Ski-Boat July 2022 by Angler Publications

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CONTENTS

July/August 2022 Volume 38 Number 4 COVER: DUSKY BEAUTY Brett Bartho with a beaut of a daga a.k.a. dusky kob caught off KwaZulu-Natal.

FEATURES

The Daga Dance Where and how to catch dusky kob — by Craig Stubbs

The Greatest Shoal on Earth Sardine run leads fish into ecological trap — by Peter Teske, Carl van der Lingen, Christopher David McQuaid and Luciano Beheregaray

Defying the Odds, Reaping the Benefits

2022 Durban Ski-Boat Club Festival — by Mark Wilson

A Copper for the Record Books SADSAA juniors making their mark — by Francois Beukes and Divan Burger

Catching the Bus Targeting tarpon in Gabon — by Hannes Vorster and AJ Pretorius

Makaira Claims Bragging Rights 2022 Rosebowl Tournament — by Craig Smith

Touched by the Tide SADSAA All Stars show how it’s done — by Neil Coetzer and Alan Smith

Tracking the Oceans’ Cheetahs Results of tagging project on Kenya’s marlin — by Sheena Carnie

DEPARTMENTS 4

Editorial — by Erwin Bursik

Bell Reel Kids

SADSAA News

Mercury Junior Anglers

Subscription page

Business Classifieds & Directory

Rapala Lip Last Word from the Ladies

Kingfisher Awards

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: Lynette Oakley Contributors: Luciano Beheregaray, Francois Beukes, Divan Burger, Erwin Bursik, Sheena Carnie,Neil Coetzer, Christopher David McQuaid, AJ Pretorius, Alan Smith, Craig Smith, Craig Stubbs, Peter Teske, Carl van der Lingen, Hannes Vorster and Mark Wilson. ADVERTISING – National Sales: Mark Wilson, Manager cell: 073 748 6107 Lyn Oakley, Sales cell: 082 907 7733 ADVERTISING – Gauteng & Mpumalanga: Lyn Adams — 083 588 0217 Publishers: Angler Publications cc PO Box 20545, Durban North 4016 Telephone: (031) 572-2289 e-mail: angler@mags.co.za Subscriptions to SKI-BOAT: R220 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: angler@mags.co.za • Through www.anglerpublications.co.za, or E-zine through <www.issuu.com> Printing: Novus Print, Cape Town Distribution: On The Dot <Riaan.Weyers@onthedot.co.za> Full production is done in-house by Angler Publications & Promotions on Apple Macintosh software and hardware. 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 On the Dot, 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.

4 • SKI-BOAT July/August 2022

EDITORIAL

THE TRUTH IS NOT IN HIM — IT’S IN THE WIND

HERE is more to fishing than fish! Or so an old saying goes. Yet to all of us who go fishing — regardless of one’s primary facet or target species — the mere mention or sight of the sea, a lake, dam or river immediately sparks a deep seated reaction. Suddenly our minds start spinning with all the possibilities of what fish species swim below the suface, and the desire to throw a line or cast a fly to find out is almost imposible to resist. In most cases this scenario is personalised and more often than not remains just a habitual knee jerk reaction that frequently ends up being Erwin Bursik yet another day dream. Publisher Where is this deep philosophical introduction heading, you may ask? Well, throughout my lifetime of being fascinated not only with the sport of angling but also all its associated aspects, there is one aspect pertaining to most if not all anglers that I’ve found fascinating, and that is a tightly locked bond of secrecy. We’ve all heard it said “The truth is not in him.” A saying so old that ancient literature going back centuries makes note of this flaw in all anglers’ make up. Many will try to refute it, but in reality, each and every one of us will fail the truth detector test. All anglers are aware of this syndrome, and adamantly deny purposefully withholding information when asked where, when and how a specific catch was made. And yet, when the situation arises, they open-handedly gesticulate towards a stretch of water while maybe offering a conciliatory statement that they caught it in the ocean, dam or river. Ironic, is it not? Although this is not specifically directed at offshore sport anglers, I’ve noticed that the vast majority of photographs of special fish catches that are taken for display on social media almost never show the coastline as a backdrop. So deep is the need for secrecy embedded in the anglers’ make up, that they automatically avoid having any landmarks in these photos lest someone else should find their secret spot! I’m labouring this topic with the full acknowledgement that I am just as guilty as the next angler. Having said that, when I was searching for individuals who would be willing to impart their knowledge and expertise to the wider angling community by writing articles for inclusion in SKI-BOAT magazine, I found a welcome willingness among some anglers ... but it doesn’t always last long. During the recent ’cuda season, after making an early run to catch the morning bite, I passed close to one such individual who indicated he had already landed two ’cuda. “Where?” I shouted. His reply was clear for all to hear: “Go to the shop and buy SKI-BOAT magazine and read my article!” My sincere thanks go to this angler and all the others who have indeed shared solid fishing tips and even waypoints to enable their brothers in arms — including me — to have a better chance of landing a good catch, because really fishing would be nothing without the fish! As a young lad I was told that imitation is the greatest form of flattery. When I next move into a melee of boats working a shoal, let it be known that I am affording the successful anglers the highest degree of “flattery” and am not simply “barging in the lineout”. Till the next tide.

Erwin Bursik

TACTICS

The Daga Dance Where and how to catch dusky kob

By Craig Stubbs

HEN it comes to these beautiful silver-sided slabs, aka daga, we have two distinct fisheries on the east coast of South Africa for the large growing, and strikingly beautiful dusky kob. The first is the inshore (rock and surf) and estuarine fishery, and the second, and the one we are going to focus on here, is the deep sea offshore/ski-boat fishery. The daga salmon is a migrator y species that makes its way into our local waters at the onset of winter and stays here until late in spring, peaking in abundance rather inconsistently during that period. Like most fish species that we target from our ski-boats, there are periods when they feed strongly and with vigour, and there are days/nights when, for no apparent reason, either the fish simple aren’t there or they refuse to feed. You will notice that I said “day/night”, and if you are familiar with the offshore daga fishery, you will know that the majority of daga are caught in the hours of darkness off our coast.This 6 • SKI-BOAT July/August 2022

doesn’t mean that they cannot be caught during the day, but the night is when the daga really wake up and feed aggressively. This means you have one of two options — you can either upgrade your vessel and skipper’s ticket to one that gives you a night rating, or make friends with a fellow angler/skipper who has the required vessel and operator’s certificate. Fortunately a lot of skippers who are night rated are often looking for reliable crew, so if you want to try your hand at catching a daga at night, put the word out at your local club. If you do get an invite, I have two pieces of advice — dress warmly and offer to share costs as fishing and running a boat is fast becoming a very expensive exercise. If you are confined to only fishing in the day for them, fear not, as they can be caught relatively consistently during daylight hours, it just requires a little more perseverance and patience. WHERE AND WHEN Let’s take a look at where we find daga, and this applies to both day time and

ABOVE: Kob are extremely structureorientated fish and love natural and manmade structure. night time fishing. They are extremely structure-orientated fish, and love caves, rocky overhangs, wrecks and manmade structure such as deep water pipe work etc, in water of between 20and 38 fathoms deep (40- to 70m). They use these caves and big structures to hide out, often in large schools, seldom moving away from this structure unless it’s to actively feed. It’s therefore logical that if you want to tempt a daga into feeding, you need to present your bait accurately into that area and keep it there for as long as possible. This definitely favours the angler who has the knowledge and skill to deploy and fish on anchor. I’ve previously written on familiarising one’s self with anchoring and the deployment thereof, so if you are still unsure, please refer back to that article in the January 2022 issue of SKI-BOAT and give it a go. A friendly warning: make sure you are well familiar and rehearsed with the

Generally, kob move onto the reefs under cover of darkness to feed on smaller fish such as pinkies and sand soldiers.

In the southern Cape kob often frequent shallow reefs with steep sides. SKI-BOAT July/August 2022 • 7

Hook snoot anywhere from 1.5m to 4m (1mm mono for heavier rig and 0.70mm fluoro for lighter rig)

In the sliding trace, the sinker is free-sliding on the main line, meaning little resistance from the weight to a pickup. 1 -- 1.5m

Sinker snoot 1.5m to 3m (0.70mm line) Live bait 1 -- 1.5m Trace option one: Standard trace on a three-way swivel. Trace option two: Sliding trace. techniques during daylight hours before you try it at night when the darkness presents a further challenge to the process. ANCHORING When it comes to targeting daga on anchor, accuracy undoubtedly equals success. If you miss your mark by only a dozen metres or so, you can end up fishless. I’ve seen it many times before, when anglers on a boat that is on the mark consistently have their rods bending with fish, while those anchored nearby go fishless. There is little one can do in this case, as trying to re-anchor in traffic can be dangerous and cause unnecessary disturbances, so one just needs to be patient and hope the fish move along the reef and closer to your baits. However, if you are alone on a reef and miss your mark with your first anchor drop, it’s often worth the effort to lift anchor, recalculate your drop and make sure you hit your mark as close as possible. Sometimes it makes sense to do a “test drop” before dropping anchor.This entails having an angler on board ready with rod, reel and bait who goes down while you nudge the controls in and out of gear to hold the boat in position. If the test drop leads to a bite, then get that anchor set as soon as possible and take advantage of the feeding fish. As they are large, shoaling fish, daga often show up relatively easily on modern fishfinder screens. When you arrive at your chosen fishing location, sound the area extensively until you locate showings. If your sounding reveals absolutely nothing, rather take a drive to another nearby reef and sound that area too looking for signs of fish, as the shoals of daga will move from reef to reef as they

seek out prey and cover. The contra to this is if you are fishing a reef or manmade structure (pipework/wreck) that has a known, large cave or overhang. In this case you will not see the fish as they may be concealed within this structure, but you will need to be extremely accurate with your anchoring technique to drop baits as close as possible to where you expect the fish to be. TACKLE TIPS Now that we know a little above where to find these fish, what tackle and baits are best? Tackle wise, I have two daga outfits that I rely on. The first is my standard slow to medium action glass bottom fishing rod, KP reel and 100 lb braid with a 1mm leader, and the second is a slightly lighter outfit, with 50 lb braid and a .70mm leader. When the daga are feeding well, the standard outfit is my go-to, but when they are biting shyly, or when you are sure they are there but you are battling to tempt one, the lighter outfit is worth trying to see if you can’t convince a fish to feed. Trace wise, keep things simple. On my standard rig I use a large three-way swivel, sinker snoot of 2- to 3m of .70mm line and a 2m hook snoot of 1mm mono straight to either a large circle or J-hook. On my lighter rig, I will step down the breaking strain of my hook snoot, sometimes as light as 0.70mm flourocarbon in an attempt to be as inconspicuous as possible and tempt that bite. The above trace can also be configured into a sliding trace, by independently tying your hook and sinker snoots onto 2-way power swivels, and

1.5m

Dead bait (sardine)

Trace option three: Combination of live- and dead bait. feeding your main line through the sinker line swivel and then tying your hook snoot swivel directly to the end of your main line. This allows your main line and hook free movement without the hindrance of the sinker. However, the simplicity of the three-way swivel rig, is as effective for me and remains my go to. Without a doubt, my favourite hook for daga fishing is a 10/0 Mustad Kendal Round.The daga has a huge mouth and the wide gape of the Kendal Round hardly misses. Should you wish to fish a circle hook, just make sure that you rig your baits in a way that keeps the majority of the shank/gape of the hook free to do its work. In terms of trace variation, I will often toy with my sinker snoot and hook snoot lengths, going as much as a 5m long sinker snoot to raise my bait higher above the reef, or a long hook snoot (particularly with a live bait) with my normal length sinker snoot to allow the bait more freedom of movement. Just be aware of those on the boat who are fishing with you, as the longer you make your hook snoot, the more likely tangles will be. It’s best to restrict that trick to those times when you are SKI-BOAT July/August 2022 • 9

Craig Farren with a beaut of a daga and Jay Jay Schlebusch with a lovely orangespot rockcod.

