Fishing Reports

Hassen Check out the winds and swell prediction for Cape Town for the next 5 days.

These reports are compiled based on our own catches and information we receive from reliable anglers, both recreational and commercial, who are out there fishing. This ensures the reports are factual and current affording all anglers fishing the coast an accurate assessment of where to go and what catches to expect.

For more up-to-date information drop me an e-mail on This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

21st July 2003

Well winter suddenly arrived in the Cape. One day we were catching loads of Yellowfin and Longfin Tuna and the very next day everything went quiet. It was incredible to see how suddenly the very short Tuna season came to an end. However short it was, the fishing was terrific. This year we saw more Yellowfin than previous seasons and although there were some smaller fish there were some real brutes. Ether I'm getting old or the fish are getting stronger as the Yellowfin were on average, more powerful. I have my own philosophy as to why but it was quite noticeable that the stronger fish were slimmer than the usual fatter fish. There were also fewer big 25 to 30 kg Albacore (Longfin) Tuna in the tail part of the season than in previous years. Now we wait until October for the return of the Tuna.

The seas in and around False Bay and Cape Point have dropped to a very cool 11 to 12 degrees C. Generally too cold for Yellowtail however these fish are there in good numbers and do get used to feeding, although reluctantly, in these conditions. I managed to get a few a week or so ago but only on spinners fished very deep.

There is however always good news from the Cape. The Snoek have arrived and great fun is being had on the lighter tackle and the fly. These are nice condition fish and fighting very strongly. There are good concentrations between the Bellows and SW Reefs with the first few shoals appearing in Buffels Bay. They are taking the spinner well as well as the regular pilchard baits. The birds have been a good indicator recently as the shoals are feeding on the Anchovies which are in great numbers this year. Inside False Bay it's best to start looking in the 20 meter water depths and working a bit deeper from there.

The bottom fishing has generally gone quiet as is usual for this time of year, except for a few White Stumpnose, Hottentots and the odd Roman. The Kob and Cape Salmon (Geelbek) should return around late September early October.

The beach fishing has also been a little quiet with the exception of some Galjoen and the very odd White Steenbras. This is due to the cool waters along our beaches at present. However as the eternally optimistic angler, just wait for the water to warm a little, which could happen at any time, and the fish should start to feed well.

The Trout streams are closed at present but the dams are producing some nice sized fish. Hopefully we get some decent winter rains soon or we could be in for a poor summer season. The Carp are more difficult to catch as usual during our cooler months but if you persist, they can be caught. The Bass season starts in a week or so time however the water levels are low and although this means the fish will be more concentrated, they will be feeling very insecure and could prove difficult to catch.

Sorry not all the news is good but this is just a temporary setback and the fishing will only pick up from here. It's nothing unusual for this time of year.

Williamson Lures are about to launch a new range of Deep Diving swimming lures.

Until my next report, tight lines and may you enjoy the fishing as much as I do.

21st August 2003

As I sit writing this report we have the first real, albeit late, of our winter storms raging. Lashing the Peninsula with torrents of driving rain and gale force North Westerly winds. I mention this because these storms are what will determine the success of the fishing this coming summer.

The fishing has been regularly good for Snoek which are now prolific along the Atlantic coast from Robben Island down to Cape Point. And for those who prefer to fish inside False Bay, all along from Cape Point to Millers Point. Look in water depths of 20 meters plus. The fish are taking well on spinners, pilchard baits and the fly. The Snoek are in good condition and a nice size. Remember if you don't have a commercial permit you are restricted to 10 fish per person per day - so don't be tempted to load your boat.

The water at Cape Point is back up to 15 degrees with shoals of Anchovy, all a very good sign for the Yellowtail. We managed to catch a couple on Saturday, the first in a couple of months. Although we were there for a very short time, I did see a few shoals on the surface chasing baitfish. With these signs I believe they should come on the feed in earnest any time now. I have found that August and September are very good months for Yellowtail and with this 'one month late' syndrome we still seem to be in, the fishing for Yellowtail should improve as we go into September.

Although the beaches have generally been quiet, except for a few Galjoen, there have been the odd Kob caught along the sandy stretches. Although these fish are out of season, when the conditions are right, they seem to appear. These fish have been caught during and straight after the unseasonal South Easterly winds we have experienced this winter. The more popular baits have been Squid, Pilchard and Bloodworm.

