Ski-Boat magazine September 2019

CONTENTS

September/October 2019 Volume 35 Number 5 COVER: UP FROM THE DEEP Paul Nixon with a 26.6kg daga caught off Zinkwazi in 70m of water.

Photo: Daryl Bartho

FEATURES

10

SA’s New Coastal MPAs A brief explanation for recreational ski-boat anglers — by Bruce Mann

14

My Deere, It’s Tuna Time!

2019 Shelly Beach Ski-Boat Festival — by Erwin Bursik

22

The Deep Drop Understanding the entire water column — by Adam Waites

31

14

Fresh Fish for the Table Filleting and preparing redfish — by Erwin Bursik

38

Navigate Flies to the Finish Line 22nd Guinjata Bonanza — by Erwin Bursik

48

Overlooked Marlin Destination Guinjata offers up four marlin in four days — by Jakkie Massyn

53

Big Boy!

31

Part 2:Techniques for catching big eye tuna — by Rod and Scott Naysmith

62

You’ve Gotta Go Overboard 2019 Inhaca Challenge — by Brad van Zyl

DEPARTMENTS 8 9 50 69 71 73

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

38 75 79 80 80 81 82

Mercury Junior Anglers Marketplace Smalls Ad Index Business Classifieds & Directory Rapala Lip — Last Word from the Ladies

The official magazine of the South African Deep Sea Angling Association

DO YOU PREFER AN EZINE? FIND US FOR FREE ON WWW.ISSUU.COM

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

EDITORIAL

PROTECTION AND POLICING — TWO SIDES OF THE SAME COIN

Editorial Assistant: Vahini Pillay Boat Tests: Heinrich Kleyn Contributors: Erwin Bursik, Bruce Mann, Jakkie Massyn, Rob Naysmith, Scott Naysmith, Brad van Zyl and Adam Waites.

ADVERTISING – NATIONAL SALES: Angler Publications Mark Wilson cell: 073 748 6107 ADVERTISING – Gauteng & Mpumalanga: Lyn Adams — 083 588 0217 Publishers: Angler Publications cc PO Box 20545, Durban North 4016 Telephone: (031) 572-2280/89/97/98 Fax: (031) 572-7891 e-mail: angler@mags.co.za Subscriptions to SKI-BOAT: R180 per annum (six issues).

New subscriptions and renewals: SKI-BOAT Subscriptions Department, PO Box 20545, Durban North 4016.

Telephone: (031) 572-2280/89/97/98 Fax: (031) 572-7891 • e-mail: angler@mags.co.za • Through www.anglerpublications.co.za, or E-zine through <www.issuu.com> Reproduction: Hirt & Carter, Durban Printer: Robprint (Pty) Ltd, Durban Full production is done in-house by Angler Publications & Promotions on Apple Macintosh software and hardware for output directly to plate.

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

• While every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the contents of this magazine, the publishers do not accept responsibility for omissions or errors or their consequences.

Views expressed in this magazine are not necessarily those of the publishers, the managing editor, editor, editorial staff or the South African Deep Sea Angling Association.

8 • SKI-BOAT September/October 2019

M

ARINE Protected Areas (MPAs) will always be a hot topic in discussions among the angling fraternity, divers and marine biologists. Individual desires, aspirations and arguments differ widely depending on which “interested and affected party” one sides with.

The conundrum as I see it is not only about who is right and who is wrong, but who is prepared to bend their thinking and actions and, in Erwin Bursik the end, how do the legislators find the line of Publisher least resistance and yet still achieve a management plan that benefits South Africa’s marine resources for the long term future of all South Africans.

I have studied all the literature and watched Dr Bruce Mann’s YouTube video <www.youtube.com/watch?v=aTHWE4HkqdY&t=311s> detailing the extent of the recently promulgated legislation regarding all the MPAs along the entire coastline with, hopefully, an objective stance. (See Bruce Mann’s article on page 10 of this issue.)

However, let’s bear in mind that I’m an offshore sports angler who will now be affected by many of the newly implemented restrictions. As such, I feel strongly that insufficient practical consideration has been given to specific areas where noninvasive sportfishing activities have been undertaken by the very body of users who initially opened up a wilderness launch site specifically for the access to the offshore fishery over 50 years ago. Here I am, of course, speaking mainly of the fishery off Sodwana Bay which falls within the iSimangaliso MPA. Subsequent user groups jumped on to the anglers’ band wagon and now we sit with the situation where we have seen the removal of the long term almost “indigenous rights” of the ski-boaters, especially off the Zululand coast.

With that off my chest, the other huge question mark that is imprinted on my mind is that of effective policing of these 42 South African MPAs. Can you imagine if we had a huge area on land (say the size of the Kruger National Park) with all the promises of protecting this area’s fauna and flora for the future, but put no policing mechanism in place? Dare I say it? Just look at all our major game parks that have huge policing forces in place in addition to fences and still can’t control the high number of poaching activities that occur every year.

Now the legislators are saying all these coastal and offshore MPAs are in place and that the entire combined area will be safe despite there being (as far as we know) no plans afoot to improve policing of these areas.

The naivety stuns me. If rhino and perlemoen poaching can’t be stopped, how are foreign trawlers, longliners and errant user groups going to be prevented from using the MPAs as their private playgrounds?

Till the next tide.

Erwin Bursik

POSTBOX Thank you for being my team mate; Thank you for being my mentor; Thank you for being my punch bag; Thank you for being my shoulder to cry on!

But most of all Ballie, thank you for being my friend.

It’s lines-up Ballie, for the last time; wait for me at prize-giving.

I love you.

GAFFER DOG

FAREWELL MY FRIEND ANTON GETS, Commodore of Shelly Beach Ski-Boat Club passed away on 7 June 2019. This is an open letter to him from Dave Martin ...

Hey Ballie, It’s time buddy; lines up. Life — as in fishing, you have done it hard and you have done it long.

As in fishing , you have dropped a few and at the same time you have landed a few pearlers.

I dunno the final result, I don’t hold the scales. But personally I think that you have done enough to take the gold.

Either way — win or lose — we had a jol.

Ballie, you go ahead to the weigh-in; if you don’t mind I will stick around here I while longer, here at the washbay of life!

You go ahead and take your catches to the scales to be weighed, to be judged and to be recorded.

And I pray that the weighmaster is kind to you — as kind as you have been to others when they looked up to you for judgement or even just for your approval.

I pray that the scales tip in your favour for those “sorry’s”. I pray that He takes into consideration that for every “sorry” there were dozens of genuine and admirable “releases”.

“Releases” being that which you gave back so unselfishly, so willingly and so unconditionally for the benefit of all those who surround you.

As in fishing, not everything you did was a record, however in life, everything you did was worth recording.

Thank you Ballie, Thank you for being my skipper;

WALSH FOR PRESIDENT Good Day Erwin and team, I have just finished consuming the latest edition of SKI-BOAT. The article by Jack Walsh is spot on and he has my vote for president.

I have lived and visited the West Coast all my life and have seen the fish disappear before our eyes. We lived in Alexander Bay from 1959 onwards, moving to Port Nolloth in 1965. I currently live (retired) in Velddrif in the Port Owen Marina, north of Saldanha.

First it was the rock lobster, then the sole/kingklip/hake fisheries, along with the pilchard/sardine, red eye, maasbanker and anchovy stocks.

The fishing industry collapsed in around 1970. My dad worked for John Ovenstone in Port Nolloth. As kids we used to catch maasbanker with shiny hooks without bait, off the pier in Port Nolloth. Maasbanker were the preferred “bokkoms” and “harder bokkoms” were for the poor folk. As recently as 2000 Velddrif was still the Galjoen mecca of SA. To tie these issues together, one of our now world famous residents, the one who hacked the seal pup to pieces and posted it on the internet, got caught with galjoen nets and 80-something galjoen in his boat. He was sentenced to community service. His case with regard to the seal issue is scheduled for August. He has, in the meantime, been caught again with harder nets in the Berg River.

Galjoen can be bought in some of our fish shops here.

To quote Jack Walsh,“Apart from the serious failure to maintain compliance in almost any form, the fisheries department seems to have entirely lost its way in even considering what it might do in this regard.”

As Jack says, the science is not applied correctly and there is no will to fix it.

The situation of whales being caught up in False Bay in octopus nets is a case in point. The DEA staff in the Western Cape say that they did not know that the national government had

issued the licences which are 16 years old. Who are they kidding? Don’t they know what is happening in False Bay? I’m not sure how we begin to achieve what Jack proposes, but as long as we continue to leave science and its application to the politicians, we will continue to be raped.

A while ago SKI-BOAT ran an article on the value-add of the recreational fishing industry. Years ago a similar article was published about the American industry, in which the author/s claimed that the recreational industry is five times larger than the commercial one.

Our input is important to the economy — “bigger than rugby and cricket combined.”

I’m not a politician, but if anybody has the will and know how to get the recreational fishermen mobilised, they have my vote and support.

BRIERS VAN RENSBURG DESPERATELY SEEKING FIRST ISSUE OF SKI-BOAT MAGAZINE Dear readers, This is very embarrassing and sad, but somehow we’ve lost our only copy of the very first issue of SKI-BOAT which was published in May 1983. Does anyone have a copy they would be willing to part with?

If so please phone 031 5722289 or email <bursik@mags.co.za>.

COVER GIRL SALES No wonder our January 2019 sales were so good! Our cover girl for that issue, Jacqui Decker, sent us this photo of her parents and all the copies they bought at the airport. Thanks, folks, we appreciate the support!

GOT SOMETHING TO SHARE? A MOAN TO GET OFF YOUR CHEST? Email your letter to the editor <sheena@mags.co.za> SKI-BOAT September/October 2019 • 9

REGULATIONS

A map showing all of South Africa’s MPAs. Those marked with yellow arrows are the ones most likely to affect ski-boat anglers.

Map courtesy of Dr Kerry Sink of SANBI.

SA’S NEW COASTAL MPAS A brief explanation for recreational ski-boat anglers

By Bruce Mann Senior scientist, Oceanographic Research Institute, Durban

O

N 23 May 2019 South Africa declared 20 new or extended marine protected areas (MPAs) in the South African Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). This brought spatial protection up from 0.4% to 5% of the EEZ and, while still short of the 10% recommended by the Convention for Biological Diversity’s Aichi Target 11 for 2020, it represents a substantial step forward for marine conservation in South Africa.

Of the 20 new MPAs, nine include shelf habitats on or near to the coast that will directly affect ski-boat anglers.

These include iSimangaliso, uThukela, Aliwal, Protea, Amathole, Addo, Agulhas Banks, Robben Island and Namaqua.

10 • SKI-BOAT September/October 2019

Past research in South Africa and elsewhere has shown that large, well enforced, no-take MPAs that include good reef habitat, allow resident reef fish to increase in abundance and size over time.

They also protect healthier, fitter and more fecund fish and facilitate spillover into adjacent fished areas. This is extremely important, especially in the face of climate change, as it allows reef fish populations to have greater resilience and the ability to adapt.

Research in South African MPAs has proved that catches next to an MPA are better, because of spillover. Assuming that the new MPAs can be enforced and that they are respected by ski-boat anglers, they will provide significant protection for targeted linefish species, especially resident, slow-growing and overexploited species.

DISMAY However, many ski-boat anglers have expressed dismay at the declaration of the new MPAs as they feel that their favourite sport or pastime is being restricted. Let’s have a look at the new MPAs to better understand what they mean for ski-boat angling.

To start off with, we need to understand that virtually all our larger MPAs are zoned for multiple forms of use.

Most of the MPAs are zoned separately for inshore (shore-based) and offshore (boat-based) activities. The strange shape of our MPAs is because, where possible, the boundaries were set using lines of latitude or longitude which enables more effective law enforcement. There are three types of zones that affect ski-boat anglers namely a Restricted Zone (a no-take or no fishing zone), a Controlled Pelagic Zone (a

zone where pelagic gamefishing is allowed but no bottomfishing), and a Controlled Zone (where both gameand bottomfishing is allowed).

Many stakeholder meetings were held prior to the declaration of the MPAs and ample opportunity was given to stakeholders to submit their comments on the draft MPAs before they were declared. This has enabled many of the legitimate concerns of anglers to be incorporated into the design of the MPAs. For example, although the iSimangaliso MPA has been increased significantly in size (now SA’s largest MPA), the extension has had relatively little effect on ski-boat anglers as two large Controlled Pelagic Zones (extending approximately 20-40km offshore in the north and 40-60km offshore in the south) are still available for anglers to fish in from the main launch sites at Sodwana, Cape Vidal, St Lucia and Mapelane.

PROTECTION FROM VERY DESTRUCTIVE ACTIVITIES Some anglers have asked me what the point is of having a Controlled Zone in an MPA if both game- and bottomfishing is allowed. The important point here is that even if recreational fishing is allowed, other activities such as mining, dumping of pollution and in some cases commercial or industrial fishing are prohibited in the MPA. This means that the marine environment within the MPAs is protected from these ver y destructive activities.

Another aspect that has caused a lot of dissention is the ban on boat-based night fishing in many of our MPAs. These closures provide greater protection to nocturnally active species such as geelbek and dusky kob which aggregate at night, during which time they are caught in large numbers. Both of these species have sadly been fished down to ver y low levels and these restrictions are essential if we hope to keep these fisheries going.