Who says you can’t catch daga in the day? A lovely specimen landed in bright sunshine.

The author with a daga which ate a live mackerel on the first drop of the day.

just fishing with two anglers on board and are fishing relatively far away from one another on the boat. Another trace variation is to try a two-hook rig, with a 1.5m sinker snoot and two 1- to 1.5m hook snoots connected via three-way swivels. This works well to deploy a dead bait along with a live bait.

the bottom hook, and a live bait suspended above. The extra scent of the sardine can prove effective to luring the daga out of structure and onto your baits. Daga can be incredibly sensitive feeders, with a soft and barely discernible bite as they “prick” your baits, often leaving conspicuous bite marks in your baits.This can leave you scratching your head and can test your angling skills to the limit. In contrast, when they are feeding aggressively their bite is insane and there are times when they pull you straight down, virtually pulling the rod out of your hands. It’s a great feeling reeling into and connecting to a good daga. They fight well, particularly close to the bottom, shaking their heads and bodies and bouncing the rod tip hard, meaning plenty of grunting and backwinding until the initial flurry is under control. Take it slow at the start of the fight and keep pressure on, because once you have turned a fish, then the battle is half over. It’s a beautiful sight to see a large

daga explode on the surface once the fight is over, and they are truly impressive denizens of the deep.

BAITING UP Bait wise, one bait consistently outfishes the rest, and that is a live mackerel; to me it remains the king of the daga baits. Other live baits to try include shad, larger mozzies and even a seapike should you be battling to get any other liveys. Take your time getting live baits as the extra effort can often make the difference between fish or no fish. Should you not be able to get your hands on live baits, then Natal sardines are effective as dead baits, along with large fresh fillet baits (filleted flanks of soldier), or even a dead pinky. As mentioned above, when fishing a two-hook rig, a mix of live- and dead bait works well, with a dead sardine on

10 • SKI-BOAT July/August 2022

STICKING TO LIMITS One final note: The dusky kob is under severe pressure both from angling and habitat destruction. Breeding grounds have come under huge pressure, meaning less spawning and less suitable habitat for young fish to grow and replenish stocks, so please make sure you stick to the bag limits. Daily bag limit: One per person per day if caught from the shore and in estuaries east of Cape Agulhas. Five per person per day if caught west of Cape Agulhas or if caught anywhere from a boat offshore. Minimum size limit: 60cm total length if caught from the shore and in estuaries east of Cape Agulhas; 40cm total length (KZN) and 50cm total length (EC & WC) if caught from a boat offshore or from the shore west of Cape Agulhas. Only one kob greater than 110cm total length may be caught per person per day regardless of area or sector.

SCIENTIFIC

South Africa’s massive sardine run leads fish into an ecological trap

Winter in KwaZulu-Natal is synonymous with the sardine run, when uncountable numbers of sardines travel from the Cape to KZN, bringing heightened excitement all along the east coast. In addition to the enthusiasts who flock to net the sardines, gamefish anglers target the predators that closely follow the little fish. Until recently it has been a great mystery as to why this migration happens. Scientists examined the DNA sequences of 284 sardines captured along the South African coast to try to 12 • SKI-BOAT July/August 2022

answer this question. In anticipation of this year’s sardine run, we republish this article which originally appeared on The Conversation, in which scientists reveal why the little silver fish migrate, even if it inevitably ends badly for them. By Peter Teske, University of Johannesburg; Carl van der Lingen, University of Cape Town; Christopher David McQuaid, Rhodes University, and Luciano Beheregaray, Flinders University.

NE of the world’s most spectacular marine migrations is the KwaZulu-Natal sardine run. The so-called “greatest shoal on Earth” takes place during the southern hemisphere’s winter. It involves the movement of tens to hundreds of millions of sardines from the warm, temperate waters of South Africa’s south coast to the subtropical waters of the east coast, over a thousand kilometres away. This annual mass migration, first reported in 1853, is triggered by cold

Photo by Steve Benjamin water upwelling on South Africa’s southeast coast. In this process, cold, nutrientrich water rises up from the deep, creating a highly productive food web. The migration attracts vast numbers of predators: the sardine schools are followed northwards by seabirds, sharks, seals, dolphins and even large baleen whales. These devour as many of the helpless sardines as they can, which is made easier by the fact that their prey is sandwiched between dry land and the hot, tropical waters of the southward-flowing Agulhas Current, which

exceed the sardines’ physiological tolerances. To make matters worse, those fish that survive the predation still don’t have it easy: the journey is so strenuous that the sardines which eventually arrive on the east coast are emaciated. This goes against what scientists understand about animal migrations — such large-scale population movements normally provide some “selective advantage” by allowing animals to make optimal use of environmental resources. Surely the obvious negatives of par-

ticipating in the sardine run must be hugely outweighed by some fitness benefits to make it all worthwhile. The answer, our new research suggests, is “no” — and the reasons for the sardines’ behaviour lies in their genes. A DISTINCT EAST COAST POPULATION? One popular explanation for why the sardine run occurs is that the migration might be a relic of spawning behaviour dating back to the last glacial period, about 10 000 years ago. What is now SKI-BOAT July/August 2022 • 13

Photo by Steve Benjamin

subtropical Indian Ocean habitat may have been an important nursery area with cooler waters. When the ice age ended, the sardines would have physiologically adapted to tolerate the subtropical conditions in this region and evolved into a distinct east coast population that continues to spawn there to this day. These sardines mix with south coast sardines during summer, then separate from them in winter as they migrate up the east coast. The presence of sardine eggs in the plankton confirms that spawning does occur in this region. Surprisingly, we discovered that sardines participating in the migration are not part of a distinct east coast population. Instead, they primarily originate from the colder waters off South Africa’s Atlantic west coast. Why would these sardines migrate to the opposite end of the country, only to end up in habitat that is obviously too warm for them? We suggest that the fish are drawn into what amounts to an ecological trap — a rare example of a mass migration that has no obvious fitness benefits. GENOMIC ANALYSES Our research started from the assumption that the sardine run represents the spawning migration of a distinct stock of sardines that is physiologically well adapted to tolerate subtropical conditions. Physical characteristics and other

Some of the factors at play in the sardine migration.

A map of the South African range of the southern African population of Pacific sardine, Sardinops sagax, showing sites at which sardines were caught for genome and transcriptome sequencing. SKI-BOAT July/August 2022 • 15

data indicate that sardines on the east coast are indeed distinct. But this may result from different environmental pressures, including the stress of participating in the migration. We knew that understanding the sardines’ heritable genetic traits would provide stronger evidence for this hypothesis — or debunk it. So we used thousands of genetic markers from across the genomes of hundreds of sardines captured throughout the species’ South African range. Although most of these markers showed little differentiation, a suite of genetic markers with a signal of adaptation to water temperature showed regional differences. We found evidence for two regional populations — but it was not the east coast sardines that were distinct. Instead, we found genetic differences within the species’ temperate core range: one population was associated with South Africa’s cool-temperate west coast (Atlantic Ocean) and the other with the warm-temperate south coast (Indian Ocean). The strong affiliation with water temperature suggests that thermal adaptation maintains these regional patterns; each population cluster is adapt-

16 • SKI-BOAT July/August 2022

ed to the temperature range that it experiences in its native region. The sardines participating in the run showed a clear affiliation with the west coast population. Not only are these sardines not well adapted to subtropical conditions, but they actually prefer the colder, upwelled waters of the southeastern Atlantic Ocean. MAJOR RIDDLES SOLVED This study solves some of the major riddles concerning the sardine run, which make perfect sense in the light of the new evidence. Our findings explain why only a small fraction of the sardines present on the south coast participates in the run. The bulk of those sardines are native to this region and are adapted to warm-temperate conditions. Because of this, they show little interest in the cold, upwelled water. The results also explain why no sardine runs occur in years when there is no cold water upwelling. The upwelling on the south-east coast attracts west coast sardines that have dispersed to the south coast, but that are not well adapted to the warmer water temperatures in this region. They essentially consider the upwelling

regions in the south-east to be west coast habitat. For a short time, it is as if they are back home in the Atlantic — but when the upwelling ends and water temperatures rise, their fateful error is revealed. At this point, the predators have gotten wind of their presence, and as the sardines try to escape, they travel ever farther north into unbearably warm subtropical habitat.The fate of the fish that survive the sardine run is uncertain. Our genomic explanation shows that much still remains to be discovered about how marine life interacts with its environment.A great deal of integrative, multidisciplinary research is still needed before humans can efficiently and sustainably benefit from the incredible diversity of life and the resources available in the sea. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article at <theconversation.com/southafricas-massive-sardine-run-leads-fishinto-an-ecological-trap-168413>. The original scientific article appeared on SCIENCE ADVANCES <www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.abf4514>.

FESTIVAL

g 20, havin Seacat 5 25.52kg. e th , e t riz hed in a e first p ok hom da, which weig to n ie r u o T ’c Francois ht the winning caug

Story by Mark Wilson Background photo by Michelle van Wyk

HILE I sit here contemplating the 2022 Durban SkiBoat Club Festival, I am struck by the harsh fact that the last time I wrote an article for SKI-BOAT magazine it was on the selfsame festival for the July/August 2019 issue, and was titled “Victory Through Adversity”. Little did any of us know what adversity we as South Africans and off-

shore fishing- and boating fanatics would face between then and now. Covid ravaging our nation and effectively shutting it down, riots causing havoc in KwaZulu-Natal and, most recently, the floods just for good measure. It was a lot! Fortunately we are a resilient, stubborn and determined bunch, and our passion for this sport will always win through. I was happy to witness this

personally once again at this year’s DSBC Festival. Of course Durban Ski-Boat Club had also been facing their own logistical challenges in the last two years, including having to move the club — lock, stock and barrel — to the new premises. This was no small task as they share premises with Durban Undersea Club, collectively forming the Point Water Sports Club. SKI-BOAT July/August 2022 • 21

This year’s festival took place from 29 April to 1 May 2022. Festivities started on the Friday evening with registration, and the club was a hive of activity. Over 200 boats were registered this year, clearly an indication that anglers have desperately missed this event over the last two years. The Saturday and Sunday were dedicated to fishing, with the weigh-station closing after 2pm on both days. Early (ver y early) comms with Hilton Kidger on the Saturday confirmed that the launch was a go despite the westerly and the sponsors’ boat was ready and waiting for me to board. I was eager to witness the 200-plus boats blasting off in different directions seeking the croc ’cuda that would

secure them the main prize. The 640 anglers were all vying for the Seacat 520 on trailer, sporting two 60hp 4stroke Yamaha outboard motors worth R500 000, sponsored by Yamaha Marine South Africa. Being on the water and witnessing this armada setting off is always impressive, and also provided a sense of relief knowing the 2022 Festival was officially underway with no hiccups. On a personal note the best memory of this year’s festival for me will be standing on the beach surrounded by the noise of tractors and Nissan Navara vehicles sponsored by the CMH group. As they positioned the boats to launch that first morning, the air was filled with the banter and good wishes being

exchanged between captains and crews wanting desperately to get their props wet.The excitement was tangible. All the boats were launched without incident and in record time, which is par for the course for this festival, and all those involved in the planning and execution must be commended for a job well done. In the three weeks before the festival many of the estuaries along our coast had released a mass of muddied water into the sea. No doubt that accounts for the overall low number of gamefish that were recorded at this year’s weigh-in. Despite that, 12 ’cuda still featured in the prizes, along with a few tuna, snoek, dorado, bonnie and barracuda.

