Plenty dorado off Mapelane
Mapelane has been on fire as far as reports from the locals go, with countless dorado and couta hook-ups over the last week. One of the boats saw two marlin hook-ups.
One marlin was landed and one lost to a hook pull. In between the marlin in the deep there are more wahoo being spoken of too. Two wahoo were landed on the 50m mark at Mapelane. These two fish were landed on baits that were being trawled for couta. Most areas between Mapelane, Cape Vidal and St Lucia have reached water temperatures in excess of 27 degrees, which will make for even better angling over the next few weeks.
Nice to see some very large Natal snoek landed on the Onda Spoons on the north coast, mainly at Cape Vidal and St Lucia. Some respectable couta were landed off Mapelane on live baits and trawled baits and the odd big tuna on Kingfisher Rattlers.
Durban has been fishing well for both gamefish and bottom fish. Some of our local charter boats managed some very good hauls of dorado, tuna and even marlin. The guys going for bottoms managed some very good daga salmon and rockcod on the deeper reefs, which fell victim to whole mackerel baits. Red fish such as englishman, slinger and soldiers have been plentiful on the northern reefs and marks. The anchored cargo ships produced a number of dorado, wahoo and even sailfish which have been caught on Rattler 150s and Williamson Dorado/Sailfish Catchers. Along the scumlines around Durban there has been a lot of bait activity and dolphin sightings, which are a good indication fish in the area. Tuna have been sighted feeding on the surface here and will readily take Rattler poppers and stick baits as they have been doing over the last week. Live bait will be a good way to target these fish on the scum-line as well.
Shelley Beach was on fire over the weekend and many an angler took part in the action. Amberjack were caught by the dozen by most of the boats that fished live bait and big bottom baits. The amberjack and yellowtail have also been taken on heavy Buck Tail Jigs and drop-shot fished deep. Jigs, however, being the flavour of the day. Gamefish such as wahoo, sailfish and tuna have been landed at Protea Banks. The most productive method is with trawling lures such as Halco Max lures and Rattler 150s.
Twitter - @kingfisherdaiwa @SportswaveAndre
Nice to see some very large Natal snoek landed on the Onda Spoons on the north coast, mainly at Cape Vidal and St Lucia. Some respectable couta were landed off Mapelane on live baits and trawled baits and the odd big tuna on Kingfisher Rattlers.
Durban has been fishing well for both gamefish and bottom fish. Some of our local charter boats managed some very good hauls of dorado, tuna and even marlin. The guys going for bottoms managed some very good daga salmon and rockcod on the deeper reefs, which fell victim to whole mackerel baits. Red fish such as englishman, slinger and soldiers have been plentiful on the northern reefs and marks. The anchored cargo ships produced a number of dorado, wahoo and even sailfish which have been caught on Rattler 150s and Williamson Dorado/Sailfish Catchers. Along the scumlines around Durban there has been a lot of bait activity and dolphin sightings, which are a good indication fish in the area. Tuna have been sighted feeding on the surface here and will readily take Rattler poppers and stick baits as they have been doing over the last week. Live bait will be a good way to target these fish on the scum-line as well.
Shelley Beach was on fire over the weekend and many an angler took part in the action. Amberjack were caught by the dozen by most of the boats that fished live bait and big bottom baits. The amberjack and yellowtail have also been taken on heavy Buck Tail Jigs and drop-shot fished deep. Jigs, however, being the flavour of the day. Gamefish such as wahoo, sailfish and tuna have been landed at Protea Banks. The most productive method is with trawling lures such as Halco Max lures and Rattler 150s.
Twitter - @kingfisherdaiwa @SportswaveAndre