Underwater secrets revealed for rock, surf and estuary fishing

Underwater secrets revealed for rock, surf and estuary fishing

Underwater secrets revealed for rock, surf and estuary fishing: underwater vision has been a dream I have chased my entire life. It’s what got me into spearfishing in the first place. Technology has lagged big time, what with the first 3D units being positively disappointing. Although the most recent generation have produced startling results to marvel at.

But nothing beats an underwater camera for seeing exactly what is going on down there. Fish doing what they do. In their natural, undisturbed habitat. I do put bait sometimes and I have hooked and caught plenty of fish on the camera rod. But it is when I don’t put bait that I really get a glimpse of what gives.

Rock, Surf and Estuary Fishing SECRETS by MYDO Fishing Lures #shad #kob #grunter #stumpnose #perch

Currents

The first lesson you can learn from these cameras is that even at dead low or high tide, the water never stops moving. When the surf is flat, the water under the surface swirls around in huge gyres. At dead low in the estuary, the halocline (salt wedge) constantly moves around underwater.

In the estuary, these bodies of water are distinctly held apart by their varying salt densities. And there are not just two levels of salt. There are many, and there are haloclines between each of them. So as the camera lies on the bottom, these bodies of water move through the scene. A brown, olive tint will prevail for a few minutes, and the next thing, it goes blue as the summer sky. And in this water, swim the fish.

This water has a higher salt and oxygen content and clearly holds more action. And you can see for miles when that blue stuff moves in. Delightful!

Bite Behaviour

Another thing apparent on this video is hoe the fish bite. I am referring to grunter and kob mainly here. As they move in on the bait and bite downwards. They like literally stop over the bait, and jab from the top – for this is the way their mouths are shaped – to pick things up and swallow them.

I have footage somewhere of a big old grunter, having cleared out the bait, started having a go at my Mydo. I was fishing with a shad trace like this one…

Sardine bait up fishing with the MYDO Shad Trace — Sardine bait up with the MYDO Shad Trace

These observations and an order for Mydos from Ryan in Mpande, near Port St Johns, is what led to the making of this video, I hope you enjoy it.

Thanks Ryan!

Sardines and Sighting Maps

Here are the links to existing and past Sardine Sighting Maps. With instructions on how to install The Sardine News right on your phone, tablet, or even desktop.

2025 Sardine Map

2024 Sardine Map

2023 Sardine Map

2022 Sardine Map

2021 Sardine Map