When you can only get at a highly utilized piece of reef

We don’t always have the luxury of jumping onto a boat and visiting reef that may receive little pressure. Sometimes when you have little time or manage to snatch some time during the day you have to make do with what you can get. So how can you exploit your opportunity to the best of your ability?

The ocean is an ever changing environment. With this in mind and considering you do not have the luxury of choice of time, can you allow yourself the luxury to choose the venue eg. You find a nasty SW front looming on the Natal South Coast. What reef would be suitable under those weather conditions. With experience and an efficient spearo network, you would be able to isolate at least one reef that should be diveable. With time and experience, that type of front would probably allow you to refine your decision down to how to approach the reef in question and not to which reef.

You have the reef, now what about your approach. A reef that experiences high pressure will have passing fish on the periphery but few large resident fish on the main body of the reef. If large resident fish utilise the reef they are going to be very skittish and extremely wise.

Baitfish are unlikely to be found over the body of the reef because of increased human activity. They are likely to migrate to the periphery too. Therefore, any large resident fish will seek out habitat at the periphery that provides safety first (cover in the form of caves) and food secondly. Food will be exploited when activity on the reef is low i.e during the night, early morning and late afternoon.

The area of the reef experiencing the most pressure will be the shoreward side because of angling pressure. It is obvious that you should concentrate on the offshore side of the reef. Often with small reef like this it may be necessary to try to get all of the advantages in your court. Consider the following:

1. Carry 2 guns, one general reef gun and one short gun for working in caves.

2. Torch. This allows rapid inspection of dark recesses in deep caves.

3. Buoy. In certain circumstances this serves as a holding platform for 2nd gun, cray bag and importantly as a surface marker buoy to keep boats away from you.

4. Short rope & anchor. This allows you to access the area of reef you are interested in with as little movement off the area as possible. You are able to release your reel-gun and thoroughly work the reef.

5. Focus. You may only get one chance at a good fish, be prepared.