365 days of fishing

Left school after yet another meeting, that mostly concerned preparing us for the meeting in the evening. A grade 12 parents and students meeting where we could try and persuade both parnets and students that even though they were complete slackers, and hadn't worked for the last 12 years,  if they worked for the next 7 weeks they would pass.

That meeting would come at 7:00 pm so had around four hours to kill. Drove to Kommetjie,  as always expectations running high, turned down wireless road and parked at the parking spot at the end, adjacent to all the yuppy on the beach houses at klein slangkop.  Checked out the beach a bit, tide really low, put together my rods and foolishly left my waders in the car. Thinking that i could cast as well from the rocks, even though i was wearing my chinos and slip on woolworth black brogues.

It is quite intimidating when faced by a huge expanse of water, with no signs to say , "Hi , fish here!" tried several promising looking gullies, of course regretted the decision not to take waders there looked like one or two holes and deep water spots accessible only with waders or a preparedness to get wet.

No fish there heard from a local gathering periwinkles and Alikreukles for an evening meal that the lighthouse was the place to go. Now I have seen and heard people fishing at the Lighthouse so knew it was a spot.

Parked at the main entrance and walked over the boardwalk to be greeted by a sea of kelp and one potential spot already with two fishermen, one of whom was stuck, hectic spot kelpy and reefy, how on earth do you fish there and bring the fish in? Take lots of sinkers I suppose? Light sinker trace and gentle casts. Met a local who asked about the fishing, then looked up at the moon and said that it was the wrong time for fishing there and it should rather be close to the full moon. Local knowledge such a valuable thing must check it out soon as full moon is approaching.

The smell at Kommetjie is very particular, rich, moldy iodiny, sharp on the nose, good for the sinuses my mother used to say whenever we used to picnic there during our brief sojourn in cape town after escaping Rhodesia that had become Zimbabwe . It is a rich smell overpowering initially and then it mellows as your nose and senses become accustomed to it. strange that it is most noticeable at Kommetjie when there is so much kelp every where else on the coast.

The spot at the light house was just too hectic and I had a definitely limited supply of sinkers available. Got to make more on the weekend. So drove around mystery road and then checked out potential spots at Soetwater, either will have to take the kayak or must learn how to fish in Kelp. They have done up the entrance to Soetwater at least. Looking good.

Checked out the Witsands boat ramp as a potential fishing spot, also very kelpy, or a good place to launch the Kayak on a very flat day, the swell comes straight off the Atlantic on that side and there is normally always a wave, still might get the odd wave less day.

Returned fishless to feast on two Cheeseburgers from Macdonald's (R20), then to school to the meeting with the parents, was pretty good got to see most of the parents and tell them that I was still waiting for work after 6 weeks. Still got some compliments which is always nice for my ego.