The 4 musketeers decided to go to Hermanus Plaat this weekend. We went with the Black Stallion (Fuad’s Colt). He left 3:30am rounded up the guys in Wynberg, Rory met us at my place and we just got the bait and pick up Riyad. Made a call to another van that was meeting us at the engen N2. We took the M5 and we off @ 3:45am. The other guys are at the Engen already so they decide to get us at Hermanus to pump the prawn. The mist was thick on the road. So our initial plan to drive 120km\h on the freeway was fouled. We still made good time as we came 5mins after they arrived. We drove safely.
Get to there to pump and the water came far up covering the banks. This made pumping difficult. We decided upfront to only pump around 30min. As always we pumped 40min and left ,came to the van for coffee because the wind was a little cold. The flask broke lekker kwaad.
Get to Stanford and deflate the tyres, I say 1bar, but Fuad reckons 1.5bar will be ok. So we off and as we get into the entrance of the beach the van that went with us was a bit stuck looks like they didn’t deflate the tyres at all. They standing in the middle of the track, we almost drove into them, with some navigation from me and driver skills from Fuad, it sound like a BP Rally (Links Om) we come around them and as we stopped and looked where to park we started to dig in. So like I said before, we made the tyres 1bar and didn’t have a problem.
Get ready to tackle up, I go fetch some water and I walk past this 2 guys, greet them and ask if nothing came out. They said nothing yet. Get the water and the one wearing a Viking Jacket, I know a few of them and as I come back he reckons are you going to wash with all that water LOL. So I recognize the older guy Boeta Maanie. So the other guy asks are you on the Email and I say yes Baboo. He says Zakkie is also here. I counted 8 vans on the beach that morning. Got back to the bakkie and the guys tackling up and I start the gas stove to make breakfast and Lunch. Made hotdogs, wrapped it up in foil and we off. We walk to the 1st set of rocks and fished on the right hand side of it. Water was a bit strong and big. No reports of fish since the night before. 20 mins and the guys on the left of us caught a small gallie and returned it. We forgot to take the sinkers and Riyad goes back to fetch it. Boeta Hiema Saval comes walking past, chat to him he says he fished last night 3 hrs and nothing. He went further down. Zakkie was also so 200m further.
So we fished 30mins and walked down to Zakkie. There we fished about 2 hours and nothing,bait came out better than it went in without a float. Faizel was sleeping when his rod was bobbing and Zakkie reeled in a mullet on the line, using 1\0 circle. Made a few calls as there were guys that didn’t want to walk and fished at Mierkom and the other guys walked to Die Paradys. Ask a few guys were steenbras gat is and everyones marker was different some was even further than Die Paradys. Zakkie and Boeta Hiema was the same, the 2 flattish rocks that was sticking out and the Krans further down was Die Paradys. No fish coming out at Mierkom, but the guys @ Die Paradys said they getting big takes and some feel like Galjoen. So we pack and off we go, me full of steam walk no problem as we actually walking down. We about half way to Die Paradys from Zakkie and we stop. 2 Locals fishing, they reckon its poor today. Take a throw so 20 mins and walk on. Get to the Cave of Die Paradys and 4 guys fishing, they say 3 guys had a big runs and the bait was dropped. I rig up prawn on the one rod and pitch about 70m. Other rod with Wonderworm , the other guys throws next to me and 5 mins his rod bobs like a small fish. He reels in a size Steenbras. We get a call from the guys @ Mierkom. The fish is biting a bit. 3 undersize of 300mm Steenbras all returned and then 3 Size Steenbras came out. After that it went quite so about 30 min of action. Now I don’t know what to do as the walk back is long and it’s was almost High tide. The other guys start making their way back from about 2pm. We fish another 20 mins and start walking back, Fuad and Rory was fishing the other side of the cave. Nothing biting yet. Myself and Riyad start walking back, now the walk is hard. You walking slightly uphill with a High tide and the water is pushing up far. We fish and rest, make a throw and so we go until we reach Fuad at the 2 Flattish rocks coming out of the dunes. We meet him and walk another probably 100m and fish there. I throw only 1 rod this time bloodworm, with a 1\0 circle and the worm is only on the line and 2 prawns on the hook. I put my head down and go sleep @ 3pm. 15mins later Riyad says my rod, I wake up I ask him, did the rod sak, he says no, so I look, looks like the water bouncing it. So I lift the rod and start reeling I feel a fish. He starts swimming towards me and I reel keeping the tension. It is Full High Tide and as the water pulls back the fish is in front and starts fighting me. I bring it in with the wave, it measures 66cm. Everyone’s regained some confidence and baiting up, I throw again. 10mins and the rods is pulled down and the ratchet sounds. I think to myself a big Steenbras. Fights harder than the one just landed. To my surprise a smaller 1.So I relased it measured around 53cm, Rory comes running down from 30m away to fish by us.
After that it was basically dead,Fuad still said just before I was reeling in we must move. We stayed till about 16h30 and then moved closer to the bakkie. Made a last throw and nothing for us but 30m further down another steenbras was landed. There were guys that stayed till Sunday, the water was looking much better at high tide and the water settled down a lot. Rolling nice and the waves weren’t breaking at the back anymore. I don’t know if anything was caught after we left.
Took the great trek back home, a good day out fishing but not an excellent day for fishing, but that’s how it goes.
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