I would suggest that every ski-boat angler get a copy of the relevant government gazette declarations of the MPAs in your area and study them carefully so that you understand where you can and cannot fish (see links below).

Hopefully, in time, maps will be made available which can be installed on your boats’ GPS to make this much simpler.

ENFORCEMENT The first reaction by many ski-boat anglers is that the new MPAs are all well and good, but how are “they” going to enforce them? As ski-boat anglers I think that most of us are well aware of the poor state of many of our prime angling fishes; there are simply not as many as there used to be. Similarly, we also know about the lack of capacity in

Above we have shown just two of the KZN MPAs in detail. Maps of all of the South African MPAs are available at www.saambr.org.za/marine-protected-areas-mpas/. both our national and provincial environmental management agencies.

The bottom line is that unless we as anglers take on custodianship of the new MPAs and adopt a responsible attitude, which includes self-policing, the new MPAs will not have the desired effect and will simply become “paper parks”.

The new MPAs are there to help our linefish stocks recover so that ultimately there will be enough fish for all of us and our future generations. It really is up to us to make them work!

If you would like to know more about our MPAs, have a look at <www.marineprotectedareas.org.za>.

The maps and regulations are available on www.saambr.org.za/marine-protected-areas-mpas/. On facebook, Marine Protected Areas SA has information about our MPAs and more information on linefish can be found at EduOceans-Fun Fishy Facts. I have also appeared in a YouTube video giving specific details of the KZN MPAs <www.youtube.com/watch?v=aTHWE4 HkqdY&t=311s>.

SKI-BOAT September/October 2019 • 11

COMPETITION

By Erwin Bursik Photos by Justin Klusener HE glorious “May Days” of autumn along the KwaZulu-Natal coast were late this year. In reality May didn’t bring the boating weather we are used to. However, just before the commencement of this year’s Shelly Beach Ski-Boat Festival in the third week of June the wonderful weather arrived and provided the participating teams with very fishable conditions for the four-day event.

With the sea temperature in the lower twenties, the sardines still well ensconced down on the Pondoland coast and “Shelly’s” yellowfin tuna off Protea Reef, all indications were that 2019 would produce a fun-filled competition.

T

Mr Clean’s Leon Uys and son Wesley Uys of GR5 together with Francios Human of Mercury and Mallard’s Mike Barnes handed the prize boat over to My Deere’s skipper and crew.

14 • SKI-BOAT September/October 2019

SKI-BOAT September/October 2019 â&#x20AC;¢ 15

John Minnie of Lowrance and Llewelyn Owen of Lubrication Engineers together with Anne Mathias who handed over all the prizes including second place which went to Greg Defilippi on Amberwon.

Owen Barclay on Devocean took fifth palce.

On arrival at Shelly Beach Ski-Boat Club for registration, all the competitors had sight of this year’s first prize which was f loating regally in the club’s swimming pool under the Moroccan-style marquee. The lucky team which landed the biggest gamefish of the comp would tow home the Cobra Cat 500 powered by twin 60hp 4-stroke Mercury motors.

This outstanding first prize was made possible by the combined sponsorship of Mercury, Mallards Boating, Mr Clean and GR5. The prize for the second heaviest gamefish of another species was worth approximately R90 000. Another 13 substantial prizes would be awarded on merit to the next 13 top gamefish weighed in during the four-day event. The three top lady anglers and the three top junior anglers would also all be duly awarded. To round off the prize list the biggest fish of every species of gamefish weighed in received a reward. Apart for the junior anglers, the principle of one

16 • SKI-BOAT September/October 2019

fish one prize applies, thereby spreading the prize list and encouraging participating anglers to weigh most of the fish caught.

All in all prizes to the value of almost R1-million were distributed during the prize-giving. This is not only a great incentive for anglers to take part in the event, but also acknowledges the anglers who weigh in good fish.

During this year’s event it was soon obvious a fish needed to weigh at least 20kg to end up in the prizes. In the end all these places were taken by yellowfin tuna apart from the second place fish of another species — a GT weighing 21.3kg.

Shelly Beach is one of South Africa’s top yellowfin tuna destinations and is rated second-only to the tuna fishery off Cape Point. Since the start of ski-boat fishing competitions along the KZN coast,“Shelly” is the only venue that consistently produces yellowfin tuna up to 30kg in sufficient numbers

Nicky Momberg on Nitro took third place.

Lourens Viljoen on Bliksem came fourth.

Sixth place went to Donovan Wadeley on Scallywag.

to make it a renowned venue for competitive fishing of a single species.

Yellowfin tuna are thus the main targets of the event and form the crux of the game plans of the teams taking part in this highly acclaimed annual event.

Having said that, there was a change in some of the teams’ game plans this year. A few of them chose to run out deep to target the occasional large yellowfin tuna that migrate northwest beyond the 2 000 metre contours This has been a hit or miss plan over the years, but with an increasing number of craft opting for this plan there’s a good chance — as has happened at the last two events — that a big yellowfin tuna will be caught.

There’s also the chance of a bycatch of a marlin, strange as that sounds, but this event strictly precludes all billfish species from counting in this competition. They get no score,

and definitely cannot be weighed. Although there’s no acknowledgement of it, some anglers do catch and release billfish during the event, and this year seven definite marlin releases were recorded. This statistic serves to highlight the availability of these mighty creatures in the fish-rich waters off Shelly Beach. Considering the small number of craft running out deep and the number of billfish strikes and releases recorded, it indicates there’s definitely a fishery for the bigger and better equipped ski-boats that are using Shelly Beach as their preferred launch site.

Another reason some teams opt for the ocean wandering technique is that they may not have the expertise to effectively challenge the very experienced top teams that fish this event. Skippers who knows how to target big ’cuda, amberjack and the reef’s bigger yellowfin tuna technically have the advantage and are hard to beat on their own turf.

SKI-BOAT September/October 2019 • 17

Top lady angler Megan Barclay as well as top junior Owen Barclay and third junior Trent Owen all fished on Devocean.

In saying that, and even considering the reasonably good fishing conditions, not many species other than yellowfin were weighed in this year.

On the second day the Shelly Grapevine was abuzz with reports of a number of big fish having been landed out in the deep. Fisherman’s rumours are notorious for being wrong, but as the official weigh-in period was drawing to a close My Deere’s vehicle reversed up to the entrance of the weigh-in area and confirmed that they had one very good yellowfin tuna to hang on the gantry. Julius Heyneke, the angler, was ecstatic when weigh-master Dick Pratt announced the weight at 58kg. But the day was not over, with rumours that another big fish was “op pad”. As the minutes to the 5pm close ticked by, the anxiety levels for the My Deere team increased exponentially. At five bells on the nail, when time was called, the mystery fish still had not arrived, and Julius and his team headed the leaderboard.

With the benchmark now set properly, a few more skip-

pers decided to change their game plan and work the deep.

The team aboard My Deere persisted with their deep trolling, but not until the scales closed at 4pm on Saturday 22 June 2019 were they secure in the knowledge that the Cobra Cat 500 powered by Mercury was theirs. This team from Limpopo had towed their craft all the way to Shelly Beach for this competition, and it was certainly not for nothing.

The 2019 Shelly Beach Festival was a final tribute to the club’s late chairman,Anton “Ballie” Gets, who had succumbed to “The Big C” just prior to the event, an event he had been part of for so many years.

The 2019 event certainly was a resounding success, with plenty of fish, outstanding organisation and camaraderie second to none. “Ballie’s” long-time loving partner Anne Mathias handed over all the prizes.

The final prize-giving evening under the baton of Competition Chairman Dick Pratt was also thoroughly enjoyed by all those present. With a capacity crowd, a loud

SKI-BOAT September/October 2019 • 19

Julius Heyneke’s big tuna took first place

Carl Gutzeit’s team fishing on Sea Fishient got some beautiful tuna.

TOP TEN FISH 1. Julius Heyneke, My Deere . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .58.0kg yellowfin tuna 2. Greg Defilippi, Amberwon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21.3kg kingfish 3. Nicky Momberg, Nitro . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24.0kg yellowfin tuna 4. Lourens Viljoen, Bliksem . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22.7kg yellowfin tuna 5. Owen Barclay, Devocean . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22.5kg yellowfin tuna 6. Donovan Wadeley, Scallywag . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22.4kg yellowfin tuna 7. Adam Alexander, Borkos . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22.1kg yellowfin tuna 8. Richard Moir, Man Size . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21.6kg yellowfin tuna 9. Sean Hewitt, Sea Fishient . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21.2kg yellowfin tuna 10. Sean Hewitt, Sea Fishient . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20.7kg yellowfin tuna TOP 1.

2.

3.

JUNIORS Owen Barclay, Devocean . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22.5kg yellowfin tuna Greg Botha, Watt 4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19.0kg yellowfin tuna Trent Owen, Devocean . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16.6kg yellowfin tuna

TOP 1.

2.

3.

LADIES Megan Barclay, Devocean . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18.5kg yellowfin tuna Mary Anne Vincent, Poker Face . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17.7kg yellowfin tuna Mary Anne Vincent, Poker Face . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16.6kg yellowfin tuna

20 • SKI-BOAT September/October 2019

Greg Defilippi shows off his 21.3kg GT. vocal acknowledgement for all those who won prizes and a final “big splash” as a My Deere crew member dived into the pool to inspect the hull of the craft his team had just won, the festival ended on a high note.

It was a slick and memorable occasion that will go down in the history of the Shelly Beach Ski-Boat Club — great weather, excellent fishing, fantastic camaraderie, and in many ways the final tribute to an era.

What I was extremely pleased to note was the way new and younger members of the Shelly Beach Ski-Boat Club all came together to execute such a big event with such passion and aplomb. It gave me confidence that a strong and vibrant move into the future is afoot and that both the festival and this strong ski-boat club are in great hands.

As always, Dick Pratt strongly reiterated the importance of those who sponsor the event so generously, for without their assistance an event of this nature and the substantial prizes on offer would not have been possible.

To each and every sponsor — big and small — Dick extended a heartfelt thanks.

So ended many, many months of hard work by the competition committee, and after a month or two of R&R this band of workers will reunite to start organising the 2020 Shelly Beach Festival. It will be held in late June or early July (tide dependent), so make sure you look out for the announcements. If you haven’t ever entered this event, make this a first — if not for the large array of magnificent prizes, then for the sheer joy of saying you have fished in the 2020 Shelly Beach Festival.

ACE PLANT HIRE ANTHONY & BASSON DEVELOPMENT AUTO GATE & ALARMS AUTOZONE BATES GM BATTERY-TEC SHELLY BEACH BAY VIEW LODGE BREAKERS SEAFOOD & GRILL BUCCANEERS RESTAURANT C & D CONSTRUCTION & MAINTENANCE COCA COLA BEVERAGES SA COMFORT COOL AIRCONDITIONING CRAFT HARDWARE CURNOW KZN CURNOW STATUS INSURANCE BROKERS D & M FEEDS AND LIVESTOCK DEZZI DGB DIAGEO SA DISTELL DOUG’S HARDWARE DRAGON’S CURIOS FIREQUIP GENISIS HEALTH AND WELLNESS CENTRE GODFREY HOWES GR5 GRIPPLE SA H.I.P PRODUCTS HALFWAY FORD HALEWOOD INTERNATIONAL HCSD SECURITY HEINEKEN SA INFINITE FLOORING INJECT A MOULD JET ELECTRICAL

JOHN DOREY JUST DO IT TRAILERS JUST SO CHINESE RESTAURANT JUSTIN KLUSENER PHOTOGRAPHY KENCRETE KERN & PARTNERS KINGS PAINT & HARDWARE KULUCRETE L & L ALUMINIUM LOWRANCE LUBRICATION ENGINEERINGS SA PTY LTD LUCKYS DISCOUNT CENTRE LUCKYS FISHING MACSTEEL MALLARDS BOATING MANABA KWIK SPAR MARGATE CONSTRUCTION MARGATE ENGINEERING MARGATE FINE METALS MARGATE FURNISHERS MARGATE PANEL BEATERS MB ELECTRICAL MERCURY MARINE MIKE THOMAS ELECTRICAL MR CLEAN MUST BYT FISHING CHARTERS NATAL POWER BOATS NICO FOURIE GARAGE DOORS NUFORM SCAFFOLDING OCEAN MARINE BOATING PAINDANE BEACH RESORT PERFORMANCE LEISURE POWERFLOW EXHAUSTS PG GLASS PRINTCO QUIZZ FASHION ACCESSORIES RAMSGATE HOLIDAY COTTAGES RAPALA VMC REEL SPIN AFRICA RENASA INSURANCE

RISK SURE INSURANCE BROKERS SAB CASTLE LAGER SADEC TRACE SALON HEIDI SEAWAY CLOTHING SIZABANTU KITCHENS SKI-BOAT MAGAZINE SMOKEY JOE’S SOUTH COAST BUSINESS MACHINES SOUTH COAST GRANITE SOUTH COAST REEL SERVICES SOUTHERN AMBITIONS CIVIL & BUILDING CONTRACTORS SPAR - PORT EDWARD SPEEDYS MARGATE SSS STEEL WORKS SPUR SUPA QUICK SURF ACTION SWALLOWS NEST B&B TAMERON’S VIEW TVH PARTS TWIZZA TYREMART UMTHUNZI HOTEL & CONFERENCE UMZIMKULU MARINA VINIMARK VODASHOP SHELLY BEACH

TACTICS

Your catch rate of a range of species like this blackspot kingfish that are not usually seen on the boat can be increased with deeper baits.

