Henties Bay 2011 – Henties reloaded

After months of agonizing anticipation, the day had finally arrived. I traveled from Cape Town to Cradock the previous day. We agreed to meet up in Cradock at 3 am where we would leave for Henties Bay, with an overnight in Keetmanshoop, Namibia.

The team consisted of only 7 members this year. We had 3 casualties from the previous year whom I believe need their priorities straightened out. How can work be more important than fishing? For the 7 of us “A bad days fishing beats a good day at the office”

We had a new vehicle on the trip as well. The Amarok… Clear instructions were given as to the do’s and don’ts when you enter a 5 foot radius of the Amarok. No cutting of bait on the rubberizing on the back, in fact, no exposed knives are allowed to enter the 5 foot radius; If you open a door or the canopy, you have 20 seconds to close it again, no exceptions….

The Toyota had new roof-racks mounted in order to hold the fishing rods while driving on the beach, hopefully this year they will not only be used for decorative purposes..

Day 1 (05 November 2011)

Once everyone had arrived and were ready to go, a quick prayer was said to keep us safe on the trip and we hit the road. It wasn’t long before we had to stop for breakfast and to switch drivers. A driving distance of 250 km per driver was adopted. Some drivers were eventually voted out of their turn due to their bigger interest in what’s happening inside the vehicles as opposed to concentrating on where they are going.

In regards to the drive to Keetmanshoop I cannot say too much that would not get me into trouble. We stopped for lunch in Upington at the Dros, “because you can’t get too much of a good thing”. Some of the guys tried out new careers and had the locals very disgruntled; we on the other hand were in stitches and enjoyed every moment of it.

On our departure you could almost sense the relief the locals must have felt, although I am sure every party on their way to Henties Bay for a fishing trip is a handful at every pit stop.

We had no issues at the border control and after a few promises of fresh fish on our return we had the wheels rolling again towards Keetmanshoop.

We stayed over at the Central Lodge in Keetmanshoop. There must be something in the water, but an ice cold Windhoek just tastes better when relaxing on their grass lawn around the fountain. I am sure they see many fishing parties passing through, but the events of that evening definitely left a lasting memory (for us and them) for some time to come, or at least until next year’s fishing trip…

Day 2 (06 November 2011)

We were on the road surprisingly early the next morning. The guys were probably amped to get to the fishing waters (or perhaps just wanted to get out of Keetmanshoop). As to be expected the festive mood of the previous day soon descended upon the guys and the fun continued. Vehicles were filled with fuel regularly and the guys emptied their tanks only to fill them up again over the following few kilometers. The Amarok was using on average 40% less fuel than the Toyota and this makes a big difference on a trip covering so many kilometers. (On a side note, the guys were definitely the heaviest on fuel)

We had a quick stop in Usakos to collect our fishing licenses which had been arranged for us by a friend that resides there.
The general consensus was to take the gravel road to Henties instead of going through to Swakopmund. We believed this would be the quicker option as you cut out quite a bit of distance… ( or so we thought). I think the 120 km to Henties Bay took us about 3 hours to cover. Everyone was on the lookout for the traffic-cop hiding behind the second mound, just around the fourth bend, past the small tree. When we couldn’t find him we decide to create our own “stofpad spiedkop”(dirt road traffic officer). This resulted in aching stomach muscles from all the laughter. Regular pit stops were made to “check” the trailer, “fill up” and of course when nature called.

Finally we could see the resemblance of civilization in the distance and as we crossed the famous “Soutpad” we knew we had arrived. Welcome to Henties Bay! A quick detour was made to the Skubbebar, just because we could… Everyone enjoyed a nice cold one and soaked up the ambiance of what cannot be described but only experienced.

Arriving at “Rome” (the name of the house we stayed in), we hurriedly unpacked and half the group went grocery shopping and the other half headed down to the beach to have a quick throw before dark. In regards to the shopping I cannot say much as I went for a throw, but the shoppers definitely did not skip the “lemonade” store…

The sea was very brown and had a lot of yellow froth/foam on the beach, the same conditions as we experienced last year. The Amarok made quick work of its first descent onto the beach and we were soon at an “OK” spot. First cast, 10 seconds and on! Only in Namibia!! A tiny one though… We landed a handful of these guys, nothing really to write home about. It was not long before the “vlakvarke” or sea barbell (so duly named by Douw last year) came on the bite and back to “Rome” we went.

The fire was lit and the guys gathered around and relaxed with a cold one in hand, far from work and worries… does anybody know the feeling? Bliss! Soon stories of the big one to come were shared and the night faded into memories with great expectations of what was to follow in the next couple of days…

Day 3 (07 November 2011)

Day 3 saw us up early eagerly anticipating the days bounty. The guys dressed the part in their matching attire. We agreed to fish the stretch just north of Henties Bay, starting at Trappies. The sea was very rough and a strong side wash was present all along the beach. We persisted throughout the morning but only managed a couple of small galjoen. Vennie and I decided to target them with our light outfits and had good fun landing a couple of these guys.

