Mike Laubscher

On Sunday morning we left the Marina at about 06h00 to make our way to the deep where I had located some warm water areas from the surface temperature charts hoping for some Yellowfin Tuna. When we first got out to sea there was a stiff NE wind blowing and the swells were large and the water surface temperature was 21deg.C. We decided to carry on based on the forecast which indicated that the swells would die down in the morning and the wind would let up a little.

Sure enough as we got out deeper the water temperature started increasing and at 130m it was on 22deg.C and by the time we got to the area indicated by the charts it was on 22.5deg.C in 450m of water when I set a spread of lures to troll. We noticed a lot of bird activity further out and headed towards them and upon approaching them we found the temperature was over 23deg.C, we also saw a huge Blue Whale out in this deep water and the depth was around 700m. I was sure we would find Tuna with all the bird activity but we could not keep our lures in the water as the birds were constantly picking them up and after we had 8 or 9 Albatrosses and Petrels tangled up in the lines having to always stop bring them to the boat attend to them carefully and release them we decided to leave the area and made our way North with a long troll till we got to 65m where we started doing some bottom fishing.

By this time the swells and wind had subsided as forecasted and we made a long drift over reefs and pinnacles and the day turned out quite pleasant.

On the drift we caught a lot of Rockod and Soldier Bream and the highlight was an area which produced some nice Copper Bream. We also saw a Loggerhead Turtle out here which is a sure sign that summer was on the way. One of the ladies also said she saw the tail of a large fish when she heard it jump.

On the drift we got accompanied by an increasing amount of Petrels which fascinated the ladies on the boat with their comical antics and I showed them how to feed them by hand and they had a great time feeding them watching them squabble and run on the water, eventually the birds became so forward that one could not put your hands over the side and it even became unsafe to take a pee for fear it would get nipped.

The ladies reminded us about the Nemo movie where the birds were always saying "mine, mine, mine" and I think with their greedy behaviour it was correct.

Fish Species: Copper Bream
Bait Used: Squid
Tackle Used: Penn
Method Used: Bottom
Water Depth: 80-700m
Water Temperature: 21-13deg.C
Wind Direction: NE
Wind Speed: Heavy
Copper Bream
Copper Bream

Albatross
Albatross


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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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