The Carp fishing is still in its winter mode with the cold water but with some perseverance, a few fish can be taken. The Bass fishing has been quite difficult especially with the lack of water in the dams at present, however with the rains which have finally arrived, things should start to improve quite quickly.

12th October 2003

Summer's on it's way, and with it the first signs of our summer season fish. Yellowtail at the Point and inside False Bay, Cape Salmon around, Kob along the sandy stretches and Tuna back in the area.

Yellowtail to start with. With the massive shoals of Anchovy around the Cape Point area, the Yellowtail are around in their thousands but the downside is that they are so preoccupied with chasing the little bait fish that it is almost impossible to get them to take a lure or bait. The fish we have been catching have been taken predominantly on the spoon (spinner) with the odd one on the smaller plastic lures. It's hard to understand the frustration when hundreds of these Yellowtail are boiling around the boat, close enough to touch, and they just ignore whatever you put in the water. For those of you less sporting anglers, yes you could just gaff them out the water.

The Yellowtail have also started moving into False Bay with fish being reported along the Fish Hoek / Glencairn area. For the spinner fishermen who frequent Rooikraans, the fish have been moving along this stretch so it could be worth a look, especially during and after the South Easterly winds.

Snoek are still feeding well in Buffels Bay as well as outside Cape Point. The fish inside the Bay have been showing a preference for the 40 meter water depth and with your anchor down and a fair bit of chumming, you will have loads of fun. The Snoek are taking well on baits and spinners.

With the beginning of the South Easterly winds the Kob have moved into the NW corner of False Bay. Some nice fish in the 15 to 20 kg class have been coming out from Kalk Bay to Strandfontein. It's worth a look wherever the water has been disturbed after the winds.

There's a few shoals of Cape Salmon (Geelbek) around the Point and SW Reef area but they are moving around. They, like the Yellowtail, are chasing the Anchovy shoals so your best bet is to find a feeding flock or Terns and drift over the area with whole Pilchards fished deep down. If you are proficient with your echo-sounder you should look for something that resembles a red block on or near the ground, stop on top of it and drop your baits into the block, you may be pleasantly surprised.

There have been some Elf (Shad) along the sandy beaches and with the SE winds now becoming more prevalent, you will start to find some very nice Kob coming out. Watch the moon and try to pick a dark night unless you want to wade through the Barbel before you catch the first Kob. Your best baits will be fresh squid, pilchards and bloodworm.

Tight lines, catch the big one and fish responsibly.

8th September 2003

Things are really looking up. The Snoek are everywhere, the Yellowtail are congregating at Cape Point and even Geelbek (Cape Salmon) on a few of the reefs. The winds we are experiencing at present are right on time and the whales have arrived in the bay. These SW winds which have been with us for the last week or so are needed this time of year to bring in the currents for the summer.

The Snoek are feeding from Hout Bay down to Cape Point as well as inside the bay from Buffels Bay to Millers Point. And there's plenty of them. I never thought I'd see the day when I would hear other boats offering me fish, but that's the commitment the anglers have to sticking to bag limits - and that's nice to see. But the down-side of that is, and please guys this is why I don't want your fish, it screws up my bag limit and restricts the number of fish my charters can catch - and also it's illegal to pass fish over to another boat.

The Snoek are eating well on spinners and baits as well as the fly for those who really enjoy a lot of sport. For those of you who haven't tried fly-fishing for them yet, it's really a great fun way to catch your bag limit. If you want any advice on how to go about starting, just drop me a line (no pun intended) on e-mail to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it '; document.write( '' ); document.write( addy_text33245 ); document.write( '<\/a>' ); //--> This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

The Yellowtail are concentrating quite nicely in the Cape Point area. These are our winter fish and are generally in the 2 to 5 kg class with some bigger ones around. They are still a little hesitant to take the lures because of all the anchovy but they do respond quite well to a spinner thrown to them. They are in the area from Bellows to outside SW Reefs and are quite easy to locate with the birds. A word of advice and something I've learned the hard way, don't follow the gulls, cormorants and gannets rather look for the little terns. I believe those birds which dive on the shoals to eat the anchovy actually scare the Yellowtail away. That is why you'll generally find you catch the Yellowtail around the outside of the birds. Snoek don't seem to mind diving birds as they feed deeper in the water column.

