Fishing Spots in Eastern Cape, South Africa

The Best Fishing Spots in Eastern Cape

The Eastern Cape of South Africa is a varied recreational fishing destination with rocky headlands, long surf beaches, estuaries and productive offshore grounds; anglers commonly go after strong inshore species such as yellowtail, kabeljou (dusky kob) and garrick (leervis/tailor) from boats, rocks and the surf, while offshore trips can produce yellowfin and albacore tuna, marlin and other large pelagics. Estuaries and lagoons hold popular targets like grunter, mullet and steenbras, and inland waters offer rainbow trout and bass for freshwater anglers. Typical approaches include surfcasting, rock angling, boat fishing, light tackle spinning and fly fishing, making the Eastern Cape a diverse and rewarding region for recreational fishers.

Top Saltwater Fishing Spots

Cape Recife

This exposed point at the tip of Algoa Bay is a shore angling hotspot: winter brings shad runs and plugging for