Deja vu

On Friday 2^nd May at 6am, Andrew Mitchley and I launched “ABF” out of Richards Bay. We were hoping to catch a few snoek and maybe a cuda if we were in luck. We stopped at the pipeline and quickly caught a few strings of livies before heading north to the snoek grounds. There were a lot of boats there so I decided to hang a bit south of the crowds and try my luck there.

I put out a few fillets and redeyes and trolled in the same depth as the previous day. On my second turn, I saw a lone bird fluttering over one spot. I trolled towards it and saw a few snoek boils. I cast the spoon and went tight on a snoek. I gaffed it myself while Andrew was driving. I had just cleaned the deck when I saw the surface fillet go away. Andrew took the strike and got his first snoek. There were obviously s few fish in the area and after trolling around for a bit longer, we managed 2 more fish on the deep baits.

Things went quiet so I moved over to another bird fluttering in the shallows. Before I got there, a few snoek smashed baitfish on the surface. Andrew cast the spoon and went tight immediately. At the same time one of the baits went away. Unfortunately we lost the fish on bait but Andrew got his. I turned over the spot and went tight on a fillet. After loading the fish, we went away on a redeye bait and caught another fish. By now the other boats had cottoned on to the fact that we were getting fish and within a few minutes, there were 40 boats there. I was not keen on this congestion and moved deeper. We had a good pull on a deep redeye, but after the first run, the hooks came out. By 10am, the action stopped so we upped lines and headed to the kasteel to try for a cuda.

Andrew's 15kg YFT

ABF's haul of snoek and a YFT

We arrived at the ledge and found that the current was ripping again. I ran up a bit further north before setting 2 deep lines and 2 surface lines. I had just set the last line when I noticed the deep rod keel over and the reel absolutely smoked off! I cleared the other deep line while Andrew fought the fish. The first run was quite long but eventually stopped and we could get some line back. After 20 minutes, the sinker came up which I removed. I could see the fish down deep, but it looked quite short. Only then did I see that it was a nice big yellowfin. It circled to the surface where I gaffed it and bled it. It was put on ice before I ran up to north to start another approach. Like deja vu, the lines were just set when the same deep rod smoked off. I cleared the same lines as before while Andrew took the strike. The fish had just settled when the hooks pulled! Unlucky. The trace came back totally mauled. I rerigged but despite trolling over the same area we had no more pulls. The NE wind was picking up, so we headed back home. The yellowfin weighed in at 15kg while all the snoek were on the small side.

 

10 minutes too late, but worth the wait!

On Thursday 1 May at 6am, Tjokkie and I launched “ABF” out of Richards Bay. We were keen to see if we could get a snoek or two. The weather forecast indicated that there would be a big SW coming through at around 1pm, so we were hoping that the fish would eat just before the turn.

On the way north to the snoek grounds, I noticed a few birds working on the 20m line so I went closer to investigate. As we moved into the area, I saw a snoek jump, followed by another. I slacked off to trolling speed and rigged up 3 redeyes, a fillet and a mackerel with 2 baits deep and 3 on top. I tacked the area and while I was turning, one of the surface redeyes were eaten. Tjoks took the rod while I cleared the deep lines. The fish sounded and then the fight change to a heavy weight that steadily took line. A few minutes later, there were a few big nods before the head of a big bonnie came to the surface. Obviously the sharks were around too. I wanted to check the other baits just to be sure everything was ok. While I was retrieving the far bait, I felt the line go heavy so I tightened up and went on. The fish came in relatively early, but then stopped and gave a few head nods before going on a good run. Unfortunately, as the fish slowed down, the hook pulled. Well at least we were in the right area.

I rerigged the baits and set the lines before working the area. Again, on the turn, the surface redeye went away. Tjoks took the rod and after a good tussle had a nice snoek next to the boat where I gaffed our first snoek of the season. Talk about a relief.

Tjoks with a 7kg snoek

Things went a bit quiet so I made a few shallower turns. On several occasions, I saw a few snoek swimming on the surface but they showed no interest in the spoon or baits. Something had to change. I increased the trolling speed and was rewarded with the surface fillet being eaten. The fish almost immediately tailwrapped and made a commotion on the surface. I pampered the fish closer, not wanting to break the light wire. Eventually I had the fish at the boat where Tjoks gaffed it. I suggested we change the baits to 3 fillets and 2 rapalas and see if the increase in speed would make a difference. We made the switch and worked the area where we had been seeing the fish, but had no pulls. The wind had dropped to nothing and the SW was close.

I turned to head to the harbour when we noticed a few birds dipping deeper out. I made a turn in the area and we were rewarded with a shoal of snoek chasing baitfish. Tjoks cast the spoon into the shoal a few times and a few chases and misses. While this was going on, one of the fillets went away with a snoek. I fought the fish while Tjoks threw spoon. When the fish was at the boat, Tjoks gaffed it.

Trolling on "ABF"

We were now just in gear and moving slowly forward while sorting out the deck and rerigging another bait when I saw the rod with the close fillet keel over and the reel screamed. Tjoks took the rod and had a good fight with what turned out to be our biggest snoek of the day. By now we could see the SW on the horizon so there was no time to waste. The lines went out again as I made another few turns over the same spot. It was no surprize when another rod went away and Tjoks brought in another nice fish.

By now the SW had arrived and despite upping lines and running for port, we were about 10minutes too late and ended up having a wet and bumpy ride back. The smallest snoek was 4,5kg and the biggest 8kg. Not too bad considering it was so early in the season.