outside of your control, such as weather and water conditions.

I like to cover all of my options and pack gear for every eventuality. In the early days this meant heading off on trips with bags and boxes so full and heavy that I don’t know how I got them to our final destinations. I had so much that I could have opened a tackle shop at the places we fished. I had to pay extra baggage on every flight on our outward journey and on the way home, despite leaving some tackle behind for the operators with whom we fished — and losing some to the unstoppable fish that we encountered at each place. I just carried too much!

With time and experience I have fine-tuned this aspect of my preparation. I still like to cover all of my options which is a lot because I love a great variety of fishing, from heavy to light and everything in between. This makes it a challenging task to pack tackle within the limits allowed by airlines, especially when you are connecting onto a small plane at some point.

However, experience has taught me that I do not need to take every piece of tackle in my store room along with me and it’s not necessary to take spares of everything, essentially doubling up on my kit.

I have learnt to trim down my packing by eliminating any-

thing that doubles up or does the same job as something else.

It’s really a case of being disciplined. I start by putting everything that I want to take in a pile and then start taking things away. That way I’m left with the stuff I will really need and I leave behind the unnecessary items. Luckily things like hooks, swivels, snaps and split rings, which are small, take up no space and weigh very little so you can get away with packing a lot of extras.

Even after all these years it’s still just as much fun packing for a fishing trip as it ever was and I get a big kick out of sitting changing hooks on lures, tying up new leaders, re-spooling reels and researching the place that I’m going to visit.

Preparation is critical in anything that you do, and if you are well prepared you are likely to succeed. These days there’s so much information available to us via magazines, books, online and DVDs that we can get well acquainted with what to expect at any destination, even if it is completely new to us.

I love researching each trip, chatting to friends who have been to the destination, reading up about it and getting a feel for what to expect. It builds up the anticipation and helps a lot with knowing what to pack in terms of tackle. Getting together for a braai with the guys going on the trip can also be good fun. You can share information, show each other lures and help make sure that each member of the group has the opportunity to be equally well prepared. These evenings often stretch late into the night as the excitement and expectation builds, so make sure you don’t have an early start the day after.

There’s no doubt in my mind that the preparation for the trip, including shopping for tackle, packing the gear, researching the destination and fishing, organising a pre-trip braai and all the rest is a vital part of the experience. The build up, the excitement and the anticipation is all part of the trip itself — it just wouldn’t be the same without it.

Sometimes we dream about something and then, when it happens, it just feels like it was meant to be. That’s how I often feel when I’m on a fishing trip and I end up catching that special fish I have caught many times already, somewhere deep in my own mind.

SKI-BOAT July/August 2015 â&#x20AC;¢ 81

MARKETPLACE IMTECH MARINE LAUNCHES NEW SERVICE APP

I

MTECH Marine recently launched a service app under its service and nav/com brand, Radio Holland. The aim of the app is to enable owners and operators around the world to quickly find the nearest Imtech Marine/RH service location for service and maintenance, via their smart phones. The app guides the user to the nearest service location and the user can directly send a service request via the app to the Imtech Marine location.

This way quick and easy contact is established and quick and efficient ser vice can be offered around the globe.

The “RHServiceNow” app is available for free at the Windows phone store (for Windows smartphones), in the Google play store (for Android smartphones) and in the iPhone app store.

The unique application contains more than 300 service locations, which is an overview of all service and support locations in the worldwide service network of Imtech Marine, both own offices and locations where Imtech Marine, under the Radio Holland brand, provides regular service.

For more information please contact Radio Holland, part of Imtech Marinep on 0861 123 555 or email <info.za@imtechmarine.com>.

NAVWORLD ALL OVER THE NATION

DURBAN BOAT & LIFESTYLE SHOW

D

URBAN’S biggest boating and outdoor lifestyle event on and around the water, the Durban International Boat & Lifestyle Show will be back at the Durban Marina during Durban’s tropical winter season.

