Ski-Boat September 2018 by Angler Publications

CONTENTS

September/October 2018 Volume 34 Number 5 COVER: GOLDEN GLOW Grey Botha with a beautiful 37.8kg amberjack caught during the 2018 Mercury Shelly Beach Ski-Boat Festival. See page 28.

FEATURES

What’s the Status of Wreckfish? Clarification on deep water species ban — by Bruce Mann

Celebrate in Style 2018 Status Guinjata Bonanza — by Erwin Bursik

Boat Review: Magnum 32 A superb fishing boat that really performs — by Erwin Bursik

Tuna Time 2018 Mercury Shelly Beach Ski-Boat Festival — by Erwin Bursik

Desperately Seeking Tagged Tuna Keep your eyes peeled for AOTTP tags — by Stewart Norman & Chris Heinecken

A Classic Reborn 2018 Umhlanga Festival — by Erwin Bursik, Ruli Sofilas and Phillip Irving

Challenge Accepted! MRA Brokers 21st Inhaca Challenge — by Brad van Zyl

Icelandic Escapades Team SA at the EFSA European Boat Championships — by John Luef

DEPARTMENTS 8 44 55 57 72 75

Editorial — by Erwin Bursik SADSAA News & Views Subscribe and WIN! Kingfisher Awards Bits & Pieces Reel Kids

12 77 79 79 80 81 82

Mercury Junior Anglers Smalls Ad Index Business Classifieds Charters & Destinations Directory Rapala Lip — Last Word from the Ladies

The official magazine of the South African Deep Sea Angling Association

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Publisher: Erwin Bursik Editor: Sheena Carnie Advertising Executive: Mark Wilson Editorial Assistant: Vahini Pillay Advertising Consultant: Joan Wilson Accountant: Jane Harvey Boat Tests: Heinrich Kleyn Contributors: Erwin Bursik, Chris Heinecken, Phillip Irving, John Luef, Bruce Mann, Stewart Norman, Ruli Sofilas and Brad van Zyl. ADVERTISING – NATIONAL SALES: Angler Publications Mark Wilson cell: 073 748 6107 Joan Wilson (031) 572-2280/89/97/98 ADVERTISING – Gauteng & Mpumalanga: Lyn Adams — 083 588 0217 Publishers: Angler Publications cc PO Box 20545, Durban North 4016 Telephone: (031) 572-2280/89/97/98 Fax: (031) 572-7891 e-mail: angler@mags.co.za Subscriptions to SKI-BOAT: R180 per annum (six issues). New subscriptions and renewals: SKI-BOAT Subscriptions Department, PO Box 20545, Durban North 4016. Telephone: (031) 572-2280/89/97/98 Fax: (031) 572-7891 • e-mail: jane@mags.co.za • Through www.anglerpublications.co.za, or E-zine through <www.issuu.com> Reproduction: Hirt & Carter, Durban Printer: Robprint (Pty) Ltd, Durban Full production is done in-house by Angler Publications & Promotions on Apple Macintosh software and hardware for output directly to plate. SKI-BOAT Magazine, ISSN 0258-7297, is published six times a year by Angler Publications & Promotions cc, Reg. No. CK 88/05863/23, and is distributed by RNA, as well as directly by the publishers to retail stores throughout South Africa. • Copyright of all material is expressly reserved and nothing may be reproduced in part or whole without the permission of the publishers. • While every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the contents of this magazine, the publishers do not accept responsibility for omissions or errors or their consequences. Views expressed in this magazine are not necessarily those of the publishers, the managing editor, editor, editorial staff or the South African Deep Sea Angling Association.

8 • SKI-BOAT September/October 2018

EDITORIAL

PAYING THE TAX MAN

T is a sad indictment on all of us offshore anglers, especially those in KwaZulu-Natal and those who use the coast of the province to target gamefish, that when the hour comes for us to stand up and be counted, very few arrive. For years anglers have been bitching and moaning about the quantity of gamefish being lost to sharks (the proverbial taxman). Almost every time gamefish anglers congregate we hear people asking, “What are the authorities or ORI going to do about it?” About a year ago Stuart McKellar, one of the doyens of offshore angling out of Durban, decidErwin Bursik ed to formulate a plan to assess what has become Publisher a plague along almost the entire length of the KwaZulu-Natal coastline. Following in-depth talks with the marine scientists as well as anglers, he came to the conclusion that until viable statistics were available for the marine biologists to work with, we would never get any answers to this “tax” predation by sharks on hooked fish. To this end, in November 2017, Stuart elicited the co-operation of the Natal Deep Sea Angling Association and the Zululand Deep Sea Angling Association to encourage anglers to fill in “Offshore Shark Incident Return Forms”. In addition, Stuart personally visited the commercial and charter operations in Richard Bay, Durban and Shelly Beach to enlist their support. Not to be left out, the jet-ski and paddle ski anglers were also asked to cooperate. The Oceanographic Research Institute, in the form of Bruce Mann, was involved from the very beginning and set in place a system that would provide ORI with data to commence research into what was causing this alleged increase in shark predation. A copy of the form appeared in the March/April 2018 issue of SKI-BOAT alongside an article by Bruce Mann on the subject, and it was promoted on our Facebook page. We all failed. By the end of June 2018, eight months after this initiative was rolled out, only 120 returns had been received, thus totally torpedoing the entire venture. The scientists confirmed that this abysmally low return made it impossible to create a base for them to start exploring and researching this supposed problem. For this reason the entire project has been cancelled. Gone is our one chance to in anyway have the proverbial brakes put on the taxman here in KZN waters. It is sad that so little support was given to a worthwhile project that might have improved the chances of the anglers who fish these gamefish rich waters being able to land a good king mackerel to take home to enjoy. So, as of 1 July 2018, the sharks of KZN have won and will stay on a winning streak until someone else takes up the challenge to do something about it. Till the next tide.

Erwin Bursik

NEWS

WHAT’S THE STATUS OF WRECKFISH?

IN recent months it’s been brought to our attention that there has been some confusion about whether anglers are allowed to catch wreckfish. We asked Dr Bruce Mann, Senior Scientist at the Oceanographic Research Institute (ORI), to clarify matters for our readers ... By Bruce Mann

HE issue around wreckfish has been going on for many years. Capture of wreckfish (Polyprion americanus) is prohibited in terms of Regulation 54 (Annexure 12) in the “Regulations in terms of the Marine Living Resources Act, 1998” (Government Gazette No. 19205). You can simply Google this if want to see the regulation, or see the pertinent section in the screenshot above. However, wreckfish (Polyprion americanus) is not mentioned on the prohibited species list on the recreational fishing brochures. This is exactly what has caused all the confusion as it is not listed with other linefish species but rather as a “prohibited deep water species” which does not appear on any of the fishing brochures. Ideally it should be mentioned on the “Prohibited Species List” so that it is clear for anglers to see. The confusion around this issue has arisen due to the possibility (likelihood) that there are in fact two Polyprion species found in South African waters. While there is no doubt that we have P.

americanus, the second species called hapuku (Polyprion oxygeneios) is also likely to be found in SA waters and has tentatively been identified from photographs submitted to Dr Clive Roberts (an expert on the species in New Zealand). However, to the best of my knowledge this still needs to be confirmed through DNA analysis. The distinguishing feature of the wreckfish (Polyprion americanus) is the horizontal ridge on the operculum (gill plate). Blotchy colouration is typical in juvenile wreckfish. Both species are found in deep water (mainly around 150-1 000m) and are generally targeted using linefishing gear. The recent improvements in technology such as thinner, stronger braided

lines and electric reels have increased the chances of catching these deep water species. Little is known about the stocks of wreckfish species in South African waters, but fisheries targeting these species elsewhere in the world have shown that stocks are normally rapidly depleted. P. americanus have been aged to over 80 years in Brazilian waters and are known to mature late and form spawning aggregations. These life history attributes make wreckfish extremely vulnerable to overfishing and it is likely that it was a combination of these factors that led the South African authorities to place this species on the list of prohibited deep water species. Furthermore, because of barotrauma and temperature change these fish are generally unable to sur vive being brought up from the depths so fishing regulations such as size limits and bag limits would not work for these species. I hope that this helps to provide some clarification. SKI-BOAT September/October 2018 • 9

HISTORY

2001

2002 & 2004

2007, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015

2006 2008

10 â&#x20AC;¢ SKI-BOAT September/October 2018

2003

2016

2005

YEAR WINNING TEAM SKIPPER 1997 1998 1999 Bamba Zonke Dean van Zyl 2000 Guillandrie Peter Knipe 2001 Ocean Echo Paul Greyling 2002 Rya Mara Guy van Cayseele 2003 Deep Vision Kevin Powell 2004 Rya Mara Guy van Cayseele 2005 Ace Out Karl Engelbrecht 2006 Crescendo Ferdi Pistorious 2007 Gone Fishin’ Daryl Bartho 2008 Green Mamba Ken Leach 2009 Gone Fishin’ Daryl Bartho 2010 Gone Fishin’ Daryl Bartho Biggest gamefish: 27.8kg wahoo (Lawwerskaai) 2011 Gone Fishin’ Daryl Bartho Biggest gamefish: 52.9kg yellowfin tuna (Aristocrat) 2012 Gone Fishin’ Daryl Bartho Biggest gamefish: 27kg wahoo (Mrs Shag & Release) 2013 Gone Fishin’ Daryl Bartho Biggest gamefish: 40.1kg GT (Rya Mara) 2014 Gone Fishin’ Daryl Bartho Biggest gamefish: 37kg wahoo (Magwana) 2015 Gone Fishin’ Daryl Bartho Biggest gamefish: 31.9kg GT (Gone Fishin’) 2016 Uli Buli Paul du Toit Biggest gamefish: 34.2kg GT (Cabrito) 2017 Lawwerskaai Lappies Labuschagne Biggest gamefish: 33.6kg GT (Cabrito) 2018 Queen Pine Casper Badenhorst Biggest gamefish: 71.1kg yellowfin tuna (Piramero)

2017

2014

2011

2012

2010 SKI-BOAT September/October 2018 • 11

COMPETITION

12 â&#x20AC;¢ SKI-BOAT September/October 2018

By Erwin Bursik

T was always going to be a “big one”, and the 2018 Status Truck Sales Guinjata Bonanza proved to be just that and more. It was indeed a humdinger of a competition. With 77 participating ski-boats and 20 odd jet-skis lined up in the dark on Monday 4 June 2018 eagerly awaiting the Beach Master’s permission to put to sea, the atmosphere was palpable. Each and every one of us on the beach that morning was wondering: Is this the year that I take home the magnificent Sea Cat 520 powered by twin 60hp Yamaha 4-stroke outboards? It was proudly displayed in the marquee during the official opening and briefing session, just to make sure everyone knew what they were working for. Due to the weatherman’s prediction that the Tuesday and Wednesday would most likely be blown out, everyone was determined to get to sea and give it their all on the Monday.

