Salt Water Fish
The Blacktip (Caranx sem)
The Yellow Tail Kingfish is a very eye striking saltwater game fish. This saltwater species gets its 2 most common names from distinguishing body features: The black tip on it's pectoral fin and its yellow tail. This is one of many species of South African Kingfish and is one of the more common fish species. The body of this fish lacks any features and is silver-green.
The Blacktip Kingfish is a summer game fish that prefers clean, open and fairly warm coastal waters. Juvenile Kingfish are found in unspoilt estuaries and are a joy to catch on light fishing tackle. They can attain a length of 100 centimeters and a weight of up to 15 kilograms. The Yellow Tail Kingfish is particularly common over deep rocky reefs where they feed on squirrel fish, Blacktail and Pinkies. Closer in to shore they feed on crayfish, squid, crabs, anchovies and shrimp.
Juvenile Black Tip Kingfish are common in coastal bays and readily take squid and small fish as bait. Tapeworm larvae is often present in this Kingfishes flesh so when cooking this species make sure to do a thorough job... When cooked properly the Yellowtail Kingfish provides an excellent meal.
How To Catch The South African Blacktip (Yellowtail) Kingfish: The Blacktip Kingfish also known as the Yellowtail Kingfish is a fine angling species and can give the salt water fisherman hours upon hours of sport. Shore and Rock and Surf anglers can expect to catch this species of 'Kingie' with baits such as Chokka (Squid), Prawn and Pilchard (Sardine). I prefer bait fishing for the Blacktip Kingfish but fly fishing also producing numerous big catches of this fish. Dropshot is a good way to catch the Blacktip Kingfish in estuaries. Live bait fishing is also another good option, using Pinkies or Blacktail as your live bait.
If you really want to catch a decent sized Yellowtail Kingfish, going offshore is your best option in South Africa. Vertical Jigging or just jigging in general with feathered and artificial lures is a favoured way of catching the Blacktip Kingfish from a boat. However offshore Dropshot is right up there and this method can often out fish other anglers using other techniques and you could end up catching more Kingfish than your fellow salt water fisherman!
The Blacktip Kingfish is a summer game fish that prefers clean, open and fairly warm coastal waters. Juvenile Kingfish are found in unspoilt estuaries and are a joy to catch on light fishing tackle. They can attain a length of 100 centimeters and a weight of up to 15 kilograms. The Yellow Tail Kingfish is particularly common over deep rocky reefs where they feed on squirrel fish, Blacktail and Pinkies. Closer in to shore they feed on crayfish, squid, crabs, anchovies and shrimp.
Juvenile Black Tip Kingfish are common in coastal bays and readily take squid and small fish as bait. Tapeworm larvae is often present in this Kingfishes flesh so when cooking this species make sure to do a thorough job... When cooked properly the Yellowtail Kingfish provides an excellent meal.
How To Catch The South African Blacktip (Yellowtail) Kingfish: The Blacktip Kingfish also known as the Yellowtail Kingfish is a fine angling species and can give the salt water fisherman hours upon hours of sport. Shore and Rock and Surf anglers can expect to catch this species of 'Kingie' with baits such as Chokka (Squid), Prawn and Pilchard (Sardine). I prefer bait fishing for the Blacktip Kingfish but fly fishing also producing numerous big catches of this fish. Dropshot is a good way to catch the Blacktip Kingfish in estuaries. Live bait fishing is also another good option, using Pinkies or Blacktail as your live bait.
If you really want to catch a decent sized Yellowtail Kingfish, going offshore is your best option in South Africa. Vertical Jigging or just jigging in general with feathered and artificial lures is a favoured way of catching the Blacktip Kingfish from a boat. However offshore Dropshot is right up there and this method can often out fish other anglers using other techniques and you could end up catching more Kingfish than your fellow salt water fisherman!
Blue Sting Ray (Dasyatis Pastinaca)
The Blue Stingray is arguably the most caught South African species of Skate or Ray from the shore, especially in the eastern and western parts of South Africa. The Blue Sting Ray is also known as the Blue Skate or just the Blue Ray. It is a hard fighting flatfish and is joy to catch on heavy or light tackle. The Blue Stingray is easily identifiable with it's electric blue markings on its brownish oval-shaped body. It might be confused the Blue Spotted Ribbontail, however this species of skate is a lot smaller and has a very long tail, so there should be no real confusion in misidentifying this amazing species of South African fish.
The Blue Stingray should always be handled with care when out of the water, or even in it. This species of ray has a very poisonous (And potentially fatal) spine on it's tail, and you would really not want to be in a position where it is able to 'tail whip' you. However gaffing of this species is really not needed and I strongly don't recommend gaffing as there is no need to. The Blue Ray can be handled quite easily when out of the water.
The Blue Ray is a common coastal species of South African flat fish that occurs all along the coastline and favours sandy beaches and river mouths/estuaries. The Blue Sting Ray's diet is made up mainly of crabs, sea lice, marine worms, slow moving fish species and other invertebrates of the sea. They have very strong teeth and they are able to crush hard shelled food items. The Blue Ray breeds all year round and gives live birth to anything between 1 and 6 young. The Blue Skate is more active at night and therefore is more commonly caught at night. These Rays are often caught on big baits intended for Grey Sharks, Bronze Whalers or Ragged Tooth Sharks. The Blue Sting Ray occurs in water of up to about 70 meters deep.
How To Catch The South African Blue Sting Ray: The South African angling record for this species is constantly changing but it currently stands at close to 40 kilograms, which is huge! The Blue Sting Ray should be fished for at night (If you want to catch big ones), with no less than 25 pound line and 12 foot rod... You need all the help you can get trying to land this fish! Look for the Blue Skate along sandy beaches, especially if there are big drop offs or sand banks around and in early December and July-October around deep river mouths. The Blue Sting Ray is a strong fighter and will often sit in the sand and make you pull him out! Sardine or Mackerel is definitely the way to go when putting out a bait for this fish. Although Chokka/Squid, Bonito and Octopus also prove to be good baits to target the Blue Ray. Make sure you have a bit of floatation on your hook to help the fish find your bait as quickly as possible. Good luck and enjoy catching this fish; the Blue Ray, its an amazing experience!
The Blue Stingray should always be handled with care when out of the water, or even in it. This species of ray has a very poisonous (And potentially fatal) spine on it's tail, and you would really not want to be in a position where it is able to 'tail whip' you. However gaffing of this species is really not needed and I strongly don't recommend gaffing as there is no need to. The Blue Ray can be handled quite easily when out of the water.