The boating side features everything from one man dinghies to luxury catamarans and the latest marine accessories, while the lifestyle element features rugged off-road vehicles, caravans, off road accessories and so much more.

There are great attractions at this year’s show including cardboard boat racing, wild rides on the SAS Raptor, free massages on a luxury catamaran, the “Simply Sailing” Regatta, hobiecat racing, the amazing semi-submersible Sea Breacher and much, much more!

Taking place over the school holidays, there are a ton of activities and play areas for kids along with restaurant and food stalls.

There are great spot prizes on offer for visitors on the day, and super discount offers. Tickets are R50 for adults and R30 for kids over 12 and Senior Citizens. Kids under 12 get in for free when accompanied by an adult. Tickets are available at the entrance to the show.

Be sure not to miss it at the Durban Marina from 17th to 19th July. Show times are 9.30am to 5pm on Friday and Saturday and 9.30am to 4pm on Sunday.

BLACK GOLD FROM DAIWA

B

UILT on the original legendary Saltist frame and structure but with a few useful extras, the Black Gold delivers increased durability and features an all new anodised finish to improve corrosion resistance. The ultra smooth drag from our Ultimate Tournament Drag system will add to the enjoyment of every catch and could be the difference in landing the fish of a lifetime.

G

ARMIN Southern African is pleased to announce that NavWorld, an authorised and preferred service partner, opened its doors to the Durban public in May, showcasing its range of outdoor and adventure products. NavWorld is one of South Africa’s fastest growing lifestyle, outdoor and adventure retailers with branches in Johannesburg, Pretoria, Cape Town and Durban.

As the exclusive Garmin authorised service partner in South Africa, NavWorld takes care of all Garmin warranty and support requirements in South Africa, no matter where the device was originally bought. For those who need a little hands-on training with their new (or old) Garmin, NavWorld also offers that.

NavWorld offers full service and support for the whole Garmin range and the walk-in service centres ensure customers don’t have to deal with third party service providers or wait for extended periods to get an issue resolved.

All support, training and technical queries are handled in-store.

The new NavWorld Durban store is located in Mount Edgcombe and offers a wide range of accessories and add-ons for your favourite Garmin product.

For more information about NavWorld or to shop online, visit <www.navworld.co.za>.

You can also Like NavWorldSA on Facebook to see all the latest deals and specials.

82 • SKI-BOAT July/August 2015

Items of Interest

WATER WOLF GIVES YOU A NEW PERSPECTIVE OWRANCE South Africa was recently appointed SA’s agent for Water Wolf HD cameras and the first shipment has just arrived. The international fishing trade are raving about these cameras which clinched three accolades at 2014 EFTTEX. Sales are going through the roof and their huge success has even surprised their creators.

The Danish manufacturing concern started as a hobby for a group of anglers motivated by their love for fishing, engineering, cameras and gadgets. Their curiosity evolved into a successful business after they built a fabulous underwater camera specifically designed for fishing.

The Water Wolf is bullet shaped and can be easily attached to your line behind the lure.

The camera can go deep, record and discover how fish behave, revealing their feeding habits and strike patterns. Some fish hunt in groups, some carefuly observe their prey and others just go in for the kill. There are high speed bites and surface bites and with the Water Wolf you’ll be able to relive the moments from a totally different angle.

Four hours of non-stop recording can be captured on a 16GB micro SD card, right down to 100 metres! The recommended price is R2 400 (incl VAT). Call Lowrance South Africa on (031) 368 6649 or ask your nearest dealer for more information!

L

SUPER LEADERS

P

ENN Super X wind-on leaders offer an extra strong connection to the main line and make it easy to change your leader size. Wind the leader onto your reel for control next to the boat and fish with a loop-to-loop connection. They are ideal for all kinds of fishing. Look for them at your local tackle dealer or contact Pure Fishing on 0861 527 336.

CLASH! Other features include: Aluminium one-piece frame and side plate.

4 CRBB corrosion-resistant ball bearings, plus roller bearing.

• Protective anodised finish.

