Cape Vidal

[poppernel]

June/July at Vidal were traditionally shad times.
Usually plenty of them in the bay area where the ski-boats launched from.

I used to fish Vidal at least 3 times a year and ALWAYS had time booked in for June or July.
My wife and I even spent our honeymoon here camping on the beach - who said I didn't have a romantic bone in my body

Every morning I would get a couple of live baits and swim them right in that bay area. Caught nice 'Couta from the beach, some big kingies and of course the blackfin sharks.

You could literally catch a hundred shad on fly if they're in.

The ledges north were good - lots of 3 spot pompano and wave garrick where the ledges touched onto the sand areas. Not sure if you can take 4x4 up there anymore, but in those days we could. Saved a hell of a walk up.

Mate, I'd be inclined to take rock and surf gear with you, as those really high tides come crashing over those ledges and make it difficult for fly only.
Concentrate in the bay area for shad; about 3-400 meters just south of the bay, there's a nice ledge at low tide that drops off to deeper water.

Have a ball mate -

Post some pic's up.

Edit: In all the years up there, I have never seen a garrick. I don't believe they travel that far north. Plenty of 'couta and kingfish (warmer water) even though it's winter. Also, the sardines never got that far north either and there was a belief that where the sardines started heading to sea about 60km north of Durban, this is where the garrick's range extended to. Just an observation.

Your romantic ''bone'' made you swim live baits not flyfish. Yeh..jeh..

DAVE

[Babyson]

haha, had to chuckle at that. You on a role today pops

[poppernel]

haha, had to chuckle at that. You on a role today pops

NAW!! Just pleased you got ''hitched'' to a lovely lady that ''treats you well''.

LOVE HER BOET, she's special.

DAVE

[Babyson]

NAW!! Just pleased you got ''hitched'' to a lovely lady that ''treats you well''.

LOVE HER BOET, she's special.

DAVE

Think you confusing me with dogtooth a bit there Dave, but no worries. I got a good woman looking after me too

Rob

[poppernel]

Think you confusing me with dogtooth a bit there Dave, but no worries. I got a good woman looking after me too

Rob

Ladies ''love'' flyfishers anyways.

DAVE

[Bryan]

Howzit guys, I am off to Cape Vidal at the beginning of January and am taking my #7 weight along as I am keen to try some saltwater for this first time. Hoping to catch some wave garrick, pompano, etc.

I am after some advice on the best spots to fly fish from, top flies or any other advice from the guys that have been there.

Please help a saltwater newbie out

[redhumpy]

Newbie....Anyways the best advice I can give is:
Walking to Lighthouse point on the beach is almost an hour trek.
In my opinion it is the best spot as there is a nice big bay with deep water and also some nice rocks close by. Bastard mullet or threadfin are plenty in the bay and great fun to catch. Lighthouse point is SOUTH of the chalets.

Now for humpy's tip. Instead of walking on the beach to Lighthouse point there is a very cool path just behind the dunes before you reach the beach. Staying on the path will save you 40 mins and sore legs. The path comes out just before lighthouse point and directly onto some awesome fishing spots away from the crowds.

[jock0]

Take a drive to mission rocks and then walk about 2km's north. Plenty needlescales, small kingys and wave garrick in all the small bays and holes.

Walking roughly 2-3km north of the main bay gets you to some nice ledges/ bays that no one really fishes due to the walk. Fish right in the shore break near sea lice - you'll catch fish behind you if you wade in a few steps

The main bay itself was very productive at full high if it co-incided with sundown. Lots of wave garrick and karenteen off the beach but not much off the ledges, mostly russels snapper which are bastard to deal with....

I use an #8 (always seemd to be windy), an intermediate and 6ft of straight 15lb with a non slip mono loop to connect my flies. Most successful flies were #6 white clousers with tungsten eyes and an orange flash wrapped around the hook shank or orange egg patch tied in. You wabt to imitate small shrimps, crabs and sea lice which are all white with the orange highlight.

[Ko7Ad]

if you are after Wave Garrick (3 Spot Pompano) take a walk to the north from the main beach. About 800m up you start getting small rock ledges and some nice gullies you can fish for probably another 1km. white & chart clousers on 1/0 hooks are killers for them. TBH they eat anything, the pest of Vidal those things!

what dates are you heading down? maybe i will spot you there

[Bryan]

Thanks guys. That's what I love about this forum

I will be there for the first week of January.

Don't have a boat but can you target the bigger fish from the shore successfully?

I take it if I want to target anything bigger I would need a #9 weight or up.

Also, what are the best times to fish - low tide, high turning to low, etc?