Info Page on Local Fish, Ray's and Sharks - Chasing-Tail
Below is some information on the fish you catch around the West-Coast of South-Africa, specifically around our area (Langebaan / St Helena Bay / Yzerfontein + Dassen Island). We also provide a guide with the best bait to use and that is preferred by local anglers around here. We hope you find this helps to give you a better understanding of our local fish.
( The list of Fish is at the top with the Ray's and Sharks at the bottom )
The Fish
Blacktail / Dassie
Season: All Year
Bait: Bloodworm, Chokka, Sand Prawns, Mud Prawns, Red Bait, Prawn Bait, White Mussel, Pilchards, Drop Shot
Regulations: Size > 20cm, Bag limit = 5
Closed Season: No
Eating Quality: Good
Bonitas
Season: Summer
Bait: Rapala, Spoon
Regulations: Size > no regulations, Bag limit = 10
Closed Season: No
Eating Quality: Good, if bled properly
Cape Salmon / Geelbek
Season: Summer
Bait: Chokka, Pilchard, Fish Bait Fillets, Karanteen, Sand Prawn, Octopus
Regulations: Size > 60cm, Bag limit = 2
Closed Season: No
Eating Quality: Excellent
Carpenter / Silverfish
Season: All Year
Bait: Chokka, Pilchard
Regulations: Size > 35 cm, Bag limit = 4
Closed Season: No
Eating Quality: Good
Elf / Shad
Season: Summer, Spring
Bait: Chokka, Fish Bait Fillets, Pilchard (very fresh), Mullet, Drop Shot, Plugs, Rapala, Spoon (early morning).
Regulations: Size > 30cm, Bag limit = 4
Closed Season: 1 October to 30 November
Eating Quality: Good when fresh
Galjoen
Season: Winter
Bait: Sand Prawns, Red Bait (matured), Prawn Bait, White Mussel
Regulations: Size > 35cm, Bag limit = 2
Closed Season: 15 October to last day in February
Eating: Good
Gurnard
Season: All Year
Bait: Chokka, Pilchard
Regulations: Size > No regulation, Bag limit = 10
Closed Season: No
Eating Quality: Good
Hake
Season: Autumn, Winter
Bait: Chokka, Pilchard
Regulations: Size > No Regulation, Bag limit = 5
Closed Season: No
Eating Quality: Excellent
Karanteen / Strepie
Season: All Year
Bait: Chokka, Pilchards, Prawn Bait, Drop Shot
Regulations: Size > 15cm, Bag limit = 10
Closed Season: No
Eating Quality: Poor
Kingklip
Season: Winter
Bait: Chokka, Pilchard
Regulations: Size > No Regulation, Bag limit = 1
Closed Season: No
Eating Quality: Good
Kob / Kabeljou
Season: All Year
Bait: Bloodworm, Chokka, Fish Bait Fillets, Sand Prawns, Mud Prawns, Pilchards, Octopus, Prawn Bait, Blacktail, Karanteen, Mackerel, Elf, Drop Shot, Plugs, Rapala, Spoon
Regulations: From shore or lagoon: Size > 60cm, Bag limit = 1, by boat: size >50 cm, bag limit 5 but only 1 > 110cm per day
Closed Season: No
Eating Quality: Good
Leervis / Garrick
Season: Spring, Summer
Bait: Karanteen, Pilchards, Blacktail, Mackerel, Elf, Drop Shot, Salt Water Fly, Plugs, Rapala, Spoon
Regulations: Size > 70cm, Bag limit = 2
Closed Season: No
Eating Quality: Medium – Good when Smoked
Mullet / Harder (Net = N)
Season: All Year
Bait: Pilchards, Fresh Bread, Prawn Bait
Regulations: Size > No Regulation, Bag limit = 50
Closed Season: No
Eating Quality: Poor
Musselcracker White / Silver Steenbras
Season: Spring, Summer
Bait: Chokka, Sand Prawns, Red Bait, Pilchard, Octopus, Red Crab, Prawn Bait
Regulations: Size > 60cm, Bag limit = 2
Closed Season: No
Eating Quality: Good
Musselcracker Black / Poenskop
Season: Spring, Summer
Bait: Chokka, Red Bait, Pilchards, Octopus, Red Crab, Prawn Bait
Regulations: Size > 50 cm, Bag limit = 1
Closed Season: No
Eating Quality: Good
Red Roman
Season: Summer
Bait: Chokka, Fish Bait Fillets, Sand Prawns, Pilchard, Octopus, Prawn Bait
Regulations: Size > 30cm, Bag limit = 2
Closed Season: No
Eating Quality: Good
Red Stumpnose / Miss Lucy
Season: Spring, Summer, Autumn
Bait: Chokka, Pilchard
Regulations: Size > 30cm, Bag limit = 1
Closed Season: No
Eating Quality: Good
Rock Cod
Season: All Year
Bait: Chokka, Fish Bait Fillets, Sand Prawns, Pilchard, Prawn Bait
Regulations: Size > 60cm, Bag limit = 1
Closed Season: No
Eating Quality: Excellent