• Ultimate Tournament carbon drag (Carbontex washers).

• Infinite Anti-Reverse.

• Machined aluminium spool.

• Centrifugal anti-backlash control.

• Spool click selector.

The Black Gold is available from all leading fishing tackle stores nationwide and at The Kingfisher in Durban. For further information visit <www.kingfisher.co.za>.

• •

ENN’S Clash reel boasts super strong, super smooth gearing technology with a sealed “HT-100” drag system, 9+1 stainless steel bearings, a lightweight full metal body design and a carbon-supported aluminium “Superline” spool. They also feature round HD EVA handle knobs, a 6.2:1 gear ratio and a heavy-duty bail arm.

Clash reels are available in 2500, 3000, 4000, 5000, 6000 and 8000 models and offer up to 25kg drag. Look for them at your local tackle dealer or contact Pure Fishing on 0861 527 336.

P

A D V E R T I S E R S ’

SMALLS

BOATS FOR SALE

BOAT FOR SALE

RENATO LEVY 40ft for sale. Excellent condition. Professional R1M recent full refurbishment and spray. Fibreglass hull, 2 x 420hp Caterpillar engines (650 hours), 8-person life raft, New teak caulked deck and side decks, beautiful wood interior. Recent seaworthy. Optional berth available at Simon’s Town. Skipper and caretaker services available. Perfect for a group of Gauteng fishing buddies.

Price: R990 000 Contact: Neil on 082 784 0497

DEADLINE for the September/October 2015 issue of SKI-BOAT magazine is 22 July 2015.

BOOK YOUR SPACE NOW! Phone Joan on (031) 572-2289 or Lyn on (011) 425-2052

2007 VCAT 22ft with 2 x 115hp Suzuki 4-strokes (2013 — 25 hours), new hydraulic steering system, T-top, 2 x centre hatches, 29 meg radio, livewell, covers and double-axle trailer.

Price: R339 500 (Jo’burg)

2015 INFANTA 5.8Sri with 2 x 60hp Mercury 4-strokes, hydraulic steering, double skin pontoon, covers, sun canopy, anchor hatch & seat, moulded back seat, splashwell, storage space and heavy duty b/neck trailer.

Price: R319 500 (Jo’burg) Contact: Paul at Boating International Edenvale on (011) 452-8280 or Stefan in Cape Town on (021) 511-0220, email <info@boatinginternational.co.za> or visit <www.boatinginternational.co.za>.

INDEX Accessories Spares Centre . . . . . . . .14 Accessories Spares Centre . . . . . . . .46 Anantara . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29 Anglers’Apparel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .64 Boating International . . . . . . . . . . . .63 Boating World . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .37 Boating World . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .81 Casa Vieja Lodge Guatemala . . . . . . .40 Club Marine Insurance . . . . . . . . . . . .4 Durban Boat Show . . . . . . . . . . . . . .70 Durban SB Club . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .49 Durban Yamaha . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 Eikos Insurance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .46 FishGillz . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .81 Fishtube.tv . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .75 Garmin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .50 Imtech/Furuno . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .42 Joburg Boat Show . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .76 Jonsson Clothing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .60 Komatipoort Boatel . . . . . . . . . . . . .83 Landrover Umhlanga . . . . . . . . . . . .47 Leecat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19 Lowrance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3 Lucky’s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18 Mako Eyewear . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .62 Matoya Lodge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .64 Maxel Trading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34 McCrystal Insurance . . . . . . . . . . . . .32 MDM — Raymarine . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6 Mercury . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .92 Mr Winch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .54 Natal Caravans & Marine . . . . . . . . . .2 Natal Powerboats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .91 OET . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .52 Pure Fishing — Penn . . . . . . . . . . . .59 Rapala — Double X line . . . . . . . . . .23 Rapala Max Rap . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .81 Ski-Port Supply . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .53 SMD Telecommunications . . . . . . . .67 Squidnation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .40 Supercat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16 Suzuki Marine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24 The Kingfisher . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23 Tigerfish Bonanza . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .69 TOPS @ Spar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20 Turboformance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .83 Two Oceans Marine . . . . . . . . . . . . .26 Vanguard Insurance . . . . . . . . . . . . .72 Volvo Penta . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34 Wildfly Travel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .84 Yamaha commercial . . . . . . . . . . . . .38 Yamaha VX Series . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43 Z-Craft . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 SKI-BOAT July/August 2015 • 83

BUSINESS CLASSIFIEDS

88 â&#x20AC;¢ SKI-BOAT July/August 2015

DIRECTORY

KENYA

ForPhone the best results!

