Target species: White Steenbras

DISTRIBUTION OF SPECIES: SA endemic found from the Orange River mouth to KZN

DISTRIBUTION OF STOCK: North of Cape Columbine (St Helena Bay to Orange River) to
Bashee River mouth TKI (Bennett 1993a)

HABITAT

ADULTS: Individuals >650mm extend their range into deeper water (<25 m) (Bennett 1993b).
A large proportion of these mature fish may be concentrated in the SWC

JUVENILES: 0+ juveniles are estuarine dependent for their first year of life but may remain for 2 years or more. Adolescents (1-5 years, < 650 mm) inhabit the surf-zones of sandy and mixed shores where they are fairly resident (Bennett 1993b)

MIGRATION: Annual spawning migration commencing in Autumn, northwards and eastwards to the northern SEC and TKI coasts in time for late winter spawning. Return southwards by late summer (Bennett 1993b)

FISHERY: Exploited by recreational shore anglers throughout its range. Nationally, 6% of targeting is directed against this species. On a regional basis targeting is as follows - WC 4%, SC 17%, EC 9% and TKI 2% (Sauer and Erasmus 1996, Lamberth 1996, Brouwer 1997a, Mc Donald 1998, Mann and Fennessy 1998). Bennett (1993a) estimated this sector to be responsible for 75% of numbers and 50% of the mass of the total catch of this species.
Lamberth (1996) estimated an annual SWC catch of 39 000 fish weighing 86 t for the years 1994-1996. On the whole this fishery is responsible for almost the entire catch of immature adolescents.
Only taken as an incidental catch by commercial and recreational boats.
Beach seines responsible for 25% of normal beach-seine and sinking “Russman” seine along the WC and SWC. Legal fishery confined to False Bay where up to ± 20 t or 4 700 fish are landed annually. Normal seines catch adolescent and mature fish whereas the “Russman” fishery catches mostly mature, sexually active adults (Bennett 1993a, Lamberth 1994).
Sixth most frequently reported by-catch species caught in the WC gill-net fishery but less than 1% of monitored catches by mass and by number (Hutchings and Lamberth 1998.
RECREATIONAL SHORE ANGLING: Based on angler club records there has been a 90%
decrease in CPUE from 6 fish.100h-1 in 1968 to 0.7 fish.100h-1 in 1990 (Bennett 1993a). The SWC linefish survey recorded 0.9 fish.100h-1 during 1994-96 as opposed to 2.29 fish.100h-1 during the period 1971-84, representing a 61% decrease over a ten year period (Bennett et al.1994, Lamberth 1996). There was an increase in CPUE in the De Hoop Marine Reserve from 0-2 fish.100h-1 at the time of declaration in 1986 to more than 5 fish.100h-1 during the period 1988 to 1995 (C. Attwood, MCM, Unpubl. data). Since then, there has been a small but noticeable decrease to 3-4 fish.100h-1, probably reflecting the overall stock decline experienced by this species. Catch frequencies have declined by almost an order of magnitude over the last decade. During 1971-84, 90% of angler outings yielded zero, and 5.2% one fish as opposed to 97% and 2.3% for 1994-96 (Bennett et al. 1994, Lamberth 1996).
TRENDS IN CATCH COMPOSITION:
RECREATIONAL SHORE ANGLING: Became important in shore-anglers catches in the early
1960s where they provided 30% of anglers’ catches in the SWC (Bennett 1993a). Its’
importance grew to 43% in the late 1970s but thereafter experienced a sustained decline until 1990-91 where it contributed only 8% of the catch by mass. By 1994-96 white steenbras comprised only 0.6% of the mass and 4% of the numbers of the total catch (Lamberth 1996).
MANAGEMENT CONSIDERATIONS
The white steenbras stock has collapsed and drastic management measures need to be
implemented as a matter of urgency in order to rebuild the stock.

Information and picture obtained from: www.ori.org.za

The White Steenbras is a very popular angling fish with rock and surf, bait and estuary fishermen.

The raging debate of who is responsible for the diminishing stock of this specific specie between, recreational angles, commercial fishermen and supporters of the theory that the main reason for the decrease in stock is the increased pollution of the ocean and estuaries, if the above facts are taken into account, points in the direction of the recreational anglers.

White stenbraas are most abundant in summer in the Southern Cape and in winter in the Transkei and Natal.

