How to target garrick in Durban Harbour

[Ziggy]

I mentioned elsewhere that I was fishing in Durban harbour when Ezemvelo checked my licence. While checking, the official said that there had been 4 or 5 large garrick caught along the centre bank using maasbanker as live bait.


I saw the guys trolling slowly along the banks. Not having any livebait, I trolled a rapala (I only had a black and grey deep diving one) but had no hits.


What rapalas would be good for garrick? Would throwing a chisel nose plug work? What other options would there be? Can you troll a dead maasbanker or a mackerel?


I found this article which was useful Dummies guide to Leervis Fishing - http://www.boatfishing.co.za/viewtopic.php?f=56&t=1033


Any body got some ideas?

[CLS]

Ziggy, live bait is best, try a mullet if you can't find mozzie, throw a chisel nose plug onto the bank and pull it into the deep, the Garrick tend to eat right on the edge, good luck. I can't wait for them to come into the surf off Lugs,

[CASTSA]

Hi Ziggy, yes there has been a few Garrick in the bay and as CLS mentioned the best technique to catch them is with a live bait. If you want live bait and you dont have the option to run out to sea quickly and get s a few is to try your luck in the area close to the NSRI. Just use your fish finder to look for a showing and use your mackerel jigs at the depth of the showing. Normally these bait fish bite early in the morning so it is always good to get there early and secure your bait. Garrick are very fussy, at this time of the year they 99% of the time will only eat a live bait, no plugs or lures will do the trick, obviously there are exceptions but the fish only seem to start eating the lures/plugs towards the end of September and then into October. Not sure why that is on the KZN coast but it is fact.
Once you have secured a few live bait, best to have a trace that is either just a 5/0 type hook directly to your CLEAR mono leader, about 0.65mm is normally thick enough and just drift that live bait about 15 meters behind the boat, slow slow drift, just one motor in gear moving slowing forward. If it is windy you can get your line and just drift with the wind.

Sometimes if the Garrick are not eating off the surface, you can down rig you bait simply with a 3oz bottle sinker and elastic band about 3-4m away from your bait. Just drop this behind the boat as you move away.

Once you have secured your baits and you are happy with the placement, I would focus my troll/drift to the center banks and work the drop-offs.
It is key, you have to make sure that you set the drag on the reels very light. When the fish picks up the bait, he must not be able to feel any resistance or in more cases than not he will drop the bait. Once the Garrick picks up the bait, it is best to let it eat for a while, let it run on free spool for at least 20m before tightening up and setting the hooks.

One of the most favorite fish to catch, an absolute gentleman of the ocean, clean, strong and very fussy.

Hope that helps.......

[Ziggy]

Thanks CLS and CASTA


I will try and hunt some livebait in front of the NSRI - and if I dont succeed....I will wait for the right season to get them on lures and plugs

[MichaelK]

Ziggy, when you have some time. Pop into see colin roper. He is a master at catching bay garrick and has been doing so for years. He showed me his trace he uses and its extremely simple. Basically 2 hooks, one through the upper lip of your live bait and the second beneath the live bait facing in the opposite direction to the front hook. There is no wire trace used, only monofilament. The leader is about a meter in length and he has a home made set up with the sinker. Basically a barrel sinker with a wire trace through it with loops on either side of the swivel. Thereby having the barrel sinker stationary by the swivel, this also prevents the bait from flipping and keeps it a little deeper in the water. they trawl extremely slow and around the center bank.

[Ziggy]

Ziggy, when you have some time. Pop into see colin roper. He is a master at catching bay garrick and has been doing so for years. He showed me his trace he uses and its extremely simple. Basically 2 hooks, one through the upper lip of your live bait and the second beneath the live bait facing in the opposite direction to the front hook. There is no wire trace used, only monofilament. The leader is about a meter in length and he has a home made set up with the sinker. Basically a barrel sinker with a wire trace through it with loops on either side of the swivel. Thereby having the barrel sinker stationary by the swivel, this also prevents the bait from flipping and keeps it a little deeper in the water. they trawl extremely slow and around the center bank.

I saw him catch a nice garrick a few weeks ago - I will pop by and have a chat to him - thanks for the response

[Ziggy]

Ziggy, when you have some time. Pop into see colin roper. He is a master at catching bay garrick and has been doing so for years. He showed me his trace he uses and its extremely simple. Basically 2 hooks, one through the upper lip of your live bait and the second beneath the live bait facing in the opposite direction to the front hook. There is no wire trace used, only monofilament. The leader is about a meter in length and he has a home made set up with the sinker. Basically a barrel sinker with a wire trace through it with loops on either side of the swivel. Thereby having the barrel sinker stationary by the swivel, this also prevents the bait from flipping and keeps it a little deeper in the water. they trawl extremely slow and around the center bank.