The Blue Ray is a common coastal species of South African flat fish that occurs all along the coastline and favours sandy beaches and river mouths/estuaries. The Blue Sting Ray's diet is made up mainly of crabs, sea lice, marine worms, slow moving fish species and other invertebrates of the sea. They have very strong teeth and they are able to crush hard shelled food items. The Blue Ray breeds all year round and gives live birth to anything between 1 and 6 young. The Blue Skate is more active at night and therefore is more commonly caught at night. These Rays are often caught on big baits intended for Grey Sharks, Bronze Whalers or Ragged Tooth Sharks. The Blue Sting Ray occurs in water of up to about 70 meters deep.
How To Catch The South African Blue Sting Ray: The South African angling record for this species is constantly changing but it currently stands at close to 40 kilograms, which is huge! The Blue Sting Ray should be fished for at night (If you want to catch big ones), with no less than 25 pound line and 12 foot rod... You need all the help you can get trying to land this fish! Look for the Blue Skate along sandy beaches, especially if there are big drop offs or sand banks around and in early December and July-October around deep river mouths. The Blue Sting Ray is a strong fighter and will often sit in the sand and make you pull him out! Sardine or Mackerel is definitely the way to go when putting out a bait for this fish. Although Chokka/Squid, Bonito and Octopus also prove to be good baits to target the Blue Ray. Make sure you have a bit of floatation on your hook to help the fish find your bait as quickly as possible. Good luck and enjoy catching this fish; the Blue Ray, its an amazing experience!
Cape Moony (Monodactylus falciformis)
The Cape Moony is often referred to as the Kitefish and it is easy to understand why by looking at the pictures below. This saltwater South African fish is shaped like a kite! The Cape Moony is a gregarious fish that can be found in small closely packed shoals. Their favoured habitat is around jetties, wharfs, shallow reefs, rock pools and marinas. The Cape Moony is an amazing fish as it can live in extremely salty water and in fresh water. This is why they are found so up far rivers, they have a great salinity tolerance. The Cape Moony feeds throughout the day and night and is easily caught on light tackle. They are good to eat and can also be used as a successful aquarium species. It has many predators. The juveniles use estuaries as nursery areas. The South African angling record for the Kitefish is 0,5 kilograms.
How To Catch The South African Cape Moony (Kitefish): The Cape Moony is easily caught on light tackle with a small hook and well presented bait. It is often frustrating as sometimes Cape Moony just ignore your bait and when they do take it, they eat your bait so quickly you don't even have time to set the hook. I must admit though I have had hours of fun catching the Cape Moony at night with small pieces of squid, sardine and shrimp. I have caught Cape Moonies on small hard plastic Halco Lures before as well... They are greedy little fish and great fun to catch!
How To Catch The South African Cape Moony (Kitefish): The Cape Moony is easily caught on light tackle with a small hook and well presented bait. It is often frustrating as sometimes Cape Moony just ignore your bait and when they do take it, they eat your bait so quickly you don't even have time to set the hook. I must admit though I have had hours of fun catching the Cape Moony at night with small pieces of squid, sardine and shrimp. I have caught Cape Moonies on small hard plastic Halco Lures before as well... They are greedy little fish and great fun to catch!
Dorado (Coryphaena hippurus)
The Dorado is recognized all over the seven seas as one of the best big game fish. The colours of this hardy South African fish species is impossible to describe. You need to catch a live Dolphinfish to know what I mean, it is a spectacular sight. The first picture in the image series below is when the Dorado I caught was just landed and you can see the amazing spectrum of colours... It still doesn't tell the whole story of how beautiful the Dolphin fish actually is. Normally the Dorado is a metallic blue/green coloured with spots and blotches of various other unbelievable colours...
The Dorado is very closely related to the Marlin species of the world. The world record catch for a Dolphinfish is just over 40 kilograms and believe me it must of taking a long time to reel that fish into the offshore ocean going boat that the anglers were fishing from. Dorado do not normally exceed 100 centimeters but the occassional fish can attain well over 200 cm. This deep water game fish normally occurs in pairs and it is pelagic. In South Africa there are no specific catch restrictions for the Dorado. A Dolphinfishes diet includes mainly small fish (They do have a liking for the Trigger fish species) and planktonic organisms. Feeding takes place in the hours of sunlight, normally very close to the surface. This is why Dorado are caught with lures and baits trawling along the top of the ocean water.
Dorado is a very good eating fish and many hotels in South Africa serve this large game fish as a delicious main course! It is found all over South African coastal waters and occurs along way off shore. With this feisty fish length and wait can vary greatly as there is no 'fixed' growth pattern, although the Dolphin fish has a high growth rate.
To see my records of catching this fish please take a look at the following page: Salt water fish records. Pictures of the Dorado are below...
How To Catch The South African Dorado (Dolphin Fish): The Dorado is a fairly common fish caught in the deep by Sailfish, Wahoo and Marlin anglers.
There are a few ways to fish for the Dorado (Often referred to as the Dolphin Fish). The most common way is by trolling lures of all different shapes, sizes and imitations. Trolling live bait or fresh dead bait also produces excellent Dorado catches and then a very seldom used method is a must try for the dedicated deep sea fisherman. It involves catching bait, putting it onto a hook while it's still alive and then attaching a blown up balloon to the line to keep the bait where you want it to be and also using the balloon as a strike indicator. You will often 'hook up' with Sailfish, Wahoo, Tuna, King Mackerel (Couta) and many different Shark species too when using this fishing method. Dropshot also produces catches of smaller Dolphin Fish and on light tackle; that is fun!
Other General Dorado Information
Common Name: Dorado...
Other Names: Dolphin fish, Mahi Mahi (Hawaii), Gold Mackerel (Scandinavia)...
Scientific Name: Coryphaena hippurus...
Habitat: Dorado are normally found in pairs in the open ocean around logs, floating debris, weeds, buoys and in warm current...
Bait: The Dorado's diet consists small juvenile triggerfish, baitfish , shrimps and crabs...
Fishing Strategy: Feeding takes place just below the surface making it an awesome fish to catch, especially on fly. Once hooked the fish will use a combination of surface runs with acrobatic jumps and direction changes...
Eating Quality: Good tasting fish...
The Dorado is very closely related to the Marlin species of the world. The world record catch for a Dolphinfish is just over 40 kilograms and believe me it must of taking a long time to reel that fish into the offshore ocean going boat that the anglers were fishing from. Dorado do not normally exceed 100 centimeters but the occassional fish can attain well over 200 cm. This deep water game fish normally occurs in pairs and it is pelagic. In South Africa there are no specific catch restrictions for the Dorado. A Dolphinfishes diet includes mainly small fish (They do have a liking for the Trigger fish species) and planktonic organisms. Feeding takes place in the hours of sunlight, normally very close to the surface. This is why Dorado are caught with lures and baits trawling along the top of the ocean water.
