Since then we have done 23 trips and had some really good fishing.
Some bad fishing also, but we have had more sea days this season than we have had in the last two years. In addition to this, the tuna put in a late appearance and the yellowtail have been very consistent at Cape Point. All this has added up to a pretty good season............so far! First, the tuna.
OFFSHORE
I do not wish to repeat what has already been dealt with in the last report, but for the sake of continuity, you may remember that October was a good month and the yellowfin were fairly plentiful. Then came a wicked cold front and everything went haywire. The tuna went north and our weather and fishing went to the dogs for the whole of November.
For the first time since 2001, apart from 1 fish on 9 November, we never caught another yellowfin in November. Everyone thought, me included, that our season had ended before it really began. I then went to Pemba to collect a boat and deliver to Durban (More of that
later) and when I returned on 23 December there were very few reports of fish in the tuna grounds. Apart from the odd tuna here and there, it was pretty dead. One of the few highlights was a shortbill spearfish of 25kg landed by one of our clients. The shortbill spearfish is extremely rare off our coast and to catch one of these is a once in a lifetime occurrence. Someone told me it was only 2kg short of the SA record, but I stand to be corrected on this one.
Then Christmas came and Santa brought us some yellowfins! Things suddenly picked up and we had some very good catches, getting 12 fish on our best day. Since then we have had about 30 fish. Not great by any means, but particularly good for this time of the year. In addition to this, there have been a few longfin about to keep us busy and a smattering of dorado and yellowtail out in the tuna grounds. The most outstanding thing about the yellowfin has been the average size of the fish. At one point, out of nine fish caught, five were over 90KG. I have personally never seen fish in this class on such a regular basis. It is a known fact, worldwide, that when the average size of the fish being taken from a certain stock increases dramatically, that stock is about to collapse. I hope this is not the case with our fish. A recent Time magazine article on yellowfin tuna indicated that the worldwide catch of yellowfin tuna has increased from 600 000 tons in 2000 to 6 million tons last year. A startling statistic, and one that we hope does not signal the end of our magnificent yellowfin.
Last week things started quietening down and we are now getting ready for our annual Struisbaai stint. The Suidpunt Marlin Competition is happening from 10 to 14 Feb and we need to think about getting Tyler down there when the weather gives us a break. We also have a number of clients who are keen to get down to the Alphard Banks, the 45's and the 72's to go and look for the big red steenbras, yellowtail and all sorts of other big and ugly things that live down there in the depths.
We do not have a charter booked for the marlin comp, so, if you are keen, get hold of me and we can arrange something. More of that later.
INSHORE AND FALSE BAY
Cape Point has continued to deliver the goods and the yellowtail have been active virtually on a daily basis. There have been a few quiet days, mainly immediately after a couple of days of SE wind. The SE wind makes the water cold at the point and this puts the 'tail off the bite. As soon as the SE drops, the water begins to warm up and in the last month or two it has taken no more than a day or so to warm up. As it warms up, so do the yellowtail and we have had a few days where they have really been wild. It has also been a bit of a "scrum"
amongst the boats, but generally, everyone has got their fair share, and apart from a few flaired tempers everything has been OK. The average size has been the typical Cape Point 2 - 3 kg fish, but there have also been some real brutes. I heard of a 19kg (42lb in old terms) fish being taken off the ledges at Rooikrantz and personally saw a fish of about 13kg being caught, so the big ones are there. Some days the fish have absolutely ignored anything we tried to feed them, but I guess that is how we know and love (to hate) these fickle fish. To date they have showed no sign of moving off and we look forward to another few months of good fishing.
False Bay has been pretty good and Cob have been plentiful around the usual spots such as Strandfontein, Swartklip and Macassar. Geelbek fishing is a bit scratchy, as it has been in False bay for the last few years, but just last week they popped up in good numbers off Blinklip and Macassar. I was away at the time, but I heard that the local commercial mob did very well. Yet another bit of good news reached me yesterday. I heard that a few yellowtail we speared off Kogel Bay. This is the first time in a number of years that the 'tail have been there, and this news, combined with the geelbek at Blinklip may indicate that we will find them on this side of the bay again this year. I really hope so! When the yellowtail arrive on this side of the bay it is like manna from heaven and an added bonus is the fact that they seem to eat anything and everything that one can throw at them.
