Flyfishing report: Saltwater - Upper South Coast

Good Day and welcome to the Upper South Coast Fly fishing report.

Let me begin by apologizing for a very late report, no excuses I am just very late.

However I did delay me report because I wanted to go and checkout Durban Harbour myself to see what conditions are like because there have been reports and photographs of sewage flowing along the Victoria Embankment, flowing into the storm drains and thus into the harbour resulting in disgusting water conditions and severe pollution and threats of sickness should one enter or even walk in the bay. I heard reports of disgusting stench in the yacht mole area.

This morning I visited the harbour and had a good look around the yacht mole and around Wilsons Wharf. There was no sewage along the roads and although I did not smell anything bad the colour of the water is brownish and there is still a lot of waste on the mud banks which smells pretty bad when the tide is out and the banks exposed.

Fishing off my paddle ski and off the centre banks used to be one of my favourite day outings on the bay, but now, I am afraid that I will “pick up” some nasty infection especially if one has a small cut or sore on the leg or hand. It is sad to lose such a great venue right on our doorstep because of poor manage by our municipal council.

Enter at your own risk.

Right, now that we have got that out of the way, let’s try and find something positive.

Sea conditions between Umgeni River and Scottburgh have been ideal for fly fishing except for a few days when storms out at sea or storms from further south have pushed through big swells, otherwise the weather and the ocean have been beautiful with the ocean so clean the snorkelers and spear fishermen have had perfect days in the ocean.

Shad are being caught all along the coast from time to time and are still small and will soon be followed by Garrick and Salmon which are starting to appear. Blacktail and Bronze Bream are to be found around rocky points and in gullies and Wave Garrick can be caught along flat sandy beaches on a pushing tide when the waves push up and the water kind of hangs around for a bit before drifting back into deeper water. This is their hunting ground for sea lice and other small shellfish.

I am looking forward to seeing if this is going to be a good Sardine run and if it is going to bring the “game fish” with it. The ocean temperature is still a little warm, but conditions are great, so it’s a case of wait and see. Here’s hoping!

Peter Lehman with a Wave Garrick (large or 3 spot pompano) caught some years ago.