Transkei December 2016

[tkei]

Having moved to Cape  Town in June 2015, my regular trips to the family house in the Transkei have  not occurred since. The major trek was set for 16 Dec until 3 Jan.
An un-eventful but long trip to el with  the family and 2 fat Labs on the 16th had us in El until the 20th. Great  catching up with family and old friends and of course the tackle shop. I really  needed a To Adam From Adam, so a little Diawa BG4000 with braid and a few spoons  and poppers came home with me. Target Yellowtail. TA at its best.

Arrived in the kei on the 20th fairly  early. Was so nice to see everyone. got unpacked. My brother and a friend had  been out and got a few small fish but fishing was slow.
21st looked to be one of the few days with  potential for a run at marlin.
4am start and we filled up with mackerel  and ran out to the deep. Unfortunately, the water was green and stayed around  the 23deg mark, only once hitting 23.8, but the colour was not right, and there  was very little life, except one huge pod of dolphin. We worked right out to  the 1500m mark but there was nothing. Unfortunately this was the only time we  got out deep due to weather and or sea conditions.

On the 22nd we did a trip up the river  with my dad and both my kids. We trolled a few rapalas etc on unfavourable  tides and only got 2 sea pike, one by my daughter and I got one on a trolled  fly. Hers came off as I tried to lift it and mine bit me off as I tried to lift  t, so unfortunately no pictures.

I had promised my 6yr old that I would  take him deep sea this holiday. He had been out 2 years before and loved it,  but now not having a boat in CT has put his deep sea trips on hold.
23rd Dec I woke him at 4.15. He was up  like a shot from a  deep slumber. Dressed and ready in no time. He told  his mom " I'm so excited and can’t wait". As a dad its such a great  feeling seeing such excitement.

5am we were out and quickly filled up  with mackerel. Ross had an absolute ball catching string after string of them.  Quantity not quality with the kids, keeps them excited.
The east was forecast, so we decided to  skip chasing yellowtail south, so headed north to run back with the wind. We  ran quite far north through the Hluleka reserve up to Rame Head/ Brazen head  area. A few boats were fishing bottoms and could not get a bite anywhere. First  drop at a spot known for Dagarad in about 60m had a friend vas into a decent  fish. It turned into a 13kg Copper. Ross could not believe his eyes. It was a  small copper, but came home with us for a fry.
Unfortunately 60m is quite deep for a  little guy. I put my new BG4000 on a suitable rod for ross and helped him.  Bites were very few and far between. He got a just undersize Dagarad which we  tagged and released (and forgot to take a picute of for him, BAD DAD) and a  dikbekkie. The bottom fishing got the better of Ross and his face was soon  matching his hat colour. Having not been able to get a word in with all his  questions and chatting to silence. He would'n even take a sucker (then you know  things are bad). A little chat with Rolf over the side and he was back chatting  and fishing. 2 such episodes all day and both times happy as larry  afterwards.

We gave up on bottom and started  trolling. We came in close behind Rame Head where there was a lot of bird  action. We had a double strike. I was about to get Ross sorted on one when it  came off. My brother gave Ross his rod and  it was battle on. A tiagra 30 on a 2030 rod is  a little oversized for a small chap, so my boet helped hold the rod but in his  bucket while ross did the rest. Much huffing and puffing had the yellowfin boat  side fairly quickly and then the fun started, the dives under the boat, short  runs etc, Kirk had to help a bit to prevent a tiagra going to Neptune for Christmas.  Darren gaffed the yellowfin. Ross was so happy with himself. A decent 8.8kg  yellowfin is not a bad first gamefish. A few pics and a phone call to mommy,  followed by a sucker. all was good.

