02/12/2025
Having been away from home and the Gamtoos River for just over a week I was keen to get out on the water for a fishing session. It was Sunday afternoon and with only a few hours before sunset I decided that a quick fish off my small boat was just what I needed!
Drifting through my usual spots I could not get a single bump, it was a late dropping tide the water just did not feel right for a Garrick...never mind a Dusky Kob! Plan B was quickly taken and I motored down to the "VereBoss" (Feather Trees) in the hope of raising some Spotted Grunter on Topwater lures!
Arriving at the first set of sand banks I immediately saw a few good sized tails of Spotted Grunter drilling the Pink Prawn banks. I quickly realized that there was a small shoal of good sized fish feeding in the area. I cut the motor about a 100m away and drifted into the channel and was then pressed onto the opposite bank of the channel but s fairly stiff west wind. it was the perfect position to cast across the channel and slowly drift and twitch my SureStrike Bone White 100F lure all through the prime areas!
First cast and drift almost immediately raised a small grunter off the bottom. It made two swirls on the lure and then committed a good take which immediately resulted in a hookup! Although its great to get a fish on your first cast, its also often the case that you just dont catch another fishing in that session...call it superstition!
On my fourth cast I allowed the lure to drift onto my side of the bank where I intended to slowly work it back to the boat against the current. After only one or two pokes the water exploded under the lure and with a loud bucketing slurp I was immediately into a nice solid grunter. Taking line off a tightly set drag it was a great, but short fight, filled with short stabbing runs until I netted a nice sized Spotted Grunter! After a few pics the stunning Prawn Snorter was safely returned to the water, with a strong release, to fight another day!
After that commotion the shoal had moved on and after another 30 minutes of trying I had no more bites and decided to drift a little further down river to the next set of banks. Along the way I was treated to witnessing a solid 50kg+ Dusky Kob moving off a bank through shallow and finally slipping into deeper water. I first thought it was a Ragged Tooth Shark, something which I had seen a good few years prior, due to the size and wake it created on the water. Only after seeing half the body above the water line did I realise it was a monster Kob. A few minutes later it smashed some mullet against the drop off bank. I managed to film his wake, on full zoom, although its a grainy recording...its good enough to see the wake this fish left!
What a way to finish another fantastic afternoon on the river!
There is no doubt whatsoever that our once abundant fish stocks are under threat from overfishing and negative environmental impacts. As you improve in your success and your catch rate improves...give a little back as credit for the next BIG ONE! Limit your catch, don't catch your limit...catch n release! :-)
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Tight Lines
Brett Harris
[email protected]
+27(0)834125316
Having been away from home on the Gamtoos River for just over a week I was keen to get out on the water for a fishing session. It was Sunday afternoon and wi...
