Author Topic: Early morning conditions in Durb's lately (Read 10023 times)

jball7204 · « **on:** September 17, 2014, 09:25:59 PM »

Conditions lately have been outstanding between Blue Lagoon and Umhlanga. There have been Shad and I've turned a little green seeing pics of a big Garrick taken on lure not 500m from me. Rumours of the odd Snoek and Kingie also...

Summer is on the way! Check these pics out. The last one is at Umhlanga yesterday. Was very tempted to call in sick and go for a spin...

David Taylor · « **Reply #1 on:** September 18, 2014, 08:17:34 AM »

Lucky. You should see the cape at the moment.
Cape point today: Swell 3,6 - 5,2m (12 - 17ft)
Wind 12 - 14m/s (24 - 27knots)
Water temp: 16

REEFMAN · « **Reply #2 on:** September 18, 2014, 09:47:02 AM »

Superb pics Jball.

FishStyx · « **Reply #3 on:** September 18, 2014, 10:38:34 AM »

Geez you guys have it tough. No wonder so little work gets done at the coast

Steenie · « **Reply #4 on:** September 18, 2014, 10:59:11 AM »

Yes the conditions were great this week sofar on that stretch. Did a section of 2.5 km south of Umhlanga and back this morning between 05h30 - 07h00 with plugs, spoons, bucktail jigs but it was dead quite. Not even the shad gangs were getting anything. I saw on Saltfishing FB page pics of two nice garrick caught on lures on the stretch you mention this week, but it appears the fish are few and far between. Except for Monday morning, the shad all but vanished on the Umhlanga stretch (at least early mornings). I also tried Umdloti yesterday and there it was extremely nice conditions with bait fish shoals within casting range, but the lures did not produce anything. Great fun working the lures each morning and things can only improve!

jball7204 · « **Reply #5 on:** September 18, 2014, 12:24:12 PM »

Ja, you would think it would be boring when nothing is happening, but on this kind of water time passes very quickly as you keep trying to hit that elusive 150m cast, experiment with different lures and retrieves and basically work your backside off to figure out what goes how far, what it looks like cranked on the surface, what speed and depth you can feel maximum working action at etc. etc.

I get home quite buggered on the weekends...!

Steenie · « **Reply #6 on:** September 18, 2014, 12:44:33 PM »

Quote from: jball7204 on September 18, 2014, 12:24:12 PM

Ja, you would think it would be boring when nothing is happening, but on this kind of water time passes very quickly as you keep trying to hit that elusive 150m cast, experiment with different lures and retrieves and basically work your backside off to figure out what goes how far, what it looks like cranked on the surface, what speed and depth you can feel maximum working action at etc. etc.

I get home quite buggered on the weekends...!

You are absolutely spot on! Just experiencing the sunrise makes it worthwhile, but with the very calm water it was an ideal week sofar to experiment with retrieve speeds, rod tip positions, different lures, casting out deep or at angles to bring the lures in semi-parallel to the drop off etc. etc. I must tell you something about the CID shiversticks - i discovered they have an unbelievable swimming action if you retrieve them steadily at quite a fast pace so that lure swims just below water surface, like with a spoon. So there are so many ways to fish these and other lures, more ways than one will ever read on paper or internet forums! That is what makes spinning addictive even if you catch nothing like me this week sofar!

chrisquinton · « **Reply #7 on:** September 18, 2014, 01:48:44 PM »

The CID sticks - I like them, very very versatile, but they throw like marie biscuits. Fine when you have condistions like this week, but not so great if theres a bit of a swell and you need some distance. The rapalas still win that category, but they just not as versatile as the sticks.

Steenie · « **Reply #8 on:** September 18, 2014, 01:56:10 PM »

Quote from: chrisquinton on September 18, 2014, 01:48:44 PM

The CID sticks - I like them, very very versatile, but they throw like marie biscuits. Fine when you have condistions like this week, but not so great if theres a bit of a swell and you need some distance. The rapalas still win that category, but they just not as versatile as the sticks.

I agree. Fortunately the shiversticks throw miles better than the CID slimbait! Some casts with the shiversticks are just perfect and you get 80 m plus and the next cast it tumbles horribly! I think it is all about getting the timing of cast perfect, which is difficult to get consistent.