This was the day benchmarks would be set in the biggest gamefish section and the top teams aiming for the coveted Top Species Team Prize would begin to separate themselves from the overall field. The first weigh-in would also provide a strong indication as to what species were available and in what sort of abundance. As predicted, the Tuesday and Wednesday were in fact blown out, giving teams time to reassess strategies and prepare their tackle for the last two days. The first day’s results reflected tough fishing conditions, and Queen Pine was the only craft to really shine that day. They managed to catch eight species and amass a total of 884.8 points. By the end of day one Brad Arthur was the main contender for the Sea Cat 520 with an 18.6kg greater barracuda. At this stage the next best team had marginally under 200 points, a clear indicator of just how hard it was to amass points. Boats such as Blesbok, Wolfie, Team Club Marine and SKI-BOAT September/October 2018 • 13

Footloose, the noted specialists of the area, were the only ones to accumulate more than 100 points. Even these few stats give a good idea why so much scheming and planning went into the game plans for the last two days. If day one provided an anxious start, the Thursday morning with its testing surf launch after two days of hectic south-westerly winds meant teams were doubly anxious. Getting out was interesting, but all the craft made it safely, and then it was time, especially in the largest gamefish category, to go out and catch the big one. In the not-so-great sea conditions the day ended with less than amazing catches, leaving Queen Pine still in top position in both top angler and top boat categories. It was hard to believe that an 18kg greater barracuda was still in line to win the Yamaha Sea Cat 520. Uli Buli started her run in the species section with a good tally of points and yet was still only half way to Queen Pine’s total. The final day, Friday 8 June 2018, was going to be D-day for one lucky angler who only had to beat the benchmark of 18.1kg. Every boat did their damndest to find that one fish that would allow their team to take home the Sea Cat 520. Watching the weigh-in that afternoon, the excitement built as the clock ticked closer and closer to the 14h30 deadline for all those weighing fish on this last day of the 2018 Status Guinjata Bonanza. Early on

The winning fish — Andries Oosthuizen’s 71.1kg yellowfin tuna.

in the weigh-in two yellowfin tuna around the 25kg mark were weighed in by the crew aboard Dilligaf, upping the benchmark to a more respectable height. Most of us believed we were looking at the potential winner. Literally ten minutes later an electric buzz spread like greased lightning along the line of anglers waiting to weigh fish. There was a monster yellowfin in the queue, and after the gate was closed the guesses were no longer of who was going to win, but just how big this fish actually was. Excitement reached fever pitch as Robin Vermaak, fishing aboard Piramero, unwrapped the fish’s protected covering and hung on the scale the biggest yellowfin tuna ever landed in the 21 years of the Guinjata Bonanza. I stand to be corrected, but I believe it may well be the biggest ever landed in Moçambique waters — a 71.1kg yellowfin tuna caught by Andries Oosthuizen. The competition had come to an end, and all that remained was the incredible prize-giving orchestrated by Guinjata Sports Fishing Club’s Brett Padoa, in which Queen Pine and Piramero reigned supreme. As it was this competition’s 21st anniversary, it is fitting to delve a tad into its histor y. Paul Greyling and Colin Jeffries, the then owners of Guinjata Lodge, hosted the first event back in 1997 in an endeavour to promote the excellent

The convoy to Guinjata arriving at the Kosi Bay border post. We bypassed Swaziland and tried out the new tarred road to Maputo which worked like a dream.

SKI-BOAT September/October 2018 • 15

16 â&#x20AC;¢ SKI-BOAT September/October 2018

Uli Buli took second place in the Top Boat category.

Fourth place in the Top Boat category went to Footloose.

Third place in the Top Boat category at the 2018 Status Guinjata Bonanza went to Wolfie. light tackle gamefishing in the area, and to get publicity for their lodge which was in the early stages of construction. Apart from the lodge, the only other development that was establishing itself up on the hill overlooking the magnificent bay of Guinjata was the so-called Club Five. The club was started by Ted Adams and Trevor Arlington as they began carving their “plots” out of the coastal bush and coconut plantations. Eventually, after many years of negotiation, a degree of tenure was fixed, resulting in Guinjata being the place to build a dream Moçambique holiday cottage. Just over 21 years later the results, in the way of development, prove that Ted and Trevor had indeed found a gem on the Moçambique coast. As memory serves me,Ted,Trevor, Paddy Venske and a few other “squatters” joined up with Paul Greyling to use their expertise gained from running Nomads and Southern Transvaal Deep Sea Angling competitions in South African waters to nurture this infant competition into what has

become unquestionably the biggest offshore fishing event in Moçambique. Guinjata Sports Fishing Club was subsequently formed and within a few years took complete control of the event. They took the original event of a few boat crews “kicking sand” and enjoying the first competition at Guinjata to a full bonanza with prizes that escalated exponentially with every annual event held at Guinjata Bay. To begin with this competition was a species driven event whereby those hunting species achieved more points by the inclusion of a multiplication-factor based on the total number of species caught in one day. Modernisation of wants, desires and general angling traditions have meant that, over the years, the rules have changed. The vast majority of those involved now accept that the current rules work and satisfy both the avid species hunters, of which there are many accomplished teams, as well as the “luckshot” brigade hoping for the one big fish that will win. SKI-BOAT September/October 2018 • 17

These lucky anglers all released billfish at the 2018 Status Guinjata Bonanza. Status Quo in the event. To all who have been involved, I have witnessed the past Siegfried was later given the honour of handing over the 19 years, and you have my congratulations and supreme admitop prize of a Sea Cat 520 powered by twin 60hp Yamaha 4ration for the efforts that have gone into each and every event stroke motors put together by Ryan Hansen of Durban making up this 21 year history of the Guinjata Bonanza. I Yamaha. know what an immense task it is to get all the prizes and Casper Badenhorst, Queen Pine’s owner/skipper, accepted infrastructure to Guinjata and then ensure it all works the huge number of prizes 1 100km from Guinjata awarded to the team achievSportfishing Club’s home in ing the greatest tally of Gauteng. points during the event. He This year, not for the first stated that winning the time, the local Moçambican species section had been a authorities threw a number burning ambition of his for of curved balls at the organmany years. Finally the isers, but Brett Padoa and his dream had been fulfilled, senior executives used along with his team mates patience and political Brad Arthur, Brett Bartho and aplomb to calm troubled Hennie Boschoff. waters and to keep everyTo the entire Guinjata thing on track. Committee who did all the The administrator of work to make 2018 the outInhambane Province attendstanding event it turned out ed the final prize-giving and to be, you deser ve the pronounced his appreciation resounding accolades from that the event was staged at all who attended. We appreGuinjata Bay and emphasised Top lady angler for 2018 was Petro Schultz. ciate ever ything that was the need for all concerned to provided to make this one of the best bonanza competitions ensure its continuity into the future. His support was heartily on the Southern African deep sea angling calendar. welcomed. Till 2019, fish hard, conjure up new ideas and continually Siegfried van Biljon, MD of Status Truck Sales, adopted the plan how you and your team are going to win the 2019 21st Guinjata Bonanza as primary sponsor. He not only proGuinjata Bonanza. vided considerable funding, but also fished aboard his craft TOP FIVE FISH 1. 71.1kg yellowfin tuna, Andries Oosthuizen on Piramero 2. 25.7kg yellowfin tuna, Cecil Bodenstein on Dilligaf 3. 24.9kg yellowfin tuna, Bruce Ocshe on Dilligaf 4. 20.5kg ’cuda, Pieter Broodryk on Lawwerskaai 5. 18.6kg greater barracuda, Brad Arthur on Queen Pine

TOP FIVE ANGLERS 1. Frans Henning, Blue Bill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .121.7 points 2. Andre Erasmus, Footloose . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .92.0 points 3. Riaan Starbuck, Pacman . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .80.0 points 4. Chris Booyzen, Johnny Boy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .80.0 points 5. Jumbo Swart, Masterjack . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .80.0 points

TOP TEN BOATS 1. Queen Pine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 355.80 points 2. Uli Buli . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .824.30 points 3. Wolfie . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .560.50 points 4. Footloose . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .336.50 points 5. Team Club Marine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .323.70 points 6. Blessbok . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .323.40 points 7. Blue Bill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .285.40 points 8. Jampacked . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .271.90 points 9. Isifonya II . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .267.70 points 10. Lawwerskaai . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .235.60 points

TOP LADY ANGLERS 1. Petro Schultz, Lagosta . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .50.4 points 2. Babie Gouws, Lucky Luke . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19.4 points 3. Trynie Vorster, Tjoppie . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18.6 points

18 • SKI-BOAT September/October 2018

TOP JUNIOR ANGLERS 1. Hayden Byrne, Pescadon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20.8 points 2. Troy Davies, Gloria da Manhya . . . . . . . . . . . . .7.1 points

BOAT REVIEW

The Magnum 32 Reviewed by Erwin Bursik

“W

IDER, bigger, higher were the adjectives Mark Delany, MD of Two Oceans Marine, used when describing the first Magnum 32 I was to review back in early 2004. This boat-building company, based in Cape Town and specialising in the upper end of the trailerable offshore power catamaran market, was then about to make the leap forward into bigger craft destined to be moored at various marinas in South Africa. A length over the nine metre mark allowed Two Oceans Marine the scope to design and build a boat that was outboard powered yet had all the onboard facilities and comfort of sportfishers in that length category that were essentially all imported from abroad. Awesome was the name of the first Magnum 32, and indeed she lived up to her name when I reviewed her out of Cape Town harbour in an area slightly protected from the gale force 32 knot wind blowing at the time. 22 • SKI-BOAT September/October 2018

I was blown away by Awesome in all senses of the word and time has proved the truth in my closing remarks of that review: “The Magnum 32 is not only a fine example of a craft designed by South Africans for South African conditions, but has also entrenched Two Oceans Marine as very competent boat builders capable of designing and manufacturing craft that are beyond the realms of what we in this countr y expect from ski-boats.” In the 14 years since the Magnum 32 was launched, I would venture to say that the popularity this craft has achieved endorses the above statement. When one sees the extent to which Two Oceans Marine has extended its foray into the market of big offshore sportfishers and luxury yachts — up to 80ft — one can only be impressed. Mark subsequently advised me he was building a Magnum 32 that was intended to be road trailered and launched off the beach at Plettenberg Bay. He asked me to review the latest and arguably the finest Magnum 32 he had produced, and also experience the

ease with which this craft is surf launched. I thought back to the time when I’d watched a reasonable sized craft being pushed into the sea off the long, flat beach at Plettenberg Bay many, many years ago. “Interesting,” I thought, as I attempted to visualise how the exercise would be practically undertaken with such a large craft. Knowing the owner and his ability to extend the bounds of normality, I followed the building of Reel Therapy — as well as the making of the road trailer and the launching dolly — from a distance but with great interest. When I eventually arrived at Plettenberg Bay about 30 years after my last visit I was astounded not only by the change in the launching area, but also by how much shorter and steeper the beach was and the extent of the shorey that was bouncing at the time. “Interesting...” went through my mind again. I couldn’t wait for the following morning when I would finally come face to face with Reel Therapy on her dolly high up on the beach.

by Two Oceans Marine She is a truly stunning craft when her full lines and extent are on display rather than lying on moorings as had been the norm of the past. Sadly the time for adoration was cut short as I heard the order to board and a growling 4x4 tractor hitched to the end of the dolly’s long disselboom put paid to any further bonding time. The launching procedure was as straight forward and easy as I had experienced so many times when launching nine metre craft at Sodwana Bay. Before I was finished trying to photograph the procedure we were out beyond the shallow water and the twin 300hp Yamaha 4-stroke outboard motors could be fully trimmed down, allowing Reel Therapy to come alive. It was then that Mark ushered me to the helm station and into the “Captain’s Chair” to take the helm in the most inclusive and comfortable station I have ever experienced on a craft of this size. Following a quick rundown of do’s and don’ts Reel Therapy was mine to play with for a good few hours in the balmy sea conditions off Plettenberg Bay.