22 â&#x20AC;¢ SKI-BOAT September/October 2019

By Adam Waites

R

EACH into any ski-boat fishing tackle box on the east coast and you’ll most likely find a range of “gamefish sinkers” in the 2- to 5-ounce range. Occasionally you might be lucky to find an 8 ounce sinker. Only very rarely (usually amongst the boxes belonging to the top guys in the game) will you find those sinkers reaching up to 16 ounces. The simple reality is that the vast majority of “weekend warriors” just don’t fish that deep for gamefish.

It’s a shame really because there’s a whole lot of fish they might be missing out on!

Let’s backtrack a bit ... I had one memorable experience that made me realise the importance of thinking a bit deeper (pun intended) about where our baits sit in the water column.

One day at Stud Rock we were having an extremely slow morning. None of our livebaits — running from the surface to 4 ounces — seemed to be up to the job of enticing a ’cuda pull. We were on the verge of calling it a day and moving on when a certain legendary spearfisherman arrived out of the mid-morning haze. He proceeded to drop down on the main pinnacle. In less than two minutes, and with eyes agog, we watched him return to the ski with a 20kg-plus ’cuda. After watching him repeat this process of pulling big fish out of a seemingly dead sea two more times within the half hour, we had to go and ask what was going on. His answer: “They’re almost tracing a path in the sand they’re swimming so low.”

A dig around in the boat yielded one 12 ounce bottom sinker which was quickly placed on one of our lines. I dropped this to the bottom and wound up about five cranks; it wasn’t in the water for five minutes before I was tight!

This blew my mind, and got me thinking about sinker placement in my spread. After chatting to some of the more experienced guys — translation: bugging them non-stop with questions and theories — and then putting this knowledge into practice over a few years, I worked out a few tricks for getting the most out of the water column.

THE GEAR You’re going to want to go out and get a range of 7-16 ounce sinkers to add as the extra weapons in your arsenal. There are a few issues with this. A ’cuda or tuna hitting a 12 ounce at speed will often cause the elastic on a sinker to instantly pop.

Considering the price of sinkers today, that’s like throwing money overboard at every strike. It’s a good idea to also get stronger rubber bands, and do a few wraps around the line to secure them tightly.

Take some time to prepare your sinkers as well. A new, shiny 8 ounce flying through the water looks awfully similar to a whipping spoon and bite-offs from the other fish in the shoal hitting the sinker are not unheard of. I like to swirl then leave new sinkers in a bucket of saltwater for a few days with some sand which quickly dulls them.

It’s also a good idea to bore out the eyes on your sinkers a bit. There are few things on a boat more frustrating than trying to force a rubber band through a leaded up sinker eye with cold hands at 6am! Luckily nowadays, it seems tackle manufacturers are recognising the demand for deeper sinkers and you can find the pear-shaped trolling sinkers with wire eyes in bigger sizes than usual meaning, you don’t have to use the bigger teardrops.

Those who said high school geometry wouldn’t be useful have obviously never set a ’cuda spread. It’s all too easy to fall into the trap of thinking:“I let my sinker out 20ms or dropped it to the bottom, so it must be sitting at that depth”. Wrong!

Think about the angles of line at movement. With the increased angle, most of your spread is actually probably sitting a lot higher than you think it is, and you’re missing a good portion of the water column. That 4 ounce might be almost skipping along the surface if you’re fishing at Cape Vidal, for example.

After a slow morning, this mixed bag came on with a late bait when our rigs were dropped right down away from the midday sun.

Heavier sinkers allow you to really work the bottom half or quarter of the water column and reach those fish that you might not have reached before. It’s crucial to check the angle of your lines and depths to make sure you’re actually down low.

ADAPTING TO THE GAME Now that you have your deeper sinkers and your angles, you’ll need to bring them into your preferred trolling pattern. Most typical spreads run as: surface, 2 ounce, 4 ounce, Hong Kong (long line on the surface). (See diagram 2 overleaf.)

You can now adapt that to: surface, 4 ounce, 2 ounce, 10 ounce.

If that bottom bait is regularly going off or you’re in a high current scenario, you can take things down a notch and run the following pattern to maximise your strikes: 2 ounce, 4/6 ounce, 8/10 ounce, 10/12 ounce.

Ask around — if a certain sinker and bait type is regularly working for the other boats around you, make sure to give it a go. You’ll also want to fish a lightish drag because there is a lot more pressure on that 12 ounce than your usual surface bait. The great thing about deep baits is that you can also leave them out while fighting a fish, thereby maximising your chances of a double up.

SKI-BOAT September/October 2019 • 23

Diagram 1

The missing sinker Figure 1. Sinker position going straight down at rest when there’s no current.

Figure 2. Sinker position at an angle at trolling speed or with current flowing.

Diagram 2

Figure 1 (above) shows a typical spread, while figure 2 shows the author’s suggested spread using heavier weights.

SOUND IT OUT Use your fishfinder proactively. You might have noticed that you can see your sinker dropping through the water column if you drop it next to your transducer. Here’s a trick stolen from a very well known competitive angling pair: set your spread from the transducer. What does this mean? It means you drop your sinker next to the transducer to set the correct depth and then move that rod across into its place in the spread. If the transducer is on your port side, you will then drop your starboard-most line first — on the PORT SIDE — and set the depth, then move it round the back of the motors into the starboard rod holder. This way you can precisely monitor the depths of your spread and get those deep sinkers right in the strike zone where you are seeing showings.

PREPARATION Another trick for a perfectly placed spread at depth is to do 90% of the work beforehand rather than guesstimating on the water. This is easy enough with a 4 ounce sinker but a bit trickier when you’re trying to fish deep in deeper water.

There are a few brilliant anglers who I know of that like to walk out their lines on a windy day in the garden. They then put colour coded tape marks at the exact lengths of line they need to let out to hit various depths at various troll speeds.

This precision definitely helps the hit rates.

BEAT THE HEAT We’ve all experienced those hot summer mornings — a wild dawn bite, bait getting smashed, poppers getting hit, then sud-

Justin Getkate with a fine GT that took a liking to a mackerel slow trolled at depth around a deep pinnacle.

SKI-BOAT September/October 2019 • 25

Rob Waites has caught plenty of cuda on very deep - set spreads; this 31kg fish took a liking to a walla walla fished on a 10 ounce dropped under a bait showing.

Bycatch can be awesome! This surprise daga ate a deep tuna bait at the height of summer.

denly dead! Often you’ll see the guys pulling around a surface bait for another hour before calling it a day and going home.

In almost every instance those fish have not moved out the area. They’re still feeding and the bait is still there, but the fish have probably dropped closer to the structure for protection in the bright daylight. This is borne out by studies which show that yellowfin tuna for example, tend to aggregate around structure during the day and leave at night (Holland et al. 1990; Buckley and Miller 1994).

Here’s where I’ve found that dropping your whole spread by a few ounces on each line gives you a second wind. Often you’ll get a wide open bite around lunchtime when everyone else has called it quits.

SKIRTS Most people know that light and colours look different at various depths underwater. The favourite pink/green skirts on dead baits are exactly the same and don’t necessarily have the same sparkle when fished at depth. When deadbaits are used at depth, we’ve found purple or opal and pearl skirts seem to have a higher hit rate and I suspect it’s because they retain colour and shine better in low light conditions. Try tying a few traces across the colour range and keep them handy in the tackle box.

THE JIG/WHIPPING SPOON The big trend at the moment is to use surface lures. Every skiboater running past has fancy custom poppers coming out their ears, while the jigs lie rusting in the tackle box. It’s a common refrain: “Ya boet, keep those for Mozam hey, they don’t graft here!” I think that’s just laziness and a misunderstanding of the usefulness of this gear.

Jigging on the troll or drift is what those in the military call a “force multiplier” — it doesn’t necessarily get the hit, but it maximises the chances of your other lines getting a pull. I would choose a jig over a popper any day when running a deep spread.

Get a crewman on jigging or whipping duty when the spread is set. I’ve lost count of the number of times my crew has done three or four whips and suddenly the livey flies off as a worked up ’cuda follows the jig into the bait line. The occasional fish that hits the jig is just an awesome bonus to its real job as an attractant.

26 • SKI-BOAT September/October 2019

TICKING OFF THE SPECIES LIST I’ve mentioned deep sinkers, spreads and skirts and perhaps you think I’ve been a bit ’cuda-centric so far, but that is definitely not the case. These tips work just as well for a variety of species.

A deep dropped bait on the Durban wrecks is absolutely deadly for those daytime tuna balling up bait round the structure. During certain times of the year it’s also highly effective at targeting the queenfish that flock to the various bait marks up and down the coast, where a low and slow approach definitely yields the best results.

In the early summer a big bait fished almost on the floor is a surefire way to hit into an angry GT, just be prepared to lock up and fight the upcoming brawl. There is also a world of bycatch to be maximised — many a daga or tasty rockcod has been fooled by a trapstick bait drifted to the bottom.

There really is a whole new world of gamefishing at depth that’s out there for you to explore. It takes a bit of thought, adaptation and concentration, but with these tactics you might find yourself in the same situation I did all those years ago — a little bit of knowledge turning a dead day into a memorable one!

SKI-BOAT September/October 2019 â&#x20AC;¢ 27

IN THE KITCHEN

Fish master extraordinaire Daryl Bartho with a soldier being filleted to perfection.

SKI-BOAT September/October 2019 â&#x20AC;¢ 31

By Erwin Bursik INCE time immemorial man has set out to catch fish for one specific purpose — to secure fresh and succulent protein for consumption. To some degree in modern times fishing has evolved to include targeting a specific species, enjoying the fight and then having the pleasure of seeing that fish swim away.

But, to be realistic, a fish for the pan comes first, and after that requirement has been met the “hunter” becomes “sportsman” and is often inclined to release subsequent surplus catches.

Along the South African seaboard from Port Nolloth to Richards Bay

S

(excluding the newly declared MPAs) the vast majority of offshore anglers target primarily the demersal reef fishes that are in relative abundance all year round off our coast. These are the core species that offshore anglers target for consumption.

In recent issues SKI-BOAT magazine has run a number of articles highlighting the preparation of pelagic gamefish for the table and our readers have eagerly received these articles. Most of those readers have learned a lot about the final preparation of this extremely valuable protein source, and have also come to appreciate the importance of handling the fish properly from the time of capture to ensure it stays in tip top con-

dition for eventual processing.

The demersal fish caught around our coast produce some of the whitest and most succulent table fish on offer. They range from the bigger species such as red steenbras, kob and musselcracker that have large-flake flesh to the smaller of these species like dageraad, soldiers, red stump, slinger, rock cod and many others that have finer white flesh.These fish’s fillets may be more difficult to prepare for the table, but their tastiness and succulence makes it worth the effort.

In this issue Daryl Bartho of Bartho’s Fish Company demonstrates how to maximize the amount of flesh you get off one of the smaller demersal species...

The first cut.

Starting filleting.

Almost complete.

The final product.

SKI-BOAT September/October 2019 • 33

Is it a science or an art? I pondered that question as I watched and photographed Daryl preparing a freshly caught soldier for sale in their fish shop in Durban North. It’s like watching a good butcher cut meat — mastery at its best and a pleasure to watch.

As Daryl commenced he explained that with most of the smaller bottom fish (excluding for example big kob, cracker, red steenbras and rockcod over 5kg) there are specific requirements by those purchasing these fish. Scaled or not scaled, filleted or cut into cutlets, with or without the head — these were some of the options that surprised me.

Some clients want the fillets beautifully taken off the carcass but want the scales left on. I’ll explain the reason for this elsewhere in the article ...

To start with Daryl has the fresh bottomfish gutted as soon as possible after returning from the ocean where they have kept the fish on ice in the hatch or fish bag. After gutting and washing the fish they’re kept in a cold room prior to processing. It’s very important that they’re not frozen or partially frozen, because once frozen and defrosted, the cells in the flesh break down and the fluid in the flesh leaches out.

The prepping is done on a clean surface which Daryl constantly wipes to remove any blood and scales that drop when he’s filleting fish with the scales still on the skin.

Using a very sharp knife he finally made a deep incision around the back of the head and pectoral fin before proceding down the dorsal top of the soldier. One must run the knife from the head to the tail, ie: with the lie of the scales, then across the tail section. After that he again started from the back of the head and cut toward the vent and down to the tail, bypassing the very thin belly flap. Thereafter — continually wiping his knife and work area — he sliced right up against the backbone to remove the fillet in one full piece.

It looks so very easy when you’re watching a master at work!

The skin can be removed by laying the fillet skin-side down on the work surface, then — using a flat skinning knife — insert the knife between the skin and fillet at the tail end and skin the fillet in one pull of the knife towards what was the head side. This removsboth skin and scales in one fell swoop.

The fillet can be presented whole or sliced in half as shown in the accompanying photographs.

Always ensure that no scales are left on the open flesh.

Many of Daryl’s customers want the head and some even the remaining carcass. The head is usually required to be cleaved in half which is accomplished from the underside of the head.