A few Geelbek have come out in the Cape Point area but you need fairly strong water with a sizable swell. Not for the feint hearted just yet.

There are some Yellowfin and Longfin Tuna in the grounds. Lat / Long numbers 34:33 and 18:05 for those of you contemplating a run. The Yellowfin are between 40 and 60 kg with the longfin more in the 12 kg class. Look for the longline boats and start there.

The beaches are fairly quiet but there are some Kob around. Have a look along the Strandfontein beaches during the next SE blow and you may be pleasantly surprised. Galjoen have been eating nicely but here again you need to look when the water is strong.

Well tight lines to all of you and I'll update this site more regularly as we move more into the season, so keep an eye on it.

15th November 2003

And still the Yellowtail are playing hard-ball and fishing for them has become very frustrating. Although we are catching a few, this fishing has gone beyond a joke. There are literally thousands of them massed from Cape Point and the Bellows across to Rocky Bank but that is also where the huge schools of Anchovy are congregated. And this is the reason for their blatant disregard for the amount of money we spend on our fancy shiny lures that do everything but taste like Anchovies. The only way to catch them has been to be lucky enough to be next to a shoal when it feeds on the top of the water. In the confusion of smashing an Anchovy school the Yellowtail get careless and inadvertently eat a spoon or trolled lure. So yes, luck does play a big part in fishing.

Cape Salmon have made a concerted effort to make up for the frustration of the Yellowtail. The shoals are spread from Cape Point, down past Millers Point and through to Strandfontein. The fish we have been landing over the past couple of weeks have averaged between 6 and 10 kg. Feeding mainly in the early morning and very late afternoons, although we have had fish all through the day in the deeper water, these fish are working on the shoals of Anchovy and Maasbanker. Look in the blue 18 degree water from the Point to Simonstown and the discoloured water along Strandfontein. Cape Salmon (Geelbek) feed predominantly over reefs and are generally found a meter or two off the ground. Whole Pilchard or live Maasbanker have been our best baits.

There are also some very big Bronze Whaler sharks around for those interested in a good fight. But please guy's - let them go when you're finished. There is no point in killing them, sure take your photo's but then release them for another day. These fish are all over now and we have had some over the 150 pound mark already this season. Baits set as for Kob and Cape Salmon will catch these fish.

There have been some good size Kob along Strandfontein after a strong SE wind. Fish in the warm discoloured water from 8 to 20 meters in depth. Live baits have been our most productive for the 12 to 20 kg fish.

Still lots of Snoek off Millers Point and Buffels Bay but remember your bag limit of 10 fish per day - and the inspectors have been very active so watch out. Also beware of selling these fish unless you have a commercial licence.

LATEST: The Yellowtail are moving into the Bay and can be seen in large shoals moving from the Point to Simonstown and Fish Hoek. For those of you spinner fishermen who frequent the rocky outcrops, your chances of finding a passing shoal is now very good. For the boat fishermen, trolling all along this area will find you some nice fish.

Crayfish season is now open but remember the size and bag limits, there have already been some heavy fines during the first weekend.

Those of you contemplating fishing out of Millers Point and Simonstown please do not fish in the marine reserve areas, especially from Millers Point to Smitswinkle Bay. Not only is this a marine sanctuary but also a Sea Fisheries research area where they are studying our resident reef species which have been carefully tagged and monitored. Over this past weekend I warned a boat to stop fishing and move out of the area. He must have thought he had found some secret reef and hit the jackpot as he was merrily catching Red Roman as fast as he could bait up. Unfortunately the Fisheries Inspectors had seen him before I did and he was apprehended on the slipway. I believe it was through ignorance that he was there but that is no excuse when it comes to the law.

The Millers Point reserve is from (and this is to be on the safe side) the rocks at Millers Point to 100 meters south of the rocks on the northern side of Smitswinkle Bay. The reserve stretches out for a mile off the land. No anchoring or bottom fishing may take place in this area.

Good fishing and see you on the water.