Fish Spots

1. Mossel Bay Point

The Point is one of most frequented fishing spots in Mossel Bay. It is particularly popular amongst tourists as the outlook is stunning and the area provides entertainment for the whole family, even those not interested in fishing.   This spot is known for its rocky sea bed and fishing here will probably result in the loss of a lot of terminal tackle. The risk of losing of tackle is worth while though because this spot produces year round. In winter locals target Galjoen and good results are achieved anywhere from "fisherman's rock" (just past the caravan park) up to the rocks behind the Point Kiosk. Red bait is the bait of choice but blood worm can be just as productive. Mussel cracker usually start biting from around August or September, with catches ranging from 10 to 16Kg. In the past Siffies were the bait of choice, but, since the harvesting of these is now illegal, anglers rely on red crabs (caught on the rocks) and red bait. On the odd occasion Yellow Tail are caught from the shore during the summer months, usually on live bait or plugs. Other common catches here include Red Roman, Black Tail, and Zebra.

2. Skurwe Bankies

Situated next to I&J, this spot is fast becoming famous for huge sharks. Regular fishermen report a sharp increase in the number of these ocean predators since the opening of the sardine cannery in the Mossel Bay harbor and believe that the discharge of factory effluent may be responsible - these claims have not been confirmed. Anglers fish from elevated rocks into water ranging from 3 to about 10 meters with a cast of 40 - 50m. Added to this, the area is very sheltered with no waves and little or no current making conditions perfect for sliding large baits. Catches range from Raggies and Bronzies to large skates. Occasional Great White hook ups occur but usually end in empty reels, strained muscles and shattered egos. This is also a good spot for Mussel Cracker, Shad and Garrick.

3. De Bakke

This is the stretch of sandy shoreline between Dias and Santos beaches. Most species can be targeted here since the seabed offers a combination of rock formations and sandy bottoms. Its difficult to say exactly where to try because the sand banks are constantly moving due to currents and surface wave conditions. When I fish this spot, I prefer my bait near some white water where I can be sure that it is being churned up and where the foam provides the cover that fish tend to feed under. Target species are Steenbras and Spotted Grunter using prawn, chocca or sardine. Mussel Cracker have also been landed from this beach using Red Bait and crab. In the summer months I like to target Shad and Garrick that come in close to feed on the mullet they manage to trap against the reef.

4. Haai Bankies.

Haai Bankies lies between De Bakke and Dias Beach and is best fished after a strong South Easter. This is not the ideal spot for a family outing as beach conditions are very uncomfortable but with the right weather conditions targeting species ranging from Sharks and Skates to Shad, Garrick and the odd Steenbras should be successful. Like Skerwe Bankies it is also a good place to slide although good catches are often within casting distance.

5. Diaz Beach

During the season this beach is generally very crowded during the day but (what about early mornings) afternoon and evenings are good times to target Steenbras and Grunter with chances improved after a strong south easter. Kob and Shad are frequent visitors but the highlight of this area is the many Garrick bagged during the summer months. Small wave action and weak currents make sliding easy and many anglers walk from Diaz towards the reef near Hartenbos to try their luck. Live bait is the bait of choice but many Garrick fall prey to surface plugs and spoons. Large skates are also targeted using sardine head baits and chokka.

6. Benekes Klip

Being a favorite spot for many anglers, it tends to be a little crowed when the fish are biting. This is not really a problem because although Beneke’s rock is a specific spot the structure to either side is relatively uniform and stretches from Diaz Beach up until Hartenbos River Mouth.  Beneke’s Rock is the only rock in the area that stands out low and high tide. The whole area is generally equally productive but locals try to get as close to the rock as possible and mussel cracker are often caught here. Bottom structure is generally sand for about 60 meters then is met by a rock bank that runs parallel to the beach making sea conditions the shore side of the reef calm. The areas popularity is mainly because of the wide variety of species that can be caught here. In fact this is one of the better spots to target shad. Good catches of Kob in the 3 to 4 KG class are also common here.

7 Hartenbos Mouth.

Although the River itself offers very poor fishing the sea at the mouth can be very productive after a south Easterly. Again most species can be caught including many Kob in the 6 Kg range and occasionally some 20 to 30 KG fish are caught. Steenbras ranging from 1 kg to 17 or 18 kg’s are common here and these are usually caught on live prawn witch can be pumped in the river. Apart from Shad and large Garrick, Sharks can also be caught in the area with the best catches being large Raggies and Bronzies for those adventurous enough to wade a bit and get a bait over the drop. When targeting sharks here it is best to stand just on Mossel Bays side of the mouth as this is about the furthers spot from the reef which continues on both sides. About 200 meters on the Great Brak side of the river mouth is where the reef continues making it a good area to target edible species and smaller sharks.