Most days start with the challenge of catching fresh bait, and when the bait can weigh in excess of 50lbs and rip 50-100 yards of line from the reel, it's a heart stopping stuff!
Using the same rods as for the Bronzies but with slightly smaller reels and nylon traces it really can be quite a battle to catch Gully sharks, Smoothhounds, Sand sharks, Bull rays and even the dreaded Cow shark - wait until you get one of these on the beach you'll soon understand why they they are named so......
If the tides are right you'll even wade out to sandbars or reefs, often up to your waist in the water! It's great fun...until a Bronzie happens past within a few feet of you!! Wetsuit trousers are a bonus for this type of fishing and you will also need some neoprene 'booties' with a stiff sole such as those used by windsurfers these are essential to avoid bruising your feet.
Usually only 1 or 2 bait fish are kept, the rest are put back to fight another day.
As well as the 'bait fish' there is also a good chance of catching some of the edible fish that abound along this shoreline. Fish such as Kob (which is very similar to the UK Bass) and the Steenbras (similar to the UK Sea Bream) are common and grow to sizes much bigger than you could ever catch from UK beaches.
It's difficult to say what bait is best for the Bronzies, I've had success on Mullet head, Gully shark gills and liver, Sandshark gills, Bullray gills, Smoothhound gills or sections and Mackerel sections. The only thing I can say with some certainty is that whatever the Bronzies want will undoubably be the hardest fish to catch while you are there. After all would you want to feed when you know that Bronzies are on the prowl?