Although the number of gamefish caught was lower than expected, quality was still high, including these solid catches.

22 • SKI-BOAT July/August 2022

ABOVE LEFT: Ryan Dalton Jnr, Storm Dalton & Ryan Dalton with the 23.28kg ’cuda that took second place. ABOVE RIGHT: Jordan Kahn and Alain Kahn with the 20.14kg ’cuda that came in third. BELOW: Some of the other great catches made at the 2022 DSBC Festival.

SKI-BOAT July/August 2022 • 23

Alain Khan managed a great ’cuda on Saturday and set the benchmark for the rest to chase at 20.14kg. Two anglers accepted the challenge, with Storm Dalton weighing in a solid 23.28kg ’cuda on Sunday. He was left nervously holding the leading spot, hoping to not be eclipsed. Later that day, Francois Toerien was seen carrying a worthy contender up the beach and to the weigh-in. Onlookers swamped the area and eventually spontaneous applause erupted. On closer inspection, Francois had a certified 25.52kg ’cuda and had won this year’s Durban Ski Boat Club Festival. Asked to comment on the event, Hilton Kidger, convener of the festival, said,“From an organisers’ point of view the challenge was making this happen in our new beachfront facility. This involved different ways of creating something new, and my thanks go to Alan Goveia (co-convener) and his team and incredible staff that all stepped up to the plate.” “We also needed a lot of support

TOP TEN ’CUDA Francois Torien . . . . . . . . . . . . Storm Dalton . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Alain Khan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jean Pierre du Toit . . . . . . . . . Benna Groenewald . . . . . . . . . Jono Watkins . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jack Cheney . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Rowan Krebs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Chris Smith . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Anthony Alexander . . . . . . . .

25.52kg 23.28kg 20.14kg 18.20kg 16.10kg 15.50kg 14.06kg 14.02kg 13.80kg 12.86kg

OVERALL SPECIES STANDINGS Darren Gray, tuna . . . . . . . . . . 16.76kg Tyler Dalton, snoek . . . . . . . . 7.10kg Collin Smith, dorado . . . . . . . . 9.76 kg Jordan Harper, bonnie . . . . . . 4.68 kg Anton du Preez, barracuda . . . 2.34kg from our city officials and beach management, and this was in abundance. Thank you Afika Ndima, Sugan Venketraju, Zola Ndlovu, Michelle Belram, Capt. Adams, the NSRI and others. The other element that’s vital for such an event is support sponsorship, and even in such hard economic times our stalwarts once again put up their

.. . n u f g n i v i g e z i r P

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hands and were more than generous,” Hilton commented. The DSBC Festival has proudly maintained the title of the richest offshore festival in Southern Africa, with a total value of prizes and sponsorship of R1.5million. This is an indication of the value that sponsors see in this particular event. What makes this achievement even more remarkable is the fact that the Festival was forced to cancel two years in a row. Please pause at the end of this article to look at the sponsors thank you page and take note of who is investing in the passion you so enjoy. I encourage you to support them in return. Congratulations to all those at Durban Ski Boat Club who were in any way involved in making this year’s festival the success we have to come to expect. Whatever the obstacles thrown your way, you continue to defy the odds and reap the benefits and accolades you so richly deserve. The dates for the 2023 festival are 28 April to 1 May. So, mark your diary now.

COMPETITIVE ANGLING

Jan du Plessis, Divan Burger and Karla Rautmann with the catches that took their U19 SADSAA team to first place in the 2022 Bottomfish Nationals. Among their haul was Divan’s 38.5kg red steenbras, a potential All Africa record.

A COPPERSADSAA FORJuniorsTHEmakingRECORD BOOKS their mark By Francois Beukes

HE annual South African Deep Sea Angling Association (SADSAA) Senior Bottomfish Nationals traditionally does its rounds along the coast of South Africa stretching from Western Province to KwaZulu-Natal with the various affiliated provinces taking turns hosting this prestigious competition. The 2022 competition was hosted by Border Deep Sea Angling Association (BDSAA) and fished out of East London Ski Boat Club.As usual, a SADSAA junior

under-19 team was selected to compete against the seniors. This year’s tournament saw 17 teams from various provinces participating, with men’s and women’s teams competing on level terms. East London is synonymous with the abundance of various bottomfish species and is renowned as the home of the red steenbras aka copper. This year teams once again put their tackle to the test in an attempt to land these giants on 10kg monofilament line class, as chosen by BDSAA. During the competition SADSAA

junior angler Divan Burger from Western Province managed to hook and land one of these giants and was asked to give his version of this remarkable feat and the whole experience. It’s truly a remarkable story from humble young man with a great future ahead of him. By Divan Burger ROM 26 April to 1 May I fished the Senior Bottomfish Nationals in East London with Jan du Plessis (our team captain) and Karla Rautmann for the U19 SADSAA

SKI-BOAT July/August 2022 • 27

team. We started off strong on the first day with skipper Jason Ross on his boat X-Factor, ending the day in fourth place. On the second day our skipper was Jerome Makowem, assisted by Anton Krause, on their boat Solitaire. The day started off relatively slowly, with us only landing a few decent dageraad, soldiers and carpenters.We eventually made the decision to move a bit further out towards the shelf in search of coppers for weight. By then the sea had calmed down and its surface looked like a mirror. Within the first hour Jan landed a nice copper of about 7kg and Karla one of about 9kg. I was still waiting for my fish. We had been catching and releasing a lot of 74s on this particular spot and caught the first two coppers among them. Half an hour after we landed these two coppers I dropped a nice fish after about a five minute fight on the bottom; there was no doubt it was a copper. We had an hour left until lines-up and we had a difficult decision to make: Do we stick it out and hope for another copper or do we go shallow in search of more species? We decided the long run in would be a waste of time and decided to stay on the same drift where we got our previous two fish. Earlier in the day I’d caught a nice carpenter that was just under the minimum weight for the competition, but of legal size, so we’d filleted it and used it for bait.With just 50 minutes of the day left I put a small piece of the carpenter fillet on my lighter rod intended for shallower depths and smaller fish which. It’s a Kingfisher Bonito rated 812kg fitted with a 7-inch KP reel and a 60 lb leader and hook trace ended off with a 8/0 Daichii J-hook. After about ten minutes of holding

28 • SKI-BOAT July/August 2022

bottom on my KP I got a nice bump and my line started to get heavier. I wound into the fish and it flew off; because of the 10kg line-class we were using I had to backwind like a mad man. For the first 25 minutes the fish held me on the bottom, not budging an inch. If I took one metre he took two. When I managed to finally get the fish off the bottom I could feel its true weight. My team and the skipper all thought I had hooked one of the big bronzies (sharks) that were roaming out deep for the sardines and they were losing faith in me. Throughout the last ten minutes of lifting the fish off the bottom it gave steady headshakes ever y now and again. Around 10 metres before my 10kg top-shot my line steadily started to arch to wards the back of the boat. Uncle Jerome stood behind me and said, “Well done and congratulations son,” patting me on the back even before we could see the fish. After 35 minutes we saw a massive yellow figure coming up with a load of big bubbles breaking the surface. The fish shot out of the water head first 20 metres behind the boat and I could not believe my eyes. We reversed the boat towards the fish and landed it. After the big thud on the deck of the boat we were all ecstatic. I was truly at a loss for words and I remember everyone just giving high fives and hugging each other. We had landed the fish we had come all the way to East London for, with only 15 minutes to spare on the day! We estimated the fish to be around 30kg, and because it would not fit in the hatch we covered it with wet towels and threw water on it regularly.After calming down, it truly hit me how special this catch was.

At the scales our boat was the last to arrive because of the long run we had to make. By then there were a lot of people surrounding the scales. Luckily the boat shed was right next to the weigh in.We unloaded all the other fish into a crate and I knew it was a special fish when my dad who was fishing in the senior SADSAA team, peered over the boat’s gunnel and all he said was, “Bliksem!” After a struggle, Jan and I finally wrestled the fish off the boat. Everyone was anxiously waiting to find out its true weight. At last we got it hooked onto the scale and the numbers kept running up before settling on 38.5kg. I could not believe my eyes. I was in disbelief and with all the cheering all I could do was laugh. After a lot of pictures and measurements it was established that this is a pending Western Province, South African and All Africa record for a junior. Landing that fish was the most special moment of my fishing career and it will stay with me for the rest of my life. With all the fish our team caught during the week, including this big copper steenbras, we ended the competition in first place and I ended up as top individual angler overall. It’s the first time that an U19 team has won the Bottomfish Nationals. The night of the closing function was like a dream; it all felt surreal and it was an honour to have some of my role models like John Luef, Allen Ford, Francois Beukes and, definitely the most important, my dad DP Burger there to witness this achievement.These are the people who I had known for years and who have had a tremendous impact on the fisherman and person I am today.

SKI-BOAT July/August 2022 • 29

PLACES

AJ Pretorius with a spectacular Cubera snapper (left) and tarpon (right) both caught off the beach in Gabon.

