Oubaas Lesch’s top angling bait to catch fish around Gansbaai

Red Bait (rooiaas)

Scientific name: Pyura stolonifera
Catch: all-rounder
Fresh: keep well-drained for up to three days
Storage: freeze 
Where to get it: washes out on beaches around Gansbaai

Wonderworm

Scientific name: Polychaetes
Catch: all-rounder
Fresh: cleaned, in-between layers of newspaper
Storage: preserve with salt and store in the deep freeze
Where to get it: Franskraal and Danger Point between the rocks but it is quite tricky to collect so you can ask a local.

Bloodworm

Scientific name: Glycera dibranchiata
Catch: Steenbras and Kabeljou
Fresh: in a small fish tank with a pump (replace seawater daily)
Store: bleed the worm, soak in brine for an hour then store in newspaper and freeze
Where to get it: pump them out at Uilenkraalsmond or ask a local

Pilchards / Sardine

Scientific name: Sardina pilchardus
Catch: Kabeljou en Cape Hottentot
How to keep fresh: chumbucket
How to store long-term: vacuum seal and freeze
Where to get it: bait shop

Chokka

Scientific name: Loligo reynaudii
Catch: Kabeljou
How to keep fresh: chumbucket
How to store long-term: vacuum seal and freeze
Where to get it: bait shop or catch in season

White Mussel

Scientific name: Donax serra
Catch: Steenbras
Store when fresh: chumbucket
How to store long-term: vacuum seal and freeze
Where to get it: bait shop, dig in the sand on the low watermark at Die Plaat (Hermanus-side)

Prawn

Scientific name: Dendrobranchiata
Catch: all-rounder
Store when fresh: chumbucket
How to store long-term: Store in newspaper vacuum seal and freeze
Where to get it: Pump at Uilenkraalsmond under the bridge at the estuary 

• Read more who Oubaas Lesch is in the introduction here.

• Advice from Oubaas on how to be an eco-friendly fisherman and fish the right way.

• Oubaas Lesch’s best fish to catch around Gansbaai’s coastline.

• Fishing seasons in Gansbaai with Oubaas Lesch.

Bait images from Oubaas

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