It literally took Daryl eight minutes to do the whole job and that was with 34 • SKI-BOAT September/October 2019

A “half kob” which can be filleted or be made into cutlets.

all the stopping to take photographs along the way.

The next question I had was how and he suggested people cook these various options.

The option with the skin on (with or without the scales) allows for cooking on the braai. This method is becoming more popular than pan frying or baking.

Some people believe the scales protect the skin from buring while others enjoy the crispy skin when the fillet has been scaled but the skin left on.

Dar yl offers a word of caution though — when braaing any fish do not overcook the flesh or let it stick to the braai grid that is far too hot. His rationale is that on the braai a chicken has a lot of bones so why wory about a few bones from a whole or filleted fish on the braai?

The cross cut bottomfish like the “half kob” shown above is popular for braaing as well as pan frying in masala for use in a fish breyani. The age-old favourite of a lightly flour-dusted and egg-dipped fried fillet still makes for an unbeatable meal especially if eaten as soon as it comes out of the frying pan.

This white, delicate flesh is delicious.

Here are a few tips from Dar yl regarding cooking or braaing of fish: • The fish must be super fresh and well looked after prior to cooking.

Don’t just put a fish fillet on an open plate in the fridge for a day or two before cooking. It will tend to dry out and toughen up and if held for a long period tends to have a stronger taste.

• Don’t overcook fish. A fillet must just be cooked through, apart from fresh tuna which should be seared on both sides with the centre still mildly pink.

• Do not over spice fresh fish. In Daryl’s opinion this spoils the natural taste of succulent fish flesh. If anything, just add a pinch of salt and a little black pepper to the flour before dusting the fillet.

• Use a plain butter sauce for basting when braaing or straight pan frying without batter, but only after first searing the fillets or cutlets.

• Each fish species has a unique taste and texture, so enjoy it as it’s supposed to taste.

If any readers have favourite linefish recipes please share them with us as Gary Thompson did in the May/June 2019 issue which featured his well-received recipes for geelbek. Email the detailed recipe along with high resolution photographs through to <sheena@mags.co.za>.

SKI-BOAT September/October 2019 â&#x20AC;¢ 35

COMPETITION Uli Buli was the top team at the 2019 Guinjata Bonanaza.

By Erwin Bursik Photos by Justin Klusener

T

HE much anticipated 2019 Guinjata Status/Durban Yamaha Bonanza began with ski-boaters from all over South Africa excitedly making the 1 100km pilgrimage during late May 2019 to arguably the nicest venue on the southern Moçambique coast.

A foreign country, late autumn weather, the spectacular views one gets on arrival of a ver y secluded bay white beaches with a towering vegetated bluff to the south and warm tropical weather ... what more could we want? Those alone are good reasons to visit Guinjata, and when you combine them with the ever-present pelagic gamefish there’s no holding back the anglers who want to test their angling skills. Nowhere else on the south-east African coast will you find such a good variety and quality of sportfish species. This makes Guinjata Bay the ideal venue to host a large competition covering both the large gamefish species and the numerous different species that makes this aspect of the annual event so popular.

Over the last 21 years the rules for the species sector of this event have been fine-tuned to the point where they challenge the best teams of sport anglers to the absolute limit, whilst at the same time encouraging anglers to release a great many of the fish caught. There is also a total prohibition on landing billfish.

In my view the species-driven sector is, and has always been, the highlight of the Guinjata Bonanza.

38 • SKI-BOAT September/October 2019

Sean Kayte’s amberjack won the Explorer Evo with 70hp motors sponsored by Status Truck Sales & Durban Yamaha.

SKI-BOAT September/October 2019 • 39

Master Jack took second place.

Blesbok was third.

40 â&#x20AC;¢ SKI-BOAT September/October 2019

Queen Pine came fourth.

The largest gamefish prize of an Explorer Evo boat with twin 70hp 4-stroke Yamaha motors sponsored by Status and Durban Yamaha is the focus, and obviously everyone wants it.

It is within the grasp of every entrant right until the weigh in gate shuts on the final day of the event. This gives every entrant a “ticket” in the proverbial lucky draw at the Guinjata Bonanza for a prize valued in excess of R400 000.

After the balmy weekend of our arrival, a strong wind out of the south gusting at 23 knots put play to the first day of this year’s event, leaving the competitors only four days to make their mark. Fortunately the remaining four days were all very fishable and permitted maximum hours on the ocean for everyone to ply their “trade”. As always each team had formulated a game plan that they hoped would earn them a place as one of the top ten boats in the species section which are always well rewarded. Naturally they were all also secretly praying that Lady Luck would favour them with a gamefish big enough to win the prize boat.

During the first day’s fishing Sean Keyte fishing on Russell Duvenhage’s Navigate landed a very good amberjack that eventually weighed in at 26.5kg to top the leaderboard for first prize. A nailbiting three days followed as Team Navigate waited till the final closing of the weigh-in on Friday 7th June to eventually ascertain that they had indeed won the magnificent first prize of the 2019 Status/Durban Yamaha Guinjata Bonanza.

At 26.5kg the winning amberjack could quite easily have been beaten by another bigger amberjack, GT, wahoo or yellowfin tuna. However, even with 250-odd anglers using every trick they knew to catch a fish that would knock Team Navigate from the top of the leaderboard it could not be done.

Over the last few years specific prizes have been offered to the band of jet-ski anglers who brave the waters off Guinjata to take part in this prestigious event. These participants are becoming an integral part of the Guinjata family.

They are just like us ski-boaters, it’s only the size of their craft that differs, and I personally admire the tenacity and stamina of these jet-ski anglers.

Among the anglers that compete there is a group that prefers targeting the bigger billfish that are known to frequent the waters off Guinjata. Teams such as Master Jack, Johnny Boy and Little Hooker are part of this fraternity and directly or indirectly made the point this year that regardless of their target preference they could still stay up with the jiggers and “gamefish trollers” in the species division, with Master Jack and Johnny Boy placing second and fifth respectively this year.

Master Jack’s four marlin over the four consecutive days is an incredible feat in marlin fishing achievements in South African waters, let alone off Guinjata Bay. Elsewhere in this issue skipper Jakkie Massyn shares details of their achievement.

Unfortunately this year the offshore gamefishing during the event was, to put it mildly, not up to its normal standards.

This was true regardless of what style of fishing was used — jigging, trolling, livebait fishing and drifting. A view of the statistical results over the past years shows the decline this year.

This decline and the theories behind it were numerous, including the statement by the petrol attendant at the local filling station: “Fishing is bad — it’s the Chinese.” Hopefully it’s just “fishing” — some weeks good, some weeks not so good and perhaps next year the fish will unlock their jaws and feed again.

Considering the impressive statistics offered by the organising committee, one has to accept the stats on weighed fish that showed a 30% decline on last year’s results. Apart from the annual variations, one needs to take into account the number of fish released which has increased substantially due to the current rules. At the 2019 event about 60 fish were released.

Steve Carroll and Marelize Maritz won the species section of the jetski division of the 2019 Guinjata Bonanza.

SKI-BOAT September/October 2019 • 41

42 â&#x20AC;¢ SKI-BOAT September/October 2019

These lucky anglers all tagged & released billfish.

TOP FIVE FISH 1. 26.5kg amberjack, Sean Keyte on Navigate (Team Club Marine) 2. 23.2kg greater barracuda, Sean Walker on Ace Out 3. 18.9kg yellowfin tuna, Brett Bartho on Queen Pine 4. 18.7kg king mackerel, Mark de la Hey on Cabrito 5. 17.1kg dorado, Eric Herselman on Umlungu TOP TEN BOATS 1. Uli Buli . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .446.60 points 2. Master Jack . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .320.00 points 3. Blesbok . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .298.90 points 4. Queen Pine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .287.20 points 5. Johnny Boy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .250.80 points 6. E-Fishing-Sea . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .168.50 points 7. Aye Ya Yae . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .160.20 points 8. Footloose . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .153.70 points 9. Lucky Luke . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .137.30 points 10. Ship Faced . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .121.50 points

TOP FIVE ANGLERS 1. Hannes Smith, Master Jack . . . . . . . . . . . . . .160.00 points 2. Manie Eloff, Johnny Boy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .85.40 points 3. Belinda Mare, Aye Ya Yae . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .80.90 points 4. Jan Erasmus, Master Jack . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .80.00 points 5. Jumbo Swart, Master Jack . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .80.00 points TOP LADY ANGLERS 1. Belinda Mare, Aye Ya Yae . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .80.90 points 2. Babie Gouws, Lucky Luke . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .71.80 points 3. Kelly Nortje, E-Fishing-Sea . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .71.10 points TOP JUNIOR ANGLERS 1. Hayden Booysen, Pescadon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15.10 points 2. Troy Davies, Gloria da Manhya . . . . . . . . . . . . .5.70 points

Comparison of all the fish species caught at the Guinjata Bonanza over the last ten years.

SKI-BOAT September/October 2019 â&#x20AC;¢ 43

Belinda Mare was top lady angler for 2019.

Bryce, Brett & Bradley of PBI Brokers received a special award for their commitment to the bonanza

Sean Keyte shows off his prize-winning 26.5kg amberjack.

As I stated earlier, the species format is the grand focus of the event and from day one the teams which fancy themselves as top contenders line themselves up in “pole position” on the beach to ensure a very early start. The same band, fish or no fish, are last on the beach in the afternoon in a mad rush to get their fish bags into the weigh line before the proverbial gate to the weigh-in area is shut.

The daily score sheet is eagerly awaited by the front runners in their preparation for the following day’s “game plan”.

This race to the finish line creates vivid interest and excitement as the competition proceeds to the final day. This year was no different, and in a very difficult fish-off Paul du Toit’s team aboard Uli Buli fished very consistently and were justly rewarded for it. Scrutinise the points of the top ten teams and you can appreciate how hard the fishing actually was.

As Guinjata Sportsfishing Club’s chairman Brett Padoa said in his address at the final prize giving, his organising committee put an unbelievable amount of work into arranging this event and ensuring it stands up to the “Status” of similarly run events in SA waters. Being over 1 000km away from the club’s hometown and in a foreign country creates enormous

practical, logistical and “political” hurdles that have to be crossed. This years event was exemplary and once again Brett and his entire team need an accolade second to none.

Crucially, it is the suport of companies such as Status Truck Sales, Durban Yamaha and a host of supporting sponsors that has created an event that is among the best in our discipline. The anglers who attend Guinjata Bonanza — and other deep sea anglers — need to ensure they support these sponsors when they make purchases for their boats, because that enables them to continue supporting events like this.

Having attended the vast majority of the 22 Guinjata Bonanzas that have taken place I was reminded anew this year of the special spirit at the event, the sense of adventure of going to Moçambique and the fact that it usually produces better gamefish fishing than can be experienced anywhere on the South African coast. It’s those aspects that drive so many of the teams to return year after year to fish the Guinjata Bonanaza.

Set aside the first week in June 2020 in your diary for the next event — it really is an experience worth having. Hope to see you there.

44 • SKI-BOAT September/October 2019

TACTICS

ON 25 November 1969 a giant black marlin of 492kg was landed off Moçambiueâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Inhambane coast, from the beach resort of Praia do Tofo â&#x20AC;&#x201D; one of the first granders caught off Africa.

Two seaasoned marlin anglers from South Africa, George Coates and Alby Upton, fishing from Georgeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 18ft Ace Craft Tandamanzi, hooked and boated the fish off Coconut Bay, a few kilometres south of where they had launched at Praia do Tofo.

Up to that time the only previously caught very large black marlin in the area was hooked by an angler fishing from the boats based at Santa Carolina in the Bazaruto Archipelago â&#x20AC;&#x201D; about 300km to the north, opposite Vilanculos.

The Inhambane region stretching south of Barra to Legogo is one of the most popular offshore light tackle sportfishing

areas. Tofo, Coconut Bay, Guinjata, Paindane, Island Rock and Legogo have blossomed since this stretch of southern Moçambique has opened up to South African ski-boaters.

With all the sportfishing that exists and which is practised year round, it was inevitable that a number of billfish species would be caught on a regular basis. At major events such as the Guinjata Bonanza where all billfish are released, some teams choose to target billfish instead of the smaller gamefish species, and theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re producing good results.

At the 2019 Guinjata Bonanza Jakkie Massyn, owner-skipper of Master Jack, decided to do just that â&#x20AC;&#x201D; fish for billfish.

Trolling full billfish spreads they managed to release one marlin on each of the four fishable days. Hereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Jakkieâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s report of their achievement . . .

Guinjata offers up four marlin in four days

By Master Jack â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Jakkie Massyn, Hannes Smith, Jumbo Swart and Jannie Erasmus

T

HE week of the 2019 Guinjata Bonanza fishing competition started with a blowout on the first day, leaving us with four days to fish. Our game plan was to tar-

48 â&#x20AC;˘ SKI-BOAT September/October 2019

get marlin every day for the duration of the competition and to try and get another species to double up on the 80 points we would get for a successfully released marlin.

I have fished this competition for the past 15 years, and our best position was eighth place after hooking up on 12 sailfish but only releasing three. Last

year with two days being a blowout, we started the last day with zero points.

We decided to go straight out to deep water looking for a marlin. We managed to get the biggest dorado of the competition, an 18.2kg bull dorado caught by Jannie Erasmus, and released a black marlin. That put us in 11th place.

