Mike Laubscher

From the weather front I am pleased to report that the waters off Durban are cleaning up and warming up, I think that the West that blew over the weekend helped us out a lot.

Today was gorgeous with the wind only blowing at a mere 2knots, swells were rather big at 2.5m but spaced at 15 seconds making for a comfy day and the conditions were almost to nice. Once out past the inshore area were the temperature was around 24.5deg.C we found the thermocline and cleaner water at 27.5deg.C and decided to fish along this thermocline. There was lots of life in the water which made me happy after the last few dead trips.

The fish were not interested in our lures and so I dropped down some Yozuri's on the deeper reefs and used some red bottom fish as live bait, including a 30cm soldier bream.

In the end the smaller live baits yielded 2 nice Dorado (Mahi-mahi) one being a Bull estimated at 8-9Kg (18-20lbs).

The best action was yet to come when a large Sailfish took the large live bait and ran across all our lines getting himself tangled in all 5 of our lines, with a team effort we managed to get the tangled Sailfish next to the boat where I quickly cut all the lines around him before any of the other hooks got into him and he was released safely, but to quickly for pics. The Sailfish is estimated at 55Kg (121lbs). I am glad I eventually got this fish as I have seen him around a few times and missed him twice already.

The Bull Dorado was the anglers first Dorado ever, and so he kissed it and I remember his wife saying something to the effect that he would never kiss her with this lips again.

Fish Species: Sailfish, Dorado, Mahi-Mahi
Bait Used: Live
Tackle Used: Penn International
Method Used: Slow Trolling
Water Depth: 70m
Water Temperature: 27.5deg.C
Wind Direction: SE
Wind Speed: Light
Dorado (Mahi-Mahi) Kissing
Dorado (Mahi-Mahi) Kissing


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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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