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Chronicles of a Blue Water Hunter
- Thread starter miles
- Start date
Thread Status: Hello
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Re: Struisbaai, Great Whites and tons of fun!!
Hiya
Huan, those pinkish reddish fish with white streaks are Red Stumpnose. PRIZED eating fish!!! Very highly rated table fare. Pretty easy to shoot though. They are suprisingly well comoflauged. All you see is a white dot approaching you. Thats the white fore-head, because the fish swims straight at you. When its with-in range, they generally turn broad-side, so as to get a better look at you!!!! Then you go........thwack!!
The nicest part about them is that they some-times seemingly appear out of no-where. One moment there's no fish, the next there is a couple of 2-5kg fish right in front of your gun!!!
You get different types of Steenbras. Red Steenbras is a reddish coloured fish. HIGHLY aggresive, has canine like teeth and is VERY territorial. Once again, they are easy to shoot, as they generally will approach a diver with-out fear. They have been known to attack divers as well. Story goes that the survivors of the wreck the BIRKENHEAD was attacked and eated by Red Steenbras. They grow up to about 80kgs and prefer deep rocky waters. When the cold thermoclines set in, they search the warmer shallower pinnacles where the spearo's can then shoot them. A bit of trivia, the scientific name is Petrus rupestris. Supposed named after Peter, which supposed gave THIS fish to Jesus, so that he could multiply them and feed the masses.
White Steenbras on the other hand is found in the surf zone, normally foraging the sand for worms , prawns and crabs. They are a silver fish with black vertical bars on the side. Scientific name: Lithognathus lithognathus and they grow to about 25kg's.
Hope that helps!!
Regards
miles
Hiya
Huan, those pinkish reddish fish with white streaks are Red Stumpnose. PRIZED eating fish!!! Very highly rated table fare. Pretty easy to shoot though. They are suprisingly well comoflauged. All you see is a white dot approaching you. Thats the white fore-head, because the fish swims straight at you. When its with-in range, they generally turn broad-side, so as to get a better look at you!!!! Then you go........thwack!!
The nicest part about them is that they some-times seemingly appear out of no-where. One moment there's no fish, the next there is a couple of 2-5kg fish right in front of your gun!!!
You get different types of Steenbras. Red Steenbras is a reddish coloured fish. HIGHLY aggresive, has canine like teeth and is VERY territorial. Once again, they are easy to shoot, as they generally will approach a diver with-out fear. They have been known to attack divers as well. Story goes that the survivors of the wreck the BIRKENHEAD was attacked and eated by Red Steenbras. They grow up to about 80kgs and prefer deep rocky waters. When the cold thermoclines set in, they search the warmer shallower pinnacles where the spearo's can then shoot them. A bit of trivia, the scientific name is Petrus rupestris. Supposed named after Peter, which supposed gave THIS fish to Jesus, so that he could multiply them and feed the masses.
White Steenbras on the other hand is found in the surf zone, normally foraging the sand for worms , prawns and crabs. They are a silver fish with black vertical bars on the side. Scientific name: Lithognathus lithognathus and they grow to about 25kg's.
Hope that helps!!
Regards
miles
Re: Struisbaai, Great Whites and tons of fun!!
Looks very simillar to our sargo. Unfortunatelly they don't grow up to 25kg. I belive max is for sarga is about 2.5kg but in here good size is 500gr. Hovewer i shoot two 1-1.5 kg range this week and previous week. They are very good to eat.
miles said:
Looks very simillar to our sargo. Unfortunatelly they don't grow up to 25kg. I belive max is for sarga is about 2.5kg but in here good size is 500gr. Hovewer i shoot two 1-1.5 kg range this week and previous week. They are very good to eat.
Re: Struisbaai, Great Whites and tons of fun!!
By the way Miles what are you doing with all that fish? Are you eat them? Don't fry them all unless you want to be like "wheel". Fish is very very good protein source so if you can arrange good "fish diet" for yourself, with little exercise you will have glorious six pack ABs to make jealous some folk in here rofl
By the way Miles what are you doing with all that fish? Are you eat them? Don't fry them all unless you want to be like "wheel". Fish is very very good protein source so if you can arrange good "fish diet" for yourself, with little exercise you will have glorious six pack ABs to make jealous some folk in here rofl
Re: Struisbaai, Great Whites and tons of fun!!
Hiya
I'm quite happy with my INSULATION i have around me!!!! The coppious amounts of adipose tissue ensure that i'm superbly protected against cold water!!
Murat, look at the last picture in the first post. There is a small sargo there. Called "blacktail" here, due to the black dot close to the tail. VERY easy fish to shoot in Struisbaai, but EXTREMELY difficult to shoot in False Bay. Anything over 1kg is considered a big fish.