We could see plenty bird action right  in front of Prezley Bay cottages so headed that way, right past the Mtekatkye  River mouth and cliffs. I hadnt been in close behind there for many years so  great to see that.
We had triple strike,  I had a  screamer that took about 200m off a 50. It turned into a tail hooked yellowfin.  I pulled it backwards to about 10m from the boat when hooks pulled. Hard work  for nothing. A couple more strike among the birds which were diving like it was  the sardine run led to another yellowfin. We then saw a splash and a bending  rod and jumping dorado and realized I had left a ratchet off. Ross was game  again having turned down a few previous strikes.  He fought it like a champion, unfortunately it  didn't jump again. The 4.5kg dorado was soon gaffed. One very happy dad and  little boy. The dolphin were all over along with a few turtles some hammer  heads and diving gennets, terns etc, so all in all a very exciting day. One of  my best moments fishing so far. He did incredibly well for a little guy on his  2d ever deep sea trip lasting 7.5 hrs on a stinking hot day, never once asking  to go home. I did have many tears to deal with every other time we went out as  he also wanted to come.

The west blew on the 24th like I can’t  remember it blowing before. The sea went from a pond to enormous during the  course of the day. Waves breaking 500m plus out at sea in front of our cottage  in what would be about 15-20m of water. Scary stuff, but there is something  great about watching storm surf. The 26th we went out for a short troll. The  sea improved all day to flat calm. we got 2 yellowfin and I got a 10kg dorado  on my light 10kg stick. I was lucky to land it as it was on a tiny X-Rap and 5  of the 6 hooks were straightened. The wind kept turning S or SE which put the  fish off instantly and this continued throughout the holiday.

We went out again on the 27th with my  dad and brother. We decided to try for a copper. I got a big grey shark (hard  work from 120m) and an 18kg copper and surprisingly a 9kg geelbek. Bites were  hard to come by. in 2.5 hrs we lost over 20 1kg sinkers (expensive day). My dad  had 3 proper bites and every time he went tight his braid snapped for no  reason. It seems it went vrot overnight. Of course the other 2 of us never got  the proper bites.  My dad had a bad fall on the boat whilst running home  when the boat came over a swell a bit heavily and he wasn’t concentrating. He  thought broken collar bone, but seems to be shoulder ligaments. Not good when  you are 70-.

My other brother arrived the 28th so  the 29th we went out again just the 3 brothers which was great. Unfortunately  the seas and wind were not suitable for kids being a bit bumpy with freshening  wind every day. It made for uncomfortable seas.
Within 2 min of putting 1st lure  in we had a yellowfin and then within a few minutes had a few dorado on offs  and some other strikes that didnt find steel. For the first time all holiday  the dorado also stared eating surface lures. Up until then not one strike other  than rapala.
We drifted live mackerel around the 60m  mark in screaming current. No long and we had "3" dorado on. Crossed  lines, choice words between brothers as the lines were tangled, turned out we  had 2 dorado on (cheeky bugger ate 2 mackerel) but we had seen 3 up. These had  about 20 others with them incl one very big bull. He of course refused to eat.  We ended up with 7 dorado and a yellowfin.
We spent the 30th on the river with the  families, but the river was unbelievably dead. Isabella caught a small spotted  grunter and my niece a +_1kg mullet on sardine. Luckily we had to  make up for the slow fishing.
On the 31st I took the kids rock  fishing early as I knew the east was due to howl. They had a double up on  decent blacktail at the first spot before east blew us away from there. I moved  to have the wind at our backs. The next spot had a long cast so i cast for the  kids and there Ross got another 2 blacktail and his first Black Steenbras  (still in its nappy and pajamas). Isabella got another very decent Blacktail. I  also missed one very nice bite that floorboarded me and was stripping line but  with a nr3 hook I didnt have much chance. Kids were happy.
On the 1st we launched around 7 (well  behaved on the 31st), The baitfish were boiling all over the surface. Mackerel  and sardines. We threw popper, had live bait out etc, nothing. The yellowfin  were boiling on baitballs, with sharks thrashing the water to froth. We trolled  around, through, past, but nada. Poppers also went un-noticed. Rather  frustrating.
Mates were getting yelowfin strikes all  the time, but the sharks seem to have moved from Natal to the transkei as all  day they landed 1 yellowfin, but lost 12 raps and yellowfin to sharks eating  the fish, even on 50lb.

