Since my report Ive received quite a few requests for info on Mazeppa. Rather than responding to PMs Ive written up a short guide to the area. It is by no means comprehensive as Im definitely no expert and I have not even scratched the surface of whats on offer here.
On to the good stuff! Mazeppa bay has nothing in the way of tackle or bait resources to purchase so you need to take everything you may need with you. Live bait is generally quite prolific in one form or another, whether its shad, blacktail or even mullet from the rivers. Therefore you dont need to haul a small bait shop down with you but once again its better to have an not need than to need and not have.
BaitsI generally work on 2 or 3 chokka per day, 2 bonnies or YT and half a box of sards. Ill also include a bit of pink or red prawn for the eds. You need to decide what your targets will be and adjust accordingly.
Live bait or natural bait is generally the best bait for your in eds. A live blacktail or shad being tops. Your natural baits include things like sandys or occies.
Check out what an angry blackfin does to a live blacktail.
This is how I hook my sandys. You can add cutlets from either the sandy itself or any other fish to flesh it out a bit
Any small sharks such as greys and hammers can also be cut and used as cutlets on the slide. The ethics of this are all up to you to decide.
Swim baits are also a great option at Mazeppa especially off the island where you can walk a big fish to the beach in order to safely land it. Once again the ethics of this are yours to decide but if you do decide to go this route here is some advice. Use the max tackle you can, a strong and short HMG rod is the order of the day teamed up with a minimum of a Shimano 50 size reel. Load this up with a good portion of mono as the drag will tire your catch out better than thin braid. I team this with a 5m 2mm wind on and then onto a swim bait trace of your choosing. The following will all work its just personal choice
http://www.ultimateangling.co.za/index.php?topic=5054.0http://www.ultimateangling.co.za/index.php?topic=6425.0http://www.ultimateangling.co.za/index.php?topic=5176.0http://www.ultimateangling.co.za/index.php?topic=5119.0If your fish swims out and doesn’t hide in the bay you can bet it will be eaten!
When it comes to the eds side things are pretty simple. Your standard baits will all work with one exception GO BIG! Its strange but apparently the fish here like big baits. Why I have no idea but thats just the way things are. Your kob baits will be roughly the size of a hammer or grey shark bait in natal. Stick to smaller hooks and use the line or Fritz’s toothpick trick to bind up the line. Your bronze bream baits will use a whole prawn once again bound up the line or toothpick.
TracesFor the non eds side I would advise going BIG! My favourite trace is a single 16/0 circle snelled with 1.5mm steel cable. I carry 5 per day. The circles work brilliantly allowing the gillies to leader the fish and causing minimal damage to the fish. For your dead fish baits a single hook through both lips and a cable tie behind it to keep the mouth closed has worked well.
When using live bait just pin it through the nose to allow it to breathe and hold him into the current.
The advantages of the 1.5mm cable are that it is much cheaper at about R1.50 a meter at builders warehouse. It is extremely strong. It has no coating and so wont hook in the fishes teeth. It doesn’t kink as easily as your normal steel and so can be used for numerous fish before replacing it.
I will always have a few lighter traces just in case the water is very clean or the smaller mouth species like hammers come through. Also take a few throw bait traces just in case.
On the edible side there is a lot more personal preference. Just keep things neat and simple and you will be ok. I generally stick to single hook traces as most spots are quite foul. Once again be prepared to lose quite a few traces.
SinkersTake a lot! You cannot buy more and the entire area is quite sinker hungry. Weights will depend on the tackle you are fishing.
SpotsReefman has already posted the following Google Earth maps so please refer to them in addition to my posts
http://www.ultimateangling.co.za/index.php?topic=238.0The Island
For me this is the quintessential Mazeppa bay spot! It produces almost every species you can expect at Mazeppa from your game fish like garrick and yellowtail to pignose grunter and musselcracker to monstrous toothy critters.
Dont underestimate the walk from the beach to the point. On TV it looks about 50m but is closer to 600 or 700m. After crossing the famous suspension bridge you have the chance to fish a number of different areas.
One of the better known spots is Tinys rock which is great for garrick and shad. In fact both sides of the island will throw fish depending on the water, wind and formations.
For those after the toothy critters the point is where you want to be. Before fishing walk around and find the gulley’s to land your fish. If you have a gilly worth his salt he will show you the spots.
These fish were all hooked while fishing the island
Sharks PointNot one of my favourite spots due to the crabs and the fact that I haven’t seen too many fish come out here. Apparenlty around November the garrick do come wild here. This spot is great on any wind from SE to W due to the mountain that protects you. This is at the northern end of the road running next to the sea.
Cable rockThis spot is south of the hotel and is quite easy to spot because of .... you guessed it! The cable! Check out the link to Reefman’s google earth spots and you will easily find it.
I haven’t fished here much but it is quite good for kob and musselcracker.
Boiling PotLet me start by saying BE CAREFUL! This spot has claimed many lives and you can see why. There is a big hole just off the front resulting in waves that stand up out of no where and can sweep you off the rocks. Having said this some big fish do come through here. Ive seen a blackfin strip a saltiga hyper to the drum in 3minutes! Hooking your fish isn’t the issue here its landing them! Landing fish off the rocks is VERY tough and your only real option is a small gulley to your right called the coffin! One of the few spots I will recommend using a gaff. Alternatively you can walk your fish along the mountains to 1 mile beach and once here you sshouldnt have an issue but its no easy walk!
You do get some very good eds here as well. Blacktail are full up off the front and dip sticking straight off the rocks can see some 1-2kg specimens landed. Kob also come through here and the cracker are also around. Reading the water is key to finding them.
Shelley beachThis spot is south of 1 mile beach and requires you to drive inland from the hotel and then around to Shelley beach. I have never fished there before but apparently it is a very good spot for edibles. Everything from bronze bream to kob and sandys.
Gungu ChannelThis is quite a serious drive and can take almost an hour and a half to get there. You will need to take a gilly to help you find it. One tip is to not take your rods on the roof racks because you will drive through quite a tight section of forest.
This spot fishes better than all the others on the low tide which is quite useful if you have low tide in the early morning and afternoon. Try and pack fairly light here as you need to walk quite far if the fish aren’t biting at the first hole. Keep spare sinkers and other heavy items in the car in case you do run out. Also try and take quite a few pre made traces because you will probably lose a lot. Remember to pack a few shad traces as there is a nice channel for them.
Your main species here are your scratch fish such as bronze bream and blacktail but you can also land some good kob and cracker.
Whatever you do don’t forget your angling licence because the inspectors do come through here often.
Salt Rock
About 20 to 30 mins north of Mazeppa Bay we find a little point called Salt Rock. This spot is another nice spot when fishing with a group of anglers who have different goals as everything from big shark to blacktail can come out here. As always reading the water is important to figure out where the fish are. I prefer Salt Rock around the high tide. 2 hours before and after are best. Kob generally come out in the dark and fishing extremely close by.
Of all the advice I can give the best is to hire a good local gilly. The best of all is Andrew but otherwise ask for John or Zola. I have fished with all of them and believe me these guys know what they are doing.
So there we have it folks, a short guide to Mazeppa Bay. Im sure some other experts will weigh in with advice.