Targeting tarpon in the surf in Gabon By AJ Pretorius S the last bit of daylight disappears in the west, the sky turns an eerie dark grey. The beautiful red and oranges colours we marvelled at a few minutes ago are suddenly gone. Behind us to the east, the first stars appear and the jungle is already dark and quiet. It’s the time of day just before the night time sounds of crickets, frogs and other jungle sounds take over from the day time sounds of sunbirds, kingfishers and parrots. This is the magic time at Setté Cama — time for big tarpon to roll in and use these low light conditions to ambush bait in the river mouth... The light is fading fast and it’s hard to see. On the bank above the beach, the guides and gillies, with well trained eyes adapted to these conditions, scout the waters for signs of tarpon rolling. Below them on the beach the

anglers are lined up.A few “just in case” casts are made, sending lures into the dark, probing, hoping, anticipating. A small dress rehearsal, twitching lures, feeling the rip of the current, figuring out the angles for the best drift. Hoping to be “the man” when the time comes. “Tarpon!” The shout from behind gets everyone into a frenzy. Blind casts are made to make-believe shapes. Some claim they saw a ghost and exclaim it’s a “#$%&ng BUS”. Some are not sure and shout “Where? Where?” “Behind the rock!” comes the reply from the dark behind us, followed by “Cast! Cast!” Some harsh words are spoken when casts don’t go according to plan. Everything that was rehearsed is now forgotten and it seems that suddenly fingers turn into thumbs. “Viskoors!” (fishing fever) comes an unnecessary sarcastic comment from someone along the beach.A few choice

words sound in response from another angler. I have not yet made a cast. I did not see the ghost in the dark, but I heard a splash off to the left. I walk to the edge of the channel, feel for the edge of the drop off and take a few respectful steps back. I have seen the sharks that patrol these waters, and am not up for that kind of fight. I peer into the dark and can just make out the turbulent water over the rock ledge in the middle of the channel. I hooked a tarpon there the night before. I feel around to make sure my line is not tangled, then I raise my rod tip to see the shape of the blue, battlescarred CID lure. Checking that the leader knot is outside the rod tip, I turn the drag knob a few clicks, making sure I am not going to be “that guy”. I place my index finger on the line, open the bail arm and start moving slightly to the left, trying to get the right angle for the assault on the rock. SKI-BOAT July/August 2022 • 31

“Tarpon!” The call comes at same time as I see the dark shape breach the water exactly where I hooked the fish the night before. I am 100% ready and send the cast out. Left of the rock, about the 11 o’clock position, I feel the line go slack as the lure hits the water. Like a fly cast in a drifting current, I mend line up current to avoid the lure moving out the strike zone. “Fish it slow” was the instruction I was given long ago when I first fished here. I resist the urge to jerk it, and just gently bob the rod tip up and down. The take is gentle. At first the left to right drift seems to stop and it feels like the lure gained weight; there is no GTlike smash. The tarpon must have simply sipped the 90g lure off the surface. Keeping the line tight, I set the hook! My next thought is that I’m stuck, as there’s no movement on the line. Then it all happens at once.“Fish on!” I shout out to whoever can hear me. I see a shape coming out the water and know instantly this is my biggest tarpon ever. After the slow motion jump, I hear the splash of water as the fish falls back into the water and instantly line starts peeling off the reel. “Run! Run! Run!” comes the command.“Get above the fish!” “Fish on, Fish on! Watch your lines!” I hear another command:“Run, run, run! Pull hard, turn its head!” Line keeps disappearing into the now dark ocean.After running about 70 metres, I stop. I am above the fish and pulling as hard as I can.The PE6 is wining heavily in the breeze. Line is still going the wrong way, but it has slowed down. I add a few more clicks to the drag and grab hold of the spool. It’s hot! I slowly become aware of everyone around me and lights flashing. Line finally stops peeling of the reel but I also don’t win anything back. It’s a good old Mexican stand-off. After some time the tug of war changes in my favour and more line makes it back onto the reel. Finally I see the reflection of a giant eye as the tarpon reaches the outer edged of the headlamp lights. It takes another 15 minutes to move the fish close enough to try and land it. Watching this big fish slapping around as the guides try to land it, makes you realise how strong they are. Finally I get to flop down next to the incredible beast. It’s too big to try and hold out the water, so I lift the tail and stare at the huge V tail in awe. I look around at those sharing this moment with me — friends I have fished with all my life and my proud father who was there to witness this moment. I realise I am panting. “Breathe, Uncle, it’s done,” comes a remark as someone cracks a beer in the darkness. It was indeed a “#$%&ng BUS”! • 32 • SKI-BOAT July/August 2022

By Hannes Vorster

F you are anything like me and have an insatiable urge to fish wild and remote waters, to create your own magic, then a trip to Gabon may be for you. Growing up in Matatiele, I knew no other holidays than fishing in the surf, from the rocks in the remote parts of the Transkei coast. There is something special about shore fishing — I find it more challenging catching large fish from the shore than from a boat. However, after my family and I moved to Abu Dhabi 15 years ago, I spent more time fishing offshore even though I still use every opportunity I get to do some rock and surf fishing. Over the years I’ve done a fair bit of travel to Accra in Ghana for work, and even though I never got the chance to fish there I was intrigued about stories of large billfish doing the “Atlantic Migration” between the east coast of Riaan Botha was thrilled with this longfin jack he caught from the boat.

America and West Africa. However, what excited me even more were the stories about catching tarpon in the surf in Angola and Gabon. Gabon — officially the Gabonese Republic — may not be on many people’s radar, but this west African country is progressive and extremely tourist friendly. A while back I met up with a group of friends who I often fish with locally in the UAE, and they told me about trip they did to Gabon in 2019. Listening to their stories and seeing the photos had me lit up like a sailfish chasing a teaser! Of course that went straight onto my bucket list, and when my old university mate Ross Urquhart from Ballito suggested I join him on a trip to Setté Cama Camp in Gabon, there was absolutely no hesitation. We quickly made up the required group of eight with our tickets booked for February 2021. Of course Covid put a spanner in the works and our trip was

eventually delayed by a whole year.The next mission was finding new dates that would work with the tides, seasons and work commitments, but fortunately the tarpon season in Gabon only ends at the end of April and March 2022 worked for everyone. Even more special was the fact that our new dates coincided with the school holidays, and I was able to take my youngest son (a very keen and able fisherman) with me. Some folks say the destination is the the most important feature of a trip, others say the journey or the company are more important. Well in this case, I can truly say that it has been a combination of all the above. Our group of eight eager anglers consisted of AJ Pretorius and his father Bertus (Springbok freshwater fisherman), Werner Rooseboom, Carl Herbst, Riaan Botha, Eugene Venter, my son Liam and me. I have never prepared as much for any fishing trip as I did for this one;

there were just so many things that did not fall into the remit of a “normal” fishing trip. I guess the remoteness accounts for much of that, but the type of lures, the gear, the conditions, the logistics, the weather, the water colour and the uncommon species all made for a unique planning experience. GETTING THERE Travelling to Setté Cama Camp is part of the excitement. The logistics around Covid played a part in that, but getting a group of people from Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Johannesburg, Durban and Bloemfontein, all to meet up in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, for onward travel to Libreville in Gabon was challenging to say the least. The main routes to Libreville seem to be via Addis Ababa, Istanbul and Paris. From Libreville there are weekly helicopter flights between Port Gentil (smaller airport in Libreville) and Gamba, and depending on availability

there may be an option to make use of the Presidential flight (ATR 72 twinengine turboprop). The other alternative is to use the military Pumas which could take you straight to Setté Cama Camp. Anglers thinking of going there need to understand that none of these options is ever guaranteed. This is Africa, and one needs to be prepared for logistical changes and challenges at short notice. The most reliable of these three choices are the helicopter flights, but then the amount of gear you can take is greatly limited. There are for example restrictions on the length of rods, but if you’re stuck the camp has all the required gear available for rent and it’s top quality. From Gamba, there are two options to get to the Setté Cama Camp — either by boat down the scenic Ndogo River with sightings of elephant, crocodiles, hippos, monkeys and an abundance of A spectacular jack crevalle landed just before sunset by Liam Vorster.

SKI-BOAT July/August 2022 • 33

bird species, via the bouncy 4x4 drive through the rain forest with sightings of various game species including red riverine hogs, forest sitatunga and numerous forest duikers. I have used both options and found them both equally adventurous and rewarding. If you are lucky, you may even see chimpanzees, lowland gorillas or forest buffalo. The area is also world famous for its unique birds, with a chance to see vermiculated fishing owls, chocolate-backed kingfishers and white-crested tiger herons amongst many others. THE CAMP In the sixteenth century Setté Cama was a major European colonial sea port trading in timber and ivor y. Long declined, the village is now home to a museum and an airstrip.The Setté Cama Camp lies on the edge of the Loango National Park (aka “Africa’s Last Eden” and one of the world’s best wildlife destinations) and on the peninsula between the Ndogo Lagoon and the Atlantic Ocean. Perfectly placed on one of the longest and wildest stretches of untouched coastline on the African con34 • SKI-BOAT July/August 2022

tinent and alongside a massive estuary system, this combination offers the wild-at-heart saltwater fisherman an opportunity to target many unique species of West Africa, with both spin and fly tackle. The experience is complemented by Africa’s most pristine tropical rain forest that creates the backdrop to a one-of-a-kind saltwater fishing experience. It is hard to put into words how special and unique Setté Cama really is. Accommodation in the camp takes the form of rustic chalets with twin bed configuration, each equipped with its own toilet and hot shower. It is not a five-star lodge experience, but the camp is comfortable and guests will want for nothing more. Meals are enjoyed in the main living area, which includes a stocked bar and a deck overlooking the estuary. The deck area is where you spend most of your time if you’re not sleeping or fishing. Here you can relax at night, take in the local wildlife and watch the awe-inspiring African sunset before you get your head down, just to be woken up by the sound of the African fish eagle, ready for the next day’s adventure!

One of the wildlife highlights is the local elephant population. Elephants regularly enter the Setté Cama camp and are seen on most days while travelling to and from the beach. Guests at Setté Cama also have the opportunity to experience guided walks through Loanga National Park with an abundance of African wildlife on show. Gabon has also been described as “the land of the surfing hippos” after a National Geographic photographer captured photos of hippos playing in the ocean just off the beach in Loango National Park. RIGGING UP When we finally arrived at camp we were welcomed with a cold beverage by the friendly African Waters hosts and soon started preparing for our first trip out into the estuary later that afternoon. The air was vibrating with our excitement. Soon everyone was showcasing their latest kit and the expensive lures they believed would catch the biggest fish. The next few hours were filled with laughter and fishing stories of the ones that got away and those which were not so lucky but got released anyway.

1. Bertus Pretorius with a longfin jack. 2. Riaan Botha shows off his tropical garrick. 3. Hannes Vorster caught this kob after dark from the beach. 4. Giant African threadfin adds to Hannes Vorster’s tally. 5. Zambezi shark in daylight hours for Hannes Vorster. 6. Carl Herbst with a toothy Guinean barracuda. 7. Only in Africa! FISH SPECIES This trip is all about targeting species in the estuary from the boat or from the shore with medium to large spinning or flyfishing gear.There is an abundance of large and aggressive gamefish, all eager to attack a well-presented lure or a wellfished fly. Species such as longfin- and crevalle jacks, giant African threadfin, colossal cuberra snapper, guinean barracuda, sand shark, Senegal kob and tropical garrick are all found here. Giant African threadfin are one of the main trophy fish in Gabonese waters. They are very strong and can grow to well over 50kg in these waters. These fish will strike a lure or plug, but can also be caught on bait. The more rain the better, as they prefer the fresh tannin-stained water that flows from the river mouth into the sea. And then of course there is the jackpot — giant tarpon. This is one of the only destinations in the world where it is possible to target these iconic fish from the beach on spinning gear, and the only one where you do it in the company of forest elephants, buffalo and gorillas. It is not uncommon to hook 200 lbplus tarpon, but the added challenge of

trying to land it in the middle of the night during a tropical rainstorm is the ultimate test of angler and equipment. Not to forget the abundance of Zambezi sharks around you which are just too eager to “tax” some of your hard-earned trophy. Whilst fishing Setté Cama, you are guided by local fishing guides who have fished the area for many years and have valuable insights into where the fish will be and when.There are two guided trips planned daily, all determined by fish movements, tides, sunset/sunrise, and weather conditions. This invariably means that at least one trip a day is in the dark. There is also the option to either fish the estuary by boat or fish in the surf at the river mouth from the beach. Both of these are very rewarding and target similar species. Cubera snappers, jacks and barracuda are abundant and it’s not uncommon to have triple hookups among the three anglers sharing a boat. Generally the estuary trip is recommended as the first trip out, as this allows the anglers to get accustomed to the boats, the skippers, the environment and the general lay of the land.

