Reading the Water
Q: Why is reading the water important?
A: Fish don’t sit randomly. They use structure, currents and depth changes to feed and rest. Reading the water helps you put your bait where fish already are.
Q: What should I look for first when I arrive at the beach?
A: Look for color changes. Dark water usually means deeper channels or holes, while lighter water is shallow sandbanks. Fish often patrol the darker water.
Q: Where do fish feed along the shoreline?
A: Along working water — areas with foam, turbulence, and movement. This is where food gets washed loose and fish feel safer from predators.
Q: How do sandbanks and gullies affect casting?
A: Cast into the gully (deep water), not onto the sandbank. Fish travel along these gullies, especially on the push of the tide.
Q: What about currents and rip channels?
A: Rips are highways for fish. Cast just on the edge of a rip where calm and moving water meet. Avoid casting directly into the strongest flow unless targeting strong fish.
Q: Is closer always better than far?
A: No. On the KZN and Eastern Cape coast, many fish feed close in, especially at low tide. Don’t automatically cast over the backline.
Q: How does tide influence where to cast?
A:
Low tide: Target deep holes and channels.
Push tide: Fish move onto banks and shallower water.
High tide: Work closer to shore and around structure.
Q: What role do rocks and structure play?
A: Rocks hold food and shelter. Cast along the edge, not directly into snags. Species like bronze bream, blacktail and steenbras love structure.
Takeaway
If the water looks “dead”, move. If it looks alive — foam, color change, current — that’s where you cast.