False Bay Boat Report

[hammertime]

I'll try do this on a daily basis...

Wed 14 July
Fishing was very slow today. Not suprising with the weather.
Swell is on the up and the temp was 11°C.
No sign of tail and only snoek around. Even the redfish were sleeping today.
No one at Rocky Bank with the sea like this but there were some decent silver fish on the deeper ledges a few days ago.
The snoek are still feeding on pike and not feeding freely on the lead or spinner.

As for the tuna, the deck boats are tied up and the big gear in mothballs. I reckon middle September we'll go look.

[Makaira]

water temp 11 c, or air temp 11 c...........I cannot imagine the water being 11 c in False Bay ?

[hammertime]

The water has been between 11 & 13 for a few days now.
Inside at the bottom I don't know. But Millers, it's cold and the point is still at 11.

[Makaira]

hectic ! never seen it that cold inside the Bay............no wonder the fishing is slow. Better bet on the West coast after this weather I reckon.

[hammertime]

Looking back to my commercial logs and my charter days, the temp drops this low often enough this time of year. Unless you were on Dosie today, the temp guage was 31. Flip if only. But my guages and the others had it at 11-12.

Bummer though, last year this time we were klapping the tail off Rocky Bank. In fact it was one of the best winters we had for tail in the last 7 years.
But this is mother nature and who knows what's next.

I know there was decent fish off Slangkop area yesterday but I doubt any guys were there today. I'll get a round up from there tonight.

[Makaira]

Ja, I'll chat to the okes before the weekend and get a picture..........there is some Warm water in the West, so hopefully this weather will bring it closer, and maybe we get a drukkie on the West Coast on Sunday.

[hammertime]

Cool. I'll be out on the water for the next few mornings for an early shot. Will report too.

[Makaira]

Shot, thanks !

[hammertime]

Thursday 15 July.
Could carbon copy yesterdays report. Just got back from the slip, nothing great.
Snoek around, numbers still low. It will get better as the front moves past. Will do Sunday, was hopng for Saturday too but springs on trailer are broken and I got to fix em tomorrow and Saturday.

That's it for now.

[Makaira]

Any Chokka bru ?

[hammertime]

The odd one, but I mean odd.
Things must pick up now, we need to catch some tail.

[Makaira]

Just spoke to Glen (Overdraft), heard the fish shot up in Buffels, upto 500 on a boat, and dik Chokka in front of the Kruisie. Seals lastig as usual !

[hammertime]

I know him and I think someone is having you on.
I watched them all offload...and the guys offloaded the same as yesterday, 200 odd.

[Makaira]

Glen wasnt at sea himself, he only had 47 fish yesterday, so decided to take a day off and sort out gear etc. The fish seemed to have bitten a bit later. I havent confirmed this story as it doesnt affect me either way, and Im not sure who he spoke to, he has his reliable sources, and Glen an myself may talk K@k to other people for a laugh sometimes, but we never lie to each other. Check it out, may be worthwhile for tomorrow. At this stage Im hoping for some Yellowtail news from the West Coast, some guys are going to look tomorrow.

[juanita]

Hi HT,

Thanks for the FB report.
Where do you buy your pike?

[hammertime]

Hi HT,

Thanks for the FB report.
Where do you buy your pike?

Bro I haven't bought pike in while but I always buy it from Big Catch.
However if you out this neck of the woods, False Bay tackle has got.
Because we now fish recreationally I never bother with pike. We got quoata on all the past trips last weekend and last week, mainly on pilchards but we did have excellent quality bait and we were never amongst the commercial bunch. If you sit in the mix with them then you are going to need pike just because of the sheer amount of bait in the water from them. Move off, find your own fish and if you have to fish bait, you'll still catch on pilchard.

Are you the Juanita from defence?

[juanita]

Hi HT,

Yes, "juanita" from Defence.

The reason I asked about the pike because there are days when pike seem to be the only bait that works. I have done without it for months but seeing that you mentioned it it got me thinking......
Defence have a comp this weekend, more than likely on Sunday, ( we fish 4kg line ) and as you know it's good to have the right bait.

I had the pleasure of meeting Matt over the weekend at our club, nice young man.

Mike Gleeson

[hammertime]

Yeah, he said he had met you. Hope the little chop, kept his manners.
You must know Geoff "Scooby Doo". He has at the shop. I go past there everyday, I can check for you if you want.

I have not taken pike for a long time and we really have not battled. But I do believe that working the jigs brings them in and that is why we have the success rate we do. I reckon if we just sat on bait only we may not be so lucky. But as my crew will tell you, I buy my snoek.

By that I mean, I chum up a storm out there and it works for us.

Just beat that bloody Pulcella on Sunday then...

[hammertime]

Monday 19th

Not as hot as it was yesterday but still snoek around. I think it's a case of the commercials who are fishing for their own dedicated buyers are stay6ing out later and they are getting the better numbers.
The guys running for the slip for price are not getting the bigger numbers as they running earlier and the feed is def later in the day.

There was a yellowtail offloaded today which may explain the one yo-yo that ripped off yesterday before I could stop the fish it was all over. Def was no snoek, thought maybe a shark.

Will go look tomorrow when there's offloading to see if more tail show up.

[hammertime]

Tuesday 20th

Guys offloaded 30-40 fish a man. These were the boats running for market ie the guys who sell to the Langaana at the slipway. The guys who have dedicated buyers were still out and I am sure will have more fish.

Some chokka about too.
Fish in Buffells and ones and twos all over the show. Saw guys fishing off Roman Rock yesterday afternoon and the Kalk Bay crowd told me the guys did offload that were so they did get fish at the lighthouse area.

Didn't get a temp from Buffells but am glad to hear there's chokka about or at least more consistent catches because then hopefully the yellowtailed buggers will eat a few strips on a bait line or a nice long strip trolled behind a little yamashita.