South Africa’s Indian Ocean coast around the city of East London produces some world-class shore fishing opportunities, as local angler Charles Foster explains
In 1488 the intrepid Portuguese navigator and explorer, Bartholomew Dias, set sail from Lisbon on a marine adventure to seek the sea route to the east. His ill-fated journey ended off the south-eastern coast of South Africa in the vicinity of the mouth of the Keiskamma River, situated near the present day city of East London.
Dias was faced with a threatening mutiny if he did not do a u-turn and sail for home. His small fleet was running low on food and fresh water and the notion that the world was square with a dreaded drop-off into oblivion was also uppermost in the minds of the sailors. Many believed the tumble into obscurity was imminent. Dias succumbed to the threat. It was only 10 years later, in 1498, that his fellow countryman, Vasco Da Gama, succeeded in finding a passage to the lucrative spice markets of the east after he, too, had left his ships’ wake close to the mouth of the Keiskamma River. Little did Dias know how prolific and fertile the fish and fishing prospects of the area where he u-turned would prove to be.
COMPETITION SCENE
The coast to the east and west of the South African city of East London is a premier angling stretch and has become an angling location for numerous South African shore angling competitions. Non-competitive recreational anglers also keenly hone in on this area. A seaside resort by the name of Hamburg, situated at the mouth of the Keiskamma River, is arguably one of the most popular venues for competitive shore angling in South Africa. Intra-provincial interclub competitions known as the Border league competitions, interprovincial competitions, as well as international contests, are held along this stretch of coast.
The beautiful flat beaches make movement easy. There are no dangerous rocky promontories or cliffs. While motorised beach vehicles are no longer permitted, beach prams with their characteristic bulbous, lunar type wheels do the trick of transporting the anglers’ paraphernalia with relative ease; and the fish are hugely obliging!
SHORE SHARKING
This area offers shore anglers a wide variety of both edible and non-edible fish with seasonal variations generally determining the likely quarry. The pre-dominant easterly winds in summer cause upwelling of the ocean floor which flushes in colder water to the coast. During these spells hard core anglers will target sharks, particularly the ragged tooth shark. Their size could vary from 200kg monsters dwindling down to approximately 5kg for the smaller pups.
Angling competitions are won on aggregate points based on the weight of the fish landed. The latter, however, is determined by length measur