Dorado is a very good eating fish and many hotels in South Africa serve this large game fish as a delicious main course! It is found all over South African coastal waters and occurs along way off shore. With this feisty fish length and wait can vary greatly as there is no 'fixed' growth pattern, although the Dolphin fish has a high growth rate.
To see my records of catching this fish please take a look at the following page: Salt water fish records. Pictures of the Dorado are below...
How To Catch The South African Dorado (Dolphin Fish): The Dorado is a fairly common fish caught in the deep by Sailfish, Wahoo and Marlin anglers.
There are a few ways to fish for the Dorado (Often referred to as the Dolphin Fish). The most common way is by trolling lures of all different shapes, sizes and imitations. Trolling live bait or fresh dead bait also produces excellent Dorado catches and then a very seldom used method is a must try for the dedicated deep sea fisherman. It involves catching bait, putting it onto a hook while it's still alive and then attaching a blown up balloon to the line to keep the bait where you want it to be and also using the balloon as a strike indicator. You will often 'hook up' with Sailfish, Wahoo, Tuna, King Mackerel (Couta) and many different Shark species too when using this fishing method. Dropshot also produces catches of smaller Dolphin Fish and on light tackle; that is fun!
Other General Dorado Information
Common Name: Dorado...
Other Names: Dolphin fish, Mahi Mahi (Hawaii), Gold Mackerel (Scandinavia)...
Scientific Name: Coryphaena hippurus...
Habitat: Dorado are normally found in pairs in the open ocean around logs, floating debris, weeds, buoys and in warm current...
Bait: The Dorado's diet consists small juvenile triggerfish, baitfish , shrimps and crabs...
Fishing Strategy: Feeding takes place just below the surface making it an awesome fish to catch, especially on fly. Once hooked the fish will use a combination of surface runs with acrobatic jumps and direction changes...
Eating Quality: Good tasting fish...
Evil Eyed Puffer Fish (Amblyrhynchotes honckenii)
The Evil Eyed Puffer Fish is a commonly caught South African fish species which readily takes almost any bait, often intended for different fish or larger species. This Puffer fish has a green coloured upper body and a yellow line that separates the lower and upper body parts. The Evil Eyed Puffer gets it's name from it's distinctly coloured eyes. They are bright green with a red outline around the centre of the eye.
The Evil Eyed Puffer Fish can reach 30 centimeters in length and when it feels threatened it puffs up to try deter predators from attacking it.
The Evil Eye Puffer fish is one of the most common South African marine fish species and can be seen buried in the sand of shallow pools at low tide. This Puffer is predominately a bottom living fish and can be found in rock pools, estuaries and deep reefs. Fishermen often refer to this fish specie as the 'bait robber'. The flesh that comes from the Evil-Eyed Puffer fish is toxic and should never be eaten or fed to animals. To see the records of this fish please follow the link.
How To Catch The South African Evil Eyed Puffer Fish: Not many anglers in South Africa would like to know how to catch the Evil Eyed Puffer as they are considered a nuisance and are caught very easily.
This Puffer fish species is caught with any fleshy bait; alive or dead, it doesn't matter! The Evil Eyed Puffer Fish is very opportunistic and I have even caught these feisty fish on the Dropshot! If you really want to catch these beautiful fish, try retrieving (Reeling in) your line in sandy shallow areas of water: in estuaries, rock pools or river mouths... Enjoy catching the Evil Eyed Puffer!
The Evil Eyed Puffer Fish can reach 30 centimeters in length and when it feels threatened it puffs up to try deter predators from attacking it.
The Evil Eye Puffer fish is one of the most common South African marine fish species and can be seen buried in the sand of shallow pools at low tide. This Puffer is predominately a bottom living fish and can be found in rock pools, estuaries and deep reefs. Fishermen often refer to this fish specie as the 'bait robber'. The flesh that comes from the Evil-Eyed Puffer fish is toxic and should never be eaten or fed to animals. To see the records of this fish please follow the link.
How To Catch The South African Evil Eyed Puffer Fish: Not many anglers in South Africa would like to know how to catch the Evil Eyed Puffer as they are considered a nuisance and are caught very easily.
This Puffer fish species is caught with any fleshy bait; alive or dead, it doesn't matter! The Evil Eyed Puffer Fish is very opportunistic and I have even caught these feisty fish on the Dropshot! If you really want to catch these beautiful fish, try retrieving (Reeling in) your line in sandy shallow areas of water: in estuaries, rock pools or river mouths... Enjoy catching the Evil Eyed Puffer!
Galjoen (Dichistius capensis)
The Galjoen is found only along the South African coast, it is endemic to our coastal waters. It is confined mostly to shallow water and is often found in rough surf amongst rocks and also occurs close into shore. The colours of the Galjoen vary depending on where they live for example the Galjoen that inhabit rocky areas are almost completely black, while in sandy areas the colour of the Galjoen is a silver-bronze. It is also known in KwaZulu-Natal as blackfish or black bream. In other parts of the country the Galjoen is referred to as the Damba.
The record size is close to 80 cm and well over 7 kg, however the average size of this fish is between 40 and 60 cm. The Galjoen is a strong fighter and is a popular target fish species for the rock and surf angler.
The diet of the Galjoen consists mainly of red bait (ascidians), small mussels and barnacles. Red bait forms 75% of the Galjoen's diet and it also feeds on red and green seaweed. The scales are very firmly attached and the fins are well developed with prominent spines. Seven-nine vertical bars occur on each flank. The Galjoen belongs to the marine bream family of fish (Coracinus capensis). The Galjoen is also known as the Blackfish.
The suggestion to make the Galjoen South Africa's national fish came from the late Margaret Smith, sometime Director of the JLB Smith Institute of Ichthyology in Grahamstown. As early as the 1950 version of her husbands book The Sea Fishes of Southern Africa (by JLB Smith), the following is said of the Galjoen: Probably the first typical fish to be noticed by the earlier settlers. It might well be selected as a marine emblem to rank with the Springbok and the Protea. Whereas the Galjoen's national status has for some years been given in inverted commas in South Africa, in 1992 it is at long last listed as the national marine emblem, without inverted commas. The Galjoen was arguably the first endemic fish to be recognised in South African waters.
Galjoen can be caught on light tackle with either red bait or mussel. Other baits such as prawn, bloodworm and occasionally chokka (Squid) also produce results! Good luck targeting our national fish. Tight lines!
