Fishing Report - Kosi Bay November 2012
So, after many long days of waiting and preparing, it was Friday afternoon and we were all off to Reefman's place to get everything packed and sorted and make sure all last minute belongings could be added and that we had enough tackle, and wow was there a lot of tackle. Many comments flew over the week about how we should open uyp a Mia's. But anyway we went home and many of the guys managed a couple of hours of sleep before we met up at Reefz house at 3.30am. Last minute checking and we were off at 4am. The excitement was in the in air and we were all like 10 year old kids on Christmas Eve. We took 2 cars down, Mike Pike (Mike) and Rykie (Richard) travelled down together, Reefman (Tony) and Weedeater (Brendon) travelled down together and after much deliberation of whether I should be strapped to the trailer, I managed to get a seat in Reefz car.
Day 1 - Saturday - Travelling With ExcitementThe drive down was scenic and beautiful, and we only had one 5 minute stop at the annoying stop and go's. We stopped at Piet Retief top grab some Wimpy breakfast, and after that hit the spot we were off to the Parks board to sort our permits out. Once that was sorted, and we had a an ice cold Heineken it was off to Kosi Bay Mouth. After some 4x4ing we arrived at the place where we would be accommodated for the next week. A beautiful place at that. We unpacked, got everything sorted and we set up some artificial set ups to have a few throws late afternoon in the estuary. The only action was a few small hits here and there and puffers chasing down lures. After a lekker braai and a few beers, I decided to have a few throws in the surf, couldn't convince anyone to come with me, and I am not surprised, I Lasted a few hours before the constant drizzle and strong north easter got the better of me, and to be honest the Ghost Crabs started freaking me out a bit, some of them looked like the size of a Kudu bull! Probably a bit of my imagination though.
Day 2 - Sunday - Monkeys Causing Havoc
We were all up at 4am and walked roughly 400 meters to the left of the mouth to a spot we had identified the day before. The wind started to blow a gale as the sun came out and it was very unpleasant. This was to be much of the conditions during the next week. Fishing was very difficult. Richard managed the first fish of the trip, a Wave Garrick. Nothing else was happening during that morning. After an awesome breakfast Mike and Richard took the spinning gear and walked up the estuary in horrible conditions. Their perseverance was rewarded. Close to lake 1, Richard got a juvenile Cock Grunter on a 2' Berkley Shrimp and the same lure produced a Pickhandle Barracuda and a Bartail Flathead for Mike. That was that for the late morning/afternoon. We were setting up for some evening/night fishing and the monkeys proceeded to steal a packet of Mikes peanuts out of his tackle box and when I went to chase away a small monkey off the deck, I looked behind me only to see the mother of that monkey picking up a new pack of crackers and running off with it, that did not put me in the best of moods. We did a bit more spinning before we fished the surf, Richard got chowed on a shrimp by something with big teeth, probably a Pickhandle Barracuda. The Puffers were full up in the estuary I got 4 on prawn before I got tired of catching them, the one coughed up a cracker shrimp claw as I landed it.
We got onto the beach at 4pm. Tony and myself got a few bites on our edible rods. I hooked a small fish and the hooks pulled in the last wave before the beach. All the guys had slides out, Mike got burned off, dont know if the slide didnt go all the way down or he got bitten off, just one of those mysteries of angling. I caught a 35cm (0.95kgs SASAA) Natal Stumpnose, a new species for me. The wind and lack of fished chased us off the beach at about 8pm.
Day 3 - Monday - Monkeys ate 3bean SaladTony was out spinning early and got 2 Threadfins, one on 2' Berkley Shrimp and one on a bite me jig. He also got an ever present Puffer on shrimp. In the mean time the Monkeys got into the dinig room and ate our 3 bean salad and whatever else was edible. Mike and I walked up the estuary, I got a knock on the toby spoon, but that was it. Mike got a Thornfish on a 2' Berkley Shrimp, that plastic was getting chowed in the estuary system!
We were then off to do some night fishing, before it got dark I hooked into a beautiful fish on a prawn/chokka combo. Hooked it on a size 2 circle hook, took a bit of line and had a lot of head shaking, I was bleak when the hook pulled. It was a good fish. Closer inspection revealed my line was very frayed close to the eye of the hook, possibly a nice Shad lost. Then it was quiet and Brendon's rod went screaming, after an awesome fight, Brendon's face lit up as Tony landed his first ever Giant Guitarfish, a 132cm beaut! (12.87 kgs according to SASAA) It was Brendon's night, after myself and Reefz headed back away from the weather, he got a 92cm Blacktip Reef Shark (12.08kgs SASAA).
