List of species
Check out below for just some of the species you could catch on our tailor made fishing adventures.
We have divided them into four categories: Sharks; Rays; Edible species and Mozambican species, for your information.
Sharks
Ragged tooth shark
Raggies, are some of the largest shark species commonly caught along our coastline. These heavy bodied creatures love feeding in cool discolored water. They give a good account of themselves when hooked on standard beach fishing gear. Their huge headshakes are very distinctive on the line and they often surface during the fight. They do have huge mouths with a very impressive set teeth and love eating large baits. They make for very impressive photos!
Season
September
-
May
Size range
20 kg
-
300 kg
Our best
236 kg
Bronze Whaler
The Bronze Whaler (Bronzie) is a powerful adversary that will test the anglers' strength and determination to the utmost. They take a lot of line during the fight and make for very impressive photos. These very exiting sharks to do battle with!
Season
October
-
April
Size range
5 kg
-
250 kg
Our best
192 kg
Blackfin shark
The Blackfin Shark is also known as 'jumping shark' for its aerial skills. They often jump and spin when hooked and this makes them quite difficult to land. They are not very common on our part of the coast but seem to enter our waters towards the end of our shark season. You seldom catch any small ones, as they are usually around the 100kg+ range when hooked in our waters.
Season
December
-
April
Size range
50 kg
-
120 kg
Our best
110 kg
Grey Shark
These heavy bodied sharks are voracious predators. They can bite through all but the strongest steel traces. Smaller specimen are found along our coast during warm water conditions in the summer months. The large adults arrive during the annual autumn sardine run.
Season
October
-
July
Size range
5 kg
-
300 kg
Our best
85 kg
Cow Shark
These ancient creatures are found along our coast during cold water conditions. They have a mean set of teeth and have a habit of thrashing on the surface while eating your bait. They are also known as the Sevengill Shark . They prefer large bloody baits.
Season
January
-
December
Size range
15 kg
-
100 kg
Our best
60 kg
Spotted Gully Shark
Spotties are one of our smaller shark species. They can grow up to about 40kg, but what they loose in size they make up for in attitude! They are extremely dirty fighters and often find a reef to smash your line on. They like a rocky habitat and know how to use it to their advantage.
Season
January
-
December
Size range
10 kg
-
40 kg
Our best
36 kg
Smooth Hound
Hounds are often caught during the summer months along our beaches. They don't grow much larger than about 30kg, but are very exiting and erratic fighters especially on lighter outfits. They prefer slightly smaller baits, with mullet and squid being first choice.
Season
January
-
December
Size range
5 kg
-
35 kg
Our best
30 kg
Hammerhead Shark
This iconic specie is extremely fast and strong for its size. They are most prevalent when the sea is flat, clean and warm. During such conditions they can use their superior senses and speed to detect and catch small baitfish. They often congregate in large shoals that makes for some hectic fishing action
Season
November
-
March
Size range
1 kg
-
30 kg
Our best
26 kg
Skates and rays
Black Ray
Also known as the Shortail Stingray, these gigantic creatures is the ultimate flatfish to test your strength and endurance against. Because of their massive size and weight (up to an impressive 300kg), only the best tackle will survive a battle with these beasts. They make for very impressive catch photos. This is a bucket-list catch for many anglers.
Season
January
-
December
Size range
30 kg
-
300 kg
Our best
205 kg
Duckbill Ray
These are also known as Bullrays and they like to feed during and after strong easterly winds. These large rays grow to over 100kgs and are exiting fast moving flatfish that just never seem to give in once hooked. They often fight right on the surface, and this makes for an exciting and visual battle. They are weird peculiar looking fish and so much fun to catch!! Awesome fish for photos.
Season
September
-
March
Size range
20 kg
-
100 kg
Our best
104 kg
Diamond Ray
Diamond Rays are a popular target species for sports anglers along our coast. They can grow to an impressive 100kgs and can be caught in good numbers under the right conditions. The like to feed along sandy beaches with warm, flat and dirty water. The best bite often occurs during strong westerly winds.
Season
October
-
April
Size range
10 kg
-
100 kg
Our best
80 kg
Eagle Ray
The smaller cousin of the mighty Duckbill Ray. These cute critters have similar feeding habits as their bigger cousins and are great fighters for their size. A lot of fun to catch on lighter outfits.
