Sardines 2020 - best launch site?

[stephenrplumb]

Hi Learned members. I have been trying for the last 4-5 years to find sardines. My kinds are finished online schooling tomorrow at 12h00 so want to take the rubber duck from Hillcrest down South and try and do a launch with the hopes of finding some sardines to see. Do you think Umkomaas will be far enough? Are there any easier launches further south? Do we need to go further in which case the timing will probably make it a non starter?


Tomorrow looks like the wind will pick up slightly in the PM, but not too hectic and most NB waves are small.

[Errol]

Today was a good day at Mtwalume for guys netting. Sardines have been passing for a few days and arrived in their millions this morning. I will try and post a few photos taken today after I have resized them. 

[Errol]

Hopefully these two photos can be uploaded

[stephenrplumb]

Jeepers that looks fierce. I took the rubber duck out at Umkomaas. Probably not far south enough, but it was my first launch from that site and surprisingly went off pretty well. Took a slow drive out to aliwal shoal and then cruised into Scotburgh. Then a slow drive into the wind home. No sardines in sight, but I am glad we went out a family and I did my first Umkomaas launch.


Back to JHB on Sunday and fishing from Dbn tomorrow so I guess thats another year of no sardines for us. They really are elusive little buggers. Probably next time I will try just driving south without the boat and see what we can see from the beach.

[Errol]

I hope that you will find guys netting on one of your visits, it is quite an experience.


Here are two more photos also taken yesterday.