Western Cape Saltwater Fishing Report: 10–11 May 2025

What’s Biting and Where? Your Weekend Outlook

Looking to fish this weekend in the Western Cape? Here’s our expert fishing report to help you make it great fishing. As we head into the weekend of 10–11 May, deep-sea fishing is once again looking best for Sunday. Expect Saturday to bring wind, swell and scattered rain across parts of the Western Cape coastline, but Sunday may offer a much calmer opportunity for anglers targeting tuna in the deep. The Canyon, some 40 miles off Cape Point, remains a hot zone for large yellowfin, while The Ammo Dumps closer inshore also show promise.

Deep-sea fishing: Tuna in the deep

If you’ve got the boat and the crew, Sunday is your shot at big tunny.

Jacques Britz, owner of Jacita Tackle & Outdoor, led by example on Thursday 8 May aboard his boat Striker. Fishing north of Cape Point in greenish 18.6°C water, Jacques and his crew landed six yellowfin between 70kg and 84kg. One tuna smashed a pink spreader bar with white squid, the rest took bait.

Sean Todd of Real Thyme Charters also found fish over The Canyon (34-09 and 18-39). One first-time angler landed a personal best yellowfin over 70kg. A reminder that tuna aren’t only biting – they’re boiling.

Don’t forget: The Canyon and The Ammo Dumps share one key trait – big fish. The Ammo Dumps lie 12 miles off Cape Point and Smitswinkel Bay and were formed from sunken military ammunition, now prime reef territory.

There have been reports of boats catching smaller class yellowfin between Cape Point and the first ammo dump on Thursday 8 May 2025.

Inshore Action: Rock & Surf fishing

Friday and Saturday will be windy, with Saturday’s rain driven by a northerly. However, the shift in water colour could help inshore anglers.

Macassar, Rooi Els, Hangklip and Dawid’s Kraal at Betty’s Bay are producing kob, galjoen, blacktail, and juvenile white steenbras. Water churn could bring that ideal murky green colour that kob love. Die Plaat in Hermanus was on fire this week, with several kob over 5kg landed on bloodworm.

Record Alert: Nine-year-old Julia Twine landed a 39.5kg kob off Witsands on 6kg line aboard Predator. It could be an All Africa Ladies record. Julia already holds records for Red Steenbras (7.38kg) and Yellowtail (13.1kg) on 6kg line. Her father Tim and uncle also boated 20kg and 13kg kob respectively – all in “ugly-green” water off the Breede mouth.

Yellowtail & Snoek

Shoals of snoek and yellowtail lit up Stompneus Baai this week. The action drew a wave of Cape Peninsula boats up the West Coast. The five-hour tow paid off.

A word of caution: a commercial crew was disoriented off Lambert’s Bay due to instrument failure and beached at Die Rooi Duin with NSRI support. Everyone safe, but a strong reminder to double-check your gear.

Freshwater Spots

The best time to hit freshwater this weekend is Sunday.

• Hillcrest Quarry Dams (Durbanville): Carp and bass
• Sandvlei (Muizenberg): Carp, large leervis, mullet, and kurper thrive in the fresh-salt mix

Event News

• The Oceana Power Boat Club’s Cape Bream Challenge (initially set for this weekend) has been postponed to 25 May due to poor weather.

Quick Tips

• Plan deep-sea trips for Sunday
• Bloodworm and mixed grill baits are working for kob
• Target reefs around The Ammo Dumps for yellowtail or tunny
• Pack pink spreader bars with white squid for trolling

Tight lines this weekend, and stay safe on the water.

Report by Chris Bateman, with thanks to Warwick Forde, Arnold Swart, Richard Bewick, Jacques Britz, and Sean Mills.