Michael K - something like this? My father used to use the alternative sinker arrangement to keep the bait from spinning when pulling a live bait offshore(swivel on line side and a kind of haywire twist on the other side)

[Gregf]

One change Ziggy, the second hook faces backwards with the point towards the tail and is set on the bone of the pelvic fins. Me thinks

[MichaelK]

Like the bottom one, but hook facing backwards.
 
He reckons he gets more hook ups that way, he says a garrick takes the fish in head first. So upon striking the bait is not pulled straight out

[Shaun17]

Hi Ziggy, yes there has been a few Garrick in the bay and as CLS mentioned the best technique to catch them is with a live bait. If you want live bait and you dont have the option to run out to sea quickly and get s a few is to try your luck in the area close to the NSRI. Just use your fish finder to look for a showing and use your mackerel jigs at the depth of the showing. Normally these bait fish bite early in the morning so it is always good to get there early and secure your bait. Garrick are very fussy, at this time of the year they 99% of the time will only eat a live bait, no plugs or lures will do the trick, obviously there are exceptions but the fish only seem to start eating the lures/plugs towards the end of September and then into October. Not sure why that is on the KZN coast but it is fact.
Once you have secured a few live bait, best to have a trace that is either just a 5/0 type hook directly to your CLEAR mono leader, about 0.65mm is normally thick enough and just drift that live bait about 15 meters behind the boat, slow slow drift, just one motor in gear moving slowing forward. If it is windy you can get your line and just drift with the wind.

Sometimes if the Garrick are not eating off the surface, you can down rig you bait simply with a 3oz bottle sinker and elastic band about 3-4m away from your bait. Just drop this behind the boat as you move away.

Once you have secured your baits and you are happy with the placement, I would focus my troll/drift to the center banks and work the drop-offs.
It is key, you have to make sure that you set the drag on the reels very light. When the fish picks up the bait, he must not be able to feel any resistance or in more cases than not he will drop the bait. Once the Garrick picks up the bait, it is best to let it eat for a while, let it run on free spool for at least 20m before tightening up and setting the hooks.

One of the most favorite fish to catch, an absolute gentleman of the ocean, clean, strong and very fussy.

Hope that helps.......

Top reply!!! Have some 

[Ziggy]

One change Ziggy, the second hook faces backwards with the point towards the tail and is set on the bone of the pelvic fins. Me thinks

Like this?

[Gregf]

Right position, just reverse the second hook so the point and eye face the tail

[Ziggy]

Right position, just reverse the second hook so the point and eye face the tail

liike this?

[Gregf]

 

[Ziggy]

thanks!  Now I just have to find the maasbankers

[Gregf]

As Castsa said near the NSRI at the harbor mouth early, even if you have to keep them for the incoming tide in the afternoon

[Ziggy]

As Castsa said near the NSRI at the harbor mouth early, even if you have to keep them for the incoming tide in the afternoon

like here?

• I assume that a dead bait trolled wont work - so I would have to keep them alive? Or will a dead bait work as well?
• I am also assuming (from your comment) that the incoming tide is when to fish for them?
• I am installing a fish finder - and I assume that should make it easier to find the maasbankers

[CLS]

As Castsa said near the NSRI at the harbor mouth early, even if you have to keep them for the incoming tide in the afternoon

like here?

• I assume that a dead bait trolled wont work - so I would have to keep them alive? Or will a dead bait work as well?
• I am also assuming (from your comment) that the incoming tide is when to fish for them?
• I am installing a fish finder - and I assume that should make it easier to find the maasbankers

The more alive the better, I change my baits every 10 - 15min.

[Corks]

We've picked up mozzie on a regular basis when fishing the harbour, the NSRI is great but also try across to the coal terminal. I'm my opinion you need to swim your livie on the shallower side of the drop off on center back on an out going tide.

[Gregf]

As Castsa said near the NSRI at the harbor mouth early, even if you have to keep them for the incoming tide in the afternoon

like here?

• I assume that a dead bait trolled wont work - so I would have to keep them alive? Or will a dead bait work as well?
• I am also assuming (from your comment) that the incoming tide is when to fish for them?
• I am installing a fish finder - and I assume that should make it easier to find the maasbankers

The more alive the better, I change my baits every 10 - 15min.

  In an estuary system most fish feed more aggressively when the tide is coming in. The area is correct for bait and a fish finder is a must. Look for rips leading into deeper water on the center banks and try get your baits to swim through these areas, as other baitfish congregate there to feed off anything washed off or churned up off the banks and this is where the Greeks in turn hunt for them. Do not be scare of using very small hooks as you should be able to hook and subdue a garrick on small hooks with a long soft pressure fight. I must say often a small treble in the nose like CLS advocates is a good way to go with small baits like Pinkies and Mozzies, feel it out put in the time steal with your eyes and you will catch them sooner than later, who know maybe even a king fish or a queenie at different times of the year  Tight lines mate