ROCK AND SURF
FISHING REPORT 18TH APRIL 2009

Autumn has well and truly set in as mornings are a little cooler and the off shore winds have started blowing. These factors indicate that the summer fish are going to start dwindling and the arrival of the first shoals of winter fish should start making an appearance very soon.
Shad have moved in and in the Transkei in particular there have been some very good catches of good size fish. On our coastline however anglers are still working hard for their fish.
There are some fish to be had but they seem a little erratic in feeding habits. Places like Winkle and Toti rocks can on its day produce many fish but the next day the fish seem to disappear and surface elsewhere.

Never the less, shad are in the areas where they should be and it’s the jekyl and hide tactics that are going to ensure that anglers can out smart these fish.

The flatfish are also slowing down quite a bit but some good size diamond skates are being caught along the Illovo stretch when conditions allow.

Reports of some big sand sharks are still coming in from the deepwater points on the South Coast.

Port Edward has been a buzzing little resort and visitors are out on the rocks in the good weather conditions here most of the time. Shad have been plentiful most of the time. Some hound sharks have also been taken at deep-water points and a large ribbon tail skate of 40 kg was also landed at Splash Rock early this week.

As expected, kob is here and mostly visiting fishermen are taking a number of shoal size fish from the area.

Transkei is also producing some good shark fishing as there are favourable reports coming from the Hole In The Wall area where some good size hammerhead sharks have recently been caught.

At night in this same area anglers have found some good shoal size kob.
Locally there are some nice edible fish around in the form of pompano, grunter and the odd stumpie.

Ski Boat and Fishing ski's
Ski Boat and fishing skis are still having a good season as far as game fish goes. Snoek are not as plentiful as they were a week or so ago but some really nice size fish have come out. Couta are a bit elusive but a few very big specimens have been taken on both North and South Coasts. Kieth Hockly bagged a fine fish of 18 kg last week but the fish of the week must go to junior angler Tyrone Waller who caught and boated a magnificent couta of 25,3 kg off Justin Vincent’s boat “Spug Pug” at Warner Beach last Sunday.

KZN fly fishing association
KZN FLY FISHING ASSOCIATION
Invites Junior & Lady Anglers to participate in this fun and informative day.
LEARN FROM  SPECIALISTS:
Rod Set-up /Casting & Knots, Fly Selection, HANDS-ON   STILLWATER FISHING SESSION, Limited Demonstration, 
Equipment  available on – site SUNDAY 
19th APRIL    9am  -  4.00pm,
CRANE FOUNDATION DAM,
NOTTINGHAM RD,
MIDLANDS Tea / Coffee,
Lunch Included  
Cost R70
Spaces limited, Families welcome
BOOKING ESSENTIAL:
Linda Gorlei
031-5635691/083 631 5301/ linda@xis.co.za
The Durban Ski- Boat Club Festival is being held on the 25th & 26th April 2009.

The main prize for the biggest cuda is a Seacat 565 with 2 x Yamaha 70hp motors, trailer, complete with electronics, safety equipment plus fishing rods and reels worth over R352, 000.00, plus other prizes worth over R550, 000.00. This promises to be, as the last few years, a magnificent competition.
Visitwww.durbanskiboatclub.co.za
for an entry form, or for pre– entries contact Durban Ski – Boat Club
Tel: 031 337 9506.

The New ESA BASS Angling Duo
“TO THE TOP WITH HOWIE AND ROB”,
The new ESA BASS angling duo with a difference made their first official appearance as ESA Bass Pro Anglers on the ESA BASS SHOW on Super Sport 1 last week. The rating for the show was fantastic and we have received great feedback from the public already!
These knowledgeable and determined anglers no doubt will keep you glued to the screen and chuckling at their witty but somehow comical encounters.
Don’t miss them….
same time, same place next week.
(Tuesday’s @ 7:00pm on Super Sport 1)

On ESA Saltwater this week we meet up with Mr Alexander as he targets some edibles in LBSA and DSSA.
Also catch Mark and PJ in Shelly Beach as they have some fun with the yellow fin tuna!
This Thursday on Super Sport 1 @ 19h30

Be sure to keep your eyes open for the new ESA tackle box in every show, where you get to see what product your favourite ESA talents
use to bring some spectacular catches to the screen.

 "Hier Gaan Ons Alweer" is airing on Thursday evenings on Kyknet, channel 111 at the following times: Thursday 16thth April 18:30hr.
There will be six rebroadcast as follows:
Fri 13:00,
Sat 9:00 and 0:00,
Mon 13:30, Tue 9:00 and 1:00.

This series will run for three months. 

“Hier Gaan Ons Alweer” is in "Stywe Lyne” as well as "Fish" magazine.
Both magazines are doing a series of articles on this fishing series.
HGOA are currently on the cover of the April edition of Stywe Lyne which also includes their second article. Petri and his team fish all over Southern Africa, fishing in salt and fresh water and will be fishing with The Kingfisher products, reels, rods, lines lures etc.


The Marlin Ski Boat Club
is hosting The Port Edward Ski Boat Festival on the 1st & 2nd May 2009. 1st Prize for the heaviest couta is the Explorer 465 MPB with 2 x Yamaha o/b motors and all the extras – ready to go to sea.
Worth over R200, 000.00.

This competition is open to Ski – Boats only. Early bird entry fee (by 28th Feb 2009) is R190.00 per angler.
For more info and entry forms go to www.marlinskiboatclub.co.za.

The Durban Ski- Boat Club Festival
The Durban Ski- Boat Club Festival is being held on the 25th & 26th April   2009.
The main prize for the biggest cuda is a Seacat 565 with 2 x Yamaha 70hp motors, trailer, complete with electronics, safety equipment plus fishing rods and reels worth over R352, 000.00, plus other prizes worth over R550, 000.00.

Early bird registration before
31st March 2009–R225.00, thereafter R295.00.
This promises to be, as the last few years,
a magnificent competition.
Visit www.durbanskiboatclub.co.za
for an entry form, or forpre
– entries contact Durban Ski – Boat Club
Tel: 031 337 9506.

TRADING HOURS
The trading hours of The Kingfisher over the festive season are as follows:
Mon - Fri. 8:00am - 5:00pm Sat. 8:00 - 1:00pm .

KINGFISHER CLINIC
The Kingfisher at 53, Hunter Street, Durban hosts a free Fishing Ski Clinic on their premises once a month by Markham Pollard.

These monthly clinics are there to help beginners and experienced anglers to see what the sport is all about and how to target certain species of fish. It also shows anglers what equipment to use and also elaborates on safety. Over and above this they also hold Rock and Surf clinics run by Ivan Stopforth and a Drop Shot clinic by Lloyd Pereira.

These Clinics are very informative and covers all the basics, including equipment, knots, bait presentation, and tactics. Remember guys, the crayfish season opened on the 1st March.
Please make sure that we stick to the rules and look after this resource.

The clinic on marlin fishing at The Kingfisher on 14th March by Andy Jones has been cancelled due to unforseen circumstances, we apologise for any inconvenience caused.
To book for one of these free clinics
phone the Kingfisher on 031- 368 3903.
Any info about fishing, fish caught or competitions
in your area send info to kingfish@iafrica.com
or fax 031- 368 4137, attention, Mike.
For the latest KZN fishing news presented by O.J., tune into East Coast Radio at 5.40am Monday - Friday.