Catching an adult kob (they reach maturity at about 100cm) in the surf has been on my bucket list for some time now.
Not an easy task, as finding kob in the surf is a difficult feat to start with. A few evenings ago Jannie Visser and I were fishing along the Agulhas coast and ended up getting very close to our goal.

We started out at our regular spot, but the strong South Easter and surf made it very difficult to get our flies into the strike zone. Jannie suggested a different spot that I haven’t fished before. Sure enough, the water looked much more promising as we could use the wind to get some distance. After a while some baby elf made an appearance but they were gone as soon as they arrived.

We decided to try something different and ended fishing a spot that we would normally not consider but allowed us to get some casting distance. By this time the sun has just dipped below the horizon and kob hour has just commenced. After a few casts I felt quite a subtle take, and set the hook using a double hand strip strike. A few head shakes and some good runs later, the first good kob of the evening was landed. This was followed by an hour of some hectic action, aggressive takes and some fished dropped. It was quite amazing to see how close in some of the fish followed the fly in before taking it. One fish literally took my silicone right underneath Jannie’s rod tip!

Although we didn’t get that 100cm fish, I knew they were there. And as the South Easter prevails, so will my efforts to get a meter kob in the surf.

Tip: It can get very chilly in the surf with a strong SE’ter running, even in summer. Breathable waders and a good rain-jacket will keep you dry and warm.