Erwin Bursik Tel: (031) 572-2289

ONLY R500 PER BLOCK! PHONE JOAN ON (031) 572-2289 NOW! SKI-BOAT July/August 2015 â&#x20AC;¢ 89

RAPALA LIP

Last Word from the Ladies

I

â&#x20AC;&#x2122;VE been a fishermanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s widow for 13 long years now. At first I thought it was great, really great â&#x20AC;&#x201D; after all, how many wives (girlfriends back then) did you know of that got to spend their school holidays fishing with their handsome fishermen beaus? I really thought I was the beeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s knees dating this tall, dark and handsome captain who took me fishing. Little did I know what it would entail in years to come, but back then I was innocent and full of the joys of life.

Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll never forget my first day out at sea which also happened to be my first time onboard a boat. I had absolutely no idea what to expect. What should I wear? Would I get seasick?

How long would we be out for? Could I suntan?

The plan was to sleep onboard the boat the night before because we were going out to Joe Cools and didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t want to risk getting to the boat late in the morning as we had a charter booked for the day. Did I forget to mention that my tall, dark, handsome fisherman was a charter operator?

Before heading out on the Sunday night we packed our little overnight bags.

Well, my beauâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s bag was little â&#x20AC;&#x201D; my bag was packed to the brim with everything but the kitchen sink. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m a girly girl after all and always need to be prepared.

Once packed we loaded our trustworthy old Isuzu bakkie and headed off to join the crew at Joe Cools.

At the time I was still the new girl on the block and apparently there were huge debates raging about whether or not Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d be able to handle a whole day out at sea â&#x20AC;&#x201D; especially after a few glasses of rosĂŠâ&#x20AC;Ś and there were probably more than a few glasses in my system because Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d been plied with wine all night long. There may have been one or two shooters down the hatch too. Letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s just say that the odds were stacked against me and the crew were determined to make sure I got seasick. At least my man had faith in me.

Being the only girl amongst the sharks is hard work, so I had to put on my big girl panties and fly the ladiesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; flag high.

After flicking a hoof all night long, morning rolled around. Eager beaver that I was, I start waking the skipper and crewâ&#x20AC;Ś â&#x20AC;&#x153;Wakey, wakey, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fishy time!â&#x20AC;?Then I sat back and watched the crew get the boat ready. Rods were being pulled out and traces were clipped on â&#x20AC;&#x201D; there seemed to be pandemonium, but it all took place in silence. The crew said they were

Some occasions call for big girl panties

Have you ever had the feeling that someone is watching you? Well it seemed like the crew had their beady eyes on me the whole time. NaĂŻve blonde that I was, I passed it off as the guys being hungry and wanting their food. Smiling away, I prepared the most delicious rolls I could muster up and handed them round.

That set the pattern for the rest of the day â&#x20AC;&#x201D; me heading back and forth to make more rolls, with three pairs of eyes following my every move.

Just when I was about to say something rude about them eating like pigs I heard one of the crew saying to my man,â&#x20AC;&#x153;Hey Captain, this girlâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a keeper â&#x20AC;&#x201D; she doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t even get sick in the kitchen!â&#x20AC;? I learnt another new thing that day â&#x20AC;&#x201D; apparently no one lasted more than a few minutes in our little kitchen without getting sick! I was very proud that in between catching a number of dorado that day and making countless trips to the kitchen to feed the gannets on board, I didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t once hug the side of the boat.

