Gansbaai trip 8th - 13th August 2012 - Op soek na Snoek !!

[stephan.chambers]

During the 2011 December holidays in Gansbaai I got my first taste of catching snoek on spinner/lood/doilies but they were the smaller ones (pikstele or Chinese snoek I think) and oh yes a couple of real
nice Geelbek.
So this year when I heard snoek was around in the Western Cape I had to go and try catch some of those big ones I’ve heard about – Bokwaens or Oliekoppe. So booked flights, bought a LOT of tackle (you never know what might be required and us anglers can never too much) and then was also lucky to win a prize in the UA raffle. A selection of TW Lures and Jigs courtesy of Mike Pike and Willie – thanks guys I used them and they do work. Half-Pint if you look carefully you might see me using your wind-on leaders as well – although there is not much (except steel) that a snoek will not bite off.

Got to OR Tambo Wednesday morning and had to pay a fine for being overweight (luggage). Arrived at CT international, hired a car and off to Gansbaai. Here I must add the weather prediction for the week ahead was not promising at all – in fact a huge storm was brewing ! So knowing I only had 2 days of good weather ahead I made haste to get there ASAP. Packed all the necessary for the next day and could hardly sleep. Keep in mind I had been hearing stories of the commercials catching into the hundreds of fish per boat daily. I was jigging for snoek and quite a lot of stick from the locals – “dis nie hoe jy dit doen nie Boet !!” But I persevered and was eventually rewarded – also by doing so got the snoek up from the deep and made the other anglers on the boat get them with baits. Bennie Jordaan’s Demon Tackle – your
vertical jigs did the trick mostly but the Kevlar hooks got bitten off !! After I lost about 4 bites either on the main line (1.4mm leader and 40pd fireline) or jigs coming back up with the hooks bitten off – I changed all the assist hooks and only used split rings and swivels connected directly to the lure and then had more success. I also caught lots and lots of Gurnard/Gurnet/Knorhaan – this on the same jigs ! Very pretty fish indeed with fins that look like butterfly wings and great fun – they make strange grunting noises when out of the water – you will me see grunting back to one. 

Eventually cathing my first “big” snoek was huge fun – they put up quite a fight on the light tackle – the locals use handline and give them no slack, so get them into the boat much quicker. Getting them into the boat also one thing but then then the fun really starts – clubbing and breaking the neck of a fish that is flapping away furiously – jaws opening and closing – and not getting yourself injured in the process is an aquired skill and not for the faint hearted. But the skipper was quite patient and showed me well and assisted when he could. Posing with the fish afterwards – priceless - doing the gutting etc was just another learning but still very interesting.
 
Later that evening after salting, washing and drying the snoek the braaing was just the cherry on top – with a great sunset to be added – what a day !! Also had some snoek roe or “kuite” – very interesting and perculiar taste. In total we only managed the 3 that day – a very bad day I was told as the previous week the shoals were bigger and easier to find – they had obviously moved on. Now that this bug has bitten me I will be sure to be quicker on the draw next time round. I’ll post some more tomorrow on the rest of the trip. 

[J-Rock]

  Nice report!

[Lichia amia]

Great report 

[REEFMAN]

Great report Stephan! Looks like you had fun!!   

[Lenny]

Lekker report !!!!! lekker pics!
en sommer lekker Snoeke .
Daai is gladnie slegte Bekke nie ook ! 

[Lenny]

Lekker BEK en Snoeke , Cape Town still have some fish !

[SAfish]

Great report and good catches! Well done. 

[Kumz]

 

[shagnrelease]

Nice Report!! Thanks for taking the time!

[Homie]

 
Great reading !

[Debbie]

Great report and great photos to go with it.
 
 

[BETTYS]

Hi Stephan
 
Glad you could get some snoek and BEK. Lucky you missed the cold fronts and big sea.
 
Well done.
 
 

[stephan.chambers]

Betty's - I actually did not - only came back on Monday (this week) so witnessed most of the storm that came through - it was wild !! One of the trawlers lost it's anchor and washed up on the rocks inside the harbour - broke into bits. I was quite sad sitting in the local bar watching the bad weather and cursed my luck - could have had so much more fishing time - but one must not be greedy - it was still a great 2 days of perfect weather.

