Strange Spearfishing Conditions

Andy Henwood with a Poensie Shot of Umhlodti

When Andy sent me this pic this morning and said he got it off Umhlodti at midday on Saterday I almost fell off my chair. What makes it more bizarre is that he found thew fish 14m of warm summer water. I guess the is is another lost fish?

I also had another mate send me the following mail:

Hi Chris,

Just a quick question…have you ever had any sightings of raggies in the ballito/shieffield area?

Reason been is that apparently the rock and surf guys got a 200kg raggie off Daves Rock on the 1st of this year and another 170kg raggie was caught in the Ballito area ( I think off the Ballito tidal pool). The only other time I have heard of raggies been caught here is last Oct also off the Ballito pool…hardly anyone else has ever caught these from the side.

Kind Regards,

Durran Els

To be honest I have never seen a Raggie here. I did here of a sighting a couple weeks back off a Raggie off Boulders! I guess everything is a little out of whack?

Coatesman

Boarder Open 2009

Gregg Audi 22kg Black Muscle Cracker

We thought the weekend was going to be a wash out at the Boarder Open 2009, but it all came together and it was a raging success. The sea even tho it was ruffled by the north east's the vis was not too bad considering and some good fish wee shot.

Gregg Audie won the comp and also shot the biggest fish a 22kg poensie. Kurt Roberts came in second with James Lawson-Smith in 3rd.

It was a real good time and guys came from all over the country to try and see how they could fair in the waters off Hole in the wall. There were 40 divers a new record for the usually intimate Border Open.

See you next year

Coatesman

Spearfishing the Eastern Cape

Terance Bellingan - a good Miss Lucy and a Poensie

I think us chaps up the north coast are seriously spoilt, I mean the water is generally warm and we can get some seriously good gamefish. Take the last few posts for example ... all very good fish ... and they are big!!
Then on the other hand you have the Eastern Cape, the water is sum what fridged and well you dont often get any big pelagics ... well other than Yellow Tail and Tuna. But for the most part its sneaking around the cracks looking for good reef fish.

Terance sent in this pic from a shore dive near Port Alfred, I must say if it wern't for the Miss Lucy and Poensie it could have passed for Mozam ... looking good, but just a tad colder! I have never dived Port Alfred, although I have surfed it and it has some epic waves. Another mate of mine did a surf trip there a couple years back, he took his dive kit along and when it went flat took a boat out to one of the spots.
He said the water looked clean but it was very gloomy .... apparently thats normal for there?
Anyway he said that on almost every dive he bumped into Raggies, and some of them he had to push off as they were quiet frisky!!

So I suppose we have it too good here ... I should stop complaining that the water is 20deg and the Cuta are scars!! Anyway nice fish Terance .... keep the pic's coming.

Cheers

Coatesman

Spearfishing Update

Hey Guys,

The sea looked good for a dive this morning, but the wind and rain kept the boys in bed. I was just thinking to myself that if I did not live so close to the sea, I would be all over the dive this morning!

I guess you get a little jaded living where we live ..... but come next week after not diving or surfing for a couple days and the boys will be chomping at the bit to get in again.

The other reason for the lethargic behaviour is that fact that the cuta have not turned on propperly yet. When that happens ... when ... every one will be as 'keen as musterd'

The guys have been getting some fish out on the deeper reefs, I saw some pics of Corrie and another chap with 2 really big cuta shot off Protea Banks earlier this month. Gyula has also been spending some time out on the shoal as always and has got some interesting fish, including a Poensie / Black Muscle Cracker.

Anyway back home the weather looks to be turning nasty and the rivers have already broken out our way. So I guess its tarmac and the gym for the next few days :-(

Coatesman