Eventually it was time to head back to the harbour after a successful day at sea â&#x20AC;&#x201D; in my eyes anyway. I soon noticed that despite the great day weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d had the crew were all sporting Rapala Lips. I headed back up to the flybridge and asked my beau why they were unhappy.

It turned out theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d all placed bets on how long it would take for me to throw a cat! Well, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d certainly showed them, and I wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t the one going home with a Rapala Lip that day! Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d loved every minute of my day at sea â&#x20AC;&#x201D; our charter caught some decent fish, not once did I get seasick and my man had a wad of cash afterwards for winning the bet. What more could I truly ask for?

Maybe a marlin?

Thirteen years later Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m still making countless boat sandwiches in the early hours of the morning, but I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t get taken out fishing that often. Now that Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m the wife it seems I have to stay home and run the business! Hubby maintains that he doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t fish that often, but I beg to differ. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m going to catch my man out by keeping a fishing journal of his trips out to sea!

Once a fishermanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s wife, always a fishermanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s widow. Is that fair? Read the next issue and Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll let you know why fishermenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s wives like me stick with their menâ&#x20AC;Ś P.S. What comes first? The fisherman, the Captain Morgan or the wife?

90 â&#x20AC;˘ SKI-BOAT July/August 2015

focused on the job at hand, but I suspect the silence was due to Captain Morgan headaches!

Soon the clients boarded the boat and my man started the engines. Next thing I got a whiff of diesel fumes and I felt my stomach say â&#x20AC;&#x153;Helloâ&#x20AC;?. What have I got myself into, I wondered. I decided to join my man up on the fly bridge to get away from the diesel fumes and to hide my slightly green face from the crew. From the corner of my eye I saw the crew sniggering amongst themselves and I overheard them telling my beau that I was never going to last more than a few hours out on the big blue.

Now here is something you need to know about me: Never tell me I canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t do or handle something because I love a good olâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; challenge.

An hour or two rolled by and we continued to head north. Next thing the reels started screaming and we were hooked up to this pretty blue/green fish. It was the most beautiful fish Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d ever seen.

After tussling a few dollies I was summoned to organise the crew some brekkie, so off I went to the little kitchen to start preparing a few bacon and egg rolls. We were pretty spoilt â&#x20AC;&#x201D; our little kitchen had an electric pan.

BRAND

NEW BRAND

NEW BRAND

NEW

Gamefish 17ft Mono 2 x 30hp Suzuki 4-stroke motors with normal steering on galvanised trailer R242 000

Gamefish 510 FC Gamefish 510 CC BOTH INCL: 2 x 60hp Suzuki 4-stroke motors, hydraulic steering on galv trailer R340 000 R325 000

BRAND

NEW BRAND

NEW BRAND

NEW

Gamefish 595 FC Gamefish 595 CC BOTH INCL: 2 x 90hp Suzuki 4-stroke motors with hydraulic steering on galv trailer R454 000 R452 000

Butt Cat 28ft 2 x 115hp Mercury 4-stroke motors on galv trailer.

R349 000

Unique 575 2 x 50hp Honda 4-stroke motors

Invader 16ft FC 2 x 60hp Mercury motors with trim and tilt on galv b/neck trailer.

R110 000

Cobra Cat 630 From R550 000

Tom Cat 19ft CC 2 x 90hp Yamaha motors with trim and tilt

R189 000

Gamefish 595 2 x 100hp Yamha 4-motors with trim and tilt and beaching kits on galv b/neck trailer.

R339 000

King Cat 16’6” 2 x 60hp Yamaha motors with trim and tilt on galv trailer.

R179 000

Concept 16ft CC 2 x 50hp 3-cylinder Yamha motors with trim and tilt.

R119 000

King Cat 16ft 6in 2 x 70hp Yamaha motors with trim

TERMS AND CONDITIONS APPLY

GO ONTO OUR WEBSITE TO VIEW OVER 150 BOATS THAT WE HAVE FOR SALE.

R195 000

R195 000