Season
September
-
May
Size range
5 kg
-
25 kg
Our best
22 kg
Blue Ray
These beautiful flatfish with their distinctive blue markings can be caught in good numbers during spring and early summer. They often feed in fairly shallow water and gives a decent account of themselves on light tackle.
Season
September
-
February
Size range
2 kg
-
35 kg
Our best
28 kg
Spearnose Skate
These prehistoric looking creatures are usually found far offshore, but during winter months, when the water cools down a bit, they do venture into range of shore anglers. They are sluggish, but stubborn fighters and often a surprise catch.
Season
January
-
December
Size range
10 kg
-
90 kg
Our best
70 kg
Edible fish
Kob
Also known locally as Kabeljou. These are the largest specie of fish that can be caught along our coastline. Our area is well known to produce a good number of these beauties during winter until mid summer. Catching a 100 pounder is every anglers dream catch. They are opportunistic predators that love to pounce on live baits and lures. No matter what their size a Kob is always a welcome catch.
Season
January
-
December
Size range
1 kg
-
75 kg
Our best
50 kg
Musselcracker
Also known as Cracker. These broad bodied reef species are most often caught along rocky coastlines. They feed on all kinds of shellfish, which they crush with their powerful jaws. They are most prevalent during winter and spring months, and are powerful adversaries. Because of the foul terrain they call home, as well as their brute strength, only the strongest of tackle is used when targeting them.
Season
January
-
December
Size range
1 kg
-
24 kg
Our best
19 kg
Poenskop
Also known as Black Musselcracker. They share the same habitat as the their cousin the Cracker, but have a more varied diet. They eat all kind of shellfish but are most often caught using fishy baits and squid. They can grow to massive sizes but most of the large adult fish are found on the deeper offshore reefs. They are extremely dirty fighters and love to smash your tackle in the foul reefs they call home.
Season
January
-
December
Size range
1 kg
-
40 kg
Our best
12 kg
White Steenbras
These beautiful fish are most often caught along open sandy beaches where they feed on crabs worms and mussels. They are strong fighters that often take a long initial run. Steenies can be caught right through the year and don't mind feeding during cold water conditions. Light tackle and small neat baits often yield the best results.
Season
January
-
December
Size range
1 kg
-
25 kg
Our best
15 kg
Garrick
One of the Eastern Cape's favourite angling species, Garrick are super strong fighters and great fun to catch on live-bait and lures. They can be caught right throughout the year. These are aggressive predators that patrol the surf zone hunting mullet and other bait-fish. They often hunt their prey in very shallow water, thus the ideal specie for light tackle lure enthusiasts.
Season
January
-
December
Size range
2 kg
-
20 kg
Our best
15 kg
Our catches
Baardman
These sly feeders are often found in very shallow water where they feed on crabs, worms and other invertebrates. They love calm sea conditions and are most often caught using very light tackle.
Season
January
-
December
Size range
1 kg
-
10 kg
Our best
5 kg
Galjoen
Our national fish has got a bit of a cult following along our local coast. They feed at their best in the worst sea and weather conditions. They enjoy baits like worm, mussel, prawn, but the most effective bait for them is matured redbait. They are gutsy fighters for their size and often the only specie to target during, and after large winter storms. They can be caught at most times of the year but winter is by far the most productive.
Season
January
-
December
Size range
1 kg
-
6 kg
Our best
5 kg
Bronze bream
Like the Galjoen these are one of the more popular reef species targeted by social anglers. They have small mouths and can be tricky to catch at the best of times. Their natural food consists of seaweed but a neatly prepared prawn bait usually yield good results. They prefer feeding in clean foamy water.
Season
January
-
December
Size range
1 kg
-
6 kg
Our best
5 kg
Zebra bream
Another of our smaller bream species. They are not as common as the Bronze Bream but are strong fighters for their size. They can be caught on most baits, however most are caught on redbait.
Season
January
-
December
Size range
1 kg
-
6 kg
Our best
3 kg
Blacktail
This is a fairly common specie found all along our coast. Blacktail can be caught on a wide variety of baits. They are fairly easy to catch and great for keeping kids entertained while dads are trying for bigger stuff. They are good fun to catch on ultra light tackle.