Both trips require entry into the Loango National Park which is charged at a fee of 50 Euro per person per day. ON THE WATER Eventually 3pm arrived along withthe voice of our professional guide calling us to board the boats; it was music to our ears. We split into three smaller groups and myself, my son Liam and Riaan Botes were together on the first trip . It soon became clear why ever ybody raved about fishing this place. Liam landed a large jack crevalle literally on his first cast.We all looked at one another and without a word being spoken, agreed this was going to be a trip to remember! The entire week turned out to be a massive success with teammates landing personal bests nearly every day. A fair mix between spinning and flyfishing produced some great rewards made for incredible stories later that evening when we were back in the camp relaxing on the deck with a cold beverage overlooking the estuary. The highlight and absolute sensory overload was standing in the surf line, waves crashing and water tumbling SKI-BOAT July/August 2022 • 35

around you in the dark, with big fish coming up to hunt their prey in a few feet of water only metres from the beach. At the same time, we knew that our arrival there literally chased the forest elephants from the beach back into the thick growth behind us, and that leopard tracks had been spotted at the same place on the beach earlier that morning… Only in Africa! A typical evening on the beach started with watching the gorgeous orange and red sunset fading away in the west as the sky turned a dark grey.Your eyes battle to adjust at this time as it is not dark enough for the moonlight to have an effect and not worth using your headlamp. That was the window we had been waiting for — the magical 30 minutes after sunset when the big tarpon roll in to ambush the baitfish still outside on the playground. The guides all lined up on the bank searching and listening for signs of the tarpon. The anglers would be lined up below, each one convinced that he had the right lure and was ready to make the cast that would entice one of these West African poons to eat. On average, our group caught between 30 and 40 fish each day, and apprently this was one of the least successful trips to Setté Cama ever. If that is the case, I would love to see what a “good” trip produces. As far as tarpon are concerned, we were not as successful as we would have liked, but we did see them come into the territory, rolling and splashing after baitfish. If this does not give you an immediate injection of adrenaline into your system, then fishing is not for you! 36 • SKI-BOAT July/August 2022

We did get a few hookups but only two were successfully landed, both by AJ Pretorius. The aerial display of these magnificent fish after a hookup and the enormous battle they put up after realising they are in trouble, is something one cannot fully describe or capture on paper. Unfortunately, on the night they turned out to be really active in the mouth of the estuary, I had asked one of the guides to accompany Liam and me further down the beach to try our luck on some other species. I was rewarded with a beautiful kob that we kept for dinner. Riaan Botes was very fortunate to catch a prime specimen of the elusive Gabon leervis aka garrick or “liche” as they are called in Francophone Africa. These are all considered to be the same species (monotypic) across their distribution which ranges from Southern Africa all the way up into the Mediterranean Sea. Most leervis look identical, whether they’re caught in Angola, Morocco or South Africa, but those caught in Central West Africa look remarkably different. The West African leervis has a more compact and stout body, much like the jacks. It also has a few spots running along its sides, smaller dorsal and anal fins, and a much fainter lateral line when compared to the other leeries we know. Although classified as the same fish (Lichia Amia) across their distribution, it doesn’t take an ichthyologist to see that is not the case. Little to no research has been done on the West African leervis, and one would hope that in future genetic samples would be collected from these specimens to shed more light on this amazing gamefish.

Carl Herbst also caught a number of new species including a really large barracuda on his well designed handmade lures, especially his flagship lure the Tapajera. All credit to the professional guides from African Waters — Ewan Kyle, Teddy Coulter and Mike Dames — who made this trip an unforgettable one with lasting memories imprinted on our minds forever. Setté Cama Gabon is a world-class fishery, but this experience, is far more than a fishing trip, it’s a true adventure into the heart of Africa — truly a destination like no other. USEFUL INFO PASSPORTS : All visitors require a valid passport with at least six months’ validity. All nationals require a visa which should be obtained before departure. For South African passport holders, a stay of 30 days or less does not need a visa.The process is easy and requires little input from guests. INNOCULATIONS & HEALTH: Valid yellow fever certificates are required by most countries. Please enquire with your local travel clinic. Gabon is a malaria area, so please consult your doctor before travelling. COMMUNICATION: There is sporadic cell phone reception and wifi is available in camp at a fee. CURRENCY: Gabon’s currency is Central African francs (CFA) but the euro is widely accepted and can be used to settle bar accounts, etc. in camp. LANGUAGE: French

PRESIDENT’S REPORT

refer to them as Groot Jan and Klein Jan, REETINGS to all our anglers. but let me say, they are both gentle What a year we are having! It giants! seems that the great reset that Both boys showed their dads how to was predicted has happened fish by winning the Senior Nationals conwith, thankfully, not too much disruption vincingly. Well done to our team of U19 to our day to day lives. Junior anglers of Jan, Divan and Karla With the dropping of most Covid Rautmann. We know we will still see regulations and the country returning to these names for many years to come. an almost normal state of round after Then there was what has to be the round of loadshedding, we are halfway greatest event I have been privileged through 2022 and looking forward to enough to be a part of — our SADSAA All the challenges that the rest of the year Stars event that was hosted by Durban will bring. Ski-Boat Club. Since our last report, SADSAA has What an incredible weekend! had its Annual General Meeting and the Thirteen families and their youngsters new council and portfolio holders have with special needs joined us in Durban been selected. I wish to congratulate all for two days of fishing with all the focus who have accepted the positions and we on our All Stars.We had amazing catches, look forward to many years together. Chris Schorn, with every angler catching a fish and havOur new Public Relations Officer, SADSAA President ing an absolute ball at sea and on the Justin Paynter, was properly dunked in the deep end and has proven to be a powerful swimmer; he land. By Sunday evening, I don’t believe a single child, parent, is doing an outstanding job of owning the title. I am sure that those of you who are digitally connected skipper or gillie had not shed a tear and roared with laughto the world of social media would have seen all the great ter — sometimes both at the same time.Again, there is more new postings of the happenings around SADSAA and all the about this event elsewhere in this magazine, but suffice it to events that we have been involved in. Well done and thank say THANK YOU! To each and every person who played a part, from the you, Justin. The end of April saw Border Deep Sea Angling skippers who put their boats and fuel in at no cost, to the Association host the Senior Bottomfish Nationals in East gillies — all provincial or national anglers — who came London. It was, without doubt, an incredible tournament from all over the country, to the folks who put the whole event together, to the parents of our All Stars, to their sibwith some truly memorable catches. Elsewhere in this publication, there is a blow-by-blow lings and of course to the Stars themselves — THANK YOU! account of an amazing catch by one of our SADSAA U19 No one will ever forget this, and long may it live on. At the time of writing, we have two Protea teams comanglers, Divan Burger. Without giving too much away, all I can say is well done to a young angler with a fish of a life- peting overseas.The first is a heavy tackle billfish team fishtime on 10kg line. Divan, you have set the bar high with an ing in Cuba, and the other a team of bottom fishermen competing in Iceland. Another team has just return from Cape awesome catch! There were many other great moments at these Verde.These are all anglers who have reached the absolute pinnacle of their sport Nationals, but worthy of and we are proud to have special mention are the them representing South two father and son repAfrica and SADSAA. resentatives who comKeep up to date Well done, gentlemen. peted against each other. with all the Finally, we wish all the We had DP Burger SADSAA news by anglers who will be comcaptaining the SADSAA visiting our peting in the upcoming Senior team, with son website Tuna Nationals in Cape Divan in the SADSAA www.sadsaa.co.za Town, the Senior GameU19 team, and we had or our facebook fish Nationals in Zinkwazi Jan du Plessis Snr in the page and the Junior Gamefish Natal team, with his son, @sadeepseaangling Nationals in St Lucia, tight Jan du Plessis Jnr, capassociation lines and fair seas, and the taining the SADSAA U19 same to all of you. team. We affectionately

38 • SKI-BOAT July/August 2022

SADSAA COUNCIL 2022 CHRIS SCHORN, President Chris grew up in East London fishing with his dad. He moved to Plettenberg Bay in November 2000 and joined the Plettenberg Bay Ski-boat Club. Chris was Chairman of Plettenberg Bay Angling Association from 2013 till 2017,Vice Chairman from 2018 till 2019 and Chairman in 2020. He is also a long-standing member of the Plettenberg Bay NSRI. He was the Treasurer and Provincial Safety Officer of SCDSAA from 2016 to 2022 and the President of SCDSAA from 2018 to 2022. He has also been the Safety Officer of Plettenberg Bay Angling Association since 2010. In 2016 he was elected as SADSAA National Secretary, and from 2020 to 2022 he was SADSAA Vice President. Chris has 15 caps for SCDSAA, 12 as captain. He was recently awarded his SADSAA Colours for angling. PADDY VENSKE, Vice President Patrick Cecil Venske (Paddy) obtained Springbok colours in 1994 with the team that went to Mexico to fish the Red Cross Sailfish International Tournament. In 1994 the team was placed second and in 1995 their team won the tournament under Captain Richard Pratt fishing as a Protea team. Paddy was the top angler. Paddy is currently the Chairman for Southern Gauteng DSAA and is on the SADSAA Action Committee and Safety Committee. He has been a national selector for a few years. Paddy and his sons and grandsons are all active in deep sea angling, and Paddy is well known for his boats Snoopy and The Bear. VIKKI BEZUIDENHOUT, Secretary Vikki got involved in deep sea fishing as a way to avoid becoming a fishing widow. She joined the Hoedspruit DHK committee and organised the annual HDHK junior development competition for eight years, finding it incredible rewarding. She later became Secretary of Mpumalanga Deep Sea Angling Association, then briefly stood in as SADSAA PRO, subsequently swopping that portfolio for that of SADSAA Secretary. While she only fishes socially, she finds it extremely gratifying to be involved with the organising committees of some of the main tournaments on the fishing calendar. EDWIN FREEMAN, Treasurer Edwin joined Nelspruit and District Angling Club in 1997. He was Treasurer from 1998 till 2011 and then again from 2015 to 2020. He was Chairman of Nelspruit and District Angling Club from 2011 to 2015. Edwin is currently the Treasurer of Mpumalanga Deep Sea Angling Association, a position he has filled since 2014. He has also been SADSAA Treasurer from 2019 to date. Edwin not only captained Provincial teams, but was also captain in 2019 of the SADSAA Light Tackle team for Billfish Nationals, and captain of the Protea team that went to Guatemala in November 2019. NICK NEL, Local & International Tournament Officer An accomplished angler, Nick served as Vice President of the Natal Deep Sea Angling Association (NDSAA) from 2014 to 2018. He also served as the President for the NDSAA until he retired from that position earlier this year. Having represented his country in three international tournaments (France, USA and Portugal), he currently serves as the Local and International Tournaments Officer for SADSAA. Nick’s accomplished angling career earned him Protea Colours, the highest accolade that can be achieved by a member of a South African sporting body.