I say balmy because, unlike during the stormy weather of my previous review of the Magnum 32, the sea was flat, almost oily, with a small swell moving in from the south and wind hardly ruffling the water’s surface. Luckily the submerged reef structure off the eastern tip of Robberg Point provided a fair deal of broken water and upsurge in the swell conditions on the landward side of this area. The dam-like conditions of the open bay to the white water and swells near Robberg Point provided my playground to reacquaint myself with the Magnum 32. In these flat conditions I was able to do what I construe as speed trials — not just how fast a craft can be pushed, but also how its hull adapts to increased throttle once it is firmly on the plane. Reel Therapy planed easily at 15 knots at 3 300 rpm but loved to run at 18/20 knots at 3 900 rpm, a speed that is optimum for most craft to provide a smooth, quiet and fuel efficient ride yet cover distance effectively. I didn’t open her right up, but attained close to 30 knots at 5 000 rpm. I was told

that at full throttle she can achieve close to 36 knots, maxing out at 5 900 rpm using 15-inch saltwater Series II counter-rotating props. I judge a craft’s ride, handling and comfort in the 19 to 22 knot range not only in relation to rpm, but more so in the power that’s available — the torque that’s available, if required, to pull the craft out of the hole in a big following sea to retain SOG and avoid suck back under such circumstances. Then, of course, I assess the craft’s ability to react to torque when launching, especially in surf conditions, and have in reserve sufficient power and ability to respond if and when circumstances change and power, and only power, can be one’s saviour. Reel Therapy showed her pedigree under all the trials I was able to undertake in the calm conditions that prevailed off Plettenberg Bay. I even tried playing with surf manoeuvres in the broken water and marginally increased swell off the Point. After getting to know the power hydraulic steering system, I was 100% happy that she had at SKI-BOAT September/October 2018 • 23

her disposal all the ability to take on whatever King Neptune threw at her. To find out how the original Magnum 32 performed in extreme conditions read my full review on <www.anglerpublications.co.za/boattests/2018/04/magnum-32-by-twooceans-marine/>. I went into a lot of detail in this regard in that review and have no doubt that Reel Therapy will achieve the same high levels of performance that I experienced in May 2004. The adaptations required to suit the owner’s needs and especially the style and type of angling that is to be undertaken from Reel Therapy need to be highlighted, especially if one compares her to the original Magnum 32 of 2004. If you’re mostly launching out of Plettenberg Bay, where bottom/reef

fishing is prevalent, you need both an open fish deck as well as easy access to a bow area that will be utilised for anchoring but also, in the case of Reel Therapy, for light tackle fishing and pleasure boating. This all required the redesign of the wheelhouse/cabin area to ensure the walkaround would be practical and still provide comfort and protection for a crew of five to travel long distances in troubled waters. The captain spoiled himself with a helm station chair that is as good as one can get; I have not experienced better even on some of the big sportfishers I have reviewed. Even though it takes up a fair amount of the upfront helm station area there is still ample space for a crew member to position himself on

either side of “Le Capitaine” to enjoy a long ride upfront. A full array of Furuno electronic equipment has been fitted. These were well placed visually and accessible for practical use during an outing to sea in any conditions. In addition to being confused when first using the power assisted/hydraulic steering system (power steering as we know it in modern general motor vehicles), a lot of spinning of the wheel and delayed reaction had me puzzled until Mark explained its method of operation and how, under any circumstances, it is feather light. I got to really love it! Upfront on the port side is a full flush toilet with a good deal of space even for a large-bodied crew member, and on the other side there’s a practical

SKI-BOAT September/October 2018 • 25

bunk and stowage area. The open backed cabin area has been practically designed for both a fishing crew and joyriders. Much thought has been given to internal finishes and moulding to avoid there being hard/sharp edges to knock against, and the windows and windscreens are large and made of special toughened, laminated marine glass. The other must for cabins is good ventilation especially if the craft is intended for tropical use, and Reel Therapy has plenty of that. It is, however, the bait/work station centrally placed on the teak stripped deck that is the “piece de resistance” on board Reel Therapy. Study the accompanying photograph and note not only the aft bait-cooler-come-work-station, but also the freshwater wash-up basin 26 • SKI-BOAT September/October 2018

and tap as well as the interesting lower styling that enables the person using this bait station to brace themself and get their knees under the outer lip to enhance stability in rough weather. An inspection of the deck layout photograph shows not only the hatch configuration but also the surrounding upholstered gunnel cladding which provides maximum comfort for pleasure as well as fishing. In the July/August 2018 issue of SKIBOAT I showed a picture of Reel Therapy being launched on a special dolly trailer, a unique support system used by the boat operators of Plettenberg Bay. Both this trailer and the road trailer that I saw are substantially made and the road trailer is fully compliant with road ordinances to allow this rig to be

towed by a Unimog without requiring special permits. I have spoken to friends who have towed the Magnum 32 from Cape Town to Plettenberg Bay and they remarked how well these tows were undertaken. These trailers, especially the road trailer, are engineering masterpieces, not only thoughtfully made, but also made strong with longevity and strength as the prime objectives. The Magnum 32 is an absolutely superb craft built to extremely high standards, and carries the same top class pedigree of the Two Oceans craft based in South Africa, Seychelles and Angola as well as other overseas destinations. No doubt she will provide Mr K and his family and friends with decades of pleasure and the Reel Therapy they strive for.

COMPETITIONS

28 â&#x20AC;¢ SKI-BOAT September/October 2018

By Erwin Bursik

ARLY July on the lower KwaZulu-Natal coast can be very unpredictable. The onset of big winter swells as well as the start of cold fronts that ravage this area of the coast generally do not provide prime offshore angling conditions for big competitions. However, on the plus side, it’s sardine time and holiday time. Above all it’s the time the shoals of yellowfin tuna in the 20kg class appear on Protea Reef as well as in the deeper water in the area known locally as “The Hole”. It’s generally said that when the aloes bloom the sardines arrive, but the sardines don’t always get the memo. However, this year, with the aloes blooming in late June, the sardine shoals arrived in huge numbers. It was by far the biggest run experienced in over a decade and it fell perfectly before, during and after the Mercury Shelly Beach Festival.

Mercury’s Francois Human (center) awards the two Mercury 150hp 4-stroke motors to Team Must Byt skippered by Mike Schneider (right).

SKI-BOAT September/October 2018 • 29

Second place, Gregory Botha.

Third place, Mark Arnold.

Fourth place, Buks Krugell.

Fifth place, Bevan Taljaard.

2018 was destined to be the year of bounty — we had magnificent weather and sea conditions for all four days, plenty of sardines and, above all, lots and lots of good sized yellowfin tuna. The fish certainly kept the competitors very busy and the weighmaster and his assistants on their toes. Early in the competition when a fair number of yellowfin tuna over the 20kg mark were cluttering the leaderboard the proverbial apple cart was upset. Greg Botha, an aspiring 13-year-old angler, fishing on his dad’s boat Watt 4, arrived at the scales with a truly magnificent albacore of 37.8kg. That put Greg firmly in line to win the main prize of twin Mercury 150hp 4-stroke outboard motors valued at R400 000. In any of the big festival-style competitions the weighing in of a very big fish early in the competition has the effect of making all the teams review their game plans. Tactics had to change if anyone was to beat Greg’s outstanding catch. What were the options? Firstly, try

to target a bigger amberjack. Secondly, carry on targeting yellowfin tuna in the areas that were producing bigger fish than the average 22kg size that appeared to prevail. There was always the chance someone would get lucky and bring in a really big one like the 40.9kg yellowfin that won the 2017 Festival. Thirdly there was the outside chance of catching a 40kg ’cuda. This was a big ask as at this stage, though, as no ’cuda had been weighed in. Strangely not a single ’cuda was weighed in during the entire competition this year. Was that due to the sardines? Finally there was the outside gamble — head upwards of 25 nautical miles straight out to sea in the hopes of crossing the path of a big wahoo or a big yellowfin tuna. After all, a few months prior to this event two incredible tuna — one over 100kg — were caught by anglers who’d done exactly that. Day after day the fish caught were weighed in with large numbers of nice yellowfin still topping the species list

but none over the 24kg mark. Very little in the way of pelagic warm water gamefish came in on the boats that had elected to go deep, and only a few wahoo (the biggest weighing 19.3kg) came in from the Aliwal shoal area. Nothing was coming anywhere close to Greg’s 37.8kg amberjack. However, as they say, it’s not over until the fat lady sings. In this case it was the singing of Mike Schneider’s 80 lb reel that was to change the history of the Mercury Shelly Beach Festival. Mike, the owner of Must-Byt Charters, commandeered his own boat this year so that he would have a chance to fish himself. His only game plan was to pull out deep for the big one. The first three days brought no reward for Must-Byt, but on day four Mike stuck to his guns and headed straight into the rising sun. Not three minutes after setting his first lure on his 80 lb class rig, and while he was letting out the second kona, the first reel began to scream and really scream. SKI-BOAT September/October 2018 • 31

Top Junior, Conrad Viljoen.

Mike put Peter Aslett in the chair and the resultant 79.2kg yellowfin tuna will go down in history as the biggest winning fish in the Shelly Beach festival’s 30odd years of existence. Having done what he set out to do, Mike pulled in the lines and beached Must-Byt just after 10am. When the fish was eventually brought to the scales weighmaster Dick Pratt announced the official weight to the crowd of onlookers as 79.2kg. The applause was thunderous. I am certain we all felt for young Greg Botha, but he took being knocked off top spot like a man and a true sportsman. In the end he was the top junior angler and his fish was the second biggest overall. The rule is that each fish can only take one prize, so Greg’s magnificent amberjack took second overall. That meant that ten-year-old Conrad Viljoen who lives in Sweden and fished with his father (last year’s overall winner) had the honour of being crowned the 2018 Mercury Shelly Beach Festival Top Junior. His 22.6kg yellowfin earned him some outstanding prizes including an inflatable craft from Buccaneer Boats. In general terms prizes in this competition (apart from species, ladies and junior prizes) extend to the top 15 places. This year, thanks to the tremendous support of sponsors, prizes were awarded to the top 20 positions. In years gone by it was felt that if you landed a fish of 20kg you had a fair chance of getting a prize; this year unless the yellowfin was over 21kg you didn't make the list! Incredibly the 20kg benchmark went right down to 41st position and a 19kg fish would put you in 60th position on the leaderboard. In my opinion the 2018 Mercury Shelly Beach Festival reached an all-time high in terms of organisation, quality and quantity of prizes and, above all, the great camaraderie among the anglers.

Top Lady, Chloe Kydd.

TOP 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

TEN FISH Pieter Aslett, Must Byt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .79.2kg yellowfin tuna Gregory Botha, Watt 4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .37.8kg amberjack Mark Arnold, Haraka V . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23.6kg yellowfin tuna Buks Krugell, Pokerface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23.2kg yellowfin tuna Bevan Taljaard, Charlies Angels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23.1kg yellowfin tuna Brendan Puren, Bliksem V . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22.7kg yellowfin tuna Wesley Uys, Charlies Angels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22.7kg yellowfin tuna Gregory Botha, Watt 4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22.6kg yellowfin tuna Jonathan Bakos, Billy Jude . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22.6kg yellowfin tuna Conrad Viljoen, Bliksem V . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22.6kg yellowfin tuna

TOP 1. 2. 3.

