Inviting a Gentleman for a chow

The Gentleman of the Sea sends many of us on the Kayaks here in KZN into a bit of a frenzy over the winter and spring months. It's probably the most accessible gamefish over these leaner months. This is especially true for the less experienced guys as the Tuna become scarce, Snoek tend to drift a bit further North and species like Daga remain a tough proposition for a new paddler. With the Garrick sticking to a defined zone around the backline, it helps to focus one's efforts and with a few tips and tricks, any skill level of paddler is looking at the potential for hours of fun.

1) Keep an eye out

There are 2 types of Garrick fishermen. Those who have been flipped, and those that are going to be flipped! Operating in and out of the surf zone puts you in harm's way, and it's crucially important to watch where you are in relation to the surf and backline. It's also a must to keep your hatches closed and equipment tied down to avoid a lot of heartbreak and insurance paperwork in the event of a wipe out.

2) Live bait selection

You're not in with much of a chance unless you catch a live bait to pull or drift along the backline. Garrick rarely take dead baits and spinning with plugs and spoons, while at times very effective, usually results in no fish and sore arms after hundreds of casts. Areas like Tinley Manor, Salmon Bay and Salt Rock have plentiful sources of bait close to the backline and should be your focus. You also need to approach your bait selection a bit differently than in summer. While Tuna and Couta may not be able to leave a Mozzie or Mack alone, Garrick seem to prefer the baitfish that frequent the surf zone- Pinkies and Shad. It's worth spending a bit of time trying to put a few of each of these into the live well before getting stuck in.

3) Pulling slow and Steady.

Once you've got your live bait, you're going to want to pull them as slow as possible, focusing on rippy, moving areas of water and the backs of the longer, flatter sandbanks. Since you're definitely going to practice catch and release, it's recommended that you use 1 single and not a treble or multiple hooks. (Due to the way they feed, circles can be a bit hit or miss). Your best option is probably a Kendal or Chinu variant in the 5/0 to 7/0 region. Try letting one bait out on the surface to about 40m, and your other to about 30m with a swivel about a metre above your hook with a 1/2 or 3/4 ounce running sinker above that to get the bait down to cover the feeding area.
In your spare moments, get your work rate up and start plugging/popping into the wave zone. While you might not get a hit, this tactic is a great way to pull the fish out of the surf zone and into your spread.

4) Hooking up

A Garrick doesn't swallow the bait whole, and will pick it up before moving away with it in its mouth. You'll feel a few slow revs as it picks up the bait and here, flick the reel onto free spool with the clicker on. This will turn into a rapidly increasing run as it swallows its prey and heads off. Now all you have to do is give it a few seconds, flick the reel back onto the drag and lean into it, and you should go tight!

5) Landing the fish

This is the fun (and dangerous part). Your hooked up Garrick now tends to decide to try and put you in the shorebreak, and will steam off between the waves. If you feel yourself getting dragged into the surf, loosen up a bit, place your rod into the holder and paddle steadily into calmer waters. You may have to do this a few times, but you'll eventually have it under the boat. Prepare for the next part of the fight, where they'll proceed to slug it out in a close quarters boxing match with big rolling head nods and darting runs around the ski. When he's finally given up, carefully grip him by the tail. DON'T put your hand in the gills, but rather leave them in the water as you either unhook them or cut off the line as close to the mouth as possible. If you must get a photo, support its weight with a hand underneath its pec fins and never lift it purely by the tail.

Finally, take the time to make sure it swims off strong and then try your hand for another!