MARK BEYL, Environmental Officer Mark is a lawyer, an avid marlin- and gamefish angler and a diving instructor. He is also a SAMSA surveyor and an examiner for Northern Gauteng. Mark has been very active on the Northern Gauteng committee, holding positions as their Safety Officer,Vice Chairman and Chairman at various times. He has also proved his fishing prowess, achieving provincial colours for light- and heavy tackle billfishing since 2005, and SADSAA colours for Heavy Tackle Bilfishing in 2017. He recently returned from representing SA at a billfishing event in Cuba. Mark joined Zululand Deep Sea Angling Association four years ago, earning a few caps for them, and has been the SADSAA Environmental Officer since 2016. PEET KOEKEMOER, National Records Officer Peet has been involved in fishing for most of his life. He started at the bottom and eventually managed to buy his own deep sea fishing boat. He earned his Gauteng Provincial Colours in 2012 and has represented Gauteng at National level in Gamefish and Heavy Tackle since then on many occasions. He has been the Records Officer at Dorado Ski-Boat Club in Carletonville since 2013 and Records Officer for Gauteng since 2015. He is also the All-Africa Deep Sea Fishing Records Officer. JUSTIN PAYNTER, Public Relations Officer Justin, aka “Pink Pants” fishes out of Durban, Umhlanga, and Umdloti Ski-Boat Club. His passion for fishing is evident in the amount of time he gives back to the sport. He served on the committee of the Durban Ski-Boat Club from 2014 until 2020, is currently the Development Officer for Umhlanga SkiBoat Club, and was recently appointed a director on the board at Point Water Sports Club. Justin achieved his first Natal cap in 2014. He has gone on to represent his province annually and was named captain for most of the teams he has been selected for. In 2018 and 2019 Justin received his SADSAA Colours for gamefishing. NEIL COETZER, Development Officer Neil served East Rand Ski-Boat Club as Vice Chairman for two years and Chairman for six years. He was Southern Gauteng’s Vice President for four years and their Development Officer for the past nine years.The time he has put into development has been outstanding and the results have shown this. He is currently SADSAA’s Development Officer and a SADSAA Selector. Neil has a host of fishing achievements including five SADSAA caps, three as Captain. In 2015 Neil was awarded his Protea cap for gamefishing. BARRY TURK, National Selection Convenor Barry has been fishing for the past 60 years. He is currently the convenor of selectors for Natal Deep Sea Angling Association, a position he has held for the last 25 years. Barry has earned ten Natal caps, four SADSAA caps and received his Protea cap in 2000. Barry has been a national selector for the past 17 years and convenor of selectors for the past 11 years. CARL KRAUSE, National Safety Officer Carl is currently a member at Shelly Beach Ski Boat Club & Nomads GFC. He been involved in Safety for many years and in1980 he was appointed as a SAMSA examiner/lecturer/surveyor. In 2005 he became a member of the SAMSA advisory and technical committee, and was awarded his SADSAA Safety Colours in 2006. He was elected as the Deputy Safety Officer for SADSAA from 2010 to 2016, and was National Safety Officer from 2016 to 2018.

SKI-BOAT July/August 2022 • 39

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FREE DIGITAL E-ZINE ON WWW.ISSUU.COM SKI-BOAT July/August 2022 • 41

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

Meritorious Fish

Outstanding 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

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) Meritorious Fish This award is for a fish that’s a memorable achievement for the angler, if not 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 and a photograph of the angler with 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) 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. 7) A selection of award winners’ names will be announced in future issues of SKIBOAT, along with relevant photographs. 8) Award applicants should allow 30-45 days for processing of applications. 9) There is no charge for Kingfisher Awards.

a personal best, and is not confined to the species listed below. Tackle used is of no consideration here, the fish's weight being the main criterion. 2) Outstanding Catch To satisfy the requirements for this award, anglers can catch any recognised fish species. As a guideline, the weight of that fish must equal or exceed the suggested weights below, or 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) Tarpon Tuna (Big Eye) Tuna (Longfin) Tuna (Yellowfin) Wahoo Yellowtail

SUGGESTED WEIGHT: 15kg 12kg 20kg 12kg 15kg 100kg 100kg 60kg 15kg 25kg 20kg 20kg 45kg 50kg 25kg 50kg 15kg 15kg

Email applications to: angler@mags.co.za

RELEASED BILLFISH AND GT (Ignobilis) KINGFISH

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

42 • SKI-BOAT July/August 2022

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 next to the 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 Awards page of any billfish or GTs aside from those that are released.

Submit application to: Kingfisher Awards at angler@mags.co.za STAND A CHANCE TO WIN A REEL

This 38.5kg red steenbras was caught off East London in the Eastern Cape on 27 April 2022 and earned

Divan Burger a Gold Meritorious Award for his outstanding catch. He wins this issue’s great prize for

Hilton King has been awarded a Gold Meritorious Award for this king mackerel, caught on 18 April 2022 off Mtunzini in KwaZulu-Natal.

Juan-Claude Mc Kirby has been awarded a Gold Meritorious Award for this approximately 45kg G.T., caught on 23 April 2022 off Inhambane in Mozambique. Madelein van Wyk has been awarded a Gold Meritorious Award for this yellowfin tuna, caught in March 2022 off Richards Bay on the North Coast of KZN.

Samaarah Ibrahim has been awarded a Gold Meritorious Award for this 74kg yellowfin tuna, caught on 5 May 2022 off Hout Bay in the Western Cape.

SKI-BOAT July/August 2022 • 43

COMPETITION

MAKAIRA

claims bragging rights

2022 Rosebowl Tournament By Craig Smith

OR the competitive angler, the epitome of fishing is that first morning 4am wake up and the excitement that lies ahead. This year’s Rosebowl had “excitement” in abundance, as the initial proposed launch from Mapelane was cancelled a week before the event which was fished 25 to 29 April. The exceptionally heavy rains in KwaZulu-Natal had caused the Umfolozi River to flood and breach the Lake St Lucia estuary mouth, so launching was shifted to the estuary mouth. This, the 42nd Rosebowl competition was hosted by Albatross Ski-Boat Club and coincided with our 50th Jubilee. Although the competition is all about friendships and cameraderie, it really comes down to the bragging rights given to the club that wins the sought-after Rosebowl Trophy. It was a well-attended event with 32 boats and 132 anglers participating.The weather prediction looked grim, with only a possible two days of fishable weather, but our “local” fisherman (Mr Hit It) assured us of a full week on the water, albeit in some not-so-pleasant conditions. The fishing started off slow with the lead being juggled between the clubs, and excitement built up to what would be an absolutely superb last day.

There was plenty of fun all round with the weigh-in abuzz each day, thanks to St Lucia SBC supplying delicious burgers and boerie rolls along with cold beverages. As usual, Wednesday was the “Spirit” evening and karaoke was on the cards.Voices were soon well lubricated, and Makaira took the singing to new heights. By dawn on the last day, the teams were lined up at the river mouth eager to make the most of the day. At that stage the clubs were relatively close to each other in the point standings. A strong north-easter was predicted and most teams either headed straight out or to the north. Before long the billfish strikes were being reported! Having only had one black marlin release on the Wednesday by TSC’s Fin Rider and a sailfish release by ERBFC’s Predator on the Thursday, expectations were high for the final day. Team Makaira did not disappoint, as the call ups on strikes were coming in thick and fast. Fishaholic (the original) released two blue marlin, while Salt Life (37kg) and Bucket List (10kg) each had a sailfish release and Woep Wap released a black marlin. SKI-BOAT July/August 2022 • 45

TOP BOAT 1. Fishaholic 2. Sick Leave 3. Woep Wap TOP ANGLERS 1. Anton Lingefelder 2. Adrian Kretzen 3. Greg Badenhorst

TOP LEFT BOATS: Team Sick Leave taking to the ocean and The Woep Wap crew navigating their launch.

TOP JUNIOR 1. Fernando Harmse 2. Michael Gruar

TOP RIGHT TEAMS: The Makaira Club Members taking overall standing and Team Fishaholic finishing as top boat.

TOP LADY 1. Alta Mathews 2. Ann Craven 3. Janiene Janse van Rensburg OVERALL STANDINGS 1. Makaira . . . . 252,90 2. ERBFC . . . . . 169,10 3. Guinjata . . . . 167,80 4. TSC . . . . . . . 106,86 5. Albatross . . . . 56,20 6. Nomads . . . . . 35,21

BELOW: Albatross Ski-boat Club proudly sporting the Ted Adams Spirit Trophy.

pts pts pts pts pts pts

TED ADAMS SPIRIT TROPHY Albatross

46 • SKI-BOAT July/August 2022

To add to the final showdown for the overall boat position, Sick Leave from ERBFC brought in a fantastic 22,08kg yellowfin tuna on 10kg line, to add to their three species at the scales. They had a pack attack of tuna, but after having a full strike and burning off all except the one, they just missed out on the overall boat prize. The Rosebowl is a prestigious event on the Southern Gauteng Deep Sea Angling Association calendar, and the bar is set higher each year. I would like to thank iSimangaliso Wetland Park and Ezemvelo-KZN Wildlife for granting us permission to host the tournament in their jurisdiction.Thank you also to the Albatross committee for organising a great competition, and of course to all our sponsors. Thank you to all the anglers for their participation and a sublime week, and congratulations to Makaira for coming out tops; they will be hosting the 2023 Rosebowl.

SKI-BOAT July/August 2022 • 47

A DAY TO REMEMBER by Brayden Kane (13)

T was a gamble.We had a family wedding to get to by 2pm that afternoon, but we also needed tuna for sashimi which was on the menu, so that was our main target. My dad and I arrived at Shelly Beach launch site with our jetski at 5am with quite a queue to wait in. Once we got out of the small surf zone, we travelled down to Port Shepstone river mouth for live bait.We started off getting small pinkies which weren’t good enough. After a while all the boats that had been trying for bait had left; we were also getting ready to leave and that’s when we came over a huge showing of mackerel and mozzies. After loading up with those we travelled to another mark about 6km out to sea. When we arrived there, we could see on our Lowrance fishfinder that the current was going at 5km/h from north to south and we immediately knew that was a bad thing. After drifting a while with our livebaits out, my dad hooked onto a tuna.We got it out and we were happy because it was the perfect size for sashimi. That’s when the worst thing happened — the jetski wouldn’t start so we couldn’t go anywhere. Dad called the National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) who were already training at sea and said they would come and tow us back. I didn’t want to waste any time because the sea was so flat, so I put out a big mackerel on a single Gamakatsu Taiman 5/0 on 44 lb fluorocarbon line paired with a Daiwa Saltist on a Pesca rod.