The record size is close to 80 cm and well over 7 kg, however the average size of this fish is between 40 and 60 cm. The Galjoen is a strong fighter and is a popular target fish species for the rock and surf angler.
The diet of the Galjoen consists mainly of red bait (ascidians), small mussels and barnacles. Red bait forms 75% of the Galjoen's diet and it also feeds on red and green seaweed. The scales are very firmly attached and the fins are well developed with prominent spines. Seven-nine vertical bars occur on each flank. The Galjoen belongs to the marine bream family of fish (Coracinus capensis). The Galjoen is also known as the Blackfish.
The suggestion to make the Galjoen South Africa's national fish came from the late Margaret Smith, sometime Director of the JLB Smith Institute of Ichthyology in Grahamstown. As early as the 1950 version of her husbands book The Sea Fishes of Southern Africa (by JLB Smith), the following is said of the Galjoen: Probably the first typical fish to be noticed by the earlier settlers. It might well be selected as a marine emblem to rank with the Springbok and the Protea. Whereas the Galjoen's national status has for some years been given in inverted commas in South Africa, in 1992 it is at long last listed as the national marine emblem, without inverted commas. The Galjoen was arguably the first endemic fish to be recognised in South African waters.
Galjoen can be caught on light tackle with either red bait or mussel. Other baits such as prawn, bloodworm and occasionally chokka (Squid) also produce results! Good luck targeting our national fish. Tight lines!
Spotted Rockcod (Epinephelus andersoni)
The Spotted Rockcod, also called the Catface Rock Cod, is not very highly caught or encountered fish species in South Africa. This Rockcod species is different shades of brown with darker coloured spots. It is a fairly slender fish. The Spotted Rockcod is a protected fish species in South Africa and you are not allowed to keep fish less than 30 centimeters in length. The maximum size of this species is about 85 centimeters and the South African fishing record is just over 7 kilograms.
The Spotted or Catface Rockcod is endemic to the Southern African coast line and it is a very good eating fish, despite it's slightly weird appearance. Ski boat anglers and shore fisherman catch this fish on various baits and it is a very aggressive striker. This fish is vulnerable and it is a protected species with a limited distribution range. The Spotted Rock Cod is normally found in shallow surf and into depths of 50 meters, and it occasionally ventures into estuarine waters. I caught my first Catface Rockcod in an estuary, under a floating restaurant! They often lie motionless at the bottom of rocky slopes... This is done to ambush food like crabs and crayfish. This species is regarded as an important predatory fish along the inshore coastline of the Eastern Cape ocean.
How To Catch The South African Catface Rockcod: The Spotted or Catface Rockcod is a very aggressive and opportunistic saltwater fish species. This Rockcod species will take almost any bait or lure when fished correctly. Rock and Surf, Bait, Vertical Jigging, Slow Trolling and Dropshot fishing methods can be used to catch the Catface Rockcod. Fishing with spoons and poppers also land the occassional Spotted Rockcod.
The juvenile and small adult Catface Rockcod can be caught in estuaries and around rocky areas whereas the larger fully mature Rockcod can be caught on offshore reefs. There is no particular bait I would recommend to catch the Catface Rockcod but Prawn and Chokka seem to work the best! The Spotted Rockcod is a strong aggressive fighter and has sharp dorsal fins, so be prepared!
The Spotted or Catface Rockcod is endemic to the Southern African coast line and it is a very good eating fish, despite it's slightly weird appearance. Ski boat anglers and shore fisherman catch this fish on various baits and it is a very aggressive striker. This fish is vulnerable and it is a protected species with a limited distribution range. The Spotted Rock Cod is normally found in shallow surf and into depths of 50 meters, and it occasionally ventures into estuarine waters. I caught my first Catface Rockcod in an estuary, under a floating restaurant! They often lie motionless at the bottom of rocky slopes... This is done to ambush food like crabs and crayfish. This species is regarded as an important predatory fish along the inshore coastline of the Eastern Cape ocean.
How To Catch The South African Catface Rockcod: The Spotted or Catface Rockcod is a very aggressive and opportunistic saltwater fish species. This Rockcod species will take almost any bait or lure when fished correctly. Rock and Surf, Bait, Vertical Jigging, Slow Trolling and Dropshot fishing methods can be used to catch the Catface Rockcod. Fishing with spoons and poppers also land the occassional Spotted Rockcod.
The juvenile and small adult Catface Rockcod can be caught in estuaries and around rocky areas whereas the larger fully mature Rockcod can be caught on offshore reefs. There is no particular bait I would recommend to catch the Catface Rockcod but Prawn and Chokka seem to work the best! The Spotted Rockcod is a strong aggressive fighter and has sharp dorsal fins, so be prepared!
Spotted Grunter (Pomadasys commersonni)
The Spotted Grunter is one of the most well known of South Africa's saltwater fish species and is arguably one of the most fished for off the shore! The Spotted Grunter is also known as the Small Spotted Grunt and the Javelin Fish and is found all the way from Mozambique to Cape Town on the Southern African coast line. The South African angling record for this gorgeous fish is almost 10 kilograms. The Javelin Fish can also reach a length of up to 80 centimeters. The minimum legal size for this fish to be taken out of the water and kept to eat is 40 centimeters.
The Spotted Grunter or Javelin Fish can be found in many different environments such as: Shallow coastal waters, calm waters around rocky areas, muddy bottoms, sheltered estuaries and the brackish waters of estuaries. The Spotted Grunter can tolerate fresh water and feeds by blowing water and sand through the mouth to flush out their prey. Prey includes marine worms, crabs, cracker shrimp, sealice and of course mud prawn. The Spotted Grunter is a Summer fish and is most abundant when the water temperatures rise in the Summer months...
The Spotted Grunter is dependant on estuaries to bring up their young and any pollution or siltation causes a lot of harm to this particular species of grunter. The Spotted grunter is a very nice eating fish and is sought after for this reason. St. Lucia is probably South Africa's home of the Spotted Grunter as they are very common in this region and an annual event called the Grunter Run happens here.
How To Catch South Africa's Spotted Grunter: The Spotted Grunter can be a very fussy fish and some days will just not bite, no matter what you throw at it. The best tackle to handle the Spotted Grunter would be an 8-10 foot rod, coffee grinder reel (A 40 or 45) and at least 10 pound line, I would go with no less than 15 pound though. A number 10 hook, a 1/0 or a 2/0 should be used to catch Spotted Grunter with Mud Prawn and Pink Prawn being the best baits. Shrimp and squid also works but not as well. Dropshot is also becoming a popular way of targeting the spotted grunter with the worm, mole crab and shrimp plastic imitations producing the most action. Good luck when targeting the Spotted Grunter (Javelin Fish) and just remember perseverance pays off!