The fish on this side of the bay are also generally bigger (around 6kg
average) than the cape point fish. Why this is so is anybody's guess, but it is a fact.
STRUISBAAI - CAPE AGULHAS
Struisbaai has been very dead. The previous report started with the same words. Until last week that is. Suddenly the Aghulas Banks are waking up. There have been good catches of yellowtail on the 12 mile bank in the last week. Friends of mine speared some really nice ones on the 5 mile bank and on Saturday, Meirion Williams caught a black marlin of 150kg. The water is a warm 21 to 22deg C and hopefully things will continue to hot up there.
As mentioned earlier, our expected charter for the Marlin Competition did not materialize and we are looking for a booking for the tournament. Tyler has already been entered and if we do not get a charter booking, well, we'll just have to fish in the competition ourselves. What a terrible thought!! Tournament dates are 10 to 14 Feb. If you are keen to catch a striped or black marlin, this competition is your best chance. Last year we came second. This year we want to win it! Come and help us do so. There are already around 25 boats entered and with all the feedback during the competition, one's chances of getting a fish or two are superb.
The yellowtail derby is also coming and we have a couple of prospective bookings, but no-one has put their money down. Last year we were 2nd (again), and 3rd and 4th AND we won the ladies category.
The yellowtail derby is scheduled for 27 Feb. It is a great fishing day and a good party. (Take it from me) If you want to have a fun day, come and stay over with us and join us for a good time. Some of our more memorable catches in Struis last year was a striped marlin of 120kg, a yellowtail of 23kg, a red steenbras of 18kg, some really big dorado and a whole bunch of other stuff. We did not track down any big cob last year. This year we need to remedy that!
We will also be running the usual trips to the deeper reefs, (Alphards, 45's and 72's) These reefs still offer the chance of a really big red steenbras and other things such a seventy four, yellowtail, geelbek etc. In addtion to this, we often encounter dorado and other gamefish to and from the reefs. Those of you who were there last year, feel free to come back. Those of you who did not join us, Feb and March are the months when we will be there. Drop me a line and I will give you details. Hopefully we will catch one of those big black marlin that we lost last year.
BASSAS DA INDIA
As many of you know, I have been rumbling about charter fishing in Mozambique and trips to Bassas da India and so on. In December I was asked to collect Shumwari III, a 50 ft powercat, in Pemba and to deliver it to Durban. This is the boat that will be running charters to Bassas da India next year and it was the perfect opportunity for me to come down via Bassas and to have a look there for myself.
Everything happened quite quickly and on 12 dec I flew to Pemba. On 15 Dec I left and on 23 Dec we were in Durban. En route we stopped off at Bassas for three days and had what can only be described as three days in heaven on earth. Bassas is every bit a magnificent as one is told.
The fish life is astounding, no, beyond astounding. The reef is mind blowing. It is almost eerie to be at a place that is 300 miles from land, and yet the water in the atoll is as calm as a lagoon. it is crystal clear and everything is bigger and wilder that any other place I have ever seen. The wrecks of 300 years ago are still there and bits of porcelain, cannons and other stuff litter the wreck sites. The diving just cannot get better and if their is a drawback it is that once you have dived there, nothing will ever compare again. The kingfish were not as plentiful as I have heard they can be, but we were there in Dec and apparently the winter months are better.
Nonetheless, we got kings up to 30kg and a myriad of other things. As a bonus, on the way there we caught wahoo, dorado, yellowfin tuna and two beautiful black marlin of 140 and 180 kg each. Bassas da India, put it on your bucket list, if you have not already done so!
Till next time, tight lines and good fishing.
Regards - The SSS team.
