KwaZulu-Natal anglers reel in shad and Garrick as sardine run winds down
Shad, Garrick and bronze bream are biting hard as North Coast anglers cash in on the season's best surf and deep-sea fishing.
The sardine run continued along the South Coast last week, though fewer shoals were seen as the annual migration begins to slow down.
Windy conditions late in the week made netting a challenge, but a successful haul was recorded at Pumula early on Sunday morning.
The run has lasted a solid eight weeks and it is not finished quite yet. Sardines also have a history of turning up when least expected.
Surf anglers enjoyed another productive week, particularly those targeting shad. Decent-sized fish were landed at first light, with a standout catch of a 4kg shad at Eastmore Beach in Umhlanga Rocks – a rare size for this time of year.
A popular spot at Zimbali, known as 'Machaortwa,' also produced quality shad and many anglers reported reaching their bag limits. This beach remains a favourite for both shad and Garrick fishing.
Garrick numbers have also picked up along the lower North Coast.
Anglers using live bait saw the most success, though spoons and modern lures also proved effective. Garrick are now being caught all along the coast, from Durban northwards, in what's shaping up to be another strong season similar to last year.
Further south, the action has been just as lively as previous weeks.
At Margate, anglers reported 'boiling' shad throughout the day, with garrick mixed into the catches.
Bronze bream were also plentiful, with some impressive specimens recorded, alongside rockcod, blacktail and karranteen. T
he latter are being used as live bait to target larger fish like Garrick. Other species showing up on the upper South Coast include grunter, kingfish, salmon – and a few smaller grey sharks.
In Durban, the Blue Lagoon area continues to produce Natal snoek and Garrick, especially for kayak anglers fishing the backline. Although the pier remains closed since January, fish are still plentiful in the surrounding waters.
Blue Lagoon – affectionately called 'Lugz' – holds a rich angling history.
I remember walking there as a boy to watch kite anglers send their baits out on offshore winds, landing everything from tuna and barracouta to big sharks.
Anglers used Scarborough or 'ball race' type reels in those days and it was great to watch the battles to land the big fish from beyond the waves.
There is much history attached to this area and this is the first time that anglers have been banned from fishing.
Offshore, not much has changed. Bottom fishing remains steady with rockcod, half-kob, musselcracker and geelbek salmon keeping anglers busy.
A notable deep-sea catch last week was a 45kg copper steenbras landed off Durban.
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