This year would be a different

story ... The Monday was a blowout, and on the Tuesday with the sea still rough and a southerly wind pumping, we decided to go south trolling the shallow reefs to try and get any gamefish we could. We pulled four konas, three Islander lures and one Pakula. We also had four Rapalas in the water.

Unfortunately the water was green close to shore. After about three hours with nothing to show, we decided to go deeper until we reached the blue water.

This turned out to be a good decision as we hooked up to a black marlin in 250 metres of water. Hannes Smith was in the chair and we released a ±80kg black marlin. It was the first marlin Hannes had ever caught.

We immediately went back to the shallow water, drifting bonnies as bait and jigging to tr y to get another species, unfortunately, without any success. Hannes’ marlin was the first marlin released in the competition.

On the Wednesday we decided to go straight out to the deep blue water to see if we could get a marlin early. We felt that the odds were good to also get a sailfish, yellowfin tuna, wahoo or a dorado. We decided only to troll with konas because that enabled us to pull the lures at a higher speed and cover a bigger area. We had our first hook up in 350 metres of water, but unfortunately lost the marlin. Soon after that we were hooked up on a second marlin only to drop that fish too. We felt that the third time we might get lucky, and within half an hour we were hooked up on another black marlin. Jannie Erasmus

was in the chair and we released a ±120kg black marlin.

Thursday we again went out to deep water and after trolling for about five hours we hooked up to a blue marlin. It almost spooled the 130 pound Shimano reel, by the time we cleared the deck! It was Jumbo Swart’s turn in the chair. We realized that we had a big fish on the line and it gave us a tremendous fight. Eventually we had the fish next to the boat and I saw that it was only hooked on top of the bill.

Fortunately we never changed our angle to the fish and kept it on the starboard side. The hook was pulled out with two fingers after we had the bill in hand we’d successfully released a big blue marlin.

On Friday morning we decided to follow our game plan again and headed out to the deep water. We knew that time was against us as the weigh-in closes earlier on the last day, so the pressure was on. A fourth marlin in four consequtive days would be a new record for any competition fished in SA and Moçambique, but that’s what we were hoping for.

The team on Johnny Boy also released a marlin for the week and Dad’s Dream a sailfish. Just after 10am we had a strike but the hook did not set. We saw the marling coming back for a second time and again the hook did not set. The third strike was perfect and we were hooked up on another black marlin that gave us a spectacular show, tailwalking all over the beautiful blue water of Moçambique. Hannes

Smith was back in the chair for his second marlin. We managed to release this marlin successfully too and we decided that there was enough time for another marlin as Johnny Boy and Little Hooker were also busy fighting marlin. We stayed in the area where we hooked the marlin and after 20 minutes we were hooked up to another marlin only to drop the fish after a short fight with Jannie Erasmus in the chair.

Our position was as follows: Tuesday — third place Wednesday — fourth place Thursday — third place Friday — second place Just one fish of 4kg on any two other days would have put us into top spot. Well done and congrats to Paul Du Toit and his team on Uli Buli on their first place. A very big thanks to Status Trucks, all the other sponsors and the committee for a fantastic competition. Good news for those who want to challenge us is that Team Master Jack and Team Tsunami have put up a R60 000 prize for any boat that catches four marlin in four days or five marlin in five days at the 2020 Guinjata Bonanza.

Our achievement was made more memorable because Hannes Smith caught and released his first marlin released and was top angler of the competition. Next year’s Bonanza will be a strong competition between the marlin hunters and the jigging junkies. We hope to see a lot more boats out in the deep water, looking for that one marlin that will change an angler’s life forever.

SKI-BOAT September/October 2019 • 49

PRESIDENT’S REPORT Phillip Marx, SADSAA President

I

T was with great sadness that we learnt of the passing of a legend in our sport — Anton Gets — after a short illness. Anton was involved in many aspects of fishing, and had an incredible impact on countless anglers. Our heartfelt condolences go to his family and friends.

I attended the opening and closing functions of the Gamefish Nationals at St Lucia where, once again, Zululand and St Lucia hosted this tournament with great success. They can be

extremely proud of their efforts.

The Tuna Nationals event was hosted by the Atlantic Boat Club and Western Province Deep Sea in Hout Bay and by all accounts it was a wellrun and successful tournament. Well done ABC and WPDSAA. In June, I attended the SASACC AGM, where Andries Mare was elected as President of SASACC. Hymie Steyn continues on as Saltwater Conservation Officer. We wish them and the rest of the SASACC Council well.

At the SADSAA AGM in June, the Officer Bearers for the 2019/2020 term were announced. I thank outgoing office bearers Dick Pratt and Hymie Steyn for their many years of service to SADSAA. To the new office bearers coming

into the SADSAA management structure, all the best and we look forward to receiving your constructive and positive input.

The new SADSAA Council is as follows: President: Phillip Marx Vice-President: Jaco Lingenfelder Secretary: Chris Schorn Treasurer: Edwin Freeman Local & international tournaments officer: Nick Nel Records Officer: Dave Oostingh Public Relations Officer: Vikki Bezuidenhout National Safety Officer: Carl Krause Deputy Safety Officer: Jannie de Jong Environmental Officer: Mark Beyl Development Officer: Neil Coetzer Selections Convenor: Barry Turk

ENVIRONMENT

F

OLLOWING the public participation process, the new MPAs were gazetted on 23 May2019 and came into operation on 1 August 2019. All skippers should ensure that they are fully aware of the exact boundaries, zonation and specific regulations for each MPA in an area where they may be fishing.

SADSAA Environmental Officer, Mark Beyl, held a meeting with concerned provincial chairmen in June to discuss the various options relating to the MPAs going forward. All affected provinces, in particular those that previously filed

comments and/or opposition to the proposed MPAs in their geographical areas, were advised to write to the minister requesting reasons for the specific MPA, which the minister would be obliged to answer. These letters were to be sent to Mr Beyl for submission by SADSAA. Feedback regarding the availability of fishing licences at Post Offices indicates the problem seems to have been resolved. Should anglers experience any further issues, they are encouraged to communicate the details to Mark Beyl via their provincial structures.

SAFETY

T

HERE is still a backlog in in the issuing of CoCs by SAMSA. Carl Krause and Kim Hook from the SADSAA admin office are in regular contact with SAMSA in an attempt to get this resolved. SAMSA have committed their entire department to work on the issue for a period in an attempt to clear some of the outstanding

licences, and hopefully this will reduce the congestion.

SADSAA currently has 172 registered surveyors, and 35 examiners. SAMSA are finally considering the appointment of additional surveyors, although a needs analysis from the Provincial Safety Officer must be submitted with every Appointment application.

SADSAA CONTACTS: Email: <info@sadsaa.co.za> • Website: <www.sadsaa.co.za> 50 • SKI-BOAT September/October 2019

TOURNAMENTS

W

E have selected the following anglers to represent SADSAA in up-coming Nationals: • SADSAA Light Tackle Billfish Nationals — 17 to 22 November 2019 at Sodwana Bay: Edwin Freeman, Captain (Mpumalanga), George Breedt (Zululand) and Charles Du Plessis (Natal) • SADSAA Masters Light Tackle Billfish Nationals —17 to 22 November 2019 at Sodwana Bay: Japie Kleinhans, Captain (Natal), Herman Dickinson (Mpumalanga) and Kobus Engelbrecht (Mpumalanga).

• SADSAA Heavy Tackle Billfish Nationals — 17 to 22 November 2019 at Sodwana Bay: Sam Botha, Captain (Mpumalanga), Mario Els (Gauteng) and Kevin Allardyce (Southern Gauteng).

• SADSAA Masters Heavy Tackle Billfish Nationals — 17 to 22 November 2019 at Sodwana Bay: Phillip Marx, Captain (Zululand), Johan Wasserman (Gauteng) and Kobus Sutherland (Mpumalanga).

Congratulations to these anglers on their achievement; we wish them tight lines.

RESULTS • All Inlands, 18 – 22 March 2019 at Sodwana 12 teams took part this year, with four fishable days.

Friday was called off due to the bad weather and lightning. A fantastic week was had by everyone, with an awesome “gees” amongst the anglers.

Final Results: Gold — Northern Gauteng White, Silver — Southern Gauteng, Bronze — Zululand • SADSAA Gamefish Nationals, 28 April – 3 May 2019 at St Lucia The 15 teams had four fishable days: Team results: Gold — SADSAA, Silver — Natal Black, Bronze — SADSAA Masters Angler results: 1st Abed Khan, 2nd Dave Murgatroyd and 3rd Shane Dennis Skippers’ results: 1st Jean Schoonhoven (Zazu), 2nd Les Hartley (Magangane) & 3rd Shaun Aspden (Fintastic) • SADSAA Tuna Nationals, 6 – 11 May 2019 at Hout Bay Five provincial teams and a SADSAA masters team participated in this event with four full fishing days and one rest day. The weather played along and some great catches were recorded.

Final Results Team results: Gold — Eastern Province, Silver — Western Province,Bronze — North West Angler results: 1st P. Wester veld; 2nd P. Smith & 3rd M. Coetzee Boat results: 1st Xtreme 2; 2nd Devocean, 3rd Seriola • Gamefish Interprovincial 20 – 22 June 2019 at Zinkwazi Team results: Gold — Zululand, Silver — Mpumalanga, Bronze — Natal Masters • Sailfish Interprovincial, 4 – 28 June 2019 at Sodwana Ten teams took part in this year’s tournament; they fished four full days and had one blow out day.

Team results: Gold — Southern Gauteng Maroon, Silver — Mpumalanga Blue, Bronze —Mpumalanga Red

Congratulations to the following anglers who each released a sailfish: Tyron Gruar (Southern Gauteng), Marius de Vos (Mpumalanga), Zander Veldman, Shane Coxen (Mpumalanga) and George Ntuli (Northern Gauteng).

• SADSAA Junior Bottomfish Nationals, 24 – 29 June 2019 in East London This year 15 junior teams of three anglers each, representing nine provinces, competed. Three Protea anglers — John Luef, Allen Ford and Rory Leonard — hosted a workshop teaching the juniors about rules, the new weak link system, knots and various bait presentations.

In the U/16 section the Border team got off to a great start with Tara Roux weighing in a kob over 12kg. They held the lead in the competition until the final day when Natal passed them by weighing in five species.

WP also finished strong, taking the bronze medal.

In the U/19 section, Josh Olivier of the SADSAA Blue team weighed in a fantastic red steenbras over 26kg.

Seth van den Berg also weighed in a copper of over 26kg on the final day. There was a great tussle for the silver and bronze medals which was only decided on the very last day, Natal just nudging out WP and SADSAA White to take the silver medal. WP once again sneaked in to take the bronze medal. Border still managed a creditable fifth out of the eight teams despite being one angler short because one of their teammates had to have an emergency appendectomy.

Well done and thanks to all the skippers, who volunteered their boats for the competition.

U16 angler results: 1st Taygon Mauer, 2nd Jade Clarke 3rd Tara Roux — all three representing Border.

Skippers’ results: Gold — Barend Potgieter (Bladsy), Silver — Nico van Straaten (Lady Jane), Bronze — Russell Barclay (Ja Buoy).

U16 angler results: 1st Seth van den Berg, 2nd Josh Olivier, 3rd Graham Burdette.

Skippers’ results: Gold — Everitt van Loggerenberg (Spumba), Silver — Rory Leonard (Reel Nauti), Bronze — Kevin Weyer (Spring Tide).

• ILTTA 79th International Light Tackle Tournament, 2 – 8 June 2019 in Mexico The Protea team of Dave Martin (Captain), Herman Dickinson and Johan van Vuren finished eighth overall in a competitive field of 14 teams.

UPCOMING TOURNAMENTS 21 – 22 September: Border Deep Sea Junior Bottom Fish Development 23 – 27 September: Hoedspruit Junior Development Competition 24 – 28 September: Kleinbaai Bottom Fish Inter-Provincial 21 – 26 October:Tuna Inter-Provincial 25 – 27 October: 12 x 12 Species 1 – 10 November:Tuna Derby 4 – 8 November: OET Bill & Game Fish Tournament 11 – 16 November: Tuna Derby spare week 11 – 15 November: Billfish 15000 18 – 22 November: SADSAA Light & Heavy Tackle Nationals

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

SKI-BOAT September/October 2019 • 51

TACTICS

BIG BOY! Part 2:Techniques for catching big eye tuna

Andrew Fraser caught this 121.8kg beauty off Tuna Cat Cha on 28 April 2019. It was one of three big eye tuna over 118kg caught on the boat that day. Photo: Sean Todd.

SKI-BOAT September/October 2019 â&#x20AC;¢ 53

54 â&#x20AC;¢ SKI-BOAT September/October 2019

Donavan Cole with a juvenile big eye weighing around 4kg. It was caught off Angola and was subsequently released.

By Rod Naysmith and Scott Naysmith

T

HE July 2019 issue of SKI-BOAT brief ly covered the methods we have found most successful for targeting big eye tuna. In this issue we will go into more detail and give you the nuts and bolts to really work with. As we said before, big eye fishing requires understanding and knowledge if you want to be regularly successful, and that success starts before you even leave home.

To know where to start looking is of paramount importance, and some areas are more likely to produce big eye than others. Weather charts play a vital role in calculating where best to search for the big eye.