Summary Of Information On The Spotted Grunter
Common Name: Spotted Grunter...
Other Names: Javelin Fish, Small Spotted Grunt...
Scientific Name: Pomadasys commersonnil...
Favoured Habitat: Warm waters of estuaries and close to river mouths, sheltered sandy beaches...
Distribution: Found from tip of Africa to Cape Agulhas...
Bait: Caught on sardine (pilchard), or squid, but Mud Prawn works the best...
Fishing Strategy: Good fighting fish. Will make a grunting noise when caught and taken out of the water. Hence the name "Grunter"...
Eating Quality: Tasty table fish...
Tackle Required: 10lb line, 10 foot rod, 1/0 or 2/0 hook...
The Spotted Grunter or Javelin Fish can be found in many different environments such as: Shallow coastal waters, calm waters around rocky areas, muddy bottoms, sheltered estuaries and the brackish waters of estuaries. The Spotted Grunter can tolerate fresh water and feeds by blowing water and sand through the mouth to flush out their prey. Prey includes marine worms, crabs, cracker shrimp, sealice and of course mud prawn. The Spotted Grunter is a Summer fish and is most abundant when the water temperatures rise in the Summer months...
The Spotted Grunter is dependant on estuaries to bring up their young and any pollution or siltation causes a lot of harm to this particular species of grunter. The Spotted grunter is a very nice eating fish and is sought after for this reason. St. Lucia is probably South Africa's home of the Spotted Grunter as they are very common in this region and an annual event called the Grunter Run happens here.
How To Catch South Africa's Spotted Grunter: The Spotted Grunter can be a very fussy fish and some days will just not bite, no matter what you throw at it. The best tackle to handle the Spotted Grunter would be an 8-10 foot rod, coffee grinder reel (A 40 or 45) and at least 10 pound line, I would go with no less than 15 pound though. A number 10 hook, a 1/0 or a 2/0 should be used to catch Spotted Grunter with Mud Prawn and Pink Prawn being the best baits. Shrimp and squid also works but not as well. Dropshot is also becoming a popular way of targeting the spotted grunter with the worm, mole crab and shrimp plastic imitations producing the most action. Good luck when targeting the Spotted Grunter (Javelin Fish) and just remember perseverance pays off!
Summary Of Information On The Spotted Grunter
Common Name: Spotted Grunter...
Other Names: Javelin Fish, Small Spotted Grunt...
Scientific Name: Pomadasys commersonnil...
Favoured Habitat: Warm waters of estuaries and close to river mouths, sheltered sandy beaches...
Distribution: Found from tip of Africa to Cape Agulhas...
Bait: Caught on sardine (pilchard), or squid, but Mud Prawn works the best...
Fishing Strategy: Good fighting fish. Will make a grunting noise when caught and taken out of the water. Hence the name "Grunter"...
Eating Quality: Tasty table fish...
Tackle Required: 10lb line, 10 foot rod, 1/0 or 2/0 hook...
Spotted Gully Shark (Triakis megalopterus)
The Spotted Gully Shark is a common South African Shark species and is often caught by rock and surf and beach anglers during day and night. The Spotted Gully Shark is not renowned for its fighting ability but without a doubt it is one of the more interesting and beautiful shark species to catch. The Spotted Gully Shark has a few names... Sharptooth Houndshark and Sweet William; this Gully Shark is also affectionately known by many anglers as simply a Spotty. This shark can often be confused with the Smoothound Shark, but an easy way to distinguish between the 2 species is that the Spotted Gully Shark has a lot more black spots and these cover their entire body. They look like large ink spots...
The Spotted Gully Shark can be found from around about East London all the way around the coast to Walvis bay. They occur in various different habitats, from sandy beaches to deep gullies, rocky areas, reefs, tidal pools and shallow bays. The Spotted Gully Shark is a fun fish to catch and they are quite aggressive. Their preferred prey includes crustaceans, crabs, small bony fish and the bigger Houndshark will eat other smaller sharks. In the summer months the Spotted Gully Shark congregates into shoals. The record is for this strong fish is over 40 kilograms but this record changes on a yearly basis.
How To Catch The South African Spotted Gully Shark: The Spotted Gully Shark should mainly be targeted from the shore along sandy beaches with a bit of rocky structure and a gully or 2. They can also be caught on sandbanks with deep gullies either side. Depending on what size Spotted Gully Shark you want to target I would recommend a minimum of a 10 foot fishing rod, 15-18 pound line and a short piece of bite trace (Thin steel wire), however this is not essential.
Almost any bait you throw will be taken by the Spotted Gully Shark. You will often catch these fish when targeting Kob or bigger sharks like a Ragged Tooth Shark. Squid (Chokka), sardine, crayfish, crab, prawn and a variety of small live baits such as Blacktail, Sand Steenbras and Pinky may be used.
The Spotted Gully Shark can be found from around about East London all the way around the coast to Walvis bay. They occur in various different habitats, from sandy beaches to deep gullies, rocky areas, reefs, tidal pools and shallow bays. The Spotted Gully Shark is a fun fish to catch and they are quite aggressive. Their preferred prey includes crustaceans, crabs, small bony fish and the bigger Houndshark will eat other smaller sharks. In the summer months the Spotted Gully Shark congregates into shoals. The record is for this strong fish is over 40 kilograms but this record changes on a yearly basis.
How To Catch The South African Spotted Gully Shark: The Spotted Gully Shark should mainly be targeted from the shore along sandy beaches with a bit of rocky structure and a gully or 2. They can also be caught on sandbanks with deep gullies either side. Depending on what size Spotted Gully Shark you want to target I would recommend a minimum of a 10 foot fishing rod, 15-18 pound line and a short piece of bite trace (Thin steel wire), however this is not essential.
Almost any bait you throw will be taken by the Spotted Gully Shark. You will often catch these fish when targeting Kob or bigger sharks like a Ragged Tooth Shark. Squid (Chokka), sardine, crayfish, crab, prawn and a variety of small live baits such as Blacktail, Sand Steenbras and Pinky may be used.
Spotted Ragged Tooth Shark (Eugomphodus taurus)
Out of all of South African's saltwater fish species and shark species the Spotted Ragged Tooth Shark is one of the most sought after angling species. This very popular South African Shark species is commonly caught by shark fishermen from the shore all year round, but particularly in the November, December and January months. Because of the popularity with anglers targeting the Ragged Tooth Shark the South African record for this fish changes almost every year. Fifteen years ago it was 216 kilograms and as I write this article now it is close to 300 kilograms. This is personally one of my favourite Shark species to target off the shore in South African waters.
