Author Topic: White Steenbras in the shorebreak (Read 17343 times)

Tommo · « **on:** May 24, 2011, 10:48:39 AM »

On our recent trip spinning for Kob in the Woody Cape area we found ourselves with time to kill over the high tide periods. We noticed that there were fish moving up over the sand mussel beds with the surge, tilting up and tailing for a few seconds over the sand mussels, then swimming back on their sides with the receding wave. These fish were very shy, and couldn't be easily approached, but were clearly feeding on the sand musels in extremely shallow water. We rigged up our lightest spinning rods with one ounce ball sinkers on a running trace and a 1/0 barbless circle hook, which we baited up with fresh sand mussels dug up from the beach. We stood well back from the water and cast our baits into the surge where the fish were feeding. The surge would move the baits around, leaving them high and dry at times between waves, and also washing them into the trench behind the shorebreak at times. These dynamic moving baits were picked up by both blacktail and white steenbras in water not more than 30cm deep at times. The fight that these fish put up on super light tackle, and in such shallow water was amazing. They would run hard in their attempts to reach deeper water. This provided us with much entertainment during the high tide periods when we couldn't effectively spin for the kob, due to the banks being too deep to wade to. It is amazing how the fish have grown confidence in difficult to access areas, due to the beach driving ban. They are behaving like fish do on remote tropical atolls where there are no people living.

REEFMAN · « **Reply #1 on:** May 24, 2011, 10:59:49 AM »

Brilliant stuff... learn something new every day!!!

Kumz · « **Reply #2 on:** May 24, 2011, 11:02:41 AM »

... :shre: ....

J-Rock · « **Reply #3 on:** May 24, 2011, 11:07:41 AM »

:shre:

SAfish · « **Reply #4 on:** May 24, 2011, 11:37:34 AM »

Great catches on light tackle!! :shre:

strandloper · « **Reply #5 on:** May 24, 2011, 12:43:12 PM »

Tommo,

The four reports you posted today has got me in serious trouble with my IT guru....

My keybord is wrecked because of all the drool!!!!

Amazing fishing!!

AD97 · « **Reply #6 on:** May 24, 2011, 12:55:51 PM »

Wow Tommo. Well done! Is that near the Fish Kraals or Springs at all? Must be if its in Woddy Cape. That is right on the doorstep of our holiday home at Cannon Rocks. I bet you walked far for those fish?

WalkersKiller · « **Reply #7 on:** May 24, 2011, 01:02:44 PM »

Awesome stuff Tommo :shre:

Tommo · « **Reply #8 on:** May 26, 2011, 11:36:40 PM »

Here are some more pics of my mate Chris Schoultz with some nice steenies caught in the surf zone at Woody Cape. This area seems to hold a lot of these wonderful fish, I guess because there is just so much food for them. I would also like to appeal to anyone who gets stuck into the white steenbras, to consider the fact that these fish are considered threatened. The population has taken huge strain due to the state of most of our coastal estuaries, as well as the fact that when they gather together in numbers, either the large adults for spawning, or the subadults for feeding and protection in the shallows, they become very susceptible to being caught by the bagful. So please guys, take a legal size fish of 60cm, and leave the others to fight another day. They are battling enough as it is. It is my firm belief that if you respect your quarry, and fish sensibly, you will be rewarded with better catches. Just a sort of karma thing.....

Poenskop · « **Reply #9 on:** May 27, 2011, 09:25:59 AM »

Anybody have a job for me in PE? Please!?

WalkersKiller · « **Reply #10 on:** May 27, 2011, 09:31:42 AM »

What amazing fish!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

PH · « **Reply #11 on:** May 27, 2011, 09:51:08 AM »

A lesson I learnt from FA (Mike) a while ago was to be more observant.
This is another example of being observant.
Thanks, Tommo.

Tommo · « **Reply #12 on:** May 27, 2011, 11:27:30 AM »

Yep, quite right. Fishing is a lot like hunting. You have to use every clue that nature provides you with in order to increase your chances of making better catches. The guys who are best able to tune in to the environment, and are most aware of the needs and ecology of their quarry are the ones who will consistently make the best catches. It pays to learn as much as you can about the fish you are targeting and the environment that you are targeting it in. I find it totally fascinating and I think you never ever stop learning...

1309sg · « **Reply #13 on:** May 27, 2011, 12:13:09 PM »

:shre: Brilliant catches and info there Tommo!

marinello599 · « **Reply #14 on:** May 31, 2011, 09:06:05 PM »

those are some nice steenies and blacktail there,well done guys!

Janpetrus · « **Reply #15 on:** January 19, 2012, 12:10:24 PM »

Watched Inside Angling the other night, was awsome to see you guys catching those White Steenbras in that shallow water, I live in Hermanus and want to give it a shot along the Hermanus plaat area, it should work because we also have alot of white mussel beds on the stretch of beach, also maybe a good idea combining the mussel with sand prawn!

Awsome seeing this type of angling, completely different to what we are use to!

PH · « **Reply #16 on:** January 19, 2012, 12:15:29 PM »

Looking forward to your reports!

baily · « **Reply #17 on:** January 19, 2012, 12:31:24 PM »

veeerrrry nice!!!

bet u wer leeker moeg after that long walk! which side of woody cape did u guys fish?

Gregf · « **Reply #18 on:** January 19, 2012, 03:02:21 PM »

Those are great fish, well done

AndriesH · « **Reply #19 on:** January 19, 2012, 08:08:44 PM »

Did you guys check those BLACKTAIL???? - frikking AWESOME !!!!!!!!
Nice Steenies too.
We experienced exactly the same in December when the Missus caught a 3.8kg Stenie up North under exactly the same conditions and the same fishing method - I thought her head had left her till she had the first hit.....

Well done Tommo and thanks for another great read.

Author Topic: White Steenbras in the shorebreak (Read 17343 times)

J-Rock

Janpetrus

Gregf