Rock Cod Yellowbellied
Season: All Year
Bait: Chokka, Pilchard
Regulations: Size > 60cm, Bag limit = 1
Closed Season: No
Eating Quality: Excellent
Santer / Soldier
Season: All Year
Bait: Chokka, Pilchard
Regulations: Size > 30 cm, Bag limit = 5
Closed Season: No
Eating Quality: Medium
Spotted Grunter / Tiger
Season: Summer
Bait: Bloodworm, Chokka, Sand Prawns, Mud Prawns, Pilchard, Prawn Bait, White Mussel, Drop Shot
Regulations: Size > 40cm, Bag limit = 5
Closed Season: No
Eating Quality: Excellent
Steenbras – Red
Season: Autumn, Winter
Bait: Chokka, Fish Bait Fillets
Regulations: Size > 60 cms, Bag limit = 1
Closed Season: 1 October to 30 November
Eating Quality: Good
Steenbras – Sand
Season: All Year
Bait: Bloodworm, Chokka, Sand Prawns, Mud Prawns, Pilchard, Prawn Bait, White Mussel
Regulations: Size > No regulation, Bag limit = 10
Closed Season: No
Eating Quality: Medium
Steenbras – White / Pignose Grunter
Season: All Year
Bait: Bloodworm, Chokka, Sand Prawns, Mud Prawns, Pilchard, Prawn Bait, White Mussel
Regulations: Size > 60cm, Bag limit = 1
Closed Season: No
Eating Quality: Good
Stumpnose Cape
Season: Winter, Spring (Sea) All Year (Lagoon)
Bait: Bloodworm, Chokka, Sand Prawns, Mud Prawns, Pilchard, Prawn Bait, White Mussel
Regulations: Size > 20cm, Bag limit = 5
Closed Season: No
Eating Quality: Good
Tuna / Tunny – Yellowfin
Season: Summer
Bait: Fish Bait Fillet, Salt Water Fly, Plugs, Rapala, Spoon
Regulations: Size > 3.2kg, Bag limit = 10
Closed Season: No
Eating Quality: Good
Yellow Tail
Season: Spring, Summer, Autumn
Bait: Chokka, Pilchard, Salt Water Fly, Plugs, Rapala, Spoon
Regulations: Size > No Regulation, Bag limit = 10
Closed Season: No
Eating Quality: Good
Zebra / Wildeperd
Season: Winter
Bait: Chokka, Sand Prawns, Mud Prawns, Red Bait, Prawn Bait
Regulations: Size > 30cm, Bag limit = 5
Closed Season: No
Eating Quality: Medium
Rays and Sharks
Black Stingray / Short Tail Stingray
Season: All Year
Bait: Chokka, Fish Bait Fillets, Octopus, Mackerel, Elf, Yellowtail, Sarda Sarda
Regulations: Bag limit = 1
Closed Season: No
Blue Stingray
Season: Spring, Summer
Bait: Chokka, Pilchard
Regulations: Bag limit = 1
Closed Season: No
Bronze Whaler / Copper Shark
Season: Spring, Summer
Bait: Chokka, Fish Bait Fillets, Octopus, Mackerel, Mullet, Elf, Yellowtail, Sarda Sarda
Regulations: Bag limit = 1
Closed Season: No
Cat Shark / Pyjama Shark
Season: All Year
Bait: Chokka, Fish Bait Fillets, Pilchard
Regulations: Bag limit = 1
Closed Season: No
Cow Shark
Season: All Year
Bait: Chokka, Pilchard
Regulations: Bag limit = 1
Closed Season: No
Diamond Ray / Butterfly Ray
Season: Spring, Summer
Bait: Chokka, Fish Bait Fillets, Karanteen, Blacktail, Mackerel, Elf
Regulations: Size > Bag limit = 1
Closed Season: No
Duckbill
Season: All Year
Bait: Chokka, Octopus
Regulations: Bag limit = 1
Closed Season: No
Hammerhead Shark
Season: Summer
Bait: Chokka, Fish Bait Fillets, Octopus, Blacktail, Mackerel, Mullet, Elf, Yellowtail, Sarda Sarda
Regulations: Bag limit = 1
Closed Season: No
Ragged Tooth Shark
Season: Summer
Bait: Chokka, Fish Bait Fillets, Octopus, Blacktail, Mackerel, Mullet, Yellowtail, Elf, Sarda Sarda
Regulations: Bag limit = 1
Closed Season: No
Sand Shark / Lesser Spotted Guitar Shark
Season: All Year
Bait: Chokka, Fish Bait Fillets, Pilchard, Mackerel
Regulations: Bag limit = 1
Closed Season: No
Smooth Hound Shark
Season: All Year
Bait: Chokka, Fish Bait Fillets, Pilchard, Octopus, Mackerel, Mullet, Elf, Yellowtail, Sarda Sarda
Regulations: Bag limit = 1
Closed Season: No
Spotted Gulley Shark
Season: All Year
Bait: Chokka, Fish Bait Fillets, Pilchard, Mackerel, Mullet, Elf, Yellowtail, Sarda Sarda
Regulations: Bag limit = 1
Closed Season: No
Thresher Shark
Season: Winter, Spring
Bait: Chokka, Fish Bait Fillets, Blacktail, Mackerel, Mullet, Elf, Yellowtail, Sarda Sarda
Regulations: Bag limit = 1
Closed Season: No
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