Trophy Tails

05/01/2026

t's the 5th of January 2026, and finally, the Gamtoos River is almost back to its usual pace after the annual festive season visitors. I spent the afternoon chasing Dusky Kob on a Spring Tide high. After landing three Dusky Kob, one on a Trophy Tails Bucktail, and two on a Mermaid Tail soft Plastic, I decided to make my last couple of casts doing some Topwater Spotted Grunter hunting!

The sun had already set, and time was limited. The day was blistering hot, and with zero boats on the move, I headed to the Mud Prawn banks on either side of the old mouth. The tide had just turned, and this is Prime Time to hunt a Grunter. While Dusky Kob fishing, I saw a few tails waving in the air as the Grunter drilled into the soft mud missioning as they snorted up Mud Prawns. This was all the motivation I needed!

My first cast produced a young fish, which was quickly netted and released without a photo. Two casts later, I had another one on board, slightly larger than the first, but still, these two did not warrant a satisfactory result. A few more casts, and I had a great swirl below my SureStrike Bone White Top Water lure...quickly followed by a sort "Slurp" and a solid hook-up to what felt like a solid fish. Seconds later, my line went slack as the illusive Grunter managed to snake the hook!

It was now getting quite dark, but I knew these fellas were on the bite and I was determined to lure, hook and land a decent fish, only this would have ended a fantastic afternoon on the Gamtoos River. I persisted with several casts before I enjoyed a typical Spotted Grunter SMASH and immediate hook set. The fight was on, and in true Spotted Grunter style, the line peeled off the reel against a tight drag!

After an enjoyable fight, I managed to land a very respectable 54cm Fork and 57cm Tail length Spotted Grunter. After a few camera poses, I released this wonderful chap to fight another day while making many new Grunter babies along the way!

There is no doubt whatsoever our once abundant fish stocks are under threat from overfishing and negative environmental impacts. As you improve in your success and your catch rate improves...give a little back as credit for the next BIG ONE! Limit your catch, don't catch your limit...catch n release! :-)

If you enjoy my content and have any questions, comments, or suggestions to add... I would greatly appreciate your input. Also, a SUBSCRIBE would be greatly appreciated!! :-)

Tight Lines
Brett Harris
[email protected]
+27(0)834125316

Its the 5th of January 2026 and finally the Gamtoos River is almost back to its usual pace after the annual festive season visitors. I spent the afternoon ch...

04/01/2026

Spent an afternoon on Gamtoos fishing with my boet!

Seems he was watching the Trophy Tails channel all afternoon! :-)

Fished the Nursery with Bucktail and Mermaid Tail!

December traffic has slowed down and it seems the Kob were a little more brave! :-)

20/12/2025

Windy afternoon on Gamtoos, but this NICE sized Garrick fell to a newly tied White and Pink Trophy Tails Bucktail! The little Kobbie was stunning treat! :-)

17/12/2025

It was the rush before the storm...Great afternoon on Gamtoos after shop today!Managed a good few Garrick between the two nice ones...nice ones for Gamtoos! ...

16/12/2025

It was the rush before the storm...Great afternoon on Gamtoos after shop today! :-)

Managed a good few Garrick between the two nice ones...nice ones for Gamtoos! :-)

Tried for a Dusky Kob for a while using my trusty Mermaid Tail Soft Plastic, sadly no takers there! :-)

I was just about to get into some Top Water Grunter when the lighting started! :-)

13/12/2025

I was recently out doing my thing when I managed to foul hook a Black Sea-Catfish...aka Barbel!

Around this time of year Barbel aggregate in large shoals on the Gamtoos River, often they are so numerous that they cast dark patches in the concentrated areas!

In an effort to protect their eggs Barble have, like many other fish species, incubate their eggs in their mouths!

Perfect little 'Smartie' snacks I quite sure that many species predate on this abundance. Observing Dusky Kob behavior over the years of fishing this system, I'm more than convinced that Kob take part in getting their share of the feast!

What an amazing species the humble Catfish is! Anglers MUST take more care and effort not to simply disregard this species and handle them with care to return them safely to the water...every species in our oceans serves a purpose!

Its mid-December and we are well into our summer season in South Africa. On the Gamtoos River system things have been slowly heating up and with this, the su...

12/12/2025

It was a great Friday at Trophy Tackle Den - Newton Park (Stefs), but I sneaked off 15min before closing time in the hope of a quick Top Water session in my back garden...Gamtoos! :-)

Shooting down to the mouth area I snagged two Grunters on my faithful Sure Strike Fishing Tackle 100F. One smaller fella and then this MUCH better Prawn Snorter! :-)

Great business day, magical evening, stunning Prawn Sorter! Roll in December!! :-)

08/12/2025

Great afternoon spent on Gamtoos with my Boet!
Only one Kobbie for the session!

08/12/2025

And just like that we have had wedding bells and sneaked in a couple of fishing trips...Last day in sunny South Africa!

Fishing was hard, but still managed to catch a few...right into 'extra time' today!

02/12/2025

Having been away from home and the Gamtoos River for just over a week I was keen to get out on the water for a fishing session. It was Sunday afternoon and with only a few hours before sunset I decided that a quick fish off my small boat was just what I needed!

