Season by season
What to target each month along the Garden Route, and where. Seasons shift year to year with water temperature — treat this as a guide, and check live conditions before you go.
January
Conditions: Peak summer. Warm water (20-23 °C).
What's biting: Gamefish month: yellowtail off the deep points, katonkel and dorado offshore, garrick in the surf and estuaries. Kob feed hard after dark on the beaches. Grunter on the estuary flats.
Recommended spots: Deep points (Robberg, Cape St Francis), all estuaries, surf beaches at night
Recommended bait: Live mullet, chokka, sand prawn, spoons for gamefish
February
Conditions: Late summer, often the warmest sea.
What's biting: Continued gamefish; big garrick in estuary mouths; grunter fishing at its best; night kob on the beaches. Watch for warm-water dorado.
Recommended spots: Estuaries (Kromme, Swartvlei, Knysna), deep ledges, surf
Recommended bait: Live/dead mullet, prawn, spoons, live baits
March
Conditions: Summer fading; first autumn signs.
What's biting: Shad runs start along the points; kob still strong; garrick tapering; excellent all-round month as water stays warm.
Recommended spots: Points (Mossel Bay, J-Bay), surf beaches, estuaries
Recommended bait: Sardine, chokka, spoons, prawn
April
Conditions: Autumn — many rate it the best month.
What's biting: Prime shad; big kob on the beaches; musselcracker on calm days off the ledges; galjoen starting. Settled seas.
Recommended spots: Rock ledges, deep beaches, points
Recommended bait: Redbait, chokka, octopus, sardine
May
Conditions: Cooler; winter species arriving.
What's biting: Galjoen fishing opens up in the white water; bronze bream and blacktail on the rocks; kob still about; snoek possible on cold pushes.
Recommended spots: Rocky gulleys, mixed beaches
Recommended bait: Redbait, wonderworm, prawn, sardine
June
Conditions: Winter. Cold, clean water.
What's biting: Peak galjoen and bronze bream in the gulleys; musselcracker on calm ledges; deep-water reds for boats. Snoek runs offshore.
Recommended spots: Rock and mixed ground, offshore reefs
Recommended bait: Redbait, mussel, crab, chokka
July
Conditions: Mid-winter, often big swells.
What's biting: Galjoen prime; musselcracker; blacktail and zebra in the washes. Pick the calm weather windows for the rocks.
Recommended spots: Sheltered gulleys, deep ledges on calm days
Recommended bait: Redbait, wonderworm, crab, octopus
August
Conditions: Late winter.
What's biting: Galjoen still strong; first spring signs offshore; good bream and blacktail. Watch for early garrick on warm days.
Recommended spots: Rocky ledges, mixed beaches
Recommended bait: Redbait, prawn, chokka
September
Conditions: Spring — transition month.
What's biting: Grunter return to the estuaries; kob move back onto the beaches; galjoen tapering. Everything waking up.
Recommended spots: Estuaries, surf beaches
Recommended bait: Sand/mud prawn, chokka, sardine
October
Conditions: Spring warming. Shad closed season starts (1 Oct).
What's biting: Grunter and white steenbras on the estuary flats; kob building; garrick arriving. NOTE: shad closed 1 Oct–30 Nov.
Recommended spots: Estuaries, surf, points
Recommended bait: Prawn, chokka, live mullet
November
Conditions: Late spring. Shad still closed.
What's biting: Garrick fishing switches on in the mouths; kob strong at night; grunter excellent. Gamefish start offshore.
Recommended spots: Estuary mouths, beaches, deep points
Recommended bait: Live mullet, prawn, spoons
December
Conditions: Early summer. Warm water returns.
What's biting: Full gamefish season begins: yellowtail, katonkel, garrick; night kob; peak grunter. Shad reopens 1 Dec.
Recommended spots: Deep points, estuaries, surf
Recommended bait: Live baits, chokka, spoons, prawn
Remember the closed seasons: shad (elf) 1 October – 30 November, and galjoen seasonal closures in some years. See regulations.