Unlike with yellowfin, you’re not looking for warm water — in this instance you look for the cooler patches. You don’t look for a bright sunny day, you want a cloudy day. And here’s a secret that very few people know — look for slack water.

You will seldom find big eye inside of the 500-metre contour, so go deep.

Big eye are often associated with longfin (albacore) tuna — not swimming with them, but about 100 metres below. The reason for this is that they both enjoy similar conditions — diffused sunlight (a longfin has fairly large eyes as well) and the same food preferences.

Sardine, mackerel, squid and anchovy make up the most common

diet you can match with a trolled lure.

Sauries and flying fish are usually left for the yellowfin and, to a lesser degree, the longfin. This is important information when selecting a lure type and size.

Most of the big eye caught during daylight hours are taken early in the morning and again late in the afternoon, although this is less pronounced when it’s overcast and more especially if it’s raining. Night fishing is the most regularly productive method, but you need to plan your trip during calm weather and ensure you remain in constant contact with a land station and other boats in your area.

The two main methods of catching a big eye are by trolling or drift bait fishing.

TROLLING Colours and types of lures were covered in the previous article, so here’s where you put them. Lures can work anywhere in the spread, but I find the most consistent positions are action lures placed on the outside edges of the white prop water, and as a shotgun way back on a bird.

Never underestimate the power of the trusted Yamashita Bulb Squid in both the 6- and 8-inch sizes. So often anglers make the mistake of thinking that tuna like huge lures, and the bigger you can troll the bigger the fish you’re going to catch. That concept is not exactly true; tuna prefer a particular

food size in different waters. In the Cape the main food sources for big eye tuna are pilchards, squid, mackerel, anchovies, hake and angelfish, so offer them lures closest in size to those foods. That limits the lure size to a maximum of 8- to 9 inches.

I have not yet tried night time trolling for big eye in our waters and I don’t know of anyone who has, but I firmly believe that if the correct lures are deployed on a bright moonlit night, the anglers could be pleasantly surprised. Here I tend to think of Lumo bulb squid on spreader bars as a start … thereafter my mind begins to run away.

DRIFT BAITING This is where the new generation of anglers like my son, Scott, come into their own. They have the dedication to gather new information, they use all forms of modern technology to research their target species and they have an absolute passion for catching big fish. Growing up with a mad dad like me taught him to think out of the box, to question and to steal with his eyes; the ability to do this gives any angler a huge advantage.

So over to Scott ….

Although we catch a few big eye while trolling, we have found that this is not the most productive method to target them these days. We prefer the search and bait method for a very good reason — these fish live deep and SKI-BOAT September/October 2019 • 55

Left: Mikhail Daniels with a 100kg big eye tuna caught off Cape Point.

Above: A typical trace like those used by the new generation of anglers who find drift bait fishing more productive than trolling for big eye tuna. spend ver y little time above 100 metres.

Once you’re in your chosen area you need to expand your echo sounding range to around 160- to 200 metres; a zoom display from 80- to 150 metres is a bonus. This is where a more powerful transducer comes to the fore and although some smaller 300w to 600w units will boast they can reach below 800 metres, the fish marks are so much harder to spot, if they’re visible at all.

On Jabulani we use a 1-kilowatt, standard broadband P260 in-hull transducer set on 200hz (high frequency). I find the Chirp transducer doesn’t give the same target definition even with its mid- or highest frequencies. Remember the sounding cone gets progressively larger as it goes deeper, so it’s better to use a narrower beam and know that the fish are right under your boat. The low 50hz frequency gives a wider cone but less directional definition.

The main areas to look in the water column are just below the thermocline (you need a good sounder for this) and again around the 100-metre mark; these are the preferred depths for big eye.

They clearly identify themselves with bold, definite “tuna marks”.

Once we identify the fish we set out our baits — mainly whole squid about 30- to 50cm in length. I set three lines at the most, and then only if conditions permit. Strong drifts, be they as a result of current or wind, make things difficult

in that your bait is usually not where you think it is. Light drifts are perfect for setting lines.

The primary line goes down to 100 metres, the second to 50 metres and the third, usually only at night, to 25 metres.

The 50- and 25-metre lines get balloons and the 100-metre line is fished straight off the rod tip. The 25-metre line is set at 100 metres from the boat and the 50metre line at 50 metres. (See diagram 1 overleaf.)

We mark off our lines prior to fishing, or count out the lengths as we drop. Baits should be set slowly to avoid the bait doubling back on the line. At times we use a running set for the 100-metre bait in that we drop the bait and sinker and motor out the line.

This way the bait gets down quicker with only a slight chance of a tangle.

Depending on the bait type and size, the traces we use have either a single 10/0 to 12/0 J-hook or a 10/0 circle hook, on a 2-metre 1.5mm to 2mm bite trace. This is fastened to a quality swivel on which the glow-light and breakaway sinker are also attached, followed by a 4-metre leader connecting to the main line. (See Diagram 2, overleaf.)

Glo-sticks and sword lights, both day and night, are an advantage, with green or red being the best colours. Keep them at least 2 metres away from the bait because squid are attracted to these lights and love destroying your beautiful baits.

SKI-BOAT September/October 2019 • 57

Diagram 1: Typical bait setup like that used by Scott Naysmith when drift baiting for big eye tuna.

NIGHT FISHING Night fishing is hugely productive as the big eye tend to come closer to the surface depending on the moon phase.

The only problem is that swordfish and bluefin tuna also like feeding higher in the dark, so the only time you really know what you’ve hooked is when it comes alongside the boat.

I erred in the last article by saying the fish come higher in a new moon; actually it’s the opposite. My apologies, I just mixed up my moons. The bright moon brings the fish closer to the surface, so the period from neap tide waxing moon, through full moon to neap tide waning moon, or first to third quarter moons, is most productive.

It’s not worth wasting pilchards to chum because big eye don’t really respond very well from the depths in which they live. All chumming will do

is possibly attract longfin, yellowfin and blue sharks. It’s not that big eye won’t swim in the chum-line, it’s jut that they don’t seem to enjoy chum as much as yellowfin do. Having said that, unless you know of a better way to catch a big eye, this is the only bait method that will catch you one.

When you bait up, avoid using thin fishing cotton because it’s like a spiderweb in the water. Rather use single strands of old fishing cord, thin string or cable ties to fasten your bait on. Just make sure the bait cannot be smacked or pulled off the hook; strange things happen down deep.

You can try deep jigging to pass the time between strikes; big eye love jigs and spinners dropped down to 120 metres, retrieved to 50 metres then dropped again. The activity also attracts them to the baits.

But that’s just the “getting there” part; in the next edition we will describe our tackle so that you go out there prepared. We’ll also get those primal instincts flowing with the hook-up, fight and ultimate landing of these beasts — if you get that far. In addition we’ll show you how to release them safely or prepare them for the meal of a lifetime. Just when you thought you’d found your favourite fish ….

If you have any questions you’d like to ask regarding this article feel free to contact me by e-mail <rob@downsouthmarine.com> otherwise wait for the next edition of SKI-BOAT — it’s going to change your way of fishing. You can also find me in my boat shop — Down South Marine (021) 712 1069 or visit our website <www.downsouthmarine. com>. It’s no good trying to contact Scott, he’s always fishing.

Diagram 2: A typical trace (not to scale) like those used by Scott Naysmith.

58 • SKI-BOAT September/October 2019

COMPETITION

Go Overboard!

2019 Inhaca Challenge

62 â&#x20AC;¢ SKI-BOAT September/October 2019

by Brad van Zyl BAD day’s fishing will always beat a good day’s work! It’s therefore no surprise that this year’s Inhaca Challenge was almost fully booked by the end of March of this year. Being the creatures of habit that we are, many of the competing boats found their way across the Bay of Maputo to the island of Inhaca and more specifically, Santa Maria, many days before the start of the event. Call it what you will, ski-boat anglers will always make an excuse to pinpoint a few favourite spots to which they will return during the competition.

This did not stop the crews from “letting the dogs loose” during those first couple of evenings as the sun slowly set over Maputo.

Anton van Niekerk and his loyal committee members had put in countless hours of work to make sure that the entire week ran f lawlessly, like a well-oiled cog in a machine. Testament to this was the very impressive sponsor’s list banner that lit up the skippers’ briefing on the Sunday afternoon. Hundreds of thousands of rands were up for grabs in the form of cash, vouchers and other giveaways — the result of the support from our loyal sponsors. Soon the formalities were over and it was time to start concentrating on the first day of the 2019 Inhaca Challenge.

Anxious to get the week started, all the boats drifted in the Hell’s Gate mouth before the 6am send off. Like a bullet out of the chamber, once the call had been made a scurry of ski-boats slowly made their way into the waiting ocean to get busy with the task of catching fish.

It was very obvious that many had the same game plan, because we all stopped suddenly behind the backline to catch livebait before setting off to our respective markers. The first day produced difficult fishing conditions for many of the boats. As the day drew to a close around the weigh-in, it was abundantly clear from the slim bags of fish that this competition was still open for the taking.

A yellowfin tuna of 14.2kg off the boat Lewire was the biggest fish of the day. Reel Deel, with Tyron and Clinton Good on the boat, claimed top spot for the day accumulating a worthy 42 points. Previous winners Grant Thorpe and his team were in second place with a fair 28 points.

The entire fleet of boats had entered the Calcutta, and the money up for grabs was an impressive R43 500. The target set by the first day’s biggest fish of 14kg would surely be beaten quite easily, so as the sun clawed its way over the eastern horizon at the start of our second day, we once again set our sights on catching the big one.

The weather was perfect, with a slight chop on the ocean and a moderate to mild north-easterly wind. The chit chat over the radio seemed to indicate better catches, and Dewald Marx on Solid Cat with Pierre Pienaar at the helm was soon fighting a marlin on our very light 10kg

A

All the anglers who tagged and released billfish at the 2019 Inhaca Challenge.

SKI-BOAT September/October 2019 • 63

Dewald Marx about to release a marlin caught on 10kg line.

The Solid Cat anglers with a solid haul of gamefish.

John Chandler landed a lovely tuna.

competition line. A successful release was soon called up can congratulations poured in.

All too soon the fleet snaked its way back through Hell’s Gate to place names on the noticeboard and wait for the official weigh-in. Swollen bags of caught fish lined the way to the scales and a lot of them tipped over the 10kg mark. Young Werno de Wet was overjoyed when he hung his ’cuda and it weighed exactly 5kg on the scale. This qualified him for the skins prize of R8 000 sponsored by Rootmigration.

At the end of day two Pierre and his crew on Solid Cat topped the leaderboard with 108 points, with Gone Overboard and Top Shot in second and third place respectively. The Calcutta fish now belonged to Hanno Pienaar on Top Shot who’d landed a magnificent wahoo of 17.3kg. This was the fish to beat!

Waking up to day three of the Challenge was a challenge in itself. I can only blame that evil enemy “old age” that slowly catches up with you.

Shane Davies was proud of his beautiful green jobfish.

Of course visiting friends and old acquaintances till late at night with touches of alcohol plays no part in making an avid angler weary by day three!

The weather was due for a change in the late afternoon, so it was crucial that we made the best of our fishing time in the morning. The fishing conditions proved difficult, and judging by the sounds emanating from the radio, catches were proving to be poor throughout the fleet as the day progressed and the sea slowly started to create the all too familiar, uncomfortable chop.

However, Glen Coertzen on Rainbow Runner started the day well by releasing a sailfish earlier on which earned him bragging rights as well as a deserved prize later on in the day.

There were also whispers of a sizable wahoo landed on the same boat — one which could be in contention for the Calcutta prize money. Not to be outdone, Hoof Hearted released two lengthy green jobfish, one of which measured a whopping 102cm and was

caught by Shane Davies.

As the day drew to a close, all our attention focussed on the weigh-in because day three would separate the men from the boys. A difficult third day showed on the scales as Shaun Brodell and his crew on Hoof Hearted took top honours for the day, accumulating 45 points towards their total tally. They were followed closely by Gone Overboard in second place and Katonkel in third. As Mark Williams, fishing on Rainbow Runner, hung his impressive wahoo on the scale, shouts of estimated weight filled the air. Was it going to be the Calcutta fish? It was not to be. The wahoo was a mere 100 grams short of Hanno Pienaar’s fish.

With the prospect of a blowout on day four, it was time to check the leaderboard to see who was in the top ten places. It was neck and neck for the first two spots with old rivals Grant Thorpe on Gone Overboard and Pierre Pienaar on Solid Cat. The rest of the fleet had to play catch up with these two boats.

SKI-BOAT September/October 2019 • 65

First place went to Gone Overboard. Pictured here are: Craig Henkel, Gavin Simms, Grant Thorpe, Kurt Myburgh, Brentt Murray, Shane Myburgh and Anton van Niekerk.

Second place went to Solid Cat, and third to Grootbek.

As predicted, day four presented itself in the form of a gusty, southerly unpleasant day. Soon after the fishing had been called off, anglers were seen scurrying around making preparations for a hearty breakfast to be followed by social visits with friends and foes. Par for the course, at 3:30pm sharp, the lucky draw, weigh-in and happy hour proceeded without hiccup for those who managed to attend after a stressful day on land.