After drifting 5- or 6km south of the southern pinnacle on Protea, I was lucky enough to hook up to a black marlin! At first I thought it was a shark because it took off slowly, but when I grabbed the rod and started fighting it, the fish started shaking its head and then it started jumping and that’s when I really got excited. I knew this was a once in a lifetime fish, but I also knew that I was fighting an 80- to 100kg marlin on 20kg line so I had to fight it very lightly. Whilst I was fighting this beast of a fish, the NSRI arrived. Thankfully, they were willing to wait for me to try and land the fish. It took me 30 minutes to fight the marlin, and when we got it next to the ski, we saw that it was perfectly hooked in the bill with no damage done. After getting the leader through the eyes of the rod, I knew I had done it — I had fought this beast to the end! My dad grabbed the leader and parted the marlin off safely and it swam off strong. The NSRI came over and hooked up the ski with a tow rope and we put all the rods and valuable things onto the big NSRI boat. They towed our ski safely to the backline, but the tide was too low to beach. We were lucky enough to catch a ride back to shore with one of the touring boats with more than enough power to get over the big sand bank. We got back just in time for the wedding and I had a great story to tell.Two weeks later I had another great catch with this 23.2kg ’cuda caught off Durban! What a run!

50 • SKI-BOAT

July/August 2022

SKI-BOAT May/June 2022 •

DEVELOPMENT

SADSAA All Stars show how it’s done

By Neil Coetzer

HE 2022 SADSAA All Stars event started off humbly with a proud dad, Protea angler Colin Barris, sharing a video of his special needs son catching a wonderful kob. As SADSAA’s development officer it struck me that it would be incredible to host a gathering for other eager special needs anglers (children and young adults living with difficulties and disabilities) so they could experience time on the water at sea. SADSAA’s PR Officer, Justin Paynter has worked with people from Reach for a Dream and with his background as a teacher he was an obvious choice to coopt onto the organising committee. After a discussion with Chris Schorn, SADSAA’s President, Chris was eager for the event to be a SADSAA initiative. We approached SASSAC to see if any funding would be available, dangling the carrot that SADSAA would match any funding obtained fro SASSAC. Budgets were submitted and to our delight SASSAC came to the party and so began the planning and budgeting for this new venture, thanks to the support of numerous other individuals.

The next step was gathering the anglers themselves, and letters were sent to all the provinces asking for them to put forward names of children and young adults who would be keen to take part. Word spread quickly, and before long our 15 teams were set. Each team consisted of a skipper who also supplied the boat, a mentor (Provincial/SADSAA/Protea angler) who would also act as gillie, some of the child’s family members and, most importantly, the child themselves. The event was fully sponsored and the only cost to the parents was the transport to Durban. All accommodation, boats, fuel, food etc was taken care of by our amazing sponsors. The weekend was intended to give these youngsters the opportunity to experience what we as fishermen get to do on a regular basis. It also shows anglers that the sea is open to anyone, and with guidance and assistance, anybody can enjoy a day out on the big blue. Who better to tell the real story, though, than a parent of one of the All Stars...

SMILES ALL ROUND By Alan Smith

NEXPECTED blessings were the order of the day throughout the SADSAA All Stars weekend that took place at Durban Ski-Boat Club in Durban, from 13 to 15 May 2022. Guests and organisers arrived with limited expectations and a dose of apprehension at the opening evening on Friday, but the nerves soon dissipated, and the connections began to unfold. Proud anglers and boat skippers were humbled, many times holding back tears and other times roaring with laughter, as the nervous All Star youngsters were made to feel loved and welcome, and their personalities began to shine through. The organisers’ attention to detail, was evident from beginning to end — they had thought of everything! This included having a special needs teacher involved throughout, safety and security being seen to, parking, event club cards, goodie bags packed with generosity, and top class food and hospitality — absolutely no effort was spared. Unlike any other fishing event, this was all about special needs awareness coupled with a fishing experience wrapped in fun. The boats were all lined up and ready to launch by 5am on Saturday morning, thanks to the diligent Durban Ski-Boat Club tractor drivers. Once they were out on the water the boats hung out together, with plenty of banter and laughter between the anglers while catching some livebait before we hit the big blue. Day one was the ice breaker and every All Star returned with a catch. No matter the size, their smiles were all the same width at the weigh-in that afternoon. Day two topped the scales with great results on every boat. In his closing speech on Sunday, Justin Paynter noted that the 13 All Stars had hauled in more fish than the entire catch seen at the recent Durban Ski-Boat Club Festival that had in excess of 600 entries. We arrived as strangers and by Sunday evening we parted as family.The friendships and memories that were forged will grow and last for a lifetime. An unexpected result for all of us was to see the personal growth and boost in confidence of each of our All Stars.This was more than evident at the final dinner as we watched each of them strut up to the trophy table with broad shoulders amidst a large audience to collect their personalised, hand-crafted Sox trophies. Each of them was bursting with pride. All in all, the weekend was a huge success and most of all an emotional blessing to those who were involved. Lucas and Douette Landman’s WhatsApp message sums it up perfectly: “As parents we were humbled and amazed by the love, attention and genuine interest shown towards our kids throughout the weekend. We were truly surprised. We know how challenging it can be to manage just one day in the life of a special needs child, so for SADSAA and the organisers to arrange a full weekend for so many entirely unique

kids was no mean feat. You passed this enormous challenge with flying colours! To everyone involved, a heartfelt thank you. This event exceeded our wildest expectations. God’s favour definitely rested on these boats, not just evident in the number of fish they caught, but especially seen on the shining faces at the prize giving afternoon.” Friedel Kirstein shared the emotions many of us felt: “I have never been so humbled by an event yet so happy to see the smiles of others less fortunate than me catching fish, some big, some small. There were many tears shed today, many by grown men, mine included. I salute SADSAA, Chris Schorn Neil Coetzer, Justin Paynter, Anton Van der Berg and others plus all the sponsors for making this a truly memorable event for these kids.” Carmen and Miggz’s message perfectly encapsulated just what it meant to the participants: “From the very bottom of my heart I want to thank each and every one of you for putting the biggest smile on my little boy’s face, one I haven’t seen in a very long time. He has this weekend to remember for the rest of his life. Thank you to his incredible skipper, Uncle Ralphy Jones, and his gillie, Uncle Robby Shepard, SADSAA and every single human being involved! The special needs life can be a lonely one but with people like yourselves and being surrounded by so much support and love was just incredible and soul-fuel to move forward with.”

Thank you all for making the impossible, possible. Your passion has made the world of difference to us all!

SINCERE THANKS TO ALL OUR SPONSORS SASACC • SADSAA • Outsource Electrical & Instrumentation (Pty) Ltd • GEMS Schoolwear • Ski-Boat Magazine SOX Poppers • Durban Ski Boat Club • Durban Undersea Club • Point Waterfront Corporation • Geraldine Breedt Holdboer Vacancies (Ralph Jones) • Nish Ibrahim (WP) • Nick Nel (NDSAA) • Paddy Venske, Shipfaced Natal Deep Sea Angling Association • Southern Gauteng Deep Sea Association • Zululand Deep Sea Association Limpopo Deep Sea Association • Southern Cape Deep Sea Angling Association • Griquas Deep Sea Association Gauteng Deep Sea Association • Mpumalanga Deep Sea Association • Pennington Ski Boat Club Plettenberg Bay Ski Boat Club • George Ski Boat Club • Nomads Game Fishing Club • Richards Bay Ski Boat Club Jacis Safari Camp • T-Line • CMH Nissan - Rob Downs • Andreas Papachristoforou (FS) • Moulana Saeed (NDSAA) Club Marine Insurance • Pulsator Lures • Glenwood Vineyards • Mekano Projects • John Deere • Mallards Marine Colin Joubert (WP) • All the skippers 54 • SKI-BOAT July/August 2022

SCIENTIFIC

Results of tagging project on Kenya’s striped- and black marlin By Sheena Carnie

HE black marlin is known as one of the fastest fish in the ocean, with sailfish and striped marlin other clear contenders for that title. Whoever takes the prize, black marlin swimming speeds as high as 129km/h have been recorded. But when you’re targeting a specific species, one of the most crucial questions is not how fast they swim, but rather, “What areas do they frequent?” Charter captains in Kenya wanted to know more about the movements of the

black- and striped marlin that inhabit the western Indian Ocean, so a few years ago they contacted the scientists from Marine Megafauna Found-ation (MMF) to formulate a plan. Together they undertook a tagging research project on black marlin (Istiompax indica) and striped marlin (Kajikia audax) off Kenya between 2015 and 2019. They hoped the results of this project would answer some of the questions surrounding the movements and habits of these highly migratory species. Marlin fishing boat captains

deployed the pop-up archival satellite tags, and the project was overseen by a team of MMF scientists, led by Dr Christoph Rohner. Forty-nine black marlin weighing between approximately 40and 227kg were tagged in this way. Only 34 of the black marlin tags transmitted data that could be used, but they provided a great deal of useful and interesting information. Forty striped marlin weighing between 8- and 100kg were tracked, with nine other tags not reporting data. The reasons tags didn’t transmit usable data included the fish presumably dying as they appeared to stay at a

static depth, and tag anchors not properly locking in and the tags thus falling off.This highlights the need to deploy as many satellite tags as possible to ensure good data returns. The tracked black marlin dispersed widely in the western Indian Ocean, with greatly varied movement patterns. The shortest distance recorded was 30km and the longest 11 944km, with an average of 1 818km for the time the tags were attached. “We found a lot of similarities between the species; they both swim far and fast, covering 40–50 km per day,”

said Christoph in an interview with MMF scientist Dr Simon Pierce. “Most moved northwards from Kenya towards Somalia and Oman, but there was plenty of individual variation too. One of the striped marlin swam all the way over to the Maldives, and a black marlin swam south into the Mozambique Channel.The longest track was 11 944km over 167 days.” “Striped marlin followed ocean productivity through the year, with high productivity off Kenya during the December to March period when they were caught, before moving north

towards the Horn of Africa around the island of Socotra.There was lots of coolwater upwelling there, which means productive surface waters and probably dense prey,” Christoph explained. “Black marlin were similar during the first half of the year, moving north to the same general area, but they moved back down the coast to Kenya in the second half of the year,” he added. “That return movement is difficult to explain because there’s no particular front, upwelling, or obvious productivity we could detect through those months. Generally, though, both species are going to be

Marlin tagged off Watamu, Kenya. Photo courtesy Alley Cat.

58 • SKI-BOAT July/August 2022

Above: Four individual tracks from among the 34 black marlin tracked between 2015 and 2019. Below: The four-panel seasonal tracks of 39 striped marlin tagged off Kenya.

