Hooked?

Hooked on football or hooked on fishing!? Whilst most South Africans, and without doubt our visiting fans, are completely hooked on football, there are some fans who have become hooked on fishing!

Wednesday and Thursday are rest days in the tournament. The next soccer feast starts on Friday 2 July 2010 when the Quarter finals kick off:
Holland meet Brazil in PE at 16:00
Uruguay meet Ghana in JHb, (Soccer City) at 20h30

Saturday 3 July 2010:
Argentina meet Germany at 16:00 in Cape Town
Paraguay meet Spain at 20:30 in Jhb (Ellis Park)

We recommended grabbing a rod and trying to catch some fish while the weather holds and you can have your own feast caught with your own hand. Forecast for Cape Town is rain free for the next 7 days (subject to change of course!) so conditions look excellent for getting out on the water. Why not try your hand at deep sea fishing or perhaps inshore fishing with Hooked on Africa Fishing Charters.

Hooked on Africa have been catching some BIG yellowfin tuna (75- 95kg). The tuna season usually runs from September to June but the great news is that the tuna are still running and the end of the season can be the best time to bag a big one! Most trips are headed out past Cape Point – so a great opportunity to see this famous natural landmark from the water and at a new angle!

A day out in the deep will long be remembered as it brings you in contact with one of the world’s toughest fighting fish as well as a diverse eco-system. It’s likely that in the warm water current you will see Albatross, Killer Whales (Orca) and Dusky Dolphins. Whale season has just begun so a good chance of seeing Southern Right Whales as well.

Snoek are the predominant fish available in winter and the snoek are running big time for the inshore trips. Snoek are an underrated game fish which move in huge quantities during the months of May – September so we can almost guarantee a catch. They are usually 15 – 20 meters deep and weigh about 5 – 7 kg. Even a novice can manage this!

Daiwa stand up rods with both Penn International and Shimano reels are supplied for conventional fishing.

Hooked on Africa are based in Hout Bay and their World Cup special is a per person rate at R1350 for the day. That’s great news as you don’t need a group to charter the boat!

Fishing Trips and Bookings can be made through Cape Point Route: info@capepointroute.co.za and as always subject to availability. Tel: 021 782 9356.

There are alternative options for fishing charters running from Simon’s Town so contact Cape Point Route for assistance or look at the Cape Point Route website for more details and other activity suggestions.

Cape Point Route offers a wide range of Accommodation, Activities, Attractions, Restaurants, Venues, Shops, Tours and Packages on the CAPE PENINSULA, CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA

Fishing Article Posted on Cape Point Route blogspot - July 2009

Images courtesy of Hooked on Africa (from their Facebook group)
1. Sean and Mike with some MASSIVE tuna- taken this June 2010
2. Beautiful Snoek Specimen- June 2010
3. More tuna fishing in June 2010
4. Dorado - all 13kg of it! June 2010

Get Hooked... on the Cape Point Route!

A day on the water and you’ll fall for fishing in the Cape – hook, line and sinker...

Fishing isn’t everyone’s forte. There are always tall stories of the one that got away, tales of warriors battling giant fish, and size scandals. But fishing is one of the most popular activities on the Cape Point Route, and with good reason.

The scenic stretch of the Peninsula from Hout Bay to Cape Point and up the False Bay coastline to Muizenberg has several good fishing spots. Kalk Bay is a fishing village with a quaint but contemporary atmosphere and an operational harbour where you can bait up and cast out.

If you want to drop anchor a little further from the shore, Hout Bay is the place to visit. An early start in the Hout Bay mist will see you setting off to sea with Captain Sean of Hooked on Africa. The company operates fishing charters from the harbour and will take you on an unforgettable in-shore fishing experience. In-shore means that you can still see the shore and aren’t drifting far out at sea. Deep sea fishing means, well, that you’re in really deep water and can’t see the shore.

As you’ll find out on the trip, there’s a lot to learn about the science of fishing – what fish are running and where, the correct rods and lures to use and how to pick a spot in the fishing grounds, just for a start. There’s also the technique of getting a fish off the hook, which you’ll find out when you land a snoek that’s bigger than you. Good thing the locals are there to help out.

It doesn’t matter if the only experience you’ve had with fish involves your pet goldfish. The Captain will show you the ropes and you’ll drop your lines on his orders (and you’ll learn how to do that too). You’ll be taught the technique of releasing the line and reeling it back in. As you get confident you’ll begin to enjoy the calm repetitive motion … until there is a sudden violent yank on your rod and an eruption of excitement on the boat. There’s no gentle nibbling to warn you that a fish is ready for the fight – he’s on the end of your line in a flash.

Adrenaline flows, you pull, he pulls, you reel, he reels, you fight, he fights right back but gradually (with some guidance) you reel in the shiny silver beast. There is more action on board a fishing boat than in a high-speed Hollywood car chase. The Captain and his crew will help get the fish off the line, which is no mean feat as the silvery creatures are about a metre long and weigh about 8 – 9kg. Not to mention their huge jaws and ferocious teeth.

Once you’ve been out on the waters, you’ll understand why fishermen keep going back for more. The adrenaline and challenge with each catch is a conquest. Soon you’ll be tempted to head out into deeper waters to bag that 70kg yellowtail.

As you cook your snoek over the braai with a smug sense of satisfaction, you’ll be the one talking about the size of the fish that was stolen from your line by a Cape Fur Seal and telling the tales about the dolphins and the view of the mountains from the sea.

For more information on fishing charters, places to eat or stay on the Cape Point Route please visit: www.capepointroute.co.za.
Tel: 021 782 9346

TOP AQUA ACTIVITIES ON THE CAPE POINT ROUTE:
Fishing Charters: Hooked on Africa Fishing Charters, Hout Bay
Big Blue Fishing Charters, Simon's Town
Seal Island Cruises: Drumbeat Charters, Hout Bay
High speed boat trips: Simon’s Town Boat Company
Shark Eco-tours: Apex Shark Expeditions