JUNIORS Conrad Viljoen, Bliksem V . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22.6kg yellowfin tuna Gustav Wucherpfenning, Stingray . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22.0kg yellowfin tuna Dylan Westoby, Licence to Chill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20.8kg yellowfin tuna

TOP LADIES 1. Chloe Kydd, Sea Witch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16.3kg yellowfin tuna 2. Magda de Bont, Stingray . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8.7kg yellowfin tuna

SKI-BOAT September/October 2018 • 33

When Shelly Beach Ski-Boat Club relocated the Festival’s home back to the club on its beachfront premises and away from the other offsite venues they tried, they definitely made the right decision. The event is now a coming together of offshore anglers in an environment that is conducive to mixing with likeminded people in a club that oozes fishing and has all the facilities that we anglers need and like. Another aspect of the Festival that has now become a tradition is the fillet-

34 • SKI-BOAT September/October 2018

ing of each day’s donated yellowfin tuna to demonstrate how it should be done and to provide cooked, sliced fillets for general consumption. It’s hugely popular and greatly appreciated by the spectators as well as those weighing in their catches. The final prize-giving at this competition is always extremely well attended. I appreciate the very slick manner in which the prizes are set up for distribution and the way each recipient is acknowledged for his or her achievement.

Once again, Club Chairman Anton Getz, Tournament Director Dick Pratt and their very enthusiastic tournament sub-committee ensured that this tournament was run like a well lubricated machine, and they deserve the accolades bestowed on them. All who attended vowed to return next year to take part in the 2019 Mercury Shelly Beach Festival. Those of you who missed the 2018 event should immediately diarise the first week of July 2019 and start planning to attend, I guarantee you won’t be sorry.

ACE PLANT HIRE AHEERS BUILD & SAVE ANTHONY & BASSON DEVELOPMENT AUTO GATE & ALARMS AUTOZONE BASIE LOURENS BATES GM BATTERYTEC SHELLY BEACH BAY VIEW LODGE BEARING MAN BEEKMAN GROUP BREAKERS SEAFOOD & GRILL BUCCANEER INFLATABLES BUCCANEERS RESTAURANT C & D CONSTRUCTION & MAINTENANCE CHRIS’S WORKSHOP COCA COLA FORTUNE COLLIS PARK COMFORT COOL AIRCONDITIONING CRAFT HARDWARE CURNOW KZN CURNOW STATUS INSURANCE BROKERS D & M FEEDS AND LIVESTOCK DEZZI DGB DIAGEO SA DOUG’S HARDWARE EDRICH ENGINEERING EMERALD COVE EXECUDEC FIREHOUSE FIREQUIP FIRE SEC GETSEA SKIPPERS TRAINING GR5 GRIPPLE SA H.I.P PRODUCTS

HALEWOOD INTERNATIONAL HCSD SECURITY HEINEKEN SA IMPI AFRICA CLOTHING INJECT A MOULD JET ELECTRICAL JOHN DOREY JUST SO CHINESE RESTAURANT JUSTIN KLUSENER PHOTOGRAPHY KEG KENCRETE KERN & PARTNERS KINGS PAINT & HARDWARE L & L ALUMINIUM LOWRANCE LUBRICATION ENGINEERINGS SA PTY LTD LUCKYS DISCOUNT CENTRE LUCKYS FISHING MACSTEEL MARGATE CONSTRUCTION MARGATE ENGINEERING MARGATE FINE METALS MARGATE FURNISHERS MARGATE PANEL BEATERS MB ELECTRICAL MERCURY MARINE MR CLEAN MUST BYT FISHING CHARTERS & PLEASURE TRIPS NATAL PORTLAND CEMENT NATAL POWER BOATS NATIONAL HARDWARE NUFORM SCAFFOLDING OCEAN MARINE BOATING PAINDANE BEACH RESORT PANAROTTIS PERFORMANCE LEISURE

PETS GALORE PG GLASS POWERFLOW EXHAUSTS PRINTCO QUIZZ FASHION ACCESSORIES RAPALA VMC RENASA INSURANCE RISK SURE INSURANCE BROKERS ROCK SURF AND DEEP S.A.OLYMPIC HEALTH WORLD SAB CASTLE LAGER SALON HEIDI SIZABANTU KITCHENS SKI-BOAT MAGAZINE SMOKEY JOE’S SOUTH COAST BUSINESS MACHINES SOUTH COAST CEILINGS SOUTH COAST GRANITE SOUTHERN AMBITIONS CIVIL & BUILDING CONTRACTORS SPAR - PORT EDWARD SPEEDYS MARGATE SPUR SUPA QUICK SURF ACTION SWALLOWS NEST B&B TVH PARTS TACKLEBOX THE VIEW RESTAURANT TWIZZA TYREMART SHELLY BEACH UGU SOUTH COAST TOURISM UMTHUNZI HOTEL UMZIMKULU MARINA VINIMARK VODASHOP SHELLY BEACH

RESEARCH

DESPERATELY SEEKING

TAGGED TUNA

Keep your eyes peeled for AOTTP tags By Stewart Norman and Chris Heinecken

N June 2016 the International Commission for the Conservation of the Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) initiated the Atlantic Ocean Tropical Tuna Tagging Program (AOTTP) funded by its members and the European Union. The target of the program is to tag a total of 120 000 tunas in the Atlantic Ocean within the next five years — the largest tagging program ever attempted by ICCAT. The information gained through the tag recapture data will help improve and update scientific advice and determine appropri-

ate conservation and management measures in order to achieve sustainable management of coastal state tropical tuna resources. Fish have been tagged in all areas of the Atlantic (see Figure 1), but so far the only fish recovered in South African waters are those that were also tagged here. That is not to say, however, that we shouldn’t be expecting migratory fish from the tropics to appear in our waters; in fact, the likelihood of this is high. Although we had a very poor fishing season in RSA last year and the tag team did not achieve their target of 3 000 tags deployed, there is a good chance

that the fish tagged elsewhere will migrate into our waters. As you can see, the number of fish tagged and fish recovered so far during the program is substantial (Table 1). It is just the beginning of the South African tuna fishing season and already we have had five recoveries and are expecting more before the end of the season. The Awareness and Tag Recovery Program team at CapMarine are seeking tag recovery information from the main ports and landing sites in South Africa, as well as catch reports from the commercial, recreational and charter tuna vessels. The success of the AOTTP is SKI-BOAT September/October 2018 • 37

dependent on the reporting of tagged fish once they are caught by commercial and recreational fishermen. So far all recoveries have been reported by commercial fishermen - CapMarine thanks them again for their support. So far a total of six yellowfin tuna (4.8%) have been recovered in South African waters (at the time of printing). All but one have been recovered by commercial tuna operators in the same approximate area in which they were tagged — about 40 miles west of Cape Town. On two occasions fish were recovered with internal electronic archival tags in the stomach cavity. Reports from ICCAT indicate that these tags have provided the best data in the history of archival tags deployed in the Atlantic Ocean. The data from these tags includes both vertical and horizontal swimming profiles. The light antenna of the archival tag records the ambient light in the vicinity of the fish, the “track” is deciphered by complicated algorithms involving the timing of the sun rise and sun set and geo-referencing that information to a specific position in the ocean using guesses based on day length, sea temperature and bathymetry. ICCAT has had some trouble calibrating the data for the electronic tags but can provide realistic information about where the fish has swum since it was tagged. Other data, collected at 15 second intervals, includes internal and ambient temperature as well as pressure (as a proxy for depth). In some cases the tags are only discovered in the factor y once the fish has been processed; this is ver y unfortunate because by this stage the recovery officer, skipper or factory manager is not able to get an accurate fork length (FL) for the fish. This is one of the most important data parameters in the project as it assists with working out growth rates for these incredible fish. Three of the six tags have been recovered at the same processor — Green Fish Traders — who have been proactive in providing both the tag and information on the recovered fish. You

The map above shows where tuna were tagged and released, and the map below shows where tuna have been recovered. For further updates and more information on the project look at <https://www.iccat.int/aottp/en/aottp-maps.html>.

can see in Table 2 that we have managed to get length information for some of the recovered fish but not all. Please keep your eyes peeled for tags if you are targeting yellowfin and record the fork length of the fish (to the nearest

cm) as soon as you land it. If you or your crew find a tagged tuna or hear of anyone who has, please text,WhatsApp, or call +27 63 634 2503 or +27 82 660 6141. This is a dedicated line for reporting tag recaptures.

Table 1: Overall ICCAT-AOTTP skipjack, yellowfin and bigeye tunas tagged and released and the number and percentage of recoveries. Other species tagged include little tuna, frigate tuna and wahoo. Species name Total Releases Average fork length Total Recoveries Average fork length % Recoveries Skipjack tuna 35 074 47.65cm 2 648 58.50cm 8% Yellowfin tuna 75 766 48.93cm 12 301 64.03cm 16% Bigeye tuna 16 918 54.69cm 3 904 50.51cm 23% Table 2: Details of the ICCAT-AOTTP tags recovered from yellowfin tuna in South African waters. Tag no. Species Released Recovered Days free FL at release FL at recovery Vessel 86803 Yellowfin 10/04/2017 03/11/2017 208 140cm 143cm Seawin Sapphire 52927 Yellowfin 10/04/2017 23/04/2018 379 141cm Antares 83883 Yellowfin 10/04/2017 23/04/2018 379 145cm 146.8cm Puffin 52830 Yellowfin 01/03/2017 12/05/2018 400 88cm 130cm Alicia 52934 Yellowfin 11/04/2017 17/05/2018 403 163cm 167cm Django 52898 Yellowfin 30/03/2017 18/05/2018 404 87cm Covi 2

Tag Type Red Spag. + Internal Yellow Spaghetti Red Spag. + Internal Yellow Spaghetti Yellow Spaghetti Yellow Spaghetti

SKI-BOAT September/October 2018 • 39

Justin von Bond and the crew of Puffin with the yellowfin tuna they recovered off Cape Town in April 2018.

Mark Felgate and the crew of Antares also recovered a tuna in April 2018.

Sean Walker and the crew of Seawin Sapphire recovered a yellowfin tuna off Cape Town in November 2017. After providing information about the code number of the tag, the length and the area or exact location where the fish was caught, the tag finders will receive AOTTP T-shirts and also a cash reward of R140. The rest of the crew will also receive a T-shirt each. Your name and the name of your boat may be published in follow up articles or in the pamphlets that are being distrib40 â&#x20AC;˘ SKI-BOAT September/October 2018

uted at local boat and ski-boat clubs and at launching and landing sites. Please note: All fish tagged with red spaghetti tags on the left hand side adjacent to the dorsal fin will also be tagged with chemical or electronic tags and we therefore need the whole fish back to get the full spectrum of biological data. A market-related price will be paid for the fish.

TACKLE TALK

By Erwin Bursik

URING the recent Shelly Beach Bonanza a young south coaster erected a gazebo to display and promote his business. Brendan Kohler, who repairs and services fishing reels, has developed a revolutionary wind-on leader that he was displaying throughout the four-day event.