Half-Pint · « **Reply #9 on:** September 18, 2014, 03:55:44 PM »

I am constantly amazed that people can actually throw those slimbaits

they are dam light and tumble horribly but man is that action something else

Zak-e-Boy · « **Reply #10 on:** September 18, 2014, 04:22:19 PM »

Guys Hi ! there has been a problem on many of those CID Slimbaits, there are five ball bearings inside them. Two are stationary on either end and three are supposed slide up and down without sticking. Many of these ball bearings are jammed and do not move to the tail end of the lure in order to assist with weighting the tail for casting. Check this out if you are having trouble casting them, it will assist with your distance. Some of them you can get loose by tapping them others just don't move. Hold the lure up to a bright light and you will see the weights sliding from left to right and back. Once in the water the weights balance out the lure. Hope this helps. Peter

jball7204 · « **Reply #11 on:** September 18, 2014, 04:34:39 PM »

Correct, a staff member at Basil Manning advised that with the 17cm Max Raps and the CID Slimbaits you must check in the shop before you buy. If you can feel the weights moving back and forth its good to go, but some of them get stuck obviously in the manufacturing or packaging process and do not come unstuck!!!

REEFMAN · « **Reply #12 on:** September 18, 2014, 05:32:59 PM »

Quote from: Zak-e-Boy on September 18, 2014, 04:22:19 PM

Guys Hi ! there has been a problem on many of those CID Slimbaits, there are five ball bearings inside them. Two are stationary on either end and three are supposed slide up and down without sticking. Many of these ball bearings are jammed and do not move to the tail end of the lure in order to assist with weighting the tail for casting. Check this out if you are having trouble casting them, it will assist with your distance. Some of them you can get loose by tapping them others just don't move. Hold the lure up to a bright light and you will see the weights sliding from left to right and back. Once in the water the weights balance out the lure. Hope this helps. Peter

Wow! Didn't know that! Thanks for sharing!

Quote from: chrisquinton on September 18, 2014, 01:48:44 PM

The CID sticks - I like them, very very versatile, but they throw like marie biscuits.

Exactly how I feel about them!

jball7204 · « **Reply #13 on:** September 18, 2014, 06:22:42 PM »

They were responsible for some awesome GT's, monster Shad and Springer last summer off North Durban Beaches. But maybe only because EVERYONE was using them! Every oke you bumped into had an 11' Amia, an Assassin shirt, a Shimano reel and a CID slimbait dangling off the end. Almost like the required uniform...

You wonder what would have happened had everyone been using the same of a different lure...

Can't take it away from them though, they do work, even though a good cast is 60m!

sardinella · « **Reply #14 on:** September 18, 2014, 06:34:15 PM »

I managed the break the middle hook out of a CID slimbait lure tussling with an approx. 10 kilo Queenie using 30lb Gosen on a stradic 8000 and a trevalla 50-100lb rod.
I was not very happy to loose the fish. The hooks are not connected by wire to the nose ring like one would expect.

Steenie · « **Reply #15 on:** September 18, 2014, 06:47:35 PM »

I just inspected my two slimbait lures that I have been using for last 4 months and guess what?! I have one of the 3 freemoving ball bearings stuck in the tail of one slimbait! Because it is stuck in tail I never picked this up when casting. I learned something today!

isivuba · « **Reply #16 on:** September 18, 2014, 06:54:49 PM »

Quote from: Zak-e-Boy on September 18, 2014, 04:22:19 PM

Guys Hi ! there has been a problem on many of those CID Slimbaits, there are five ball bearings inside them. Two are stationary on either end and three are supposed slide up and down without sticking. Many of these ball bearings are jammed and do not move to the tail end of the lure in order to assist with weighting the tail for casting. Check this out if you are having trouble casting them, it will assist with your distance. Some of them you can get loose by tapping them others just don't move. Hold the lure up to a bright light and you will see the weights sliding from left to right and back. Once in the water the weights balance out the lure. Hope this helps. Peter

Now you tell us

but thanks for sharing

Got one at the Durban social last year and they look like they could cast a mile.

jball7204 · « **Reply #17 on:** September 18, 2014, 07:31:32 PM »

Try the big Rapala Max Raps rather. More realistic looking, better quality hooks and more consistent in the cast. Double the price though...

Steenie · « **Reply #18 on:** September 18, 2014, 08:09:20 PM »

I am really starting to prefer the shiverstick over the slimbait. They throw quite well, and although they are a sinking lure one can fish them as a surface lure or off the bottom.

jball7204 · « **Reply #19 on:** September 18, 2014, 08:42:24 PM »

These are both the same length. It's just the angle of the shot that makes the Rapala look longer......but which one would YOU use???