Again the southerly wind delayed the beginning of day five of the competition, with the weather committee deciding to postpone the launch for an hour later for safety’s sake. The unstable conditions on the water made the fishing conditions a lot more testing, but everyone was keen to try their best.

As the day slowly unfolded, many of the boats struggled to entice the sneaky fish onto the hooks that were carefully presented to them. It seemed that the sizable fish had all disappeared with the onset of the southerly wind.

With the golden glow of the setting sun in the west, we all headed back through Hell’s Gate for the final day’s weigh-in and grand prize-giving.

Unfortunately one of the boats had a technical glitch and had their catch disqualified, but not before showing us a couple of yellowfin tuna weighing 66 • SKI-BOAT September/October 2019

between15- and 22kg. A bitter pill for them to swallow, but rules are there to be observed.

The best fish of the day was off Solid Cat — a 15.8kg wahoo. Grootbek got the most points for the day — 71 — followed by Reel Deel and Gone Overboard.

Packed to the brim with the entire fleet in attendance, the final prize-giving was soon under way.

No matter how hard we scratched our heads and made sums in the sand, it was still going to be a very close race between the two top boats of Solid Cat and Gone Overboard. In the end less than six points separated these two rivals.

Finally it was Grant Thorpe and his crew on Gone Overboard who won the 22nd Inhaca Challenge! A well fought victory indeed. Pierre Pienaar and his crew on Solid Cat made an awesome effort; hats off to them for trying until the end. These results just prove how close it really was: GAMEFISH OVERALL TEAMS Team Points Gone Overboard . . . . . . . . . . . . . .169.1 Solid Cat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .163.7 Grootbek . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .130.1 Reel Deel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .123.8 Hoof Hearted . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .123.7

INDIVIDUAL OVERALL POINTS Tyron Good, Reel Deel . . . . . . . . . .55.2 Grant Thorpe, Gone Overboard . . . .54 Clinton Good, Reel Deel . . . . . . . . .51.9 MOST SPECIES OVERALL TEAM Team Species Solid Cat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 Rainbow Runner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 Jack Russel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 CALCUTTA PRIZE (R43 500) Hanno Pienaar, Top Shot 17.3kg wahoo The success of this magnificent competition is all thanks to Anton van Niekerk and his hard working team as well as the very special sponsors that support the Inhaca Challenge. The very ample rewards that were received by the anglers are solely because the event has such loyal and dedicated sponsors.

A very, very special thanks to MRA Insurance Brokers, Caltex Mpumalanga North Marketer and Apex, our three Platinum Plus Sponsors that supported this competition to the tune of over R50 000! Year after year we anglers are privileged to participate in this incredibly well-run competition.

Till next year’s 2020 Inhaca Challenge — a safe and successful year to all.

Subscribe to

between 1st May 2019 and 1st October 2019 and win

YOUR NEXT YEAR’S SUBSCRIPTION ABSOLUTELY FREE! Three lucky subscribers will each win a full year’s subscription to SKI-BOAT magazine, valued at the newsstand price of R210. This means, should you subscribe and win, you will receive your next year’s subscription ABSOLUTELY FREE!

DON’T DELAY, SUBSCRIBE TODAY 1 YEAR — 6 ISSUES

R210 Now R180,00

E V SA 5% 1

All about action!

Yes! Enter my subscription to SKI-BOAT Magazine I save 14% on the newsstand price!

1 Year (6 issues) only R180.00. Save R30.00!

New subscriber Existing subscriber

ALSO AVAILABLE AS AN E-ZINE. Get your FREE digital subscription at www.issuu.com

Name ..........................................................................................................................................

Address ....................................................................................................................................... .................................................................................................................Code:...............

Telephone .................................................(Home) .................................................. (Work)

All about fishing!

Cell.............................................

Foreign subscriptions:

Email Address.................................................................

Airmail • Overseas and African countries add R320 Airmail • Namibia and Swaziland add R250

Subscription to commence with...................................................................................issue Payment options: Direct deposits or EFT

MAIL TO: Angler Publications, PO Box 20545, Durban North 4016 BANKING DETAILS FOR DIRECT DEPOSITS OR INTERNET PAYMENTS (eft) A/C Name: Angler Publications • Bank: First National Bank • Branch: Durban North • Branch Code: 220426 • A/C Number: 50790026585

Please email proof of payment and address details to <angler@mags.co.za>

FREE DIGITAL E-ZINE ON WWW.ISSUU.COM SKI-BOAT September/October 2019 • 69

72 â&#x20AC;¢ SKI-BOAT September/October 2019

MONSTER FROM THE REEF

by Stefan Kruger (16)

HIS day was never supposed to happen the way it turned out at all.

Early in the morning we discovered that the latch at the front of the boat was completely in its chops and bent open. We knew we had to first replace it for our safety, so my dad had to go into Stillbaai town and find a replacement while we waited at the house. Around 11 he came back and we hooked up the boat, raced to the harbour,launched and headed in Jongesfontuin’s direction. There we sat at our new spot.

This reef was unbelievable; as soon as we dropped to the bottom which was between 8-15m we instantly got a crazy number of bites.

Before we knew it we’d have a few red romans, silvers or bream on the line.

And they weren’t these lighties you catch at the harbour, they were fat, pan-size fish. While the fish were biting nicely, our other crew member was busy throwing up her breakfast and turning slightly green in the face. Soon she tapped out.

Just then I felt a slight pull on my line. At first I thought it was just the swell and ignored it, but then it pulled harder. I “kapped” hard and hooked into this massive unknown monster. Then the fight really started.

I was busy screaming like I always do when I think I have a big fish on the line and my dad was going mal there at the back of the boat with me.

I was just saying out loud, “Please Lord, please Lord,

T

don’t let me lose this one!

Please, please, please!”

My rod was bending heavily and as soon as I thought I’d got this fish up from the reef it decided to take more line! That fish was giving me pak, and not the other way around.

Eventually I got the fish off the reef and we started to see a shimmering outline of something big. My first thought was that it was a shark because it was doing crazy head shakes, but then, to my amazement we saw this monster of a red steenbraas. I looked at my dad and I saw that his eyes were as big as the moon. He was saying,“My son, my son, well done!”

He grabbed the gaff and attempted to gaff it, and my heart skipped a beat when he missed the fish and hooked the line instead! I thought I was going to lose this once in a lifetime fish to a gaff! When my dad saw that he was about to pull the hook out of the fish’s mouth, he stopped pulling on the gaff. On the second attempt he gaffed the fish in its side and pulled it into the boat. When it was safely in the hatch we both started jumping up and down in excitement in the boat and shouting at each other in happiness,. We hugged each other super hard and both shed a tear.

While all this chaos was going on our other crew member was still busying “kotching” her lungs out, completely missing the sideshow of my catch. She only saw the fish once we got home and was left speechless.

SKI-BOAT magazine, in conjunction with Mercury, is proud to offer all junior deep sea anglers the opportunity to win awards for excellence in angling.

If you are 16 years old or younger and you submit a photo of yourself and the fish you caught, you will receive a handsome certificate suitably inscribed confirming the catch.

And there’s more ...

Once a year the names of all junior anglers whos photographs appeared on the Mercury Junior Angler page will be included in a lucky draw and the winner will receive, courtesy of Mercury, a fantastic prize of a 2.5hp outboard motor.

All you need to do is send us a photograph of yourself and your catch, together with the following details: • Your name address, telephone number and date of birth • Species and weight of the fish you caught • Line class used • Date and place fish was caught • Boat and skipper’s name All entries should be sent to : Mercury Junior Angler SKI-BOAT magazine PO Box 20545, Durban North 4016 or email your entry to <angler@mags.co.za>.

There is no restriction on the number of awards that can be applied for, and SKI-BOAT magazine reserves the right to use the photographs as it sees fit.

A selection of five award winners will appear in each issue of SKI-BOAT magazine.

Junior anglers, Mercury and SKI-BOAT magazine acknowledge that you hold the future of our sport in your hands. Here’s your chance to show us what you can do!

74 • SKI-BOAT September/October 2019

ADVERTORIAL

CALLING PRIMAL PROVIDERS ALL

Catch and cook your own food and win great prizes

F

ANCY yourself as a primal provider — the man or woman who actually brings home the bacon literally rather than figuratively? If so there’s a brand new llifestyle video channel just for you.

CatchCook.com promotes the primal predator (hunter-gatherer) lifestyle that has formed part of our human history since our humble Neanderthal beginnings. Unbeknown to the urbanised ignorant, this is the norm throughout the majority of the world’s rural areas.

Although CatchCook.com promotes the primal provider lifestyle of hunting, fishing, diving, spearfishing, gathering, foraging and eco-sustainable healthy farming, they do not promote trophy hunting or any form of killing for pleasure, sport or competition. They love to hunt and fish as our ancestors have done since the beginning of time, and respect and appreciate their prey.

Genuine primal providers try to use and preserve as much of their prey as possible, and return what’s left to nature to continue life’s cycle.

Urbanised people, especially chil-

dren, are often ignorant of where meat or fish comes from and the potential expense to their quality of life should they be consuming from the supermarket. Most primal tribes throughout the world honour their prey and thank it for the nourishment it provides and for the continuation of the cycle of life.

Advertising, consumerism and urbanisation has suppressed our primal lifestyle. Man needs sustenance, but our current choices are often limited to GMO food that is chemically enhanced and designed to be inedible to some creatures and edible to others, mainly so that it can last for long periods of time on a supermarket shelf!

In today’s profit-driven world our food is intensively farmed and mass produced in limited spaces, and the losses due to failure of one crop or herd because of disease could result in the closure of a corporate farm or business.

Many farmers thus use antibiotics and pesticides as a form of insurance against these diseases. In 2011 in the USA alone more than 13 000 tonnes of antibiotics were sold for meat production, compared to only approximately

3 500 tonnes sold for human use. We are unconsciously consuming such a large volume of antibiotics that our bodies are becoming immune to antibiotics and susceptible to superbugs.

The CatchCook.com channel promotes the catching, processing, cooking and or storing of freshly caught fish, but also supports the practise of catch and release. Please respect all relevant laws, seasons, size and quantity limits pertaining to your quarry of choice.

Remember to take only what you need from nature, respect your prey, cause minimum suffering, hunt and fish legally and ethically, maximise your harvest and have fun. If you share these values and recognise yourself as a primal provider, please like the catchcook.com videos and subscribe to the channel.

MARKETPLACE

GOLDEN JUBILEE FOR SOLLY’S — MUCH MORE THAN A CORNER

S

OLLY’S Angler’s Corner celebrates their 50th anniversary in 2019 — a milestone for any business. This family business originally started in 1937 as a general dealer in Ophirton, Johannesburg and then in the early 1960s a few rods and reels were introduced. By the mid- to late ’60s the fishing range had grown due to public demand, and a corner was allocated specifically for the fishing tackle, thus “the angler’s corner”.

In 1969 it was a fully stocked fishing department, carrying most of what was available at the time. The demand and range gradually increased. Eventually in the mid ’70s and early ’80s, out went the groceries, crockery, cutlery and other general goods, and in came a bigger range of fishing tackle. The family subsequently decided to expand the business by opening other branches. They now have branches in Ophirton (Booysens), Fourways, Pretoria,Vereeniging and Rustenburg.

Today they carry all the latest fishing tackle available, at

ver y competitive prices. They offer excellent customer service as well as rod & reel servicing and repairs.

The Vereeniging store was recently renovated and some new products were introduced in the different departments.

They also moved their Pretoria branch to bigger and better premises in the Menlyn Retail Park (see pictures below).

All the branches have a specialised deep sea section to provide the discerning ski boat angler with a wide selection of rods, reels, line, terminal tackle and lures.

Solly’s caters for all types of anglers, from beginner to pro, so visit your nearest branch, give them a call or drop them an email with your requirements and they will gladly assist you.

Their Johannesburg shop can be reached on <booysens@sollysanglers.co.za> or call (011) 4931848.

For the other branches’ contact details see their advert on pg 27 of this issue.

TWO OCEANS BREAK RECORDS WITH NEW LAUNCH

T

WO Oceans Marine Manufacturing recently launched South Africa’s biggest ever composite and leisure catamaran, the Two Oceans 110 Day Charter Catamaran. Named Le Cerf, she is owned by Mason’s Travel, a leading destination management company in Seychelles.

The Two Oceans 110 Day Charter Catamaran is designed for commercial day charters and for large groups of people. Le Cerf can carry 275 people; she will be based in Mahé.

The Two Oceans 110 Day Charter Catamaran has both an upper and lower deck and a flybridge. The upper deck has plenty of casual seating as well as a bar and dining seating for 60 guests and storage space for snorkeling

gear. The lower deck has dining seating for 90 guests as well as casual seating.

The lower deck also has a bar and a dance floor, storage lockers, fridges, freezers and chilly bins.

The galley, storage lockers, a crew rest area, and bunks for the crew are all housed in the starboard hull. The galley can cater for 250 guests onboard.

Guest toilet facilities are situated in the port hull.

On her transom, she has a six metre tender on a fixed davit that can ferry 20 people to and from the boat. The front deck has trampolines, more seating and a beach ladder.

The Two Oceans 110 Day Charter Power Catamaran is yet another successful collaboration between Two

Oceans Marine Manufacturing and renown South African naval architect Anton du Toit of Du Toit Yacht Design.