42 • SKI-BOAT September/October 2018

What intrigued me was that he had one of his leaders subjected to a 35kg load for the duration of the four-day tournament and there was no indication of slippage of the braid loop to the leader material used. He offers a full range of leader breaking strains ranging from as little as 29kg and all the way up to 240kg. This unique leader configuration offers the following advantages: • Less bulk in the knot means more line capacity on the reel. • Less bulk allows the connection to pass through the guides more easily. • Less bulk to put off wary gamefish, thereby giving the angler a better strike rate. • Compact design makes it suitable for applications such as vertical jigging, popping and rock and surf casting. • Extra grip when knot is placed under the thumb eliminates slip-

page when casting heavy weights on conventional reels. • The leaders are individually strength tested using the BKW test, ensuring 100% knot strength that won’t let you down. • All leaders are made of T-line nylon and come in 10m lengths. The knot is made with Berkley Black Velvet braid. I at the same time witnessed the painstaking work Brandon put into repairing a fixed spool jigging reel that seized during the event. Many top anglers at the event also gave positive feedback regarding the quality and service he provides in this, the main aspect of his business. Contact Brendan Kohler of South Coast Reel Services on 064 537 4901 or email <southcoastreels@ outlook.com>. Otherwise drop in at his business premises at 30 Hibiscus Avenue, Margate.

Xtreme Fishing Charters aims to give you an Xtreme and unforgettable experience, whether that is fighting some of the biggest fish around or just having an Xtremely relaxing bucket list experience. We are an owner-operated fishing charter business, located in the harbour of Hout Bay, Western Cape, South Africa. Our waters just off the shore of Cape Town are rich in marine life. These waters are home to some of the world s finest yellowfin tuna (Thunnus Alacares), longfin tuna (Thunnus Alalunga) and yellowtail (Seriola Lalandi). A huge variety and different species of pelagic sea birds are also sighted throughout the year. We offer our clients a world class experience, from excellent equipment and tackle to great boats (we have 2 x 32ft fully equipped comfortable vessels) and skippers/crew with a wealth of knowledge and years of experience. All round it s an Xtreme experience, never to be forgotten.

PRESIDENT’S REPORT

ITHOUT doubt SADSAA’s Annual General Meeting that is held each June is the highlight of our year. This year the AGM was held at Mannah Lodge in Kempton Park on 15 June. We received reports from the elected officers, assessed the Annual Financial Statements for the year ending 31st December 2017, and thereafter elected the association’s office bearers for the ensuing year. Of paramount importance to me was that all the office bearers, Action Committee members and selectors were reelected following a secret ballot with all 14 provinces affiliated to SADSAA voting in accordance with the constitution. This indicated to me that we as SADSAA had finally navigated out of the stormy seas the association experienced from 2014 to mid-2017. We are now experiencing calmer waters which, in boating terms, allows all facets of our association to up the speed and achieve more for the sport of deep sea angling in South Africa. SADSAA, through the provincial structures and clubs, must engender this revival and thus encourage all deep sea anglers who are not yet members of clubs to sign up. Not only will they reap the benefits of being an integral part of a club, but they will also enjoy the wider experience of being part of the SADSAA family. SAFETY PORTFOLIO Karl Krause, our National Safety Officer, and his appointed Inland and Coastal deputies, Jannie de Jong and Anton Gets, have achieved wonders during the last two years. Thanks to their constant communication with SAMSA (South African Marine Safety Authority) they have done an incredible amount to streamline the issuing of skippers’ tickets and I am pleased to see the improved turnaround time we are currently experiencing.

44 • SKI-BOAT September/October 2018

SADSAA OFFICE A formal office has been established in the Durban North area and is staffed by two ladies who primarily attend to safety issues, but who also carry out many other administrative functions. FINANCE The annual financial statements were submitted and approved at the AGM. This covered the financial year ending 31 December 2017 and showed a respectable surplus of income over expenditure and a very healthy reserve fund. COMPETITIONS Personally I am thrilled to see a massive upturn in the number of anglers — juniors, ladies and seniors — taking part in interclub, interprovincial, national and international competitions. It is this enthusiasm and competitiveness for team placings that is the very backbone of our sport. Having attended many of the prize giving functions and capping ceremonies during the last 12 months, I am extremely proud of both the calibre and performance of these highly competitive anglers. NATIONAL INTERPROVINCIAL FOR 2019 • Tuna Nationals — 6 to 11 May 2019, Atlantic Boat Club, Hout Bay • Gamefish Nationals — May 2019, St Lucia, Zululand • Junior Nationals — July 2019, East London • Bottomfish Nationals — July, August, September 2019 Durban • Heavy and Light Tackle Billfish Nationals — November 2019, Sodwana Below is a photo of the full 2018/19 SADSAA committee.

GETTING TO KNOW YOUR COMMITTEE We believe it’s important that the SADSAA members know who’s on the committee, so in the next few issues of SKI-BOAT magazine we’ll be giving you a brief CV of the people on the 2018/19 SADSAA committee. Below is a photo of the 2018/19 Action Committee and some information about them.

Phillip Marx, SADSAA President, believes that humble people are successful in work and sport. He has been Zululand Chairman for about ten years, a national selector for four years, SADSAA ViceChairman for four years and now SADSAA President for three years. In addition to that, he’s quite a fisherman and has his Natal, Zululand and Protea Colours for fishing. Phillip has won three nationals, won two marlin interprovincials and won one sailfish interprovincial. His best day’s fishing was the day he caught four marlin in a day, and his favourite fishing spots are Sodwana Bay and Kona, Hawaii. Jaco Lingenfelder, SADSAA Vice-President, believes in giving back to the sport. He has served in a number of positions on the committee of Makaira Game Fishing Club, was Vice-Chairman of Southern Gauteng provincial structure and then Chairman and was a selector for Southern Gauteng for seven years. He is currently serving his second term as VicePresident of SADSAA and his second term as a director on the board of the International Light Tackle Tournament Association. He’s no slouch in the fishing field either, with eight provincial caps for Southern Gauteng (five medals), eight national caps for Southern Gauteng (four medals), three SADSAA caps (three medals) and five Protea caps which resulted in a silver medal won in Guatemala. Chris Schorn, SADSAA Secretary, started fishing with his father in the local rivers and from the shore around East London from a very early age and stayed in touch with the sea through scuba diving and fishing whenever possible. In 2000 he started fishing

again in earnest. Chris has been an active member of the NSRI for 12 years, Safety Officer for the Plettenberg Bay Ski-Boat Club for the past 11 years and was Chairman of the same club until 2017. Currently Chairman of the Southern Cape Deep Sea Angling Association and Secretary of SADSAA, he is happy to able to give back to the sport that has been such a large part of his life. Erwin Bursik, SADSAA Treasurer, started rock and surf fishing as a youngster in Durban and acquired his first skiboat in 1962. He eagerly fished club and interclub competitions in the late ’60s and early ’70s, and first earned his Natal Colours in 1976. Erwin received his first Springbok Colours in 1983 and fished in two tests against England out of St Lucia and Cape Town. His Protea Colours were acquired in 1997 when he finished in Kenya in an EFSA International. These days he fishes recreationally off Durban and enters a number of bonanza-style competitions. He has been the highly respected SADSAA Treasurer for many years. Richard (Dick) Pratt, National Tournaments Officer, started angling with his father from an early age and has been involved in deep sea angling — both participating and as part of various administration teams — since the ’70s. Dick has been on the committee of club and provincial structures, was on the executive of SASBA and then SADSAA from 1980 till 2013 and 2016 till present. He was President of SADSAA from 1996 to 2000 and Tournaments Officer from 2001 till present. Dick fished for South Africa nine times,

eight as captain of his team. In 1995 Dick, Paddy Venske and Mike Buyskes won the Red Cross World Sailfish Championships in Mexico, fishing for the first time in Protea Colours. Lee Wiid, member of SADSAA Action Committee, always strives to keep the anglers’ interests at heart. He is passionate about promoting all aspects of angling and hopes to be able to see a Tuna International taking place in our waters again. Lee has been of great service to the sport, serving in a number of club and provincial positions over the years, and being elected as Vice-Chairman and subsequently Chairman of WPDSAA. He was also OTS Tuna International Convener in 2012. Lee obtained his SASBA and, subsequently, SADSAA Skippers’ Colours at Sodwana Bay in the ’80s and ’90s. Lee is not particular about what fish he targets or where, and has fished in numerous areas locally and internationally. Andrew Bowie, member of SADSAA Action Committee, started fishing competitively in 1995 after he joined the Wahoo Ski-Boat Club. He obtained provincial colours under the old Transvaal province. Andrew was awarded SADSAA Colours in 2011 in the Heavy Tackle Section and captained the same team in 2012. In 2013 and 2014 he was awarded Protea Colours and fished in the HIBT in Kona, Hawaii. He is currently Chairman of the Wahoo Ski-Boat Club and Chairman of the Gauteng provincial structure. He has served on the SADSAA Council since 2004 and currently serves on both the Action Committee and the Finance Committee. He is also a VicePresident of SASACC the governing body of all fishing disciplines in South Africa.

SADSAA CONTACTS: Email: <info@sadsaa.co.za> • Website: <www.sadsaa.co.za> SKI-BOAT September/October 2018 • 45

COMPETITION

2018 Umhlanga By Erwin Bursik

ITH the proliferation of social style fishing competitions being held on the South African coast one could be forgiven for thinking we don’t need any more. However, when the 2018 Umhlanga Festival began to be promoted earlier this year it got many of us — especially the old timers — thinking back to the famous Umhlanga Festival of old. Those deep sea anglers 40 years or older will have fantastic memories of the early days of the Umhlanga 48 • SKI-BOAT September/October 2018

Extravaganza, as it was originally called way back in 1976. It was the first and, back then, the only festival of its kind in this country. Anglers and the kids of that era still remember the vibe, excitement and festivities of this annual event. It was the place to be and was eagerly awaited each year. In 1976 the members of the Umhlanga Ski-Boat Club, under the guidance of Norman Horning and others including Piet Jacobs, Clive Taylor, Allen Cunningham and myself, started the Umhlanga Extravaganza. It was hosted in conjunction with the borough of Umhlanga in a concerted effort

to promote tourism at the (then) fledgling seaside resort and raise funds for an old age home that was due to be built in Umhlanga. Unfortunately early records of the first event are harder to find than hen’s teeth. However I managed to find some information on the third running of the Umhlanga Extravaganza which was held on 1 and 2 April 1978. Prizes totalled R12 000 — the main prize was a Wasp ski-boat valued at R2 000 and second prize was a trip to Mauritius! The event had an entry of 400 competing anglers, with entrants from as far afield as Malawi, Rhodesia, South West

THEN AND NOW ... On the left are some of the many fish which were caught at the 2018 Umhlanga Festival. Above is Norman Horning, event organiser for the 1978 festival (right) and his wife Colleen, accepting the donated first prize of a Wasp ski-boat from Mike Morgan. Tony Steppe of Shelly Beack Ski-Boat Club won the boat with a 20.5kg wahoo. Below is 16-year-old Bradley Lloyd whose 30.25kg wahoo landed him a trip to Mauritius at the 1979 event.