We could not buy a bite.
Around 12 we eventually had a full  house 5 away, 3 on the boat. We amazingly got all 5 out, with only one being a  release candidate due to rapala hooks doing major damage. We released the one  with a 14/0 attached as a few marlin had been seen that day by others. within  1min it was eaten by a blackfin. It came out jumping all over the place. My  boet was busy sorting it out on a 50, when the tuna came up again so i put a  live mackerel out, 30 sec and I was away (on 10kg). It burnt the 50 off and  45min later I got a very sizable bronzie next to the boat. We called it  quits.
All in all it was a decent holiday  fishing wise. I never saw any blue water so my marlin ambitions are on hold for  another few years. I got my first copper since they re-opened 3 years ago  albeit a baby, and my son caught decent  fish deep-sea and the deep sea bug bit properly.  Typically after I left on the 2nd the sea has improved, is blue and a mate  dropped a 700lb marlin on Monday.

The sharks have become a problem much  like in Natal. Using light tackle to enjoy the 8-10kg tuna is a waste of fish  and tackle as they almost always get eaten so we mainly used 30lb tackle on our  tiagra 30’s with some with 50lb on them.  Surprisingly, dorado do not seem to be on the  sharks menu. Yerllowfin are hight up it seems. We never went south to chase  yellowtail as they seemed to have gone quiet. A few were taken but it was a bun  fight with many boats chasing them and only a few fish being caught.

There seemed to be a lot of sailfish  around this year in the green water. Quite a few were lost (Only 1 report of 1  being caught) and a few marlin were hooked and lost in the green water. We  however were doing better than all other boats around on the game fish, but  never sniffed a bill.

The water was green all holiday and 21-22  deg, but full of bait and tuna and dorado. Pity the sea didn’t allow more  children friendly days as the amount of fish and the size were perfect for kids,  however being cold wet and sea sick does not make for enjoyable fishing (or  happy moms).

[tkei]

Some more pics.
Ross and his dorado
decent dorado for me and
Ross's first Black steenbras.

[tkei]

Some big seas and kids double up

[tkei]

Kids and their fish.

[dugong]

Great report and some nice fish!!

[tkei]

Incredibly Lucky tho have a place like this and to have grown up here. Pity it is now so far away.
Mdumbi bay
In front of our House.

[hrogers]

Thanks for sharing your great report

[FishStyx]

Wonderful to have had those moments with your kids. Your lad will remember that fish forever.


Great report, thanks for sharing tk 


PS: What were the impressions of the BG?

[MIKE PIKE]

  great stuff tkei , looks like fun was had by all , ........... hmmmm about that BG..

[dodger]

  a great report Tkei, its always nice when the whole family get together

[tkei]

Thanks all. As for the bg. Can't really comment as I don't use it much and when I did, not for its intended purpose. It does however look good in the cupboard. It satisfied my ta for a few days as well

[REEFMAN]

Awesome report Adam! 

[colin]

   great report. 

[L Hooker]

Great report thanks for sharing

[xtc]

thanks for the lekker report - beautiful place - Mdumbi

[HooknCook]

Nice Report, well done on nice fish!

[John F]

Thanks for a great report Adam; missed your reports!!!

[Grumpy]

Tough launch at Mdumbi!!! 

[tkei]

Thanks all. Ja, Mdumbi is a hectic launch.    That said it can be bad when the channel is narrow and there is a big swell with the sandbanks up (what the surfers want).


Typical of my luck my brother wend down for the weekend and i got a call 7am to say he was vas with a Black Marlin. 12.30 he landed and released it. 5.5hrs on 30lb tackle with a live mackerel on a 100lb trace (dorado trace) is a good effort. Marlin was 150+ kg they recon. Sea is perfect for marlin at the moment (after I had green all holiday) A friend went 4-3-2 on Blues in the area as well. Incredible anywhere, let alone transkei and here I sit in CT. 

[WalkersKiller]

Awesome report!!!