Regards
miles
Hiya
I'm quite happy with my INSULATION i have around me!!!! The coppious amounts of adipose tissue ensure that i'm superbly protected against cold water!!
Murat, look at the last picture in the first post. There is a small sargo there. Called "blacktail" here, due to the black dot close to the tail. VERY easy fish to shoot in Struisbaai, but EXTREMELY difficult to shoot in False Bay. Anything over 1kg is considered a big fish.
Regards
miles
Re: Struisbaai, Great Whites and tons of fun!!
Alsalamu alaikom miles!
Is that you in the white dress?
Said
Alsalamu alaikom miles!
Is that you in the white dress?
Said
Re: Struisbaai, Great Whites and tons of fun!!
Great story Miles. Nice to get the company of a GW when your surrounded with fish guts
I thought you said you did not shoot bonitos ????
Is that your wife?
Dude where's my shark tooth rofl rofl
Finally what are those silver bream that look like gilthead breams (orata)
Great story Miles. Nice to get the company of a GW when your surrounded with fish guts
I thought you said you did not shoot bonitos ????
Is that your wife?
Dude where's my shark tooth rofl rofl
Finally what are those silver bream that look like gilthead breams (orata)
Last edited:
Re: Struisbaai, Great Whites and tons of fun!!
**And Miles runs into yet another GWS and proves his huevos are bigger then all of ours..**
I don't know how you do it Miles, and not only get in the water again, but that same day!!!
Us Americans always talk about how balsy SA's and Aussies are. It's obviously true.. GEEZ!
**And Miles runs into yet another GWS and proves his huevos are bigger then all of ours..**
I don't know how you do it Miles, and not only get in the water again, but that same day!!!
Us Americans always talk about how balsy SA's and Aussies are. It's obviously true.. GEEZ!
Re: Of Great White sharks, Yellowtail Kingfish Massacre and a hopeless Spearo!!
Hiya
Sorry for the delay in responding.........was out diving!!
Mikko is spot on. The first and third photo is indeed White Musselcracker (Sparodon durbanensis ). The second "double photo" is a Red Steenbras (Petrus rupestris). The fourth photo, taken on the boat presumably has Red Stumpnose, Red Roman, a Red Steenbras and some Bank Steenbras (the big silver fish) Bank Steenbras, affectionately known as Bankies, are very rarely caught on rod and reel, and is almost exclusively taken only by spearo's. The last photo has a great variety of fish. The all red fish is Red Roman. The large red fish with the whitish head which also has a big "bump" fore-head is a Red Stumpnose. The silver fish with black vertical stipes is called Wildeperd or Zebra. Presumably got its name from the early Dutch settlers in the Cape. Widleperd litterally means wild horse. Can't clearly see the other species.
Hope that helps!!
Regards
miles
Hiya
Sorry for the delay in responding.........was out diving!!
Mikko is spot on. The first and third photo is indeed White Musselcracker (Sparodon durbanensis ). The second "double photo" is a Red Steenbras (Petrus rupestris). The fourth photo, taken on the boat presumably has Red Stumpnose, Red Roman, a Red Steenbras and some Bank Steenbras (the big silver fish) Bank Steenbras, affectionately known as Bankies, are very rarely caught on rod and reel, and is almost exclusively taken only by spearo's. The last photo has a great variety of fish. The all red fish is Red Roman. The large red fish with the whitish head which also has a big "bump" fore-head is a Red Stumpnose. The silver fish with black vertical stipes is called Wildeperd or Zebra. Presumably got its name from the early Dutch settlers in the Cape. Widleperd litterally means wild horse. Can't clearly see the other species.
Hope that helps!!
Regards
miles
Re: Of Great White sharks, Yellowtail Kingfish Massacre and a hopeless Spearo!!
Miles
Re Great whites.
We are also getting more reports of Great Whites appearing in our waters of Western Australia. We dont know if its more people out fishing diving etc or more G/Wites.
They recently tagged a Female G/Wite of the S/Africa coast and she ending up swimming all the way to West Aus for a feed , They also have tagged G/whites here that have covered 5000 km up and down the west coast and there seems to be one very defined track they all follow.
They used to think they were territorial but it looks like they will travell a long way for a feed and know which time of year to do it.
We have them appearing of the coast of Perth when the Whales stop to rest there young and to give birth at the start of summer just to make it fun.
Next time you see one carv a X on its side and we will keep a look out for it ( joking )
Happing Hunting Crusty
Miles
Re Great whites.
We are also getting more reports of Great Whites appearing in our waters of Western Australia. We dont know if its more people out fishing diving etc or more G/Wites.
