The Kings and Queens of Hellsgate

Author with a 32kg GT. The mere mention of the name “Hellsgate” will have some skippers break out in a cold sweat with a distinct nervous tone in their voice when they speak of it...with fear, reverence and fair warning. It is a place steeped in history, danger and tragedy throughout the centuries. Lives have been lost, boats and ships have been destroyed and countless memories have been washed away by its strong currents. However, this is also known as a place where monster GT’s roam... Dragon's Back in the background. Hellsgate is the name of the channel separating the Santa Maria Peninsula from the island of Inhaca in southern Mozambique. It’s about 300 metres wide and 14 metres deep in some places. A large volume of Maputo Bay’s water flows in and out of this narrow gap every day; with spring tides the current can create vicious waves when opposing water forces collide - the true danger of Hellsgate! This is also the place where my passion and subsequent guiding for GT’s started many years ago. On this rocky point at the end of the channel I have made countless casts, braved every element, bled, fished in the heat of day and dead of night and nearly died on more than one occasion. I have watched the ocean for hours waiting for that first chase, fished through every stage of the tide, experienced every emotion from ecstasy to despair and battled many GT’s only to lose them in the end... A fish that makes you wonder whether you’re the boxer or the bag! This was my training ground and where I gained a love and profound respect for the most brutal fish in the ocean, the Giant Kingfish (Caranx Ignobilis), known throughout the sport fishing world as the “GT”. I got to understand why it was so revered by ancient Hawaiian culture. æ To them it was known as “Ulua” and likened it to a strong warrior. Women were not allowed to eat of it and you were only recognised as a man by the tribe when you caught an adult GT. This was a long time ago, but I recently had the opportunity to revisit the old backyard and to toe the line with my old adversary again. Our trip was scheduled for one of the springtides in November – a prime time as GT’s thrive in strong current. (One of the three requirements in targeting them successfully, the other two being food and structure.). Our group consisted of myself, Rob and Lesley Read from the UK (Rob fished with me at Hellsgate in 2011 and landed his first GT on this point on dropshot – a fish of 25kg), my long-time fishing partner Graham de Wavrin and his fiancé, Pam, and an old friend, Martin Kinnealy (with whom I had the exhausting pleasure of fighting a huge marlin for three hours on a popping outfit in the Bazaruto Archipelago a few years ago.). Packing and planning started months in advance and our main focus was on GT’s using plugs and other artificials, poppers and stickbaits, dropshot, jigging as well as sliding with surf rods. Preparation is vital as conditions can change and you have to be able to adapt accordingly. A side-note on targeting GT’s is to use the best tackle possible. Over the years I have seen rods break, reels explode, terminals fail and fish getting hurt due to inferior tackle. Buy the best you can afford, you’re going to need it when you step into the ring with a GT. The trip Current forming a dragon's back on a pushing tide. We booked with Machangulo Beach Lodge which is an hour’s boat ride from Maputo and surrounded by 5 marine and nature reserves. Situated right on the channel, it is one of the most spectacular lodges in Mozambique. The lodge has been in operation since 2009 and is fully geared for fishing with two boats. One of the highlights is snorkelling in the marine reserve that is rated as one of the best locations in the Southern Hemisphere. The spa can also calm the soul of a tempered wife after the normal 326 last casts! Our arrival was delayed by a day due to a gale 50 km/h south easterly that made the crossing from Maputo impossible. The forecast for rest of the week wasn't favourable either. Conditions were bound to deteriorate due to very strong north easterly winds that would blew every day. When targeting GT’s, a southerly wind always gets the heart rate going, especially when fishing from the point. The effect will be cleaner, warmer water with bigger swells, and when it meets current and structure, you get a washing machine effect that the GT’s use to their advantage to hunt disorientated baitfish. A prolonged north easterly has a converse effect, namely less wave action combined with colder, discoloured water. With the initial south easterly, we would have a small, but definite window that coincided with the spring tide at the start of the trip. GT Explosions We arrived in Maputo late afternoon due to a CIT heist en route, but after quickly loading our gear onto the transfer boat, we soon headed east towards Inhaca with a chance of a quick session on the point before dark. Santa Maria Point came into view elegantly dressed in sunset colours and it welcomed us back with perfect high tide conditions. We were met by Jacques, the lodge manager, and the rest of the staff who immediately saw the urgent bewilderment of eager fishermen! After quickly rigging our rods we headed to the point...and the GT’s were there! Just like in the old days, smashing bait with the force of explosions in the white water. I used a long cast to offer a chartreuse needle nose and on my third cast I saw the familiar sight of white water erupting where my lure was moments ago. I reeled into solid weight, the rod buckled, and braid ripped off my spool. I smiled - it was good to be back! This point has seen many lost fish due to the rocky structure, and judging by the line left on my spool I knew the chances were slim. This is a place that requires a smooth drag, patience and a lot of luck, but after a 40-minute tug-of-war, I saw that familiar silver flank in the waves. It measured 119cm and weighed in at 32,7kg. I sat with it for a few brief