The Spotted Ragged Tooth Shark is also known as the Sand Tiger and in the U.S.A. it is known as the Grey Nurse Shark and is regarded by competition Shark anglers as a nuisance. If you catch a grey Nurse Shark in some Shark fishing competitions you get minus points! But other than that it is a hardy predator and is fairly abundant in South African waters. The "Raggie" is a sluggish predatory fish that prefers shallow reefs and bays where it lies in the sand and waits for its prey to take its last swim past it. The Ragged Tooth Shark has the ability, unlike most other sharks, to respire in the same way as bony fishes do i.e. it can stay still and pump water through its gills to breathe. Spotted Ragged Tooth Sharks often move into estuaries and the adolescent and younger sharks move far up into river systems especially in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. In the summer months it is believed that the Ragged Tooth Sharks do their mating rituals in estuaries. The Ragged Tooth Shark obtained its name from the teeth it possesses and the potential wounds they could inflict. Raggies are harmless to people and are very slow moving docile fish. However, if they are harassed they will become aggressive!
How To Catch The South African Spotted Ragged Tooth Shark: The Ragged Tooth Shark is a great sport fish and can be caught in estuaries, river mouths, sandy beaches and especially rocky ledges. When targeting the Spotted Ragged Tooth Shark you will need at least a 10 or 12 foot rod with at least 25 pound line. Steel trace or wire should be attached to your hook as well to prevent this fish from biting through your line. Preferably I would use a 13 foot rod with anything between 35 and 50 pound line. Live baits are most successful when targeting Ragged Tooth Sharks... Live baits like Shad, Grunter, Stumpnose, Hound Sharks And Sandsharks all work very well. Dead baits also work well too: Chokka/Squid, Octopus, Sardine, Tuna, Yellowtail, Bonito, Sarda Sarda, Bonefish, Mackerel are just a few of the good baits to target the supreme predator in South Africa's shallow coastal waters... The Spotted Ragged Tooth Shark!
The Spotted Ragged Tooth Shark is also known as the Sand Tiger and in the U.S.A. it is known as the Grey Nurse Shark and is regarded by competition Shark anglers as a nuisance. If you catch a grey Nurse Shark in some Shark fishing competitions you get minus points! But other than that it is a hardy predator and is fairly abundant in South African waters. The "Raggie" is a sluggish predatory fish that prefers shallow reefs and bays where it lies in the sand and waits for its prey to take its last swim past it. The Ragged Tooth Shark has the ability, unlike most other sharks, to respire in the same way as bony fishes do i.e. it can stay still and pump water through its gills to breathe. Spotted Ragged Tooth Sharks often move into estuaries and the adolescent and younger sharks move far up into river systems especially in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. In the summer months it is believed that the Ragged Tooth Sharks do their mating rituals in estuaries. The Ragged Tooth Shark obtained its name from the teeth it possesses and the potential wounds they could inflict. Raggies are harmless to people and are very slow moving docile fish. However, if they are harassed they will become aggressive!
How To Catch The South African Spotted Ragged Tooth Shark: The Ragged Tooth Shark is a great sport fish and can be caught in estuaries, river mouths, sandy beaches and especially rocky ledges. When targeting the Spotted Ragged Tooth Shark you will need at least a 10 or 12 foot rod with at least 25 pound line. Steel trace or wire should be attached to your hook as well to prevent this fish from biting through your line. Preferably I would use a 13 foot rod with anything between 35 and 50 pound line. Live baits are most successful when targeting Ragged Tooth Sharks... Live baits like Shad, Grunter, Stumpnose, Hound Sharks And Sandsharks all work very well. Dead baits also work well too: Chokka/Squid, Octopus, Sardine, Tuna, Yellowtail, Bonito, Sarda Sarda, Bonefish, Mackerel are just a few of the good baits to target the supreme predator in South Africa's shallow coastal waters... The Spotted Ragged Tooth Shark!
Southern Mullet
The Southern Mullet is a fairly common salt water fish species and often occurs in dense shoals in estuaries, along sandy beaches and near or around rocky areas. The Southern Mullet can tolerate low salinities which is why they are often found in estuaries and up rivers. They use these places as nursery grounds for the younger Southern Mullet which can attain (When fully grown) about 45 to 50 centimeters. Southern Mullet are often found in shallow water and casting your bait at them is very tempting... But before you do this please read the bottom half of this page for some useful tips. Southern Mullet usually feed on microscopic plant organisms. The Harder (Southern Mullet) is the most common Mullet species within its distribution, which is from East London, all around the coast, up until and into Namibia.
How To Catch The South African Southern Mullet: It is a difficult challenge to catch any of the Mullet species of South Africa with rod and reel in hand. The best and easiest way to catch the Southern Mullet is with any type of beach, seine or throw net. This is your best option of catching a Southern Mullet (Harder) if you need a few for bait. However if you are a salt water angler looking to catch a Southern Mullet and return it back to wherever you may be fishing, there are a few key aspects you need to know. I have caught a lot of Mullet on my fishing rod, and when I need bait I fish for them this way, as I believe I have perfected a method of catching the Southern Mullet (Harder) and any other Mullet species without using a net to capture these dazzling fish. I have caught the Mullet species by using a float and keeping the bait (Chokka/Squid and Prawn) off the bottom and floating right in front of the fish. First of all you need to locate the Mullet species. Once found try different fleshy baits and the smallest hook you have in your tackle box. If you can't manage to get the Mullet to bite, wait a while and then try fishing for them at dusk or dawn. This is the best time for catching Mullet as they seem to be a lot more active and don't mind eating your bait!
How To Catch The South African Southern Mullet: It is a difficult challenge to catch any of the Mullet species of South Africa with rod and reel in hand. The best and easiest way to catch the Southern Mullet is with any type of beach, seine or throw net. This is your best option of catching a Southern Mullet (Harder) if you need a few for bait. However if you are a salt water angler looking to catch a Southern Mullet and return it back to wherever you may be fishing, there are a few key aspects you need to know. I have caught a lot of Mullet on my fishing rod, and when I need bait I fish for them this way, as I believe I have perfected a method of catching the Southern Mullet (Harder) and any other Mullet species without using a net to capture these dazzling fish. I have caught the Mullet species by using a float and keeping the bait (Chokka/Squid and Prawn) off the bottom and floating right in front of the fish. First of all you need to locate the Mullet species. Once found try different fleshy baits and the smallest hook you have in your tackle box. If you can't manage to get the Mullet to bite, wait a while and then try fishing for them at dusk or dawn. This is the best time for catching Mullet as they seem to be a lot more active and don't mind eating your bait!
