Lobotes (Triple Tail)
The peculiar Lobotes are caught all year round but are particularly abundant from March to May after the river has been down in flood. They are seen entering the Tugela river estuary in large shoals, some fishermen catching up to 7 of these fish in one mornings fishing while the shoal has been in a feeding frenzy. The average size is 5kgs. Thereafter, they are fairly abundant from July to October, often caught on live mullet while fishermen are fishing for Garrick. Generally, the larger Lobotes are caught later in the year. Specimens approximately 10kgs have been recorded.

Salmon/Kob Fishing
Shoal salmon, averaging 2kgs and snapper salmon are abundant all year round, with catches peaking in April-May and July-December. However, should the fisherman be looking for the “big ones”… June to October is time to fish for Daga Salmon. Caught mainly on live mullet during the night, the Dagas caught here have been recorded to grow as big as 50kg (that we know of). The big Daga salmon move into the estuary during the night to ambush baitfish. On a calm night, one can hear the splashes of the mullet jumping as the Dagas chase them into the shallows.

Garrick (Leervis)
One of the most exciting fish to catch is the Garrick. Arriving in June, this gamefish is seen entering the estuary, creating giant splashes and havoc as they corner mullet and baitfish that desperately try to get away. Garrick are caught throughout the winter until October. Depending on the water colour and temperature, are even caught into late November. The average size for garrick is about 10kg, but late in the season, around August-September, larger ones up to 24kgs have been caught.

Sharks
Tugela beach is probably the best place on the North Coast to catch sharks. Sharks can be seen close inshore, after the river has come down in November to February, getting rid of parasites in the fresh water. Species quite abundant Zambezi(bull) sharks, ragged tooth, great white, dusky, hammer head, tiger sharks, milk sharks, blackspot sharks and sand sharks. We have no shark nets, which gives the shark angler the ideal place and chance to get hooked up to into one of these powerful predators of the sea. Swimming out a shark between 2 and 4kgs as bait is only for the “well equipped” shark angler. Before your shark even reaches the backline, your rod will be pulled down to the horizon with the line peeling off your spool at an uncontrollable rate. If you haven’t got the right shark tackle, you will end up either with your bait bitten off, your line broken off, or arrive back home with an empty or bust spool- as many of our holiday makers have found out. But you’re welcome to come and play.

Other Species
A number of other species can also be targeted. Shad, grunter, bream and snapper, just to mention a few edibles and a variety of rays and smaller shark species make up some of the non-edible species list. JD Lotz, co-owner and manager of Tugela Mouth Resort is an avid fisherman himself and he is always willing to assist with choice of bait, setting up rigs and other technical info you might require to target your favorite species.

Click here for a complete species listing...