Fishing tales from MPT bay aboard "Micaela": 31 Oct 2010

[John F]

After a LONG time wishing and crying in total desperation to go out, I finally managed to open this summer's fishing with a bottom fishing trip with my dad and my kid brother.

We launched at 07:30 with a small chop, and when straight to my favorite spot inside Maputo bay to get some Emperor red snappers. With the full neap tide upon us, I was a bit skeptic about it as usually one needs a bit of water movement. A friend went out yesterday to the same area and came back with only ONE fish. Water temp was 23.5 oC and the sky was completely clouded. We even had a few drops of rain during the day. Nothing to worry about.

Well, we got to one of the marks and nothing interesting came out (a few small kingies). We then proceeded to the next spot (at 19-20 m with a gentle slope). We dropped our lines and instantly we are VAS on good sized snappers.

The day went on and I tried different marks in the area but that one on the gentle slope really produced the goods.

Our tally was several emperor red snappers, a few yellowtailed emperors and some other stuff (including kingies, a flathead, a nice sized shad, one good soldier bream...)

At 15:00 we decided to call it a day and with the easterly blowing at our backs it was a quick ride back home.

[Prego]

Nice going John, nice know that the bay can still produce great catches.

[John F]

Guys,

I got a heads up from another member about the pics and the catches therein... maybe some members felt it was just too many fish coming out, some smaller specimens as well, etc.  We agreed that it would be a good idea to explain a bit of what the Moz context is...

We went fishing for the pot and, as most of you know, bottom fishing usually means the fish gets to the surface pretty much dead even though we were using large hooks... And there's plenty of unwanted by-catch.... lot's of small fish is actually thrown back when I feel they will make it... otherwise we keep it... some of these small fish are badly hooked as well so...

On the other hand the law in Mozambique says 10 specimens of any species / day / angler (except the protected ones of course!)... logically we never get to the bag limit! And you've certainly noticed I don't report that much... the reason is ... I don't go fishing that often! There are also no size limits (stupid I know!)... so in that department I totally feel I'm doing my part towards conservation...

There's also the other side of the coin (now my comments as a marine biologist)... I'm a firm believer of the BOFF (big, old, fat, female) theory, which actually says the large fish are the ones we should protect... (they lay more eggs and with better viability)! So I usually don't take anything bigger than 7 kg when bottom fishing... taking large rockcods (and other long-lived bottoms) is actually stupid (they are really tasteless anyway)... I don't even target them!

This way I don't feel as bad when I kill a few smallies...

I hope this will shed some light into this...

Cheers   
   

[MIKE PIKE]

No problem keeping fish for the pot John F ,if the rules and regulations state u can keep the size and bag limit then thats fine . :sml:

[WalkersKiller]

Nice stuff John! As long as you keep within the rules there is no problem and there is no poiunt throwing a fish back if you know it is going to die! rather keep that one and if you catch a healthier fish later on you can release it!  for explaining though!

[John F]

Shot guys!

[Capt. Hook]

Nice report, when you gonna test those awesome lures you made on some game fish, can't wait to see the results.

[John F]

Thanks FA,

Soon, very soon... was actually owing my dad a fishing trip for some time... last sunday the weather was perfect for bottoms (he hates trolling for gamefish)...

We'll have 2 comps this month... I'll put them to the test...   

[REEFMAN]

Thanks for the feedback John. Your pics evoke different emotions among anglers, depending on their standpoints.
The high mortality and bycatch of bottom fishing by Jigging is the exact reason that it was banned in the Isimangaliso Wetland park in SA. North of Sodwana, jigging, or any form of weighted lure angling, including Dropshot, has been permanently banned. Anyone carrying a jig or weighted artificial lure on their boat is liable to face prosecution!

I am of the opinion that Anglers who bottom fish and who are not prepared (as in having the necessary equipment onboard) and trained on how to successfully release a bloated fish are being totally irresponsible.

[John F]

I follow you Reefs...

But one important thing for members to realize is that it is a different context... "when in Rome"...

The jigging "thing", came in as a storm and IMO people should not be fishing on MPAs anyway! I'm sorry, this might sound controversial but no one in their right mind would consider shooting a buffalo in the Kruger National Park, would he/she? MPAs ate there to protect and preserve.... only NON-extractive use should be allowed.... fishing is an extractive use...  Problem is, lot's of MPAs are being proclaimed for the wrong reasons/in the wrong place and without proper planning nor consultation... and in the end it fails or operates with lot's of problems... (not that I'm implying that this is the case with iSimangaliso)!

Cheers