Festival Africa and Transvaal. It was fished in bad sea conditions and there was quite a few capsizes in the big prevailing surf. The first prize — the Wasp ski-boat — was won by Tony Steppe with a 20.5kg wahoo, and the report was published in the March/April 1978 issue of Ski Scene magazine. The 1979 Umhlanga Bonanza as it had been renamed attracted 172 boats. First prize was a Z-Craft 4.4 Bermuda ski-boat with twin 25hp Mariner outboards, and the total prize value was R26 000. The boat was won by Robert Bond with a 34kg black marlin, and second prize of a ten-day holiday in

Mauritius went to Bradley Lloyd with a 30.25kg wahoo. The handsome sum of R6 000 was donated to the Senior Citizens Home project. While this taste of history may be of little interest to many of the young anglers of today, the above introduction to what is now set to become a significant competition on the KwaZulu-Natal fishing calendar will bring back a flood of memories for the ballies among the offshore angling fraternity. Walking into the marquee at the new Umhlanga Ski-Boat Club just prior to the prize giving on the evening of 16 June 2018 gave me goose bumps! It

was very similar to the stage layout and convivial atmosphere that was experienced by all during the first ten years of the original Umhlanga Festival that so many of us grew up with and loved. Paul Shepard, Umhlanga Rocks SkiBoat Club Chairman, and Phillip Irving, Competition Officer, took a courageous step considering the current economic times and the already full competitive offshore angling calendar. However, they pulled it off and, in so doing, have set a benchmark that will no doubt see the competition grow in size and prestige to emulate the Umhlanga Festival of old. SKI-BOAT September/October 2018 • 49

Numerous great prizes were on offer and there was plenty to drink, ensuring everyone had a good time. AND SO IT BEGINS ... By Ruli Sofilas, Natal Power Boats

CONGRATS TO ALL THE WINNERS By Phillip Irving

T all started as a casual bar chat at Umhlanga Ski-Boat Club over a few beers. Paul Shepard, Phillip Irving and Nick Landzanakis spoke about relaunching the Umhlanga Festival. It seemed like a great idea, and the wheels were set in motion. The first step was to contact Suzuki — a big part of Natal Power Boats Marine family — to assist us with the competition. Many of the members of the Umhlanga Ski-Boat Club are also loyal customers of Natal Power Boats and Suzuki, so it was a natural progression for us to be involved in the sponsorship. A couple of meetings later we had all the sponsorships secured and the planning of the competition was well underway. Paul Shepard was instrumental in securing the sponsorships and his passion for organising the competition was incredible. Everything had to be done in a relatively short time frame, but despite that hurdle the competition was a resounding success. Natal Power Boats and Suzuki will definitely be involved next year and we look forward to an even bigger and better event in 2019.

UNE this year once again saw the Umhlanga Festival being hosted by the Umhlanga Ski-Boat Club after a break of 15 years! There was great excitement during the weeks building up to the event as it would also be the first time that the club’s new premises in Prestondale, Umhlanga, would host a competition of this magnitude. The competition was open to all anglers whatever their craft — jet-skis, paddle-skis and ski-boats — with the fishing perimeters being from Richards Bay to Port Edward. In total 230 anglers took part and approximately 900kg of fish passed by the scales. The club managed to team up with some fantastic sponsors and there was no shortage in terms of prizes and opportunities to be seen. Some of the big sponsors were Goscor, Suzuki, Natal Power Boats, Club Marine, Dunlop, CMH, Landrover and Lowrance. We also had great support from many local tackle and fishing apparel sponsors who also set up shop on the ski-boat club grounds for those who wanted to add to their tackle boxes. The weather was a little disjointed and windy, but the fish SKI-BOAT September/October 2018 • 51

A very happy Jeremy Hulsen pictured with his first place prize.

were definitely there and opportunities were presented to those who were ready. All in all some good fish came out! When weigh-in closed at 3pm on Sunday, the top results were as follows: • Top Angler — Jeremy Hulsen with a 26.7kg ’cuda. He won the Suzuki 4-stroke 100hp outboard motor worth R125 000. • Top Lady — Sarah Genetaki with a 25.3kg ’cuda. She won an “Air to Water” machine worth R23 000. • Top Junior — Chase Lisergang with a 19.3kg ’cuda. He won a rubber duck with motor worth R30 000. • Top Paddle-ski — Rowan Freeze with an 18.75kg tuna. He won a motorised paddle-ski worth R35 000. Prizes were awarded up until tenth place and there were prizes for first releases of a billfish and kingfish, as well as various lucky draw prizes. Many happy anglers were seen over the course of the weekend, and those who just came in support and for the social side of the festivities were not disappointed either. There were numerous food stalls, a beer tent, clothing and tackle for sale, a jumping castle and live music to keep everyone well fed and entertained. The public was entertained by the likes of The Black Lepals, the Kickstands and Paulo, and many people celebrated well into the night. All in all it was a very successful competition for those both on and off the water and the vibe and positive spin-off promoting the sport means that The Umhlanga Festival will definitely be back. Hopefully it will be a permanent fixture on everyone’s fishing calendar. A big thank you to all those involved in the 2018 event, and for those who missed out this year, make sure you don’t make the same mistake in 2019. 52 • SKI-BOAT September/October 2018

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Kingfisher Award Application Form I hereby apply for the Kingfisher Award in the category:

Meritorious Fish

Outsanding Catch

Tick the appropriate box and supply us with the following information. Please remember to print clearly.

Applicant’s Details: Name: ................................................... Address: ............................................... ............................................................... ............................................................... Code: .................................................... Tel No: ................................................... E-mail: ............................................................... Club (if member): .................................. ............................................................... I, the undersigned, agree to abide by the rules of this award. Signature: .............................................. Meritorious Fish Species: ................................................ Weight: .................................................. Date of Capture: .................................... Where Caught: ...................................... Skipper's Name: .................................... Outstanding catch Category applied for (tick appropriate box): 3:1

5:1

7:1

10:1

Species: ................................................ Weight: .................................................. Line class: ............................................. Date of Capture: .................................... Where Caught: ...................................... Skipper's Name: .................................... Digital emailed photographs should be high-resolution.

56 • SKI-BOAT September/October 2018

YOUR favourite offshore angling magazine, SKI-BOAT, in conjunction with The Kingfisher and the South African Deep Sea Angling Association, is proud to offer all South African ski-boaters the unique opportunity to win awards for excellence in angling. All deep sea anglers who achieve laid down standards of excellence will be entitled to apply for the KINGFISHER AWARD. Upon ratification by a panel of adjudicators, the angler will receive a handsome digital certificate, suitably inscribed. The Kingfisher Award will be made for fish caught in two sections: 1) The Kingfisher Award - Meritorious Fish To satisfy the requirements for this award, anglers are required to catch a fish included in the list detailed hereunder, equal to or better than the nominated weight. Tackle used is of no consideration here, the RULES: 1) There is no restriction on the number of awards which can be applied for. 2) Award applicants must submit a photograph of the relevant fish with the application form, preferably a photograph of the angler holding the fish. 3) SKI-BOAT reserves the right to use the photograph as it sees fit. 4) Entries must be on the official form which is included in all issues of the magazine. 5) Entires must be received within 45 days of capture. 6) Certificates awarded will be as follows: Meritorious Fish - Gold Outstanding Catch 3:1 - Bronze; 5:1 and 7:1 - Silver; 10:1 - Gold 7) No witnesses of the catch are required. The award is made in the true spirit of sportsmanship and relies on the integrity of the angler to make a just claim. 8) A selection of award winners’ names will be announced in future issues of SKIBOAT, along with relevant photographs. 9) Award applicants should allow 30-45 days for processing of applications. 10) There is no charge for Kingfisher Awards.

fish's weight being the main criterion. The different eligible fish and their corresponding minimum nominated weights are as per the list below. A gold digital certificate will be awarded for this achievement. Complementing this section is the second award category: 2) Kingfisher Award - Outstanding Catch To satisfy the requirements for this award, anglers can catch any recognised fish and the weight of that fish must equal or exceed certain laid down fish weight:line class ratios. Awards will be made in the following ratio categories: 3:1 – Bronze Award 5:1 – Silver Award 7:1 – Silver Award 10:1 – Gold Award. Applies to IGFA line class 1kg , 2kg, 4kg, 6kg, 10kg, 15kg, 24kg, 37kg and 60kg.

SPECIES: Barracuda Dorado Kingfish (Ignobilis) Garrick (Leervis) King Mackerel (’Cuda) Black Marlin Blue Marlin Striped Marlin Prodigal Son Sailfish (Pacific) Spearfish (Longbill) Spearfish (Shortbill) Tuna (Big Eye) Tuna (Longfin) Tuna (Yellowfin) Wahoo Yellowtail

NOMINATED WEIGHT: 15kg 12kg 20kg 12kg 15kg 100kg 100kg 60kg 15kg 25kg 20kg 20kg 30kg 25kg 50kg 15kg 15kg

RELEASED BILLFISH AND GT (Ignobilis) KINGFISH With the strong trend towards releasing these and other fish, we have decided to amend the Kingfisher Award rules to provide for acknowledgement of all released fish. All we need is a photo of the fish being released or prior to release (e.g. GT held on boat) and the approximate weight of the fish which should fall in line with the stipulated weights set out above. In line with this trend we will not be carrying photographs on the Kingfisher Award Page of any of the billfish species nor GTs other than those that are released.

Submit application to: Kingfisher Awards, PO Box 20545, Durban North 4016 or email angler@mags.co.za

COMPETITIONS

CHALLENGE ACCEPTED!

MRA Brokers By Brad van Zyl

T’S never too soon to go fishing again, but it felt just like a few months ago that we were all setting sail to fish in the island competition off Maputo. Yes, the time had come again for Inhaca Island to be revisited by the armada of ski-boats for our annual competition hosted by the Nelspruit and District Angling Club. This being the 21st Challenge, it was no surprise to see a full complement of entrants making their way across the bay of Maputo way before the competition had started. By far the majority of the boats and their crews were “old timers” to this competition, and it was wonderful to hear their excuses for arriving four, five or even six days before the start of the Challenge! Having said that, it’s a firm tradition to “let the dogs out” on the first night (it sometimes lasts a lot longer than just one night), so that the crews can get down to some serious “homework” and strategic planning for the upcoming fishing event. The entire Inhaca Challenge committee had worked extremely hard in the build up to the 21st running of this competition, and with Anton van Niekerk in the driving seat it was wonderful to see the hundreds of thousands of rands in sponsored prizes up for grabs. As the water slowly edged its way to high tide, everyone

60 • SKI-BOAT September/October 2018

arrived at Nhonguane Lodge on Sunday, 13 May for the skippers’ briefing. Although spirits were high among the anglers, rumours of tough fishing conditions and the scarcity of catches soon filtered into many of the conversations. Truth be told, the weather predictions were all but good and it seemed that we might have to sit on the side for a day or two in the week to come. With winter well on its way, the sun struggled its way up over the eastern horizon just after 6am to introduce us to an uncomfortable, rough sea on day one. This immediately caused havoc among the anglers who then had to change strategy and quick decisions had to be made about where they thought the big fish were to be caught. With the knowledge that there would most likely be a blow-out in the next day or two, very little was said over the radio and a lot of hard work was put into fishing. Sporadic radio conversations confirmed the lack of catches in most of the areas off the island, and all too soon we had to make our way back through Hell’s Gate to meet the 3:20pm weigh-in deadline. As the nervous chit-chat ensued, the lean fish bags were slowly dragged up to the scales for inspection. It was abundantly clear from the day’s catch that the rumours of fish being scarce were indeed true. Only 15 of the 26 boats had fish to weigh, so the rest of us made the most of happy hour.