With the water looking progressively worse the further north we went, we decided to grab a quick bite to eat at home and then venture south. We hit the beach at Solitude and Big Boy nominated a hole where we would fish till the “vlakvarke” came scavenging. (This spot would be known as “Big Boy se gat” for the rest of the trip)
It was not long till some of the other guys opened their accounts, Big Boy being the first. A nice kob that seemed to be auditioning for a role in the new Twilight movie, the flopping around in Big Boys hands had the fish nearly landing a kiss on Big Boy’s mouth. After a bit of a juggling act Big Boy finally managed to strike a pose. A couple of other fish followed at regular intervals, but still nothing to spectacular. Pyter finally got the first steenbras and we were all very excited about future prospects, only to have our spirits dampened when we were informed that the best time for steenbras was Feb to April. As most of us had a big steenie on the top of our “to catch” list we were noticeably disappointed and it was with dejected optimism that we decided to focus on kob.

Day 4 (08 November 2011)
Day 4 was a south-of-Henties Bay day again. We started our search for a hole just past Jakkalsputz. Our “early” start saw us missing out on some of the good spots and it was not until we were in view of the ship wreck that we found a suitable spot. After a quick cup of coffee we were ready for the first cast.

It was not long until we were into the kob again. The water to the right of the spot we were fishing looked very promising but required a long cast to reach the hole over the bank. This spot produced a kob almost every cast. Most being around the 40 cm mark, we were still not getting the sizes we wanted.

Gertjie (the galjoen whisperer) finally got a decent sized galjoen and a couple of smaller ones soon followed.
A lot of “banjos” (sand sharks) were also caught when the casts did not reach the desired distance.
After lunch we headed back to “Big Boy” se gat and fished until nightfall. The ever present kobbies provided some good fun.
A day of fishing in the nursery drew to a close and at Rome the fire was lit and a couple of fresh fish were on the menu.

Day 5 (09 November 2011)

Day 5 we fished from just north of Cape Cross to close to Canopy. We fished this stretch of beach in true Namibian style. A cast or two at a specific spot and if there is not much going on we move on. A kob here and there including Vennie with a nice fat little guy and also the odd galjoen, mostly under size were being caught.
We settled down for lunch and Pyter’s little barbecue (which was ridiculed at the beginning of the trip) once again served its purpose and boerie rolls (hotdogs) were on the menu.
After lunch the guys got stuck into some nice little kobbies.
Boel…
Big Boy…
Pyter…
Vennie…

Gertjie was getting tired of playing in the nursery and decided to put on a whole sardine. Not long and on he went!
A beautiful duckbill…

Later I managed a couple of nicer sized galjoen on my light outfit.

On our way back we saw the Toyota take a “sho’t left” into the bar in the middle of nowhere (the name eludes me). The night was filled with laughter and a “Goosen family reunion” and if the grumbling stomachs didn’t persuade the guys to leave we would probably still have been there…

Day 6 (10 November 2011)

The sea was big and once again with the tide being high there were strong side currents all along the beach. We were looking for a little sheltered bay and someone mentioned that we should have a try around Myl 108. Not another vehicle in sight as we drove… not very promising! When we fish south the fish are biting north, and when we fish north of Henties then the fish are coming out south. I think the inside info we think we are getting every morning at the fuel station had been fixed… We struggled all morning with only the odd little kob here and there…
The guys were clearly not amped. Not sure if it was the bad conditions or the “poisonous lizard” they might have eaten…
Perhaps we should rather have gone hunting today.

After lunch I took a walk towards the Myl 108 camp site and made a couple of throws as I walked.

Eventually I found a spot where the current was less severe. I lost my bait to little nibbles every cast and it was not until I changed to a smaller hook that I was able to find out who the culprits were. A little 5 fingers…

The two vehicles later joined me at my spot. We were about to leave when I got a little pull and landed a small kob.
And then one a little better…

A couple more followed and everyone got in on the action. Big Boy…

The guys waiting for the “big” bite as we enjoyed a lovely sunset with a cold one in hand…

11 November 2011

Day 7 was our day in lieu of the fishing and we spent the day in Swakopmund. My dad and I visit the GIANT CRYSTALS museum and it was amazing to behold some of those natural miracles, definitely worth a visit. Some of the other guys had gone in search of a local watering hole and ended up at the restaurant on the pier where we all later enjoyed lunch while being swayed back and forth by the motion of the ocean and wind. We spent the rest of the afternoon at leisure and took in some more of the sights as well as the casino. All in all a most enjoyable day! The restaurant is all the way on at the end of the pier.

