Zebra (Wildeperd)

[Willie]

Some advice teaching will be great please. I have caught many Blacktails and Stonebream already. Once when I was targeting Blacktails I ended up hooking a Zebra (Wildeperd) it was about 30 cm and on the light tackle nice fun. I want to target them on my ultralight setup. Some tips on how to target them will be great. The one I caught was with a sardine as bait and it was in a rocky area.

[SAfish]

Where is Lenny? He is the Wildeperd King!

[Lenny]

half Fathom Trace . very short sinker line , and half fathom sinker snoot , 1/0 to 4 /0 hooks . 
Redbait / Prawn
I am no expert , but a fanatic , and have had some luck ... heres the trick .
The biggest thing most guys don't know , and miss loads of Wildeperd this way is , they basically ALWAYS , come in with your bait , you will feel , tap tap , and line goes pap , now don't be over eager , just tighten up and wait a second or two , you'll feel theres still something there , and BOOM ! vas .


They put up a real good account of themselves . They move around in schools , so it theres one theres more , they tend to be more active on the Drop or turn of the tide , they also feed very shallow at times , so shallow that you can spot them .


in Struis , we get them from March to late May  [ peaking middle march in most cases ]


between me and my Dad , we must have caught 40 plus the past 6 weeks , only gave one to a friend that collects my  Vrottes . will try to load a pic or two , this bloody PC ...

[Willie]

Thanks for the info Lenny this will help. As I mentioned I caught the one by accident and that was very close to the shore between some rocks

[SAfish]

Lekker info, Lenny. 

[Lofty]

half Fathom Trace . very short sinker line , and half fathom sinker snoot

Hi Lenny,I've caught a few before too,especially in the Cape(Monwabisi),but don't understand what you meen by this trace,what is the difference between the sinker line and the sinker snoot...?

[Lenny]

half Fathom Trace . very short sinker line , and half fathom sinker snoot

Hi Lenny,I've caught a few before too,especially in the Cape(Monwabisi),but don't understand what you meen by this trace,what is the difference between the sinker line and the sinker snoot...?

Short short , Sinker snoot  15 to 20 cm , loooonggg hooks snoot , half a Fathom Aproxx 90 to 100cm

[WalkersKiller]

Nice info Lenny!!!

Willie, have always loved targeting these fish on the ultra light stuff, and I still regard my 2.1kg Zebra caught on Daiwa Megaforce 9 foot with 7lb double x my best ever catch.

What I do, when I am fishing lighter than above, is use a trace of 40cm (Fluoro) with a size 6 - size 2 long shank hook. The sinker line is normally only 15-20 cm long and I use a 1/2 or 1/4 ounce bottle sinker. I throw into weed beds or rocky areas adjacent to white water, and you cannot beat a sand prawn or a cracker shrimp as bait, absolutely king. Chokka/sard combos also work, but when the Karanteen and other similar fish are thick, you more than likely will be cleaned out before you have a chance to hook the Zebra.

I have also caught them on rocky bottoms in about 3-4 foot of water, where there are a few deeper "rock pools" and gullies around.

White water is keen for catching Zebra.

[Willie]

Thanks for all the info. Now for the long wait

[jball7204]

I use a running sinker on the main line and then about 1m very thin flouro to a small size 6 hook.

Usually use a barrel sinker and a baitholder type hook with just a strip of bay squid or chokka hooked through the shank of the hook a few times and just leaving a trailing section of half if the bait flapping behind the curve of the hook. The bait must be thin and a little over twice the length of the hook, so very small. I dont use cotton because the fish prefer it if I dont, and I prefer it as its easier and quicker if there are lots of bites.

The only pic I can find to illustrate the look of the trace is this one. Obviously the hook and sinker pictured are different to what I use, and the glow bead is optional. It helps to protect the knot from the sinker rubbing against it and may also attract fish in lower light levels as they come to investigate...

[Willie]

Thanks much appreciated 

[Lenny]

The Big Perd , gets that snout , like in WK pic when they are mature .

[Willie]

The Big Perd , gets that snout , like in WK pic when they are mature .

The one I caught had a snout like that I had to consult Van Der Nest's book to identify the fish had no idea what I caught but I can remember it was great fun on the light tackle. I was catching a lot of Blacktail and I could feel the difference between the 2 species. that is why I want to go for them again. it is the same with the Stonebream (stinkvis) they are just as much fun on light tackle.

[Lenny]

The Big Perd , gets that snout , like in WK pic when they are mature .

The one I caught had a snout like that I had to consult Van Der Nest's book to identify the fish had no idea what I caught but I can remember it was great fun on the light tackle. I was catching a lot of Blacktail and I could feel the difference between the 2 species. that is why I want to go for them again. it is the same with the Stonebream (stinkvis) they are just as much fun on light tackle.

The bite , are like you mentioned is ' otherwise' .  you'll find Wildeperd , between the Kolstert , Galjoen and Crakers [ higher up the coast regarding the Crakers ] Only caught small stinkvis in EC , never paid so much attention to them , so I am clue less ..

[Willie]

Lenny stinkvis on light equipment is great fun they are good little fighters when you go to 20 cm and bigger