Mike Laubscher

My guests, a group of 5 consultants from Sweden and England met me at Wilson's Wharf just after 06h00 and shortly after that we made our way out of the Durban Harbour entrance to be greeted by a glorious sunrise which filled the sky with an orange glow. The seas were flat and there was the lightest of SW breeze blowing. Water temperature inshore was around 21 deg. C, but deeper out it was just over 23 deg. C.

The plan for the day was to go out deep to look for some Yellowfin Tuna, and then on the way back make some stops to target some reef fish and hopefully get ourselves a Geelbek. We shot straight out to the Canyon area and on the way passed some Dolphins, when we reached a depth of 300m we set out our spread and started some trolling. The trip to the Canyon only took 30min as it was so flat I was able to make way full steam ahead, and we saw some Dolphins and a Whale on the way out there. I carried on trolling as deep as 600m when we picked up a pod of Dolphins about 400 strong which decides to travel with us, there was lots and lots of baby Dolphins in the pod. Our new found friends decided to stay with us and did not leave, and although they are nice to see they were keeping the fish away from our lures and so we brought the spread in and then travelled North about 5Km to evade the Dolphins and then reset our spread and started making our way towards shallower waters.

When we reached the 150m mark we brought in the spread and I started slowly examining the Sonar for any activity on the bottom, and when we got to 110m depth I saw some showings and cut the motors and we dropped some baits. It was not long before we landed a super size Englishman. Shortly after that we pulled a large Geelbek, and continued to catch various other bottom dwellers including a small shark.

It was an awesome day with perfect weather one could have easily forgotten it is the middle of winter with temperatures going over 26deg.C. The 5 guests were comfortable on the boat, and the new top that was mounted on our boat last night provided cover from the sun and kept the rods off the deck in their overhead holders.

Fish Species: Geelbek
Bait Used: Squid
Tackle Used: Penn
Method Used: Bottom
Water Depth: 80-600m
Water Temperature: 21-23deg.C
Wind Direction: SW
Wind Speed: Light
Geelbek
Geelbek

Englisman
Englisman


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Mike Laubscher

About The Author: Mike Laubscher

Company: Blue Water Charters - Durban

Area Reporting: Durban. KwaZulu Natal, South Africa

Bio: I have been fishing since I was 5 years old in Durban and have fished many places around the world and in South Africa, but Durban is my home waters. I fished competitive for many years and I have been running my own charters since 2008 with 2 companies and 2 boats, fish a variety of styles and target a variety of fish species in both Salt and Fresh water, have many published articles in several magazines on fishing. Love nature and outdoors, Am very conservation minded and have a passion for birds. I am crazy about big Tuna, Marlin Fishing and Game Fishing, and also love light tackle spinning, am a total lure junkie. Represented my province in fly fishing for many years and am also pro staff for Rapala/Shimano. I want to write a book on fishing one day. 3 items left on my fishing bucket list, guess then a new bucket list will be in order. As a writer I have my own quote: \"I love taking people fishing because it releases their inner child, and in doing so keeps my inner child alive.\"

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