[Lenny]

Hi Stephan
 
Glad you could get some snoek and BEK. Lucky you missed the cold fronts and big sea.
 
Well done.

Intresting fact , that most oldsalt in Capetown believe the BEk goes on the bite in big seas . I have experianced some truth to this , I can recall a trip out with Chukkies in Struis , where the Seas was really upset ,but hell we filled up with decent size Bek  , the guys in KZN and EP are lucky they get the real big ones .

[Lenny]

Hi Stephan
 
Glad you could get some snoek and BEK. Lucky you missed the cold fronts and big sea.
 
Well done.

Intresting fact , that most oldsalt in Capetown believe the BEk goes on the bite in big seas . I have experianced some truth to this , I can recall a trip out with Chukkies in Struis , where the Seas was really upset ,but hell we filled up with decent size Bek  , the guys in KZN and EP are lucky they get the real big ones .

[SAfish]

Intresting fact , that most oldsalt in Capetown believe the BEk goes on the bite in big seas . I have experianced some truth to this , I can recall a trip out with Chukkies in Struis , where the Seas was really upset ,but hell we filled up with decent size Bek  , the guys in KZN and EP are lucky they get the real big ones .

True, one of my wettest boat rides ever was on our way back from a Blombos Bek fishing trip back to Still Bay harbour on a commercial boat. The Bek like a bit of "skop" in the water and they were dik that day.
  I still have a scar on the back of my head where a frozen Geelbek hit me. Long story...!

[Bryan1972]

Was n baie baie lekker kuiertjie boetie! Jy moet dit beslis volgende jaar weer doen.
Desember sal ons die kabeljou soek wanneer jy af kom. Met die mond wat mooi oop is en VOL harders is dink ek ons gaan n baie goeie seisoen he!


Hopelik baie  !!!!!!!!!!!!


Net vier maande!

[Lenny]

Intresting fact , that most oldsalt in Capetown believe the BEk goes on the bite in big seas . I have experianced some truth to this , I can recall a trip out with Chukkies in Struis , where the Seas was really upset ,but hell we filled up with decent size Bek  , the guys in KZN and EP are lucky they get the real big ones .

True, one of my wettest boat rides ever was on our way back from a Blombos Bek fishing trip back to Still Bay harbour on a commercial boat. The Bek like a bit of "skop" in the water and they were dik that day.
  I still have a scar on the back of my head where a frozen Geelbek hit me. Long story...!

Daar is net iets wat my pla , van die fotos , en regtig , ek meen dit baie respek , en met julle eie veiligheid in gedagte ,en ek voel ek moet iets se daar oor . WADERS , is groot moeilikheid soek op n boot ,waders suig vas net n bietjie water , jy sink soos n klip  Olies werk maar die beste , en as jy hom vat in oranje , of Geel , dan is jy darm meer sigbaar sou die 'unspeakable' gebeur en jy dryf in die see man aleen ,  Donker kleure raak eenvoudig net weg op die see , en niemand sal jou sien nie .
Daar baie manne wat al uitgegaan het  see toe gaan en nooit weer terug kom nie .

Jammer dat ek bietjie ge HI jack het Stephan . 

[stephan.chambers]

Stem saam Lenny - maar moenie bekommer nie - daai is nie waders nie - lyk net so die broeke het net die skoers straps op maar onder is dit oop - ek het groen boots aan wat baie maklik los kom- dis hoekom dit soos waders lyk - dankie dat jy om gee oor veiligheid - ek sal dit ook nooit doen nie. Ek was al in n boot ongeluk betrokke waar die boot omgeval het en ons vie baie ure rond gedobber het - so veiligheid is een van my hoogste prioriteite. cheers

[Lenny]

Dis reg , ek weet somige ouens mac gyver , n ou wader dat jy hom kan dra !


Mens wil altyd terug kom na jou familie en Vriende , na n dag se visvang .