They recently tagged a Female G/Wite of the S/Africa coast and she ending up swimming all the way to West Aus for a feed , They also have tagged G/whites here that have covered 5000 km up and down the west coast and there seems to be one very defined track they all follow.
They used to think they were territorial but it looks like they will travell a long way for a feed and know which time of year to do it.
We have them appearing of the coast of Perth when the Whales stop to rest there young and to give birth at the start of summer just to make it fun.
Next time you see one carv a X on its side and we will keep a look out for it ( joking )
Happing Hunting Crusty
YF Tuna and Murphy's Law!!
Hiya
After a much anticipated wait, reports of fisherman catching small tuna finally arrived. Packed all the kit and went in search of them on Thursday. Went to our usual co-ordinates, but no fish were to be found. We saw a couple of 30-40kg fish jumping out of the water, but alas, we only saw one longfin(albacore) in the water. We ended the day with 8 YF ranging from 10-30kg's and 10 skipjack(Bonnito), all caught on rod and reel. There was fish around, but the schools were very very small and scattered over a large area.
So when the week-end arrived, we didn't have very high hopes. We were invited out by a good friend on his 25' Cat. Well, at least we'll catch a couple of fish. So i packed only my 1500 Carbon RA and a small 57" Mid handled woodie. Tommy also just brought a small 52" two banded woodie (for Albacore) and his 62" woodie. And of course all the fishing tackle. We were planning it to be a fishing trip more for my wife and Tommy's son.
With-in the first hour trolling, we had boated about 6 Albacore and the wife had landed a 40kg YF tuna on 30lb Stand-up tackle!!! Great start!!! So off we go to our "spot". Tommy kiited up, only to realise that he'd left his weight belt at home!! By the time i jumped in, Tommy had already shot and landed two Albacore tuna.
I battled tracking the fish with my 1500 Carbon RA. Those Albacores are extremely quick and don't have a regular swimming pattern, so shooting them is not quite so easy, especially with a LONG gun!!
Anycase, i then start seeing YF's!!!! He glides into the chum slick and...............BANG!!!!!!.........fish on!!!!!!!!! 20 minutes later he's in the boat!!! The first YF Tuna of the season!!! YAYYYYYYYYY!!!!!! He wasn't a very big fish, weighing in at just over 100lbs (50kg's), but completely destroyed that 7.5mm RA spear.
We ended the day with about 20 Albacore between 8-15kg's, one Skipjack and 3 YF's. The two caught weighing 40 and 45kg's. We only speared the one YF and a couple of albacore tuna's.
Can't wait for the bigger fish to put in an appearance!!
Regards
miles
Hiya
After a much anticipated wait, reports of fisherman catching small tuna finally arrived. Packed all the kit and went in search of them on Thursday. Went to our usual co-ordinates, but no fish were to be found. We saw a couple of 30-40kg fish jumping out of the water, but alas, we only saw one longfin(albacore) in the water. We ended the day with 8 YF ranging from 10-30kg's and 10 skipjack(Bonnito), all caught on rod and reel. There was fish around, but the schools were very very small and scattered over a large area.
So when the week-end arrived, we didn't have very high hopes. We were invited out by a good friend on his 25' Cat. Well, at least we'll catch a couple of fish. So i packed only my 1500 Carbon RA and a small 57" Mid handled woodie. Tommy also just brought a small 52" two banded woodie (for Albacore) and his 62" woodie. And of course all the fishing tackle. We were planning it to be a fishing trip more for my wife and Tommy's son.
With-in the first hour trolling, we had boated about 6 Albacore and the wife had landed a 40kg YF tuna on 30lb Stand-up tackle!!! Great start!!! So off we go to our "spot". Tommy kiited up, only to realise that he'd left his weight belt at home!! By the time i jumped in, Tommy had already shot and landed two Albacore tuna.
I battled tracking the fish with my 1500 Carbon RA. Those Albacores are extremely quick and don't have a regular swimming pattern, so shooting them is not quite so easy, especially with a LONG gun!!
Anycase, i then start seeing YF's!!!! He glides into the chum slick and...............BANG!!!!!!.........fish on!!!!!!!!! 20 minutes later he's in the boat!!! The first YF Tuna of the season!!! YAYYYYYYYYY!!!!!! He wasn't a very big fish, weighing in at just over 100lbs (50kg's), but completely destroyed that 7.5mm RA spear.
We ended the day with about 20 Albacore between 8-15kg's, one Skipjack and 3 YF's. The two caught weighing 40 and 45kg's. We only speared the one YF and a couple of albacore tuna's.
Can't wait for the bigger fish to put in an appearance!!
Regards
miles