The Indigo Patch: KZN’s Seasonal CHANGE - KZN REPORT (9 May '24)
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As autumn wanes into winter, KZN's waters are alive with a spectacular mix of edible and non-edible species, creating a fishing environment that's pulsating with potential. This time of year is not just any flourishing fishing period; it's a phenomenon, getting progressively better with each passing week. The seas are rich with bronze bream, mammoth kob, triple tail, tuna, couta, shad, pompano, dorado, and, for the thrill-seekers, an abundance of sharks.
The Freshwater Adventure: A Call to the Inland Anglers Not to be overshadowed, the freshwater realms of KZN hold their own allure, with Jan’s riveting report from the midlands and beyond painting a vivid picture of the riches lying inland. Carp, bass, trout, and the ever-elusive scaly fish tempt anglers to the tranquil waters of Albert Falls and the Umkomaas River, where skill and patience are rewarded with memorable catches.
From Shad to Kingfish The reports streaming in from various corners of KZN are testaments to the indigo patch's generosity. Whether it's the South Coast, teeming with life, or the promising waters of Richards Bay, every report brims with the thrill of the catch - from the surge of pompano to the sleek snook and the regal kingfish making appearances offshore and in the bays.
Offshore:
Couta has been the main target along the KZN coast with all the recent competitions. There have been some quality fish caught! Live bait remains the most successful of all the reported methods. Remember to fish a trap stick when you are catching bait as you never know what is lurking around the baitfish. The sharks have taken their "fair" share but some very impressive fish have been landed. There have been many bigger kingfish around this last week. These hard-fighting gamefish are great fun to catch and release. Unfortunately, they fight similarly to a shark so make sure you are certain you hooked a taxman before you break him off. Bigger mackerel and bonito are your best live bait for these gangsters.
Rock and surf:
The rock and surf fishing has shifted towards the winter edible season on the central and southern coasts while the north coast clings to the last of the summer inedibles. This past week saw some impressive fish caught up north. Most anglers fished for the last of the summer inedibles. There were some decent sandies and honeycombs caught and a few fish unable to be stopped. While targeting these fish, a few lucky anglers managed some massive giant kingfish. These fish are incredible and deserve a safe release (after some brag photos. Specifically targeting these big kingfish is difficult so well done to those that managed to land these beasts.
The Blue Lagoon area is still fishing well with multiple species being caught this past week. The kob and grunter have been the main targets while the stumpies and shad have played second fiddle. The beaches to the north have fished very well with big shoals of mullet keeping the kob fed and the imminent arrival of the garrick on everyone's mind.
Freshwater:
The freshwater anglers have had a good run this past week with some proper size bass being shown off on social media. The trout fishing is picking up and the carp anglers are doing well for themselves. The bass fishing has been amazing in all of the KZN venues. The faster-moving baits have been putting the numbers in the boat. Crankbaits, spinnerbaits and walking surface baits allow you to cover a lot more water. These faster techniques have allowed anglers to quickly up their numbers before switching to soft plastics to target the bigger fish. Carp fishing has been great for conventional anglers. Sweet-flavoured baits and a spray of almond on your mielie bomb will keep your drag running and keepnet full on most of the bigger dams. The farm dams and ponds have also produced some good fish this past week with the fruity scents as well as bread seeing the best results.
The Stillwaters are starting to set up for the spawn.
The Freshwater Adventure: A Call to the Inland Anglers Not to be overshadowed, the freshwater realms of KZN hold their own allure, with Jan’s riveting report from the midlands and beyond painting a vivid picture of the riches lying inland. Carp, bass, trout, and the ever-elusive scaly fish tempt anglers to the tranquil waters of Albert Falls and the Umkomaas River, where skill and patience are rewarded with memorable catches.
From Shad to Kingfish The reports streaming in from various corners of KZN are testaments to the indigo patch's generosity. Whether it's the South Coast, teeming with life, or the promising waters of Richards Bay, every report brims with the thrill of the catch - from the surge of pompano to the sleek snook and the regal kingfish making appearances offshore and in the bays.
Offshore:
Couta has been the main target along the KZN coast with all the recent competitions. There have been some quality fish caught! Live bait remains the most successful of all the reported methods. Remember to fish a trap stick when you are catching bait as you never know what is lurking around the baitfish. The sharks have taken their "fair" share but some very impressive fish have been landed. There have been many bigger kingfish around this last week. These hard-fighting gamefish are great fun to catch and release. Unfortunately, they fight similarly to a shark so make sure you are certain you hooked a taxman before you break him off. Bigger mackerel and bonito are your best live bait for these gangsters.
Rock and surf:
The rock and surf fishing has shifted towards the winter edible season on the central and southern coasts while the north coast clings to the last of the summer inedibles. This past week saw some impressive fish caught up north. Most anglers fished for the last of the summer inedibles. There were some decent sandies and honeycombs caught and a few fish unable to be stopped. While targeting these fish, a few lucky anglers managed some massive giant kingfish. These fish are incredible and deserve a safe release (after some brag photos. Specifically targeting these big kingfish is difficult so well done to those that managed to land these beasts.
The Blue Lagoon area is still fishing well with multiple species being caught this past week. The kob and grunter have been the main targets while the stumpies and shad have played second fiddle. The beaches to the north have fished very well with big shoals of mullet keeping the kob fed and the imminent arrival of the garrick on everyone's mind.
Freshwater:
The freshwater anglers have had a good run this past week with some proper size bass being shown off on social media. The trout fishing is picking up and the carp anglers are doing well for themselves. The bass fishing has been amazing in all of the KZN venues. The faster-moving baits have been putting the numbers in the boat. Crankbaits, spinnerbaits and walking surface baits allow you to cover a lot more water. These faster techniques have allowed anglers to quickly up their numbers before switching to soft plastics to target the bigger fish. Carp fishing has been great for conventional anglers. Sweet-flavoured baits and a spray of almond on your mielie bomb will keep your drag running and keepnet full on most of the bigger dams. The farm dams and ponds have also produced some good fish this past week with the fruity scents as well as bread seeing the best results.
The Stillwaters are starting to set up for the spawn.