Stonebream (Neoscorpis lithophilus)
The Stonebream is a distinguished South African coastal salt water fish species that occurs in turbulent, rocky waters. The Stonebream is also known as the Stinker Fish and was first described in 1908. This bait robbing fish can grow to close to 60 centimeters and can reach a few kilograms in size. The Stonebream is a South African special as it is the only relative of the chub family in the country.
The Stonebream is one of the largest vegetarian fish species in the waters of the beautiful South Africa and feeds almost exclusively on red and green seaweeds. It feeds constantly throughout the day. The juveniles of this species make use of the entire intertidal zone and occasionally the estuaries and deeper rock pools. The juvenile Stone Bream have faint vertical bars on their bodies (See below).
Even though the Stonebream has quite strict vegetarian habits, like the Strepie, it will take flesh baits. It favours redbait and shrimp. It is a good eating fish and gets its alternate name (Stinker) from the bad odour omitted from the flesh when taken out of the water. The Stonebream is quite a strong fighting fish...
How To Catch The South African Stone Bream: The Stonebream often proves a very tricky fish to catch. Perseverance and patience is required when catching this hard fighting salt water fish species. Areas to fish for the Stonebream are primarily rocky areas with quite a bit of white water, although they are often caught in large tidal rock pools and in white water close to the shore.
The best bait for catching Stonebream are worms extracted from the rocky areas where they thrive at low tide. These worms are often amongst sea weed or mussels. Redbait and Shrimp are also 2 very good baits for catching Stone Bream. And with my many hours of perseverance I still have yet to catch one of these fish with Squid (Chokka) although the Dropshot fishing methods prove to land a lot of these fish! Camo Worm is a must for Stonebream on Dropshot!
The Stonebream is one of the largest vegetarian fish species in the waters of the beautiful South Africa and feeds almost exclusively on red and green seaweeds. It feeds constantly throughout the day. The juveniles of this species make use of the entire intertidal zone and occasionally the estuaries and deeper rock pools. The juvenile Stone Bream have faint vertical bars on their bodies (See below).
Even though the Stonebream has quite strict vegetarian habits, like the Strepie, it will take flesh baits. It favours redbait and shrimp. It is a good eating fish and gets its alternate name (Stinker) from the bad odour omitted from the flesh when taken out of the water. The Stonebream is quite a strong fighting fish...
How To Catch The South African Stone Bream: The Stonebream often proves a very tricky fish to catch. Perseverance and patience is required when catching this hard fighting salt water fish species. Areas to fish for the Stonebream are primarily rocky areas with quite a bit of white water, although they are often caught in large tidal rock pools and in white water close to the shore.
The best bait for catching Stonebream are worms extracted from the rocky areas where they thrive at low tide. These worms are often amongst sea weed or mussels. Redbait and Shrimp are also 2 very good baits for catching Stone Bream. And with my many hours of perseverance I still have yet to catch one of these fish with Squid (Chokka) although the Dropshot fishing methods prove to land a lot of these fish! Camo Worm is a must for Stonebream on Dropshot!
Strepie Fish (Sarpa salpa)
The Strepie is a truely beautiful South African fish species. It was named the Strepie (Striped) after the +- 10 yellow stripes that run across the longitudinal part of it's plump, but elongated, body. The Strepie also has 2 other names; the Karanteen and the Saupe. The Karanteen can attain lengths of up to 50 centimeters and the South African angling record for this species is almost 1.5 kilograms. The minimum legal catch and keep size is 15 centimeters. The Strepie is very difficult to miss-identify.
The Karanteen is a saltwater inshore coastal fish. It is normally found in rocky areas in cooler water, and the Karanteen comes in and out with the tide. Strepie adults are herbivorous fish, although I have caught many Strepie using squid as bait... The Strepie fry, that can often be seen in rock pools at low tide, feed planktonic on organisms. Juvenile Strepie fish can adapt to drops of salinity in the water. This aquatic gregarious animal is a very fine eating fish and is a fairly popular angling fish, although not appealing to the commercial fish market. The Strepie can also prove to be an excellent live bait fish.
How To Catch The South African Karanteen Or Strepie: Strepie are one of the more commonly caught fish that are landed by South African salt water anglers. The Karanteen is often used as live bait for bigger fish species. The best ways to catch the Strepie include Bait (Float) fishing and Rock and surf Angling.
The Strepie will almost take any one of your well presented fleshy baits. The Strepie is not a fussy fish species at all and many can be caught on the following baits: Squid (Chokka), Pink Prawn, Shrimp, Ocean Worm species, Crayfish, Sardine (Pilchard) and other fish baits. The larger Karanteen can provide lots of fun for anglers with light tackle.
Other Strepie General Information
Common Name: Karanteen...
Other Names: Strepie...
Scientific Name: Sarpa salpa...
Size: Average size is approximately 20 CM...
Habitat: Strepie prefer gullies and shallow rocky reefs, and are mainly found in the surf zone. Juveniles inhabit rock pools, shallow reefs and estuaries...
Distribution: Karanteen are widely distributed and occurs in the Mediterranean and eastern Atlantic around South Africa...
Bait: In nature this fish is mainly a vegetarian, but they will take prawn, sardine and squid...
Fishing Strategy: This fish will take the bait readily and is fun to catch and release...
Eating Quality: Average...
The Karanteen is a saltwater inshore coastal fish. It is normally found in rocky areas in cooler water, and the Karanteen comes in and out with the tide. Strepie adults are herbivorous fish, although I have caught many Strepie using squid as bait... The Strepie fry, that can often be seen in rock pools at low tide, feed planktonic on organisms. Juvenile Strepie fish can adapt to drops of salinity in the water. This aquatic gregarious animal is a very fine eating fish and is a fairly popular angling fish, although not appealing to the commercial fish market. The Strepie can also prove to be an excellent live bait fish.
How To Catch The South African Karanteen Or Strepie: Strepie are one of the more commonly caught fish that are landed by South African salt water anglers. The Karanteen is often used as live bait for bigger fish species. The best ways to catch the Strepie include Bait (Float) fishing and Rock and surf Angling.
The Strepie will almost take any one of your well presented fleshy baits. The Strepie is not a fussy fish species at all and many can be caught on the following baits: Squid (Chokka), Pink Prawn, Shrimp, Ocean Worm species, Crayfish, Sardine (Pilchard) and other fish baits. The larger Karanteen can provide lots of fun for anglers with light tackle.
Other Strepie General Information
Common Name: Karanteen...
Other Names: Strepie...
Scientific Name: Sarpa salpa...