21st Inhaca Challenge It seemed that the majority of the fish caught were found down south of the island and Go Fish with founding member Gary Larkan as skipper, had found the honey pot. As the leading points scorer, Gary and his crew had further bragging rights when they placed a massive 25.2kg wahoo on the scales. To add insult to injury, this wahoo, caught by Trevor Dubber, also set the benchmark for the Calcutta prize money of R40 500! When the scales closed for day one it was clear to the rest of the competitors that we had our work cut out for us if we wanted to catch up to the front runners. Go Fish was firmly placed in first position with 47 points, Mad Marlin 2 was in second place with 40 points and About Time in third with 38 points. Very few fish over 10kg were weighed in and it was disappointing when compared to last year’s day one. A total of three billfish were released for the day, one being a marlin caught by another founding member, Werner Potgieter on About Time. As the sun slowly set over the city of Maputo, the majority of the fleet’s anglers acknowledged defeat to King Neptune. It is never a good sign to be woken up in the early morning by the rustling of the trees, especially if there is fishing on the menu for the day. The southerly wind certainly made its presence felt on day two, and by 8am on Tuesday the weather committee had officially called off the comp for the day.

The teams settled down to a day of socialising, with some anglers rigging and re-rigging their equipment in the hope of subduing fish in the days to come. With the normal weigh-in proceeding even on a blow-out day, happy hour took centre stage. Unfortunately for us, by the time the last minutes of the happy hour ticked past the wind had still not abated. In fact, the prediction was even more intense for Wednesday and before the sun set on Tuesday evening, the weather committee had called off fishing for the next day. Two entire days blown out certainly opens up the opportunity for camp shenanigans to occur, and by the Wednesday weigh-in enough rumours were flying around to start a small war. Thankfully we were greeted by a fairly calm sea on Thursday morning, and with an hour of extra time added on for the day, all the boats raced off in their favoured directions to catch big fish. As the day progressed and winds relaxed their grip on the sea, it seemed that the fish had also been blown away. Everyone battled to find fish that were even vaguely interested in taking the bait that was offered. The weigh-in tags were all on the board at 4:20pm and, for the second time in the week, thin, unimpressive fish bags made their way to the scales. A previous winner of the Inhaca Challenge, Gone Overboard, managed to snag a good sized wahoo of 17.3kg which proved to be the biggest fish of the day. The accumulation of points for the day was very disap-

SKI-BOAT September/October 2018 • 61

Second place: Gerrie Scheepers, Jacques Fourie, Marius Pienaar and Mark Dedekind with Anton van Niekerk.

Third place: Vincent Barkas, Shawn Keyser, Jason Delport, Zayne Barkas & Leigh Barkas with Anton van Niekerk.

Top team: Gary Larkan, Dirk van der Borst, Trevor Dubber and Rory Odendal. pointing, but Lewire took top honours with 52 points, with Mokoro and Reel Deal following in second and third place respectively. Although not in the top three places for that day, Gary Larkan and his crew onboard Go Fish had weighed in enough fish to keep them in the top spot for the moment. Comparing the points in the top ten places, it was plain to see that it would come down to the last day to see who would take victory. As if we had not been harassed enough, Friday morning shook our hands briskly and introduced us to a turbulent sea. Rounding the corner of Portuguese Island, we faced a washing machine of an ocean that forced us to hug the land in an effort to get protection from the prevailing southerly winds. The majority of the skippers later confirmed it was a rough, hard day at sea — but still way better than working — with very little yield fish-wise. The final race to the weigh-in saw the promise of rain brewing in the south. Slightly more fish made their presence felt at the scales, with last year’s defending champions, Jacques and Pierre Pienaar on Solid Cat, weighing the largest fish of the day — a 19.7kg yellowfin tuna. Friday honours went to Catembe, with Solid Cat and Reel Deal following close behind. Like excited Lotto winners, the top boat crews carefully tried to add up the points, and fairly soon the smiles and hushed congratulations made it clear who the winner was. Go Fish had done it! As if he’d taken his boat’s name as an instruction, Gary Larkan and his crew had indeed done just that. During the course of the three days of fishing, the anglers onboard Go Fish had consistently brought fish to the scales to be weighed and measured. Trevor Dubber had the added bonus of walking away with the Calcutta money of R40 500 for his 25.2kg wahoo. The final prize giving unfolded into a success story as the deserving boats marched up to be awarded their fantastic prizes received from our loyal and supportive sponsors. 62 • SKI-BOAT September/October 2018

The overall results were as follows: MOST SPECIES Mokoro — 4 species Solid Cat — 4 species Mad Marlin 2 — 3 Species TAG AND RELEASE TEAM: About Time BIGGEST FISH Trevor Dubber Jacques Pienaar Craig Beswick

Wahoo Yellowfin Tuna Wahoo

INDIVIDUAL POINTS Gerrie Scheepers, Catembe Trevor Dubber, Go Fish Clinton Good, Reel Deal TEAM POINTS Go Fish Catembe Lewire Reel Deal Mokoro

25.2kg 17.7kg 17.3kg 55.5 points 50.2 points 27.0 points 122.1 points 98.9 points 88.8 points 86.4 points 68.4 points

What more can we say but “Thank You!” to you all the sponsors and to the very special team of Anton van Niekerk and his Inhaca Committee. It was an absolutely wonderful competition aside from the unforgiving weather, and was a true success in all aspects. The ample rewards that were received by the anglers are due to this event having incredibly loyal and dedicated sponsors. For this we would like to thank you and support you all wherever we possibly can. We look forward to cementing our relationships at the 22nd celebration in 2019 at Inhaca Island!

INTERNATIONAL

Team SA at the EFSA European Boat Championships

64 â&#x20AC;¢ SKI-BOAT September/October 2018

By John Luef

HE air was electric with excitement on the day the South African bottomfish team fishing in the European Federation of Sea Anglers (EFSA) European Boat Championships in Iceland was announced. “Iceland, here we come!” For team captain Martin Gierz, Daniel Hughes, Allen Ford, Ror y Leonard and me, the unbelievable experience was about to become reality. Once the initial excitement was over, planning and preparations began immediately with internet searches for target species, tackle requirements, conditions, etc. The booking of f lights, accommodation and practice fishing

days as well as visa applications all happened fairly quickly. Friends and family asked what conditions we could expect in Iceland during the last week of May and whether we would have to cut holes in the ice to fish. We laughed, but that’s probably most people’s impression of fishing so far north. Iceland is, in fact, a small country situated in the North Atlantic Ocean, north of the UK and not far from Greenland. It measures

about 103 000km2 and has a population of just over 336 000 people. Most of them live in and around the capital, Reykjavik, in the south of Iceland. Iceland has numerous fjords all around the country with an abundance of fish of various species which we would later catch on our trip. The team landed in Reykjavik in relatively good spirits just after 3pm on Monday 21 May after four flights and 27 hours of travelling. We collected our hire vehicle and set off on the eight hour drive to Sudavik where we had booked a number of practice fishing days. The competition venue was actually in Olafsvik, but due to a shortage of boats we could not get more than one practice day at the competition venue 66 â&#x20AC;˘ SKI-BOAT September/October 2018

so had to opt for Plan B. What an experience the drive was. Iceland is a stunning country characterised by sand, ancient lava fields, mountains, glaciers and many glacial river flows with stunning waterfalls. Also, in the so-called Icelandic summer, the sun shines approximately 22 hours a day and we arrived at our venue at 2am in bright sunshine. With a practice session arranged in a few hoursâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; time, the team immediately got busy unpacking and catching some shut-eye. Our first practice day was a huge eye opener with regard to the weather conditions we were going to have to contend with. They included 40km/h wind, rain and a wind chill factor of about -6 degrees! We were all dressed

warmly, but our hands froze up so badly that it was extremely difficult to bait hooks and impossible to tr y to tie knots. Our ears were so cold that the pain was almost unbearable. When we got off the water our first stop was a local supermarket where we made a serious dent in their stocks of thick woollen beanies and skiing gloves. Over the next three practice days we experienced some awesome fishing, with the entire team landing various target species included in the competition, and all of us catching cod way over 10kg, with the biggest being around 18kg. Cod are extremely abundant in Iceland and are found in large schools from within the shallow fjords to deep sea. They are ferocious feeders

Above: Iceland sunset at 2am. Far left: Some good sized cod on the team’s last practice day in Sudavik. Left: Rory with a wolffish.

and would take almost anything presented to them including but not limited to baited hooks, feathers, paddle tails, jigs and gummy macs (basically a large twisted hook with a coloured plastic coating). Cod are also the main targets of the commercial boats which go out for a few hours a day, one man up and use multi-hook mechanical winches to catch large loads of cod. There are quite a number of these boats throughout Iceland, but they are limited to fishing only 14 days a month and also have total seasonal bag limits. Another main target species for us was coalfish which we also took on a large variety of baits. They are very aggressive fighters but are much less

abundant than cod. Wolffish was another of our targets. They are very similar to moray eels but are also fairly abundant in the shallow waters and are particular fond of a nice colourful skirt or beaded hook with a chunk of bait on it. We also caught some flat fish very similar to sole called long rough dabs and flounders. These flat fish were only found in very shallow, sandy-bottomed areas and were extremely fussy, only taking on very small baited hooks that were rigged with colourful beads and fluorescent tubing. Red fish — very similar to our Jaco Pever — were caught in deep water up to 100 metres on various baited hooks as well as feathers and luminous beaded hooks. Haddock seemed to like ’cuda-

type baited skirts and jigs. Other less common target species were ling, halibut, whiting, tusk, megrim and sculpin. Our three practice days at Sudavik were most enjoyable, and on the Friday morning the team left confidently for the competition venue. We travelled through a long mountain tunnel and then over mountains and glaciers to get to a very small place called Hagi; from there we would take a ferry across a large fjord to a small town called Stykkisholmur and then had a short drive to Olafsvik. The scenery along the route and on the ferry was once again breath-taking and we stopped a few times to admire and photograph waterfalls, glaciers and mountains. At Hagi SKI-BOAT September/October 2018 • 67

John with an 18kg cod caught on a paddletail.

One of the many Icelandic waterfalls. Allen with a cod taken on a pirk

we had an unforgettable experience as we found a natural hot spring (Hot Pot) right on the rocks at the sea and all had a dip in the pool sipping on an ice cold local beer with snow capped mountains a few hundred metres away. When we eventually got out we literally froze. Finally we reached Olafsvik, a really beautiful little town on the side of a mountain overlooking the harbour and sea; it has a population of about 900. We had one more practice day arranged for the Saturday, and that went off really well, with some nice fish being caught. All that remained was to prepare all our traces and tackle, decide what traces would be used for what species of fish, and what the best time and areas would be to target these fish. The opening ceremony march took place on the Sunday and was followed by the opening gala and final instructions to all the anglers. This was an

emotional event as the reality of our situation finally sank in — we were marching with our country’s flag and representing our country at the highest level. The final count was 134 anglers participating, with 20 teams from 14 countries. The final instructions were disappointing in that fishing time per day was cut to five hours and there would be two shifts per day due to a shortage of boats. Some of us were on the morning shift from 7am to 12 noon and the rest on the afternoon shift from 2pm to 7pm. The Tuesday was an absolute blow out, so in the end there would only be three five-hour fishing sessions. The scoring system used in the championships is fair and gives everyone an equal chance. Anglers are split up onto various boats and for that day you only compete against the other anglers on your boat. Points are award-

ed for the first ten fish of each species caught by each angler, with the rarer species earning higher points. Bonus points are awarded for each species caught. At the end of the day the points are tallied up and the angler with the most points on the boat earns 100%. All the other anglers then earn a percentage proportional to their points compared to the boat winner’s points. At the end of the tournament, your percentages are added up and that determines the individual results. All team anglers’ points are then added up after discarding the worst score each day, giving us the team results. Needless to say, the competition was tough, extremely competitive and also very close, in that one fish here or there made a huge impact on your final score and the eventual team scores. The competition flew by with our SKI-BOAT September/October 2018 • 69

Team SA braving -5°C.

