Durban Bay harbour flats

Durban harbour has been my home away from home over the last 3 months. Only ten minutes drive from my fathers front door step I've generally fished this place an hour before low tide right up until I've had to wade back to shore as the tide comes in.

I've caught a number of species here from small Kingfish (Trevally), Springer, Flatheads, Sole, Pufferfish & even Squid but I've also had numerous frustrating blank sessions as well. This I can most definitely attribute to fishing with much larger flies than I should have. I've mainly targeted Springer here and although they dont have any sharp teeth,they do have very sharp gill covers and time after time I would get hit by one only to have them swim off with my fly in their mouths. Even after upping the anti to a 40lb leader I still lost lost more than I landed.

I cant tell you how nice its been wading up to my waist in warm tropical water, a far cry from the cold conditions I'm used to around the island. I've managed 44 days of fishing around the country since I arrived, and that has to better than any day stuck behind a desk. I'm super brown, I feel healthier than I have in many a year, Copious quantities of sunshine has made me a happy man again, even with all the blanks I've slogged through. I'm certainly going to miss this place, but am itching to to get back to the island for the new season of pike on the fly with my clients and friends.


Parting shot!!!! A smaller sandfish (Dusky Flathead) caught the other day with a tiny mylar baitfish.