Drifting through my usual spots I could not get a single bump, it was a late dropping tide the water just did not feel right for a Garrick...never mind a Dusky Kob! Plan B was quickly taken and I motored down to the "VereBoss" (Feather Trees) in the hope of raising some Spotted Grunter on Topwater lures!

Arriving at the first set of sand banks I immediately saw a few good sized tails of Spotted Grunter drilling the Pink Prawn banks. I quickly realized that there was a small shoal of good sized fish feeding in the area. I cut the motor about a 100m away and drifted into the channel and was then pressed onto the opposite bank of the channel but s fairly stiff west wind. it was the perfect position to cast across the channel and slowly drift and twitch my SureStrike Bone White 100F lure all through the prime areas!

First cast and drift almost immediately raised a small grunter off the bottom. It made two swirls on the lure and then committed a good take which immediately resulted in a hookup! Although its great to get a fish on your first cast, its also often the case that you just dont catch another fishing in that session...call it superstition!

On my fourth cast I allowed the lure to drift onto my side of the bank where I intended to slowly work it back to the boat against the current. After only one or two pokes the water exploded under the lure and with a loud bucketing slurp I was immediately into a nice solid grunter. Taking line off a tightly set drag it was a great, but short fight, filled with short stabbing runs until I netted a nice sized Spotted Grunter! After a few pics the stunning Prawn Snorter was safely returned to the water, with a strong release, to fight another day!

After that commotion the shoal had moved on and after another 30 minutes of trying I had no more bites and decided to drift a little further down river to the next set of banks. Along the way I was treated to witnessing a solid 50kg+ Dusky Kob moving off a bank through shallow and finally slipping into deeper water. I first thought it was a Ragged Tooth Shark, something which I had seen a good few years prior, due to the size and wake it created on the water. Only after seeing half the body above the water line did I realise it was a monster Kob. A few minutes later it smashed some mullet against the drop off bank. I managed to film his wake, on full zoom, although its a grainy recording...its good enough to see the wake this fish left!

What a way to finish another fantastic afternoon on the river!

There is no doubt whatsoever that our once abundant fish stocks are under threat from overfishing and negative environmental impacts. As you improve in your success and your catch rate improves...give a little back as credit for the next BIG ONE! Limit your catch, don't catch your limit...catch n release! :-)

If you enjoy my content and have any questions, comment or suggestions to add...I would greatly appreciate your input. Also, a SUBSCRIBE would be greatly appreciated!! :-)

Tight Lines
Brett Harris
[email protected]
+27(0)834125316

Having been away from home on the Gamtoos River for just over a week I was keen to get out on the water for a fishing session. It was Sunday afternoon and wi...

30/11/2025

Popped out for a late Sunday afternoon top water session.

Managed two Grunter off the shallow flats on Gamtoos.

This 68cm Prawn Snorter made a MEAL of my SureStrike Bone White Topwater!
What a great fight!!

17/11/2025

I just love the seemingly endless summer evenings in the Eastern Cape! Nothing beats taking advantage of the extended daylight hours to squeeze in an additional mid week fishing session, and just recently I did just that. Having arrived home from shop duties I managed to load my small boat and make it onto he water with a good two hours of daylight.
The plan was to venture 500m down river from my home and try to tease a Spotted Grunter onto the line before sunset. The ultimate prize this summer is to get a Dusky Kob to do exactly the same! Only days before I ended a very successful afternoons fishing, where I managed three good Kob in literally three casts, with a great twenty minutes doing exactly the same. Here I had countless young Spotted Grunter swirl, managed to land one juvenile and then had a very good Dusky Kob have three takes at the topwater. Sadly he missed the hooks, but roll over the line and pulled the lure down so hard that I though I had the hookup!

In this video I will take yo through the tactics I have used for several years to chase these magical and hard fighting Spotted Grunter on topwater lures. Gamtoos River being more of a deep running river does not have many options of fishing shallow banks. This makes the Spotted Grunter on top water lures quite limited. Because of this limiting factor I have managed to perfect a style of targeting the river bank drop-off with good success. recently I have decided to make use of this tactic to target both Spotted Grunter and Dusky Kob at the same time. A tactic which VERY nearly paid off on the first venture!

I hope you enjoy the content although the conditions were far from perfect I did manage to raise to young Spotted Grunter. If you have any questions or suggestions, these would be greatly appreciated! Its always a quest for knowledge and I'm keen to gain more knowledge or assist others where I can!

There is no doubt whatsoever that our once abundant fish stocks are under threat from overfishing and negative environmental impacts. As you improve in your success and your catch rate improves...give a little back as credit for the next BIG ONE! Limit your catch, don't catch your limit...catch n release! :-)

If you enjoy my content and have any questions, comment or suggestions to add...I would greatly appreciate your input. Also, a SUBSCRIBE would be greatly appreciated!! :-)

Tight Lines
Brett Harris
[email protected]
+27(0)834125316

I just love the seemingly endless summer evenings in the Eastern Cape! Nothing beats taking advantage of the extended daylight hours to squeeze in an additio...