Fishing, Sedgefield, Wilderness and Mossel Bay Garden Route
Sedgefield provides both lake and surf fishing where a variety of fish can be caught from Blacktail, to Muscle Cracker in the sea and feisty Bass in Groenvlei.
Fishing licences for boat and angling are obtainable from Sports and Hobbies – Sedgefield (044 343 1236) and remember if you are walking to Gericke’s Point to check the tides.
Fish and Bait Fish
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Blacktail / DassieSeason: All Year Location: Groenvlei, Gericke’s Point, Swartvlei, Kleinkrantz, Wilderness, Victoria Bay, Herold’s Bay, Glentana, Kleinbrak, Tergniet, Rheebok, Hartenbos Bait: Bloodworm, Chokka, Sand Prawns, Mud Prawns, Red Bait, Prawn Bait, White Mussel, Pilchards, Drop Shot Regulations: Size > 20cm, Bag limit = 5 Closed Season: No Eating Quality: Good |
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Karanteen / StrepieSeason: All Year Location: Gericke’s Point, Herolds Bay, Kleinbrak Bait: Chokka, Pilchards, Prawn Bait, Drop Shot Regulations: Size > 15cm, Bag limit = 10 Closed Season: No Eating Quality: Poor |
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GaljoenSeason: Winter Location: Groenvlei-oesterbanke, Swartvlei, Gonnas, Kleinkrantz, Wilderness, Herolds Bay, Glentana, Hersham, Gericke’s Point Bait: Sand Prawns, Red Bait (matured), Prawn Bait, White Mussel Regulations: Size > 35cm, Bag limit = 2 Closed Season: 15 October to last day in February Eating: Good |
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Kob / KabeljouSeason: All Year Location: Swartvlei, Kleinkrantz, Wilderness, Kaaimans, Herolds Bay, Glentana, Tergniet, Rheebok, Kleinbrak, Hartenbos, Gericke’s Point Bait: Bloodworm, Chokka, Fish Bait Fillets, Sand Prawns, Mud Prawns, Pilchards, Octopus, Prawn Bait, Blacktail, Karanteen, Mackerel, Elf, Drop Shot, Plugs, Rapala, Spoon Regulations: From shore or lagoon: Size > 60cm, Bag limit = 1, by boat: size >50 cm, bag limit 5 but only 1 > 110cm per day Closed Season: No Eating Quality: Good |
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Musselcracker White / Silver SteenbrasSeason: Spring, Summer Location: Groenvlei, Swartvlei, Gericke’s Point, Gonnas, Kleinkrantz, Wilderness, Herolds Bay, Hartenbos. Bait: Chokka, Sand Prawns, Red Bait, Pilchard, Octopus, Red Crab, Prawn Bait, Sand Crab, Spook Crab Regulations: Size > 60cm, Bag limit = 2 Closed Season: No Eating Quality: Good |
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Musselcracker Black / PoenskopSeason: Spring, Summer Location: Gericke’s Point, Kleinbrak Bait: Chokka, Red Bait, Pilchards, Octopus, Red Crab, Prawn Bait Regulations: Size > 50 cm, Bag limit = 1 Closed Season: No Eating Quality: Good |
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Leervis / GarrickSeason: Spring, Summer Location: Swartvlei, Gericke’s Point, Wilderness, Glentana, Hartenbos, Diaz. Bait: Karanteen, Pilchards, Blacktail, Mackerel, Elf, Drop Shot, Salt Water Fly, Plugs, Rapala, Spoon Regulations: Size > 70cm, Bag limit = 2 Closed Season: No Eating Quality: Medium – Good when Smoked |
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Stumpnose CapeSeason: Winter, Spring (Sea) All Year (Lagoon) Location: Groenvlei, Gonnas, Wilderness, Kleinkrantz, Kleinbrak, Hartenbos. Bait: Bloodworm, Chokka, Sand Prawns, Mud Prawns, Pilchard, Prawn Bait, White Mussel Regulations: Size > 20cm, Bag limit = 5 Closed Season: No Eating Quality: Good |
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Zebra / WildeperdSeason: Winter Location: Groenvlei, Gonnas, Wilderness, Heroldsbaai, Kleinbrak, Tergniet, Rheebok Bait: Chokka, Sand Prawns, Mud Prawns, Red Bait, Prawn Bait Regulations: Size > 30cm, Bag limit = 5 Closed Season: No Eating Quality: Medium |
Sharks & Rays
Sharks are regularly caught along our shores and the feisty Ragged tooth shark are frequently reeled in. Their conservation status is recorded as endangered by Two Oceans Aquarium, Cape Town and the “catch and release” procedure should be practised when they are hooked. Despite their fearsome appearance they are harmless to man and as one of our apex predators of the sea, their presence is vital in maintaining the health and diversity of our marine environment.