Our best
2 kg
Mozambique species
Giant trevally (GT)
The ultimate for many fishing with lure from the shore. These large, powerful predators will absolutely smash any type of lure they come across in the surf zone. These are fish with serious attitude. They will do their utmost to smash your tackle if given half a chance. Big live-baits is another sure way of grabbing their attention.
Season
March
-
November
Size range
4 kg
-
60 kg
Our best
47 kg
Spanish Mackerel
Also known as Cuta locally. There are very few places where one can specifically target a Cuta while spinning or bait fishing from the the shore. We can give you the opportunity to tick this box. The initial run of these fish is just mind boggling!
Season
March
-
November
Size range
4 kg
-
40 kg
Our best
28 kg
Queenfish
They are well known for their impressive aerial displays once on the line. Queenies love to hunt in packs so it is possible to hook into a good number of these powerful fighters during a single session.
Season
March
-
November
Size range
3 kg
-
12 kg
Our best
10 kg
Barracuda
Also known as Pike, these vicious predators love to hunt baitfish, often in very shallow water. They are armed with a serious set of dentures, and often destroy lures and terminal tackle when hooked. They are most active at night when they can be targeted with live-baits and other large fleshy baits.
Season
March
-
November
Size range
6 kg
-
30 kg
Our best
20 kg
Rock cod
There are many different species of Rock Cod that can be caught on many of the reef structures along this pristine coastline. They are most active at night and large fish baits seem to work best. Make sure that your tackle is up to the task though as they are dirty fighters that love to dive into rough reef structure. These slow growing reef dwellers should always be returned to fight another day.
Season
March
-
November
Size range
2 kg
-
30 kg
Our best
18 kg
Snapper
There are a few different species of Snappers and Emperors that can be caught on the many flat sections of reef along this coast. The Speckled Snapper is one of the most popular to target as they are impressive fighters and makes for some lovely photos. They feed best after dark, but can be caught during the day, especially when there is some decent wave action.
Season
March
-
November
Size range
2 kg
-
10 kg
Our best
8 kg
Springer
Also known as Ladyfish. These fish hit a bait or lure at full tilt that makes for a very exiting fight. They nearly always jump while vigorously shaking their heads, and thus often throw the hooks. This beach produces some real outsized specimens of these silver bullets.
Season
March
-
November
Size range
3 kg
-
12 kg
Our best
9 kg
Yellowspot kingfish
Definitely one of the strongest fighters in the trevally family. They always keep you busy for a good while, with long blistering runs. Yellowspot kingies can be targeted on many different types of lures, but do eat well prepared baits as well.
Season
March
-
November
Size range
3 kg
-
12 kg
Our best
10 kg
Brassy (greenspot) kingfish
These are found along this coastline in large numbers, especially during early mornings, where they often found terrorizing shoals of baitfish in the shallows. Once you have found them feeding it nearly always results in multiple hookups. They are awesome fun to catch on the lighter spinning setups.
Season
March
-
November
Size range
1 kg
-
8 kg
Our best
8 kg
Bluefin Kingfish
Bluefins are the prettiest of all the Trevally species with their vivid indigo blue spots and fins. As is the case for all kingie species, these will give you a proper go once hooked. They love feeding over solid reef where a fast retrieve often give the best results.
Season
March
-
November
Size range
1 kg
-
7 kg
Our best
7 kg
Queen Mackerel
These fish are best targeted early mornings in flat deepish water. Small lures and a very fast retrieve is the way to go to have the best results. This fast swimming pelagic specie is very exiting to catch and one of the best tasting fish out there.
Season
March
-
November
Size range
4 kg
-
12 kg
Our best
10 kg
Shark
There are many species of shark to target along this unspoilt coastline including Blacktip Reef, Blackfin, Giant Sandshark, Zambezi and a few more. Big baits and live-baits are the way to go. Best times are dawn, dusk and during the evenings.
Season
January
-
December
Size range
10 kg
-
150 kg
Our best
110 kg
Stingray
There are a few species of stingray that are found along these local beaches. The Honeycomb Stingray is the most sought after for its fighting prowess. They grow to a large size (100kg+) and will test the anglers strength and endurance to the utmost. They are most active at night and love to feed on big fishy baits.
Season
January
-
December
Size range
10 kg
-
90 kg
Our best
70 kg
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