12 November 2011

Day 8 saw us visiting Winston for the first time of the trip. Once again the weather and sea did not play along and the trying conditions saw the guys having to put up brave faces and bare the elements to get a couple of fish. We were only just able to get on to Swartklip and I managed to get a good couple of little kobbies. Everyone got in on the action and we landed some more kob, the odd little steenbras and also a couple of small galjoen. The weather turned for the worse and we stuck our tales between our legs and headed for home, kudos to the guys for the effort though. What we know as the Swartklip… It is quite a mission to fish with a couple of guys while keeping an eye on the waves, your bait as well as your fish… exciting…

13 November 2011

Day 9 had the guys feeling less positive and we fished closer to Henties Bay again.
We started north and after a couple of casts moved up to Sarah se Gat.

There was a bank running all along the back of the hole and there was no channel going out to the deeper water… perfect water for your light tackle. We managed the odd fish here and there, but it was once again a slow day of fishing.

14 November 2011

Day 10 was another Winston day. With our courage regained we took on the undulating “Soutpad”. Trying to explain the landscape to someone is impossible, you need to see and experience it for yourself. We continued all the way up to the fence where we stopped for the first throw. There was plenty of kelp in the water and I walked a little bit down the beach to what looked like a good spot. The guys were donating a lot of sinkers to Neptune and they soon joined me at my spot.

Now Big Bow had been telling us every day for the past week that he is one day closer to his biggest fish… Armed with his trusty Penn 500 and 14 foot Blue Marlin, he sent a mussel flying into the depths, walked a couple steps back, set his drag and … on!! A nice little boxing match ensued but Big Boy played the fish like a pro and it was not long till the fish was in the shallows and with the assistance of one last wave the fish was on the side. High fives all round and a couple of photos later saw Big Boy extremely chuffed. I cannot remember the length of the fish, but I think it was around the 6kg mark when I checked the conversion, a beautiful dark kob none the less (probably a dusky as opposed to all the silvers we had been catching). Boel also snuck in with another nice kobbie, and then things went rather quiet… We had a couple of throws a little later on Swartklip again, and I managed another good couple of kobbies and the odd one or two by the other guys. After a pretty successful day for some and less successful for others we were back on the Soutpad towards Henties… We had a very inquisitive visitor…

15 November 2011

Day 11 dawned upon us after a good night at Die Skubbebar where we enjoyed a couple of lemonades and supper. The news of the odd big kob coming out at Rondebos had most of Henties (including us) heading that way. We arrived to find a bamboo forest of fishing rods along the beach at Rondebos (Adrie se Gat and Tyre Bos).

We scratched around the sides but did not pick up anything, only a few little sharks. We decided to go to Myl 72, as it was an absolute pearl of a day and we had great success there last year. We stopped at Cape Cross on our way and had a look at all the seals. Awesome to witness, but the smell was terrible. Arriving at Myl 72 the sun was baking down and the guys were getting very lazy… I believe we hardly had a line in the water all day and Day 11 was written off as another day in lieu of fishing.

16 November 2011

Day 12 was Winston 3.0 (We need to have home base closer to Winston next time). We followed the Soutpad all the way to the entrance of the Skeleton Coast and then drove along the fence to the sea. We headed for the spot where Big Boy caught his nice kob and the guys were into the fish from the word go. Gertjie also landed a nice galjoen and soon most of the guys were targeting galjoen with good success. I got a nice pull and managed to land a young spotty.

With the tide dropping we decided to leave half the group with one of the vehicles and head for the Swartklip with the other. Halfway there I noticed a BEAUTIFULL patch of water and almost jumped out of the moving vehicle to go make a throw. I was left there with a couple of sardines while Vennie, Big Boy and Boel went on to Swartklip.

On my first cast I had a BIG pull, but the hook did not set. I was using an 8/0 hook with a piece of floatation on. The big problem was that I had to walk about 100 meters through shallow water and beach between my bait/tackle and the spot I was fishing from, so I could not make as many throws as I would have liked until the pushing tide made it very hard to fish the spot. I had a couple more huge takes missed them all, I think my hook might have been too big (and that those pulls were Steenie bites) but anyway, I managed to land some nice kob around the 60cm mark.

My dad then joined me and I told him what was going on and he also got stuck into some nice kob. I eventually hooked into a fish that fought a little better and after a bit of two-step between the rocks I landed a lovely Steenie. Luckily my dad was there to take some photos, as I was alone when I landed all the kob.

Soon Big Boy and Vennie joined us. They had been fishing a hole next to Swartklip and were having a whale of a time landing little steenies, cast for cast they were on. We landed a couple more of young steenies until the spot was totally unfishable and we headed back to where we left the first vehicle. Another couple of fish were caught until we called it a day. I was left dreaming about those big steenies still swimming around… perhaps next year…
Boel with another one of these spirited little fighters

17 November 2011

Day 13… 13 is an unfortunate number … and unfortunately this was the last day of the trip. We spent the day lazing around, having the vehicles cleaned and packing. The evening we had our prize giving and many new plans were made for our next trip.