Chilling with a cold one in the hot pot.

Martin with a nice cod caught on light tackle.

team having very little time to relax, because respooling of line and tackle and trace preparation took up huge amounts of time. The SA team was the only team that used the traditional South African deep sea Scarborough reels which we were comfortable with. By the end of the competition a lot of our opposition wanted to buy what they called our “large fly reels”. Our team eventually finished a respectable 11th out of the 20 teams, beating some of the more experienced teams. This result was disappointing for us as we’d had much higher expectations, but unfortunately it wasn’t to be. As one of our team members put it, “It is what it is!” Norway A, Scotland A and Germany took the top three spots respectively. The competition was finally over. Our team had fished seven of the last nine days but we hadn’t yet had enough 70 • SKI-BOAT September/October 2018

and tried to book a charter on our last day before the prize giving ceremony. Sadly all the skippers were tired and refused to accommodate us, so instead we enjoyed a day off to do some shopping for souvenirs. The local currency is Icelandic krone and the exchange rate was eight krone to the rand.

Ever ything in Iceland is extremely expensive by South African standards; a loaf of bread costs about R40, a 500ml bottle of still water R45, and a beer R100. Eating out was almost unaffordable as we found out at a pizza restaurant one evening where pizzas were on special at around R450 for a medium one! On our final evening we decided to visit the bottle store to have a wellearned drink, only to find that a bottle of Spiced Gold was priced at around R1 000. One of our team members quickly announced that it was still a bargain, so we bought it. Our experience of a lifetime was finally over as we headed to the airport the next day, once again enjoying the beautiful scenery on the way and knowing we all had fantastic memories to cherish for the rest of our lives. Would we ever visit Iceland again? Absolutely, without hesitation!

BITS & PIECES

SA’S BIGGEST POWER CAT NOW IN PRODUCTION

WO Oceans Marine Manufacturing currently has a 110foot day-charter power catamaran in production. She is designed for commercial day charters for large groups of people in her home waters, which will be in the Seychelles. The Two Oceans 110 Day Charter Catamaran will be the biggest composite power catamaran ever to be launched in South Africa. She has an upper and lower deck and a flybridge. The upper deck has plenty of casual seating and storage space while the lower deck has dining seating for 100 guests as well as plenty of storage lockers, fridges, freezers, chilly bins and bars. The galley is housed in the starboard hull and can cater for 100 guests onboard. The starboard hull also has many storage lockers, a crew rest area and bunks for the crew if needed on a delivery. The port hull houses the guest toilet facilities — five heads for the guests and wash up basins. On her transom she has a six metre tender on a fixed davit. The Two Oceans 110 Day Charter Power Catamaran is yet another successful collaboration between Two Oceans Marine Manufacturing and renowned South African naval architect, Du Toit Yacht Design. The boat is due to be completed late in 2018.

INSPIRED TO JUST DO GOOD

Mark Delany and Greg Bertish with the Little Optimist in the Two Oceans Marine factory.

72 • SKI-BOAT September/October 2018

APE Town marine manufacturer, Two Oceans Marine Manufacturing, has become the platinum sponsor for The Little Optimist charity and is appealing to the South African boating community to also support this worthwhile cause. The Little Optimist’s story is an inspirational one: In April 2016 Greg Bertish sailed an 8-foot children’s Optimist dinghy around the Cape of Storms. He crossed False Bay, rounded Cape Point and headed for Langebaan Lagoon on the wild West Coast. His 200km journey matched the 200 days he had spent in hospital fighting life-threatening heart infections. Greg Bertish is a big wave surfer and a South African champion lifesaver and stand-up paddleboarder. He is an ambassador for the Children’s Hospital Trust and the National Sea Rescue Institute, and is the founder of the Shark Spotter Programme. He has helped raise over R2-million for these charities to date. Greg has achieved all of this as a multiple heart-surgery survivor and patient. Greg hopes this journey of a real Little Optimist and his children’s book about a little believer with a huge heart will help teach kids that being small, sick, poor or different is okay, and will give them hope that they too can survive and thrive. There are various ways you can support The Little Optimist: buy gold or silver sponsorship packages; donate items that Greg Bertish can use in auctions in aid of the NSRI; buy and brand an optimist dinghy to teach disadvantaged children to sail; ad hoc cash donations. For further information about The Little Optimist, go to <http://thelittleoptimist.org/> or email Greg <greg@thelittleoptimist.org>

SKI-BOAT September/October 2018 â&#x20AC;¢ 73

MY BEST FISHING HOLIDAY by Zelmarie Niemann (12)

NCE my parents told me that we were going to Mauritius for the July school holidays I could hardly wait! As I’m an only child, they invited my cousin, Nolene, to join us for the holiday too. Can you imagine my excitement? We often go to Moçambique with our boat where we go fishing almost every day and I knew very well that my Springbok fisherman father and my fishing addicted mother would not let the holiday pass without a proper fishing day. Eventually the day arrived! We woke up early that morning and drove to the harbour where we got on a big blue boat called Lady Diana. That morning there was a rainbow in the sky and my mom said it would bring us good luck. We had not sailed very far out into the ocean before we started to put out the lines. Then the waiting began. It felt like hours passed with no action. My cousin and I dozed off and suddenly woke up when the two lines started to “zzzzzzzz”. My mom and dad ran to the rods with my cousin and me right behind them. My dad’s fish got away, but my mom carried on fighting hers. After a long time my mom got her fish onto the boat — a huge yellowfin tuna! My blood was pumping and I could not wait for my turn! Luckily it was not too much longer before the lines were running again; this time I was wide awake. We all ran to the back and my dad gave me the rod. With my mom and cousin encouraging me from behind I started to fight the fish. The next moment it jumped out of the water. Mom screamed and dad softly said,“Dorado!” I’ve caught a few fish in my life, but never a dorado. I was shaking and couldn’t stop giggling. While I was busy reeling in the dorado jumped again and showed off his beautiful colours. “Tight lines, Zelmarie,” I heard my dad say over and over, while Mom was going crazy behind me shouting,“Bring him in, bring him in!” My arms were burning and my throat was dry, but I just wanted to get my fish onto the boat. Finally Dad picked up the gaff and I knew the fight was over. I couldn’t wait to hold it in my hands. The dorado weighed about 17kg. I am so glad that my parents took me with on the fishing trip beacuse I loved the experience. Now every night I dream of catching my next big fish!

SKI-BOAT magazine, in conjunction with Mercury, is proud to offer all junior deep sea anglers the opportunity to win awards for excellence in angling. If you are 16 years old or younger and you submit a photo of yourself and the fish you caught, you will receive a handsome certificate suitably inscribed confirming the catch. And there’s more ... Once a year the names of all junior anglers whos photographs appeared on the Mercury Junior Angler page will be included in a lucky draw and the winner will receive, courtesy of Mercury, a fantastic prize of a 2.5hp outboard motor. All you need to do is send us a photograph of yourself and your catch, together with the following details: • Your name address, telephone number and date of birth • Species and weight of the fish you caught • Line class used • Date and place fish was caught • Boat and skipper’s name All entries should be sent to : Mercury Junior Angler SKI-BOAT magazine PO Box 20545, Durban North 4016 or email your entry to <angler@mags.co.za>. There is no restriction on the number of awards that can be applied for, and SKI-BOAT magazine reserves the right to use the photographs as it sees fit. A selection of five award winners will appear in each issue of SKI-BOAT magazine. Junior anglers, Mercury and SKI-BOAT magazine acknowledge that you hold the future of our sport in your hands. Here’s your chance to show us what you can do!

76 • SKI-BOAT September/October 2018

SMALLS BOAT FOR SALE

AD INDEX Adventure Tropicale Charters . . . . .24 Anglers Apparel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .73 Atlantic Boat Club . . . . . . . . . . . . . .41 Bazaruto Encounters . . . . . . . . . . . .16 Billfish 15 000 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .54 Cape Town Boat Show . . . . . . . . . . .58 Club 15 Kenya . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .76 Club Marine Insurance . . . . . . . . . . . .4 Durban Yamaha . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20

Cobra Cat 700 sportfisher with clears, moulded hatches, livebait wells, luna tubes, deck wash, basin and toilet. Includes 2 x 175hp Suzuki 4-strokes, one battery per motor, two batteries for ancilliliaries, Furuno Navnet, radar, fishfinder, autopilot, VHF & 29mHz radio, boat/motor covers, telescoping outriggers and cat. B safety equipment. New trailer with hydraulic-assisted brakes and extendable disselboom. Price: R485 000 (incl VAT) Contact: Charley on 082 493 5400 or email <Charnden@juden.co.za>

BOAT FOR SALE

Fish Gillz . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .73 Garmin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32 Guinjata Bonanza Thanks . . . . . . . . .19 Inhaca Sponsors Thanks . . . . . . . . . 63 Lowrance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3 McCrystal Insurance . . . . . . . . . . . .38 MDM — Raymarine . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6 Mr Winch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .40 Natal Caravans & Marine . . . . . . . . . .2 Natal Power Boats . . . . . . . . . . . . . .83 Natal Power Boats . . . . . . . . . . . . . .50 Rutherford Marine . . . . . . . . . . . . . .84 Seaport . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .73 Shelly Beach Sponsors Thanks . . . . .35 Shimano . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16 Solly’s Angler’s Corner . . . . . . . . . . .16 Southern Gauteng Clubs . . . . . . . . .73 Squidnation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .71 Supercat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .76 Suzuki Marine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .46 The Kingfisher . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .52 TOPS @ Spar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30 Turboformance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .76

T-CAT 16’6” centre console with 2 x 70hp Yamaha 2-stroke outboards (2010 models; 783 hrs) with beaching kit and trim & tilt. Foam-filled with buoyancy certificate. Fitted with 2 x Garmin GPS/sounder, FM radio and marine speakers, 29MHz radio, VHF radio, Ttop, nav lights, safety kit, live-well and water pump, two fishwells, new Flotex carpet. Complete on galvanised trailer with oil-filled axle and Toyota mags. Price: R220 000 Contact: Louis on 082 448 2504

Two Oceans Marine . . . . . . . . . . . . .27 Umhlanga Festival Thanks . . . . . . . .53 Vanguard Insurance . . . . . . . . . . . . .68 Verstay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .76 X-Boats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36 Xtreme Charters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43 Yamaha F130 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14 Yamaha Seacat 565 . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 SKI-BOAT September/October 2018 • 79

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80 â&#x20AC;¢ SKI-BOAT September/October 2018