moments, admiring it in the late afternoon sun while gripping the powerful tail wrist like an old friend’s handshake. After a lengthy revival period it swam off to roam the reef again. We spent the next day out at sea with old friend and one of the best skippers I know, Bemugi Sochaka, on the lodge’s 23’ Sensation Cabrito, “Umfana”. With the north easterly blowing at a constant 30 to 40km/h, we managed only a few fish on dropshot and jigs. The game plan for the next few days would be fishing on Inhaca point as we would be casting plugs, stick baits and poppers with the wind, as well as swimming live baits on the pushing tide. This is also a very good spot to target GT’s over spring tides as the current creates a “dragon’s back” when it speeds over the shallow sandbank, very similar to a rapid in a river. The sandbank drops off into the channel and this is where the GT’s patrol. We crossed to Inhaca with the tide pushing where the lodge prepared our fishing spot with a gazebo, chairs, a few beverages and snacks. The dragon’s back was building and just before high tide I made a long cast with my 30lb outfit and a GT hit the needle nose as it cleared the drop-off. With no rocks I settled into the fight and a few minutes later landed a GT of 19kg. æ After a few photos it kicked and swam away strongly with a contemptuous flick of the tail. Unfortunately, we had no further pick-ups for the rest of the afternoon. The Queen of Hellsgate Graham with a stunning 13kg Queenfish. The highlight of the trip was on one such a session when the Wolf Herring made their appearance on the point and I got one on a little Williamson Slick Jig. Graham had his trace ready and within 10 minutes it got eaten. After a tense fight and a few acrobatic jumps, a trophy-sized Queenfish made its camera debut. It measured 102,4cm which equates to 13,08kg! Hellsgate is known for big Queenfish, but this was an exceptional catch. With a very happy Graham cradling it gently, it swam off well revived to fight another day. Shark nights We fished for sharks on the point every evening and had a 100% pick-up rate with three baits out on average with the heavy harnessed outfit. For this specialized technique I normally use 100lb line on a heavy surf rod. We mainly landed Blacktips and Grey Reef sharks but had two massive pick-ups that didn't convert. This trip was also Pam’s first introduction to fishing in Mozambique and she excelled in everything from jigging to throwing poppers. She also landed her first shark one evening on the heavy outfit. Rob especially enjoyed this technique and landed quite a few over the length of our trip with Martin and Lesley on camera duty. Last cast 25kg GT caught on a 150g popper. Our last day saw a windless sunrise with Rob and Lesley leaving early due to flight commitments. We had one more day and planned to make the most of it with the wind dying down at last. Pam, Graham and Martin went out on Umfana, to see if there was any action out on the reefs while I opted for a beach walk down memory lane visiting all my old spots with my light outfit. They had a quiet morning and at the end had some action on one reef when Graham lost a big GT on a stickbait due to hooks pulling, but managed a beautiful Bluefin Kingfish of about 7kg. Martin was struggling with a shoulder injury that didn't help in subduing another large GT that subsequently reefed him. Upon their return we decided to head out after lunch to fish the pushing tide. I opted for a big 150g cup-faced popper as the water was green and relatively cold. I was hoping that the noise would result in some attention. A 25kg GT with the sole intent of destroying the popper inhaled it with a big splash and reminded me once again of why this is called “hit-and-hold” fishing. The tackle however stood its ground against a fish that fought like a Trojan and I was very fortunate to hold up another GT for a quick photo before releasing it. A few minutes later I had one of the most violent takes I’ve ever experienced when an absolute beast nearly dislocated my shoulder blades. It raced off heading straight down to the reef with the reel on a white-knuckle drag and it was over in mere seconds. We were all looking at the water shell-shocked and astonished at the size and power of the monster. (I was using barbless hooks, so it had a very good chance of shaking the lure) Pam had her first top-water strike when a Blacktip shark of about 60kg attacked her 80g popper close to the boat. It jumped spectacularly for a few seconds before biting through the leader, but it was enough for her to experience the thrill of popping and left her shaking. Graham also raised 4 more fish, but they were non-committal because of the cold water which has a lethargic effect on them. Big, noisy slow-moving lures normally work best in these conditions. We left early the following morning and a piece of me stayed behind on Santa Maria Point, as is the case every time I leave. Content in knowing that they will be there on a spring tide after a strong south easterly, hunting in the white water with the force of explosions - this is the place where monster GT’s roam. Staying at Hellsgate Machangulo Beach Lodge is world-class with exceptional levels of luxury, professional service, great food, attention to detail, comfortable rooms and offers a variety of packages and options. It is perfectly located for fishing with a wide range of activities and accommodation options to cater for couples, families and larger groups. Another good option is Bemugi’s Place that is situated closer to the town of Santa Maria. It is owned by Bemugi Sochaka, who is very well known in the area. He is a brilliant skipper with excellent knowledge of the area as he has fished and guided here most of his life. They also offer various accommodation packages as well as fishing charters and his restaurant is renowned for great Mozambican cuisine.

The Kings and Queens of Hellsgate

by Bertus Jansen van Rensburg

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