The white steenbras feed on animals in the sand such as:
- sand prawn;
- crabs;
- blood worm and wander worm;
- white mussels;

In our days it is widely believed and accepted by all anglers that the white stenbraas are timid feeders. All that said about them, I find amusing passage from the book Strike, which was generously pointed out to me by a friend of mine:

“…Some years ago my dad and I went to Hartenbosch to fish for red steenbras and kob, which were fairly plentiful at the time. Strolling along the beach we found an old fellow fishing with very crude tackle, namely a very thick hand line, baling wire traces and enormous 10/0 hooks. His bait consisted of some seed potatoes, a piece of sheep’s’ lever, a rotten sea cat, and some smelly beef stake.

My dad watched carefully as the old fellow put a different kind of bait on each of six hooks, and then case his heavy line into the sea. Casually my dad asked what he was trying for. “White steenbas” replied the old chap. “I have heard there are such big ones around here and I thought I will come and try for one.”

“But surely you don’t expect to catch a fastidious white steenbras on that stuff you’ve put on your hook?” my dad remarked. “And why not?” retorted the old chap.

“Well” said Dad. “because white steenbras are rather choosy. But if you don’t mind, take these white mussels, bait one of your hooks with it, then remove all your others hooks, and see what happens.”, whereupon Dad gave him a handful of mussels.
“Thanks very much, my friend.”, said the old chap, as he accepted the mussels. “I shall certainly put some of these on one of the hooks, but I think I shall leave the other five hooks as they are. One never knows.” He promptly hauled in his line, removed some sheep’s lever and substituted some of the white mussel, leaving a mixed collection of weird baits on the other hooks. He once again rolled up his trouser legs, briskly swung the heavy line and heaved it about 20 paces into a sand gully. Dad and I selected another spot about 50 paces away further along, tackled up and preceded to fish. About 10 minutes passed, and then we suddenly saw the old man hauling in his line with great vigour. In less time that it takes to tell about it, he hauled out an enormous white steenbras. We went up to him and congratulated him on his magnificent catch, and dad could not resist the temptation to say: “Well, old chap, you see! If I had not given you those mussels, you would never have had that splendid fish.” “Yes, my friend.”, replied the old man. “That may be so, but…you see…I did not catch it on white mussel at all. Oh no!” Incredulously my dad and I looked at the old mans tackle, and could not fail to notice that the one hook was still full of white mussel bait. “But on what did you take that fish then?”, my dad asked quite perplexed.
“Seed potato, my friend! Seed potato.” replied the old man as it if were everyday occurrence to hook white steenbras on such unusual bait…”

So... whatever you do remember: “Seed potato, my friend! Seed potato.”

It is beleived that the white steenbras feed during the day time and night, if at all, with best catches during the early mornings before sunrise and late afternoons and evenings. It is also believed that they feed well during an incoming tide off beaches.

I use medium tackle when fishing in the sea, as I had bad experience of loosing a steamer of a fish on a light tackle, and there was nothing I can do about it, since that early evening I refuse to target white stenbraas on a light tackle.

I use standard sliding sinker with all nylon trace, and very often if I fish with long stripe with chokka combined with white mussel, I will use 2 hooks pointing in the same direction, one above the other. Size of hooks - from 3/0 to 5/0.

My favorite spot for white steenbras in the entire world:



Once they are hooked, they rush off with enormous speed and depending on the size of the fish they can take quite a lot of line from your reel. Setting the hook in the mouth of a white steenbras can be tricky, as they have hard bonny jaws and one needs to be very careful (if using "J" hooks)when to strike. Untimely strike with fairly big fish, while the fish is running away, may result in broken line and lost fish. Inappropriately set hook may result in a very good run and all of sudden - nothing, no fish, no bait, only the naked hook - one of the most sickening feelings for an angler. Many anglers have reported such experiences.
When fishing for white steenbras, I prefer using circle hooks - no strike, just point the rod in the direction of the running fish and slightly tighten the drag - guaranteed hit in the corner of the mouth. What a beautiful ancient hooking device:

It is common occurrence that white steenbras are caught when they lasso themselves on your sinker line, or your hook line with the line tangled around their heads and going through their gills. Many anglers believe that the white steenbras attacks your sinker, which resembles burrowing crab in the sand. 13kg white steenbras caught in the above described way.