Herewith an update on the St. Lucia mounth as from the past Easter weekend. (7 April 2007)
A broken trailer axle on our way to Jozini caused a pleasant detour to St. Lucia this past Easter weekend. We arrived in St. Lucia late (23h00) on Good Friday, it was amazing to see all the ski boats parked at hotels and lodges, people walking through the streets and almost all the shops still open (Including the tackle shop.) Me and my friend Stephen are both addicted saltwater fly fishermen and it took minor adjustments to our tackle to prepare us for fishing the next morning.
We pitched up at the mouth when it was still dark the next morning. Armed with light fly rods we approached pushing tide thrusting trough the 60m open mouth. The sea water was pumping trough at an enormous rate. Our fly lines got swept along the current almost immediately. Forcing us to retrieve the fly along the curved shore of the mouth. I had a massive big white fly on; it did not take long before a 1 Kg kingfish set the hook and gave me a good battle against the current.
Shortly after this the Ski-Boats started to launch through the mouth. The first boat hit the waves hard; it almost looked as if the boat was going to flip backwards. There was a good half an hour before the next set of boats went through; they had it a lot easier than the first boat. We saw three, full crew, charter boats launching through the mouth which brings the total of boats that launched that morning to seven.
I estimate about a 100 rock and surf fishermen at the mouth that Saturday morning with two fly fishermen. Almost without exception all the traces were shad bottom traces. Between me and Stephen we caught 3 king fish and 2 small Wave Garricks directly in the mouth. The rock and surf fishermen unfortunately did not land a single fish.
The rest of the Saturday we spend at a stormy Cape Vidal. The launch site at Cape Vidal is filled up with sand and we did not see a single boat attempting a launch through that strong rip current.
On our way back we turned in a sugar cane farm and got permission to fish a stretch of the Pongola river. We “klapped” the tigers! What a highlight to a trip that took a direction of its own.
Enjoy the fotos!
Hendrik Enslin