Size: Average size is approximately 20 CM...
Habitat: Strepie prefer gullies and shallow rocky reefs, and are mainly found in the surf zone. Juveniles inhabit rock pools, shallow reefs and estuaries...
Distribution: Karanteen are widely distributed and occurs in the Mediterranean and eastern Atlantic around South Africa...
Bait: In nature this fish is mainly a vegetarian, but they will take prawn, sardine and squid...
Fishing Strategy: This fish will take the bait readily and is fun to catch and release...
Eating Quality: Average...
Two Tone Finger Fin (Chirodactylus Brachydactylus)
The Twotone Fingerfin is a beautiful looking fish (As you can see by the pictures below). They are endemic to the coastal waters of Southern Africa and can be found from Maputo (Mozambique), all the way down the South African coast line to Walvis Bay. This species of South African fish can attain 60 centimeters in length and grows up to a weight of 3 kilograms. The Two Tone Finger Fin is also known as the Butter Fish and is found in coastal waters from rock pool to rocky reefs 240 metres off shore. It does, however, prefers shallower water and rocky areas... The Twotone Fingerfin mainly feeds on invertebrates and small reef organisms; Crabs are their favourite food item.
The Twotone Fingerfin (Butterfish) has never been recorded venturing into any estuarine systems and is strictly a coastal reef species. They are however found in large tidal pools with plenty of structure and white water. The Twotone Fingerfin has a similar feeding habit to that of the Spotted Grunter, where it grabs mouthfuls of sand and blows small organisms out from in between rocks. The Twotone Fingerfin becomes sexually mature when it attains a length of 25 centimeters and spawns during late spring or early summer. The fry of the Twotone Fingerfin are commonly found in the intertidal zone. The Twotone Fingerfin is a favourite fish of divers as they are very approachable!
The Butter Fish does not very easily get persuaded to take baits and therefore is not an easy species of fish to catch. Spear fisherman enjoy catching this fish... The Twotone Fingerfin is an edible fish. The South African angling record for this fish is 1.1 kilograms.
The Butterfish is a very popular eating fish and is often the "Fish of the Day" in many restaurants. It is also a very nice eating fish and not many people know this fish as the Twotone Fingerfin! Click link to see pictures!
How To Catch The South African Two Tone Fingerfin: As mentioned above, the Twotone Fingerfin is not an easy species to catch. Very light tackle should be used and leader attached to your main line or braid is essential. They can prove to be very skittish around unusual structure in the water. Small hooks, nothing more than a 1/0. And your best baits for catching the Twotone Fingerfin would be Rock Worm, Mussel, Crayfish and very rarely Sardine. I have had most of my success with this fish on the Dropshot method of fishing. Camo worm or any worm imitation proves to be deadly for this beautiful South African reef fish... The Two Tone Fingerfin!
The Twotone Fingerfin (Butterfish) has never been recorded venturing into any estuarine systems and is strictly a coastal reef species. They are however found in large tidal pools with plenty of structure and white water. The Twotone Fingerfin has a similar feeding habit to that of the Spotted Grunter, where it grabs mouthfuls of sand and blows small organisms out from in between rocks. The Twotone Fingerfin becomes sexually mature when it attains a length of 25 centimeters and spawns during late spring or early summer. The fry of the Twotone Fingerfin are commonly found in the intertidal zone. The Twotone Fingerfin is a favourite fish of divers as they are very approachable!
The Butter Fish does not very easily get persuaded to take baits and therefore is not an easy species of fish to catch. Spear fisherman enjoy catching this fish... The Twotone Fingerfin is an edible fish. The South African angling record for this fish is 1.1 kilograms.
The Butterfish is a very popular eating fish and is often the "Fish of the Day" in many restaurants. It is also a very nice eating fish and not many people know this fish as the Twotone Fingerfin! Click link to see pictures!
How To Catch The South African Two Tone Fingerfin: As mentioned above, the Twotone Fingerfin is not an easy species to catch. Very light tackle should be used and leader attached to your main line or braid is essential. They can prove to be very skittish around unusual structure in the water. Small hooks, nothing more than a 1/0. And your best baits for catching the Twotone Fingerfin would be Rock Worm, Mussel, Crayfish and very rarely Sardine. I have had most of my success with this fish on the Dropshot method of fishing. Camo worm or any worm imitation proves to be deadly for this beautiful South African reef fish... The Two Tone Fingerfin!
Yellowbelly Rockcod (Epinephelus marginatus)
The Yellowbelly Rock Cod is one of the most beautiful and amazing South African salt water oceanic fish species. This (One of many) Rockcod is also known as the Dusky Perch. It is easily identified by the colouration, spots and fins that this Rockcod possesses, unlike its cousin the Spotted Rockcod. The Yellowbelly Rockcod is a common inhabitant of rocky areas off the South African coast line. They are found mostly in off shore reefs but occasionally some specimens occur in estuaries and tidal rock pools. The Yellow Belly Rockcod occurs in depths of up to 200 meters! This fish species preys on crustaceans, bottom dwelling fish and almost anything else it can get. It is very opportunistic. The Yellowbelly Rockcod can grow up to 160 centimeters in length and the South African angling record for this fish is almost 30 kilograms. This colourful rock dwelling fish puts up a superb fight and is a thrill to catch. The Yellowbelly Rockcod is often a good indicator on what condition the offshore reefs are in (i.e. if there are a lot around the reef is in good condition and if there are not too many or none at all the reef is being overfished).
How To Catch The South African Yellowbelly Rockcod (Dusky Perch): The Yellow Belly Rock Cod is a brilliant sport fish and, although rarely targeted, can be caught in many different ways. The best way to catch the Dusky Perch is offshore from a boat with a jig (Vertical Jigging) or by using Dropshot methods. I have had a lot of luck catching this fish with shrimp, prawn and squid bait. They fight hard and often can snap your line in their natural habitat; rocks. You will not forget the first Yellowbelly Rockcod you catch, no matter the size, these fish are amazingly beautiful and fight like it's their last act in life, good luck targeting them!
How To Catch The South African Yellowbelly Rockcod (Dusky Perch): The Yellow Belly Rock Cod is a brilliant sport fish and, although rarely targeted, can be caught in many different ways. The best way to catch the Dusky Perch is offshore from a boat with a jig (Vertical Jigging) or by using Dropshot methods. I have had a lot of luck catching this fish with shrimp, prawn and squid bait. They fight hard and often can snap your line in their natural habitat; rocks. You will not forget the first Yellowbelly Rockcod you catch, no matter the size, these fish are amazingly beautiful and fight like it's their last act in life, good luck targeting them!