Day 4 - Tuesday - Monkeys use table as a bathroomI woke up to Brendon screaming that is a bloody unacceptable, with the word bloody replaced with some a lot harsher. On further inspection a Vervet Monkey dropped off a nice present in the middle of the table that went all over Brendon's Assasin shirt and rod bucket, he was bleak with the Monkeys. The morning was absolutely dead, no fish, no signs of fish, terrible conditions and the sea was on its head. I walked 3.2kms to the Moz border and 3.2kms back, no signs of fished, but my baits and leader got cained by swimming crabs, I really dislike those things! Once again the guys were on the beach that night, I decided to stay at the place and cook some Wors for the chaps for when they get back, so I decided to take a power nap that lasted 12 hours. Needless to say I was rewarded handsomely with lots of Tequila in the morning for that mistake. Richard ended up getting a Giant Sandshark, a new species for him, of 90cm (4.06kgs SASAA).
Day 5 - Wednesday - Raymond ArrivedAfter more work than expected Raymond arrived, Richards father. He was greeted by windy, mild and rainy conditions. We waded across the mouth in the worst spot possible, as we all had to put a bit of a swim in, we found a better spot later. Before we waded I had a few throws with the trusty 10g Halco Twisty spoon and proceeded to get smashed as there were some Kingies smashing bait fish, unfortunately they moved off but I did manage 2 new species, a Blue Emperor and a Lizardfish. We had a few throws with the artificials off the bricks and in the bay on the other side of the mouth, a few chases and a few knocks, but nothing landed. We then prepared for a social evening where we all consumed a fair amount of strafdops and beers, Brendon was hugging everyone, Tony was downing beers, Raymond was putting them away, while Mike, Richard and myself got slightly inebriated.
Day 6 - Thursday - Hangovers & WeatherThe boys all looked or felt a bit rough, but it was our worst day yet in terms of weather so there was plenty time to recover. Early morning Mike got chased by a Barracuda on a stickbait and I got a Puffer on Camo Worm. The Monkeys got into Brendon's bag and opened up his packet of Camo Worms. Mike then proceeded to fish in the worst rain and wind of the trip, I was thinking at the time, forget Bruce Willis, Mike Pike stars in Die Hard - Kosi Bay!
Day 7 - Friday - Body On The LineWe woke up early and waded across to the other side, the weather was great up until about 10am but we all carried on, except Richard who had to get stitched (keep reading) the guys were all throwing artificials and I was throwing my 6 foot rod with 15lb Calcutta braid which Mike donated to me and Reefz demonstrated some knots, thanks for this guys, once you go braid you never go back! I had 3 fights of my life on braid that day, 3 decent sized Pouters, biggest being 25cm's (aka Pursemouth). After that Richard landed a vibrant colourful Speckled Snapper, on many of our lists for this trip, what a beaut. But he paid the price as he was running back on the rocks to get a pic so he could releases the fish quickly. He then fell into a hole and his leg got badly cut open, almost to the bone. 7 Stitches later and with a gangster-like walk we saw him back at the cottage with Heineken in his hands. I got my second Natal Stumpnose of the trip, 22cm, on the light stuff I was having great fun. We then headed back, had a braai and had a few more drinks.
Day 8 - Saturday - Big FishOur last day, we fished hard, Tony caught a juvenile Blacktip Kingfish, and Mike charged a cow that was on the sandbanks, interesting times. After myself and Mike headed back Tony got a 1.5kg Bartail Flathead and got smoked in the middle of a Kingfish smash. Straightened 2 hooks! One fish took 50 meters of line before he straightened the jighead. After some arrangement we went for one beach session. Richard lost a fish of a lifetime (Remember fishermen have many lifetimes so it will come again). He was sorting out some chum and his reel ticked over, he looked back and it started screaming off, a monster of a fi=sh on a mackie slide. Unfortunately the hooks pulled and Richard was gutted, after closer inspection of his trace afterwards Reefz came to the conclusion that it was a Raggie, and a big one at that I reckon easily 120kgs!
Then came the tough part, packing up and enjoying our last night in Kosi.
Fish summary: 26 fish ( 15 species) 6x Evileyed Puffer, 3x Pouter, 2x Bartail Flathead, 2x Giant Guitarfish, 2x Threadfin, 2x Natal Stumpnose, 1x Wave Garrick, 1x Pickhandle Barracuda, 1x Blacktip Reef Shark, 1x Blacktip Kingfish, 1x Lizardfish, 1x Blue Emperor, 1x Cock Grunter, 1x Speckled Snapper, 1x Thornfish
Day 9 - Sunday - LeavingWe left at 7am en route to Jozi, sad times indeed, we stopped at a view point of Jozini which was a great scene to end off a great trip.
I would like to thank everyone for arguably the best trip ever, Tony, Mike, Raymond, Brendon, Richard, look forward to many more trips with you okes, the bad fishing was made up by some unforgettable moments! It was amazing, truly a trip of a lifetime!
WK
More pics to be added by the other chaps, and a few videos by myself...