SKI-BOAT July/August 2022 • 59

Above: Density plot of the depth and temperature use of black marlin (n = 34; panels A & C) and striped marlin (n = 39; panels B, D), with the lower panels C and D zooming into the highly-used habitat between the surface and 100m depth and between 20- and 32°C. Basically the warmer the colour, the more time marlin spent in that temperature-depth zone. moving around to find food, so there’s probably a prey source present that we can’t identify remotely. “There’s also the possibility of spawning activity, which we haven’t gotten to the bottom of yet. Striped marlin

larvae have been found up north, off Oman. No Indian Ocean spawning areas for black marlin have been identified. We think they might be spawning off Mozambique, so we’ll be looking into that for the next phase of the project,”

Christoph commented. The tagged black marlin spent most of their time in areas with warm surface temperatures averaging 27.4°C, but there was a lot of vertical movement recorded.The tagged striped marlin also

Above: Vertical movements of marlin over five days (left) and (right) the average depth every ten minutes of the day, averaged over the whole track. The striped marlin #142292 consistently dived deeper during the day than at night, while the black marlin #159225 dived particularly deep at dusk and dawn. SKI-BOAT July/August 2022 • 61

preferred relatively warm sea surface temperatures between 26- and 31°C. “Striped marlin dived deeper more frequently than black marlin, and also spent more of their time at the water surface,” said Christoph in an abstract from the article published by him and five other scientists in the Journal of Fish Biology. Tag results showed that most striped marlin had a normal daily dive pattern over their track, while approximately 35% of black marlin dived particularly deep at dusk and dawn. “Squid are an important part of the diet for both species, so they dive a lot. One individual striped marlin moved almost 15km vertically over a single day. Both marlin species dived down to 450–500m on occasion, with the coolest temperature around 10°C,” the scientists reported. Scientists believe that as apex predators, black marlin are susceptible to overfishing, but because so little was known about their movements, it was difficult to properly assess their conservation status and manage fisheries. This project has provided a great deal of data which can help to inform future decisions regarding this fishery. “There are two areas of high commercial catches for striped marlin in the region: up north off the Horn of Africa, and off Kenya.Those were the areas our tagged marlin used too. Prior to this work, we didn’t know that it was the same fish moving between both. Now we have shown that this whole region needs to be considered as a single management unit,” Christoph explained. “The entire Indian Ocean might, in practice, be a single population for both species — our tags were set to pop-off the marlin after six months, so they’re only capturing a snapshot of their movements, and one swam over to the Maldives in that time alone.” • Movement and habitat use of striped marlin Kajikia audax in the Western Indian Ocean by Christoph A. Rohner, Roy Bealey, Bernerd M. Fulanda and Simon J. Pierce was published in the Journal of Fish Biology. The full article can be accessed at https://doi.org/10.1111/jfb.14508 • Movement ecology of black marlin Istiompax indica in the Western Indian Ocean by Christoph A. Rohner, Roy Bealey, Bernerd M. Fulanda, Jason D. Everett, Anthony J. Richardson and Simon J. Pierce was published in the Journal of Fish Biology. The full article can be accessed at https://doi.org/10.1111/jfb.14809 • Vertical habitat use of black and striped marlin in the Western Indian Ocean by Christoph A. Rohner, Roy Bealey, Bernerd M. Fulanda, Clare E. M. Prebble, Samuel M. Williams and Simon J. Pierce can be accessed at www.intres.com/prepress/m14043.html 62 • SKI-BOAT July/August 2022

Marlin tagged off Watamu, Kenya. Photo courtesy Alley Cat.

TRACKING MARLIN OFF MOZAMBIQUE Sponsorship sought

MF now plans to launch a black marlin satellite-tagging program off the Bazaruto Archipelago in September 2022; it will run for three years. In addition to tracking the movements of the marlin, they will also be conducting some genetics work, some dietary analysis work, and using additional methods to confirm if the area is a spawning ground. The MMF scientists will once again be working with local sportfishing charter captains who will do the actual tagging. “In the Indian Ocean, where sportfishing captures of black marlin exceeding 1 000 pounds are extremely rare and are basically down to a single destination, one wonders where these big females go after their supposed spawning season between September and December of every year in the offshore waters of the Bazaruto Archipelago in Mozambique,” said Capt Duarte Rato, a sportfisher charter captain who operates off Bazaruto. “And, with no identified proven spawning area in all of the Indian Ocean and only two known for the species in the world’s oceans (both in the Pacific) is it not time to scientifically prove the Bazaruto Archipelago to be one? In the twenty-odd years we have been here we have certainly seen enough evidence for this to be the case,” Duarte commented.

“In an area where these fish are caught in such remarkably shallow water, how interesting would it be to be able to see not only their horizontal movement but also their vertical utilisation of these waters,” he added. “It has been a long road but it seems we finally got the right people onboard with the same passion and enthusiasm to make it a reality.” Duarte and Captain Morgan O’Kennedy of Big Blue will both be working with the MMF scientists in Mozambique. DONORS NEEDED The project relies totally on donor funding, so the the public and corporations are invited to sponsor a total or partial tag. To fully sponsor one satellite tag is US$5 000. Full sponsors will be able to name their marlin when the tag is deployed, but all sponsors will receive photographs or video of their marlin being tagged, updates about the project, and a sneak peek about the marlin’s progress before everyone else. For more information contact Duarte Rato (pictured above) on <dudas7mares@gmail.com> or +258 84 639 0466; Morgan O’Kennedy on <ahoy@bigbluevilankulo.com>; or Dr Clare Prebble <clare@marinemega fauna.org>. For further details visit www.marinemegafauna.org or find MMF on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.

BUSINESS CLASSIFIEDS & DIRECTORY

2 • SKI-BOAT May/June 2022

SKI-BOAT July/August 2022 • 63

Last word from the ladies!

RAPALA LIP

The way to a girl’s heart is...

through her fishing rod! By Fransien Myburg OP of my bucketlist recently was catching a fish bigger than myself, and my heart was set on one of Cape Town’s tuna which had haunted me for a while. Our standing plan was to constantly be prepared, and if the weather looked good for fishing, we’d jump on a plane and go look for them. Our first trip didn’t work out because of bad weather, and my Rapala Lip was hanging on the floor. I didn’t want to give up! Chris could see trouble was brewing and promised we’d try again the next week. Trips like this are always more fun with friends, so on the Wednesday I phoned Lecia and Tommie Steele to ask if they wanted to join us. Lecia just started to laugh — she knew I was serious. Tuna season was almost over, so if the weather was fine we had to go! At the time they were on their way to Nampo in Bothaville, but agreed to meet us at the airport afterwards to head down to Cape Town. Well, you know it’s going to be a good week when you book the boat on Wednesday, planning to fish Saturday and Sunday on Captuna Charters, without even having any plane tickets or accommodation booked. Mission impossible, you say? Definitely not! We booked the plane tickets on Thursday morning and the accommodation Thursday night; we would be landing in Cape Town on Friday. The Mother City is always a big treat for this Mpumalanga farm girl, with great food and wine, and now we could add fishing to make it even better. At last the four farmers who usually fish in St Lucia were on their way to Hout Bay, with one thing in mind: finding those tuna! The night before we’d sorted our tackle, laid out all our clothes and charged the GoPro. Two thoughts kept me awake, though, and I didn’t know which reality would be worse: not finding the tuna or finding them and not being strong enough to bring them in. When we woke up it was raining and my Rapala Lip began to quiver, but

64 • SKI-BOAT July/August 2022

Chris promised that rain or not we were ready for action and afishing we would go. This was our first time launching in a harbour, and in the dark at that; it was strange not having to worry about the size of the surf like we do at St Lucia.We had a long drive out to the tuna grounds, but the pumping music made it seem slightly shorter. Two hours later we were finally in the zone. I was beginning to think we’d never get there! Michael, our skipper, said we’d troll with Rapalas and teasers, and would chum if we found the fish. After about 45 minutes the first reel screamed! Cyril, the deckhand, and I met each other at the rod and eyed each other up and down. He hesitated to give me the rod, saying the W50 was quite heavy, but my determined look, my protruding lip and my solid request for him to give me the rod finally persuaded him to hand it over. It just prayed I would be strong enough. Lecia put a bucket on for me and it was game on! Michael said it was probably a longfin, and I could tell by the expression on his face that wasn’t what he wanted. It wasn’t what I wanted either — I wanted to catch a big fish. Oh well, there was no going back now that I was hooked; I would just have to land it quickly so I could get a proper tuna. The fish gave me a good fight — you know that burning feeling that rises up your back, and then your left arm starts to burn. If you start to hold the reel with your right hand, you know you’re onto a big fish. Tommie motivated me with a “sak en rol, sak en rol” chant that made me smile. It’s what I’d been taught in St Lucia, and it reminded me that you can beat the fish with small steps. At last the fish came alongside — a 50kg yellowfin tuna! The biggest fish I have ever caught — mission accomplished! We switched to drifting and chumming, and before long I felt a fish taking my bait. The sound of the W50 screaming revved us all up, and I gave the rod to Chris. Fair’s fair, and I had spotted his protruding lip at the thought that his wife might catch another fish and he

didn’t even have one yet. Suddenly Tommie’s reel started screaming too. Chaos abounded — the kind of chaos fishermen love. The guys fought the fish like pros, but it took over an hour to land them. Eventually spectacular 75kg and 77kg specimens came out — the biggest tuna Chris and Tommie have ever caught. Despite the good haul we’d already had, our Rapala Lips were starting to show again when we failed to get any further strikes in that spot. We were also still one tuna short for Lecia. Michael started trolling again and few minutes later we had a hook-up; Lecia was on it! We put the Black Magic harness on for her, but she needed much more stability than that. At one stage the fish nearly dragged her over board! Thankfully Tommie grabbed her just in time. Lecia can be ver y glad that Tommie loves her so much, otherwise she would have taken a swim, and that was definitely not what she came for! When she got the fish alongside we saw it was a 30kg longfin. Poor Lecia was disappointed; she didn’t want to be the only one who didn’t catch a yellowfin. Luckily the fishing gods took pity on her and her Rapala Lip, and before long we had another hook-up and Lecia had the fight of a lifetime. With much encouragement from Tommie and the rest of us, she finally landed a 56kg yellowfin tuna — a fish bigger than her! Chris hooked another fish while Lecia was busy fighting her tuna, and gave it to me. I guess he must love me a lot for doing me that favour! I had a tough fight on the Black Magic and the W80 reel, but at last I landed it — a beautiful 55kg yellowfin. Lecia and I fought the fish alongside one another — the first time that two ladies fought fish together on Captuna charters. Rapala Lips were well and truly dispelled by that stage thanks to the six tuna in the hatch. Chris lost two good fish, but even that will just serve as motivation to go back again. So, now it’s onto the next item on my bucket list ....

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Ski-Boat July 2022

Articles inside

Tracking the Oceans’Cheetahs

Catching the Bus

Makaira Claims Bragging Rights

Touched by the Tide

The Greatest Shoal on Earth

A Copper for the Record Books

Defying the Odds,Reaping the Benefits

The Daga Dance