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Black Stingray / Short Tail StingraySeason: All Year Location: Kleinkrantz, Gericke’s Point, Wilderness, Glentana, Hartenbos. Bait: Chokka, Fish Bait Fillets, Octopus, Mackerel, Elf, Yellowtail, Sarda Sarda Regulations: Bag limit = 1 Closed Season: No |
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Blue StingraySeason: Spring, Summer Location: Gericke’s Point, Kleinkrantz, Wilderness, Glentana, Kleinbrak, Hartenbos. Bait: Chokka, Pilchard Regulations: Bag limit = 1 Closed Season: No |
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Bronze Whaler / Copper SharkSeason: Spring, Summer Location: Gericke’s Point, Kleinkrantz, Wilderness, Glentana, Hartenbos Bait: Chokka, Fish Bait Fillets, Octopus, Mackerel, Mullet, Elf, Yellowtail, Sarda Sarda Regulations: Bag limit = 1 Closed Season: No |
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Cat Shark / Pyjama SharkSeason: All Year Location: Gericke’s Point, Herold’s Bay, Kleinbrak Bait: Chokka, Fish Bait Fillets, Pilchard Regulations: Bag limit = 1 Closed Season: No |
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Ragged Tooth SharkSeason: Summer Location: Swartvlei, Gericke’s Point, Kleinkranz, Wilderness, Hartenbos, Glentana Bait: Chokka, Fish Bait Fillets, Octopus, Blacktail, Mackerel, Mullet, Yellowtail, Elf, Sarda Sarda Regulations: Bag limit = 1 Closed Season: No |
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Smooth Hound SharkSeason: All Year Location: Boat, Gericke’s Point, Kleinkrantz, Wilderness, Herolds Bay, Glentana Bait: Chokka, Fish Bait Fillets, Pilchard, Octopus, Mackerel, Mullet, Elf, Yellowtail, Sarda Sarda Regulations: Bag limit = 1 Closed Season: No |
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Spotted Gulley SharkSeason: All Year Location: Boat, Gericke’s Point, Kleinkrantz, Wilderness, Herold’s Bay, Glentana, Kleinbrak Bait: Chokka, Fish Bait Fillets, Pilchard, Mackerel, Mullet, Elf, Yellowtail, Sarda Sarda Regulations: Bag limit = 1 Closed Season: No |
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Thresher SharkSeason: Winter, Spring Location: Boat, Gericke’s Point, Voelklip, Herold’s Bay. Bait: Chokka, Fish Bait Fillets, Blacktail, Mackerel, Mullet, Elf, Yellowtail, Sarda Sarda Regulations: Bag limit = 1 Closed Season: No |
Bass Fishing – Groenvlei Lake Pleasant
Groenvlei, also called Lake Pleasant is situated just outside Sedgfield and close to Knysna, adjacent to the N2 national road in the Garden Route. Groenvlei is one of very few natural lakes to contain bass in South Africa.
The lake is fed from natural underwater springs and while only separated from the sea by a thin strip of land, less than 2 km wide it is only slightly saline, less than 0.35%. Nobody is able to say how Largemouth Bass came to be in the lake.
The lake is not large, maybe 4 km long and 1 km wide, it is also not deep, the maximum depth being around 3 metres with very few “holes” up to 5 metres deep. Electric motors only are allowed on the lake, outboard motors have to be lifted clear of the water at all times.
Groenvlei has no rocks, points or drop-offs to speak of, structure here is water grass or reeds, and lots of it. The entire lake is surrounded by a dense mat of grass and a wide bed of reeds. There are also random patches of grass in other parts of the lake including the centre. Bass are to be found in most these grass beds.
| Capacity | Unknown, surface area approximately 5 km2. |
| Slipway | Yes, alongside the N2 highway, there is no cost to launch but a permit is required from the rangers office on the southern bank or from the tackle shop in Sedgfield. |
| Fish Species Available | Largemouth Bass, Tilapia, Bluegill, Carp |
| Structure | Grass beds and a dense bed of reeds that surrounds the lake. |
| Recommended Lures | Neutral coloured soft plastics such as flukes, also spinnerbaits and light coloured crankbaits. Topwaters are reputed to work well in the early morning and evening hours. |
| Warnings | Wind – the westerly wind can come up which blows away from the launch site and resort, since outboard motors are not permitted that could cause a problem getting back for a boat under only electric power, make sure that you have ample battery power. |
Maps
Click to see a large map of Mossel Bay Fishing Spots
Click to see large map of Wilderness Fishing Spots
Click to see a large map of Sedgefield Fishing spots.
| More info on the town of Knysna | More info on the Garden Route area |
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