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13/12/2007 11:54 AM - (SA) Shore anglers still await elf shoals 13-12-2007
There was a fair amount of fishing activity along our shores, especially in the Strand, but results were meagre. A few size Kob and one or two Elf however landed on local beaches. The reef specialists once again had a few Morocco size Geelbek as well as some Kob, but reported that fishing from the reefs in the windy conditions was tough going. These hard-core reef anglers fished Shark Rock and Middelbank and worked out to the Main Island off Melk Bay for their fish. Christo Botha and Friedel van der Merwe and others also fished Valsbaaigat at low tide, casting towards the deeper water where they also had fair catches of Kob and Geelbek. On Blake's Beach side the reef anglers also had a few Kob and the occasional Elf from the Adderley Street reefs at low tide and then moved back to the higher pinnacle at Verleëbank where they also caught a few Kob, Dassie and Elf. Although the South Easter put a few spinnermen off during the weekend, the water was very clear on Monday and the wind dropped. Johan Steyn and Keith Wyness made full use of the conditions and did some serious spinning and managed to land a few Elf. Elf season
There have however been reports of a large amount of Elf which have been trekked in the Muizenberg and Fish Hoek areas. On Monday there were two more treks of Yellowtail reported at Fish Hoek, which means that a large part of the school that was swimming around our bay and recreational fishermen rely on, have been wiped out. The fisherman who reported the trek to me said all the Yellowtail caught were large, mature fish mostly in roe. Earl Fenwick, who was fishing from his new boat Whale Rider on Sunday, said he had four Yellowfin and one Yellowtail and reported that other boats also reported Yellowfin jumping around about 20 miles off Cape Point and one or two boats also reported hooking fish, but losing them. Earl said the Yellowtail were feeding on pilchard and the water temperature in the bay was 16.5 degrees Celsius. The water temperature at Cape Point was only 12,9 degrees, although one or two Yellowtail were boated from the south west reef. Prize giving awards
The main prize winners of the year were: James Dodington - Senior Offshore Champion, Heaviest Fish on 24 kg line - Matt Swindale 55 kg Yellowfin (then last Tuesday Matt caught a 68.8 kg Yellowfin - quite a feat for the young angler who weighs 42 kg and is only 13-years-old), Junior Angler - Gareth Strydom won the prestigious Brink Shield for the Biggest fish on the lightest line, a 71.2 Yellowfin on 10 kg line and Junior Inshore Champion South and also won the Andy Johnson Trophy which is a Junior Merit Award, Junior Inshore Champion (West) - Geoffrey Pearson, Junior Offshore Champion - Miss Fiona Mclellan, Senior Inshore West Champion - Jacques Coetzer and Senior Inshore South Champion - Clive Farge. The 2008 Two Oceans Marlin Tournament off Struisbaai is planned to run between January 29 and February 1. The tournament is only open to 50 boats and all boats must pay R600, by no later than January 15. Banking details are: Absa Bredasdorp, account number: 40681 95968. Further information about the event is available from Johan van der Walt on 082 375 9810, Hannes Schreuder on 082 873 9647 or Meirion Williams on 082 5238 227. While recently reading an ORI Tagging report, I noticed that a Kob caught at Kaptein's Klip with a length of 449 mm was registered as a Dusky Kob and then later recaught by another angler in the Strand and the information returned to ORI. I would just like to comment that all the Kob of this size in our bay, are silver Kob and not Dusky Kob.
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