She is the 11th large custom catamaran that the partnership has launched, with an 82ft carbon performance sailing catamaran and an 85ft power catamaran due to be launched later in the year.

Two Oceans also recently launched the Two Oceans 700 Day Charter Sailing Catamaran (designed by Du Toit Yacht Design). She is bound for Jamaica, where she will accommodate 170 people on day charters.

For more information about Two Oceans Marine Manufacturing and their craft, contact Kirsten Veenstra on <kirsten@2oceans.co.za> or +27 82 926 3932.

SKI-BOAT September/October 2019 • 79

NAVICO MOURNS DARRELL J. LOWRANCE

N

AVICO, parent company to the Lowrance® brand announced the passing of founder Darrell J. Lowrance on 18 March 2019.

Darrell served as President and CEO of Lowrance Electronics from 1964 to 2006 and was responsible for many breakthroughs in marine electronics.

In addition to the first recreational sonar product for anglers — the FishLo-K-Tor (“Little Green Box”) — he led the development of the first graph recorder, the first integrated sonar/GPS unit, and many others.

“The world has lost a great man and a true visionary,” said Leif Ottosson, CEO, Navico. “Darrell’s passion for fishing, innovative design and dedication to driving the marine electronics industry forward, led to innovative ideas and products that have shaped the fishing experiences for millions of anglers globally over the past 60 years.”

Lisbeth Plotz, MD of Lowrance SA, said, “We are very sad to hear about Darrell, who has been a long-time friend and supporter of anglers in this country. Many will remember his passion for his brand at seminars hosted in Durban. This is a huge loss to the fishing fraternity worldwide.”

GARMIN MOURNS LOSS OF CO-FOUNDER

G

ARMIN International, Inc., a unit of Garmin Ltd. announced that Gary Burrell, aviation pioneer and co-founder of Garmin Ltd., passed away on 12 June 2019, at the age of 81.

Gary retired in 2002 and continued to serve as Garmin’s co-chairman until 2004 when he was named Chairman Emeritus.

Gary, an innovator, entrepreneur and servant leader will be remembered for his legacy of growing Garmin from a start-up company to a global leader in GPS technology Gary co-founded Garmin with Dr Min Kao in 1989 with the vision of creating products powered by the thenemerging technology of GPS. Thirty years later, Garmin has grown from a handful of engineers into a global location and communication product powerhouse with more than 13 000 associates in 60 offices around the world.

“Gary Burrell was my friend, mentor and partner for more than 30 years,” Kao said.

“His vision, values, engineering skills and commitment to serving our customers have been the foundation for the growth of our company. I know his legacy will live on.”

80 • SKI-BOAT September/October 2019

SMALLS BOAT FOR SALE

AD INDEX Advanced Skippers’Training . . . . . . .64 Adventure Tropicale . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 Anglers Apparel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .72 Bazaruto Encounters . . . . . . . . . . . .35 Billfish 15 000 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .59 Cape Boat Show . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .46 Casa do Mar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .42

21’6” Wavebreaker ski-boat powered by twin 85hp two-stroke motors in good running order. (No trim & tilt.)

Includes underslung trailer, luna tubes and rod holders. No safety equipment,radio or sonar.

Boat is registered in Moçambique and is sited at Guinjata Bay. Price as is: R50 000 Contact: Colin Jefferies on +258 84690 1310

Catchcook.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12 Catchcook.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .76 Catchcook.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .78 Club Marine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 Club Marine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .42 Down South Marine . . . . . . . . . . . . .54 Durban Yamaha . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36 Garmin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18

BOAT FOR SALE

Guinjata Bonanza Thanks . . . . . . . . .45 Inhaca Challenge Thanks . . . . . . . . .60 Justin Klusener Photography . . . . . .35 Lowrance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3 Lowrance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .72 Matoya Lodge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27

28ft LEECAT 800 EXPRESSA with 2 x 140hp Suzuki lean burn 4-stroke motors (2500 hours). All carefully maintained and serviced. Current SAMSA certificate. Known for its eyecatching design, the boat features electric f lushing toilet, large interior cabin/bed, covers, large fishbox, upholstered seating, Flotex carpets throughout, Cavicom, Lowrance 5-inch colour fishfinder, Lowrance 5-inch colour GPS, Furuno 16 mile radar.

Viewing and test rides in Simons Town are welcome.

Asking price: R549 500 Contact: Alan on 083 544 6748

Maxel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .74 McCrystal Insurance . . . . . . . . . . . . .30 MDM — Raymarine . . . . . . . . . . . . .54 MDM — Raymarine . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6 Mr Winch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .57 Natal Caravans & Marine . . . . . . . . . .2 Natal Power Boats . . . . . . . . . . . . . .67 Natal Power Boats . . . . . . . . . . . . . .83 Pioneer ladies Fishing Comp . . . . . .68 Seaport Supply . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .42 SGDSAA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .72

DEADLINE FOR THE NOVEMBER 2019 ISSUE OF

Shelly Beach SBC Thanks . . . . . . . . .21 Solly’s Anglers’ Corner . . . . . . . . . . .27 Supercat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .74 Suzuki Marine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28 The Kingfisher . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .35

IS 18 SEPTEMBER 2019.

BOOK YOUR AD NOW

BY PHONING 031-5722289 OR EMAIL MARK@MAGS.CO.ZA

Turboformance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .74 Two Oceans Marine . . . . . . . . . . . . .52 Vanguard Insurance . . . . . . . . . . . . .56 X-Boats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32 Yamaha F130 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .84 Yamaha Seacat 636 . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24

BUSINESS CLASSIFIEDS & DIRECTORY

RAPALA LIP

ALL THE FUN OF THE WINTER HOLS Sardines and rittel-tits galore

T

HE announcement that “the sardines are coming” has more than one meaning to most fishermen. I know this because I have seen photos of the “sardines” on my husband’s phone on a number of occasions, and what I have seen has nothing to do with those silvery little fish that visit our shores during the winter months.

The members on my husband’s fishing chat-group circulate these photos of the “sardines” sprawled on the beach, posing in the most ridiculously suggestive positions. My husband, George, does his very best to hide these photos from me and is completely embarrassed when I sneak up on him while he’s admiring them. On one occasion he dropped his phone into our pool while trying to prevent me from seeing a photo of a rather acrobatic “sardine”.

This innuendo came home to me during one of our fishing outings. I have a slim, athletic figure and was wearing my favourite blue bikini which, according to George, leaves little to the imagination. Although he frowns, I love wearing it and admiring stares from men are never taken for granted as one grows older.

We had returned from our morning’s fishing and I was helping to clean the boat. I had some trouble trying to unscrew the plug from the hatch and was forced to bend over, putting my derriere on parade for everyone to admire. Just then I heard one of the men say: “Eish manne, kyk daai mooi sardientjie!” I know for a fact there weren’t any little silver sardines to admire at the wash-bay!

The notion that the “sardines are coming” also brings back fond memories of my first visit to Mtunzini. It’s a beautiful little town which is special for many reasons — Tannie Orpa at the Hearty Meal Café makes the best milk-

Last word from the ladies shakes; the Clay Oven has the most divine pizza; the view from the golf club overlooking the estuary and the ocean is breathtaking; the unique and rare raphia palms and palmnut vultures are majestic; the mangos, avos, pawpaws and bananas growing naturally are mouthwatering; and the incredible size of the garden snails always makes me think that one could embark on a very successful escargot business.

It was during sardine season that I first met my husband, Gorgeous George. Back then it did not require any imagination to see why he was called Gorgeous George, and I fell hopelessly in love with him. My family and I had visited his family home in Mtunzini and some locals had mentioned sighting sardines.

At the time George used a little rubber duck with a 30hp motor to get to the beach via the estuar y, and he offered to take my mother, father and I out on the duck to find the sardines.

My parents were wearing their bathing costumes and my mother’s costume accentuated her magnificent cleavage.

Since the rubber duck was not wellendowed with power, George had to raise it on the plane to carry us through the estuary to the beach, otherwise the journey might have taken the whole day under the strain of our weight.

On this day the water was a little choppy and my mother was sitting on one of the pontoons. As soon as the rubber duck got onto the plane, it caused my mother’s derriere to bounce on the pontoon and this had the most entertaining effect on her bosom which

shook uncontrollably. My father almost fell off the boat laughing when he remarked: “Anke! Je hebbe de ritteltits!” For the remainder of the journey none of us could look at my mother without collapsing with laughter.

This happened almost 20 years ago and we have laughed about that sardine story many times over. George and I now have two young sons who love fishing off the boat at Mtunzini.

Despite the passing of time Mtunzini is still mostly the same; George, on the other hand, has undergone a physical metamorphosis. It now requires a wonderful flight of the imagination to believe that he was once “gorgeous”, and I have known some friends to laugh out loud when my darling introduces himself as “Gorgeous George”. To be fair, though, he concedes that his stomach muscles must have “relaxed” over the years and he accuses our scale at home of misrepresenting his weight by about 30kg.

Despite that he still loves wearing his speedo. When he wears it he is a sore sight for anyone’s eyes, and he bears the brunt of jokes by his friends that he should be wearing a bikini top to match his “bikini bottom”. His manboobs or “relaxed” chest muscles have indeed grown to an outlandish size.

It just so happened that we were recently out looking for sardines.

Gorgeous George was sporting his favourite red speedo, and I was allowed an opportunity to steer the boat. The water was a little choppy and George was sitting on the side of the boat as I motored along at a reasonable speed.

Suddenly our six-year-old son cried out in delight: “Mom, look — Dad has the rittel-tits!”

It took some patience to nurse George’s Rapala-lip down to a reasonable size and he has now taken to wearing a T-shirt with his speedo.

YOUR CHANCE TO GET EVEN LADIES — are you an angling widow? Are you a frustrated crew member? Do you outfish the men on the boat and have to deal with their Rapala Lips? Do you bite your lip at the comments coming from chauvinistic male anglers?

We’re looking for new writers for our Rapala Lip column. All contributions are gladly accepted and they will appear anonymously to protect the writers from divorce suits, cold shoulders, banishments, cut up credit cards etc. Come on ladies, share your stories with us — you know you want to. Email them to <sheena@mags.co.za>.

82 • SKI-BOAT September/October 2019

BRAND NEW BOATS NOW IN STOCK

BRAND NEW Raptor 660 Centre Console 2 x 100hp Suzuki 4-stroke motors, on galvanised breakneck trailer.

R699 000

Cobra Cat 525 Forward Console 2 x 90hp Suzuki 4-stroke motors, on galvanised breakneck trailer.

R350 000

Seacat 16ft Forward Console 2 x 60hp Yamaha trim motors.

R229 000

Benguela 530 Forward Console 2 x 60hp Mercury 4-stoke motors, on galvanised breakneck trailer.

R299 000

Seacat 510 Forward Console 2 x 50hp Yamaha 4-stroke motors, on galvanised breakneck trailer.

R189 000

Ski Vee 500 Centre Console 2 x 40hp Yamaha motors with trims, on galvanised breakneck trailer.

R179 000

Kingcat 180 Forward Console 2 x 90hp Suzuki motors, on galvanised breakneck trailer..

R595 000

Nova Sportfisher 22ft 2 x 150hp Yamaha 4-stroke motors, on double axle trailer.

R725 000

Seacat 565 Forward Console 2 x 100hp Suzuki 4-stoke motors (under 25 hours), on galvanised breakneck trailer.

R560 000

Cobra Cat 800 Cabin 2 x 150hp Mariner/Mercury Verado motors.

R595 000

Gamefish 510 Forward Console 2 x 60hp Mercury Bigfoot motors, on galvanised breakneck trailer..

R189 000

Cobra Cat 525 Forward Console 2 x 90hp Yamaha motors with trims, on galvanised breakneck trailer.

R195 000

Swift 165 Centre Console 2 x 60hp Mercury Bigfoot motors, on galvanised breakneck trailer.

R179 000

Gamefish 170 Centre Console Optional motors, on galvanised breakneck trailer.

From R269 000

Tom Cat 10m Wheel house 2 x 150hp Suzuki DBW 4-stroke motors, on commercial mooring.

R650 000

Cobra Cat 525 Centre Console 2 x 70hp Suzuki 4-stroke motors (140 hours), on galvanised breakneck trailer.

R449 000

Citation 700 2 x 140hp Suzuki 4-stroke motors.

R750 000

Yeldcat 17 Forward Console 2 x 60hp Yamaha 4-stroke motors, on galvanised breakneck trailer.

R379 000

Supercat 21ft Centre Console 2 x 90hp Yamaha motors with trim, on dolly trailer.

R189 000

Cobra Cat 900 2 x 275hp Mercury Verado motors.

R849 000

Cobra Cat 625 Forward Console 2 x 100hp Yamaha 4-stroke motors, on brand new galvanised breakneck trailer.

R329 000

Cobra Cat 500 Forward Console 2 x 60hp Mercury 4-stroke motors, on galvanised breakneck trailer.

R279 000

Tournament Cat 30ft 2 x 200hp Suzuki 4-stroke motors.

R850 000

GO ONTO OUR WEBSITE TO VIEW OVER 150 BOATS THAT WE HAVE FOR SALE. TERMS AND CONDITIONS APPLY

Cobra Cat 525 Forward Console 2 x 90hp Yamaha motors, on double axle galvanised trailer.

R229 000