Learn
The fish.
Freshwater
bass
Largemouth bass
An ambush predator that hits lures hard around weed, trees and drop-offs. The reason most people buy a baitcaster.
Micropterus dolomieu
Smallmouth bass
A fast, acrobatic bass of cooler, clearer water and rocky banks.
mirror and leather carp
Common carp
A strong, wary bottom feeder and the centre of a whole style of long-session bait fishing.
largemouth and smallmouth yellowfish
Yellowfish
A strong, indigenous river and dam fish that fights far above its size.
catfish
Sharptooth barbel
A big, tough, mostly nocturnal catfish found in almost every freshwater system.
Mozambique tilapia, bream
Kurper
The friendly everyday dam fish: easy to catch, good fun on light tackle.
Saltwater
daga salmon, silver kob
Kob
The surf angler's prize: a strong, silver bottom fish that feeds in the gullies at dusk and after dark.
Dichistius capensis
Galjoen
South Africa's national fish: a hard-fighting, black and silver fish found only on our coast, feeding in white water over reef.
Lithognathus lithognathus
White steenbras
A powerful, long-lived fish of the surf zone that feeds on prawns and worms from the sand.
shad
Elf
A fast, aggressive predator that chases baitfish in the surf and loves a spoon or a fresh sardine.
garrick
Leervis
A powerful, silver predator that will take a live bait or a lure in the surf and run hard.
Pomadasys commersonnii
Spotted grunter
A strong, spotted fish of estuaries and calm beaches, taking prawn and worm.
copper shark
Bronze whaler
A strong shark that patrols the surf at night and takes big baits.
ragged-tooth shark
Raggie
A big, slow, impressive shark of the gullies. Catch and release only: handle it with respect.
dassie
Blacktail
A common, spirited little fish of the rocks, taking worms and red bait.