Last year I had the privelage of visiting the area with the
team... Here is a bit of info on the spot from my experiences and from what I have heard.
The Three Ledges Of BrazenheadBrazenhead, in the Transkei area, is truly one of the most beautiful rural areas you could ever wish to visit for angling purposes. The natural beauty and fishing spots are endless. It is one of the most well known angling spots in SA. It is very unique and one can target anything on the Ledges: from Kob to Blacktail, Garrick to Bronze Whaler sharks, and everything in-between.
When you arrive at the top of Brazenhead you will be greeted by Gillies who will come and help you carry your stuff down the 1.5km slope, and trust me, you need all the help you can get. The surfacecan be very slippery and very steep and one must be very careful walking down to the bottom. Once you get there you will be at First Ledge. Lots of good water for targeting edibles and Gamefish and further on at First Ledge, there is a drop off into deep water where you can target Sharks. First Ledge is the safest of the 3 Ledges; easiest to fish off and to land fish.
A tricky walk around a narrow path at the end of First Ledge will bring you to Second Ledge. For Sharks and big Kob, this is the spot. This is where caution must be practiced, from here onwards. If you hook into a large fish, you will have to walk back to First Ledge to land it, as the elevation at Second Ledge is at least twice the amount of First Ledge.
Once you feel comfortable at Second Ledge, the fishing is great. When the water is very clear you might struggle to get any decent fish out. Further along Second Ledge is a 'step down' which can be accessed when the tide starts to drop. One can drop a bait 10 meters below into the rolling deep white water that hits the gap between the second and third ledge. Here you can find plenty of
and sometimes Musselcracker.
One of the scariest moments of my life was walking to Third Ledge. It is a very tricky and dangerous half a foot damp path with a 20 meter drop on one side, a sheer rock face on the other and 4 feet above you is a rocky overhang. I can see why many do not fish Third Ledge. It must of taken me about 5 minutes to crawl along the side of the rock to get to Third Ledge... And I did not even have any tackle with me! Once you get across you are greeted by one of the most stunning and breathtaking views... The fishing here is apparently very good with many Gamefish and big Sharks being hooked here; the problem is you have to guide the fish back to First Ledge to land it! When I was on top of Third Ledge which is very high above the water, I saw a school of good sized Kob swimming in the clear water below.
As mentioned above, one can target almost any fish along the 3 Ledges of Brazenhead. One thing that is necessary here is heavy tackle. Tackle up for whatever species you are targeting whether it's an edible or non-edible fish species. The heavier the tackle, the more likely you are going to be able to land the fish. When fishing with the intention of releasing fish, especially Sharks, a gaff is not essential; but if you know how to use one properly, it can be a very helpful asset. There is a slope on First Ledge where one can walk down and grab the leader, or at low tide, access the rocks and land the fish there.
There are normally Shad that move through the area throughout the day and then the fishing can be frantic. The Shad often bring Garrick and other Gamefish species closer to the rocks as well as large Sharks. Getting a few Shad for live bait should be done when the opportunity presents itself; just remember your bag and size limits!
All in all the Three Ledges of the famous Brazenhead are amazing for fishing and set in such a beautiful area! Every angler in South Africa needs to visit this place at least once in their lifetime; and trust me, the walk is worth it!
WK
