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General Angling Topics => Rock and Surf Fishing Reports => Topic started by: Sidd on August 06, 2010, 02:35:32 PM
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Mkhambathi Nature Reserve – 19 – 23 July 2010
Coming from JHB we spent the night in Durban and left early the next morning to Mkhambathi. Via DBN the trip from JHB is an extra 100kms. (940kms as compared to 835kms throught Kokstad)
After Port Edward the road becomes very winding. Try and do this stretch during day light hours. On the road to Flagstaff you turn off to Mkhambathi and travel towards Holy Cross. Soon after you pass the Holy Cross Hospital you reach the gravel road. This is where the fun starts. 35 kms of gravel road until you reach the entrance of the nature reserve. The road was recently graded and it was still in a bad condition. It took us just over an hour to travel this section. We were booked in at the River Lodge which is adjacent to the Gwe Gwe rondawels. The distance from the reception to the River Lodge is only 9kms but with the condition of the road, it took us 45 minutes to get to our destination. You’ll need a 4x4 or a vehicle with a high clearance on these roads.
By the time we settled in, it was already 3 PM. We scouted out the spots for the nights fishing as the tide was dead low. The water was way too clean for my liking so the obvious choice was to fish 2 hours before and after high tide.
From the first cast the peckers were on to the bait the minute it landed in the water.
Some shad , blacktails and stumpies were caught.
I think this place is a breeding ground for juveniles. And by the looks of things all the BIG fish went north to chase sards.
For the next 3 days fishing was very slow with plenty of small fish cleaning out the bait.
Sliding out live shad , mackerel and chokka without any takers dampened the mood somewhat however being in good company, enjoying the great weather and good food made the trip worthwhile.
EC Parks Board has to upgrade the road within the reserve if it wants to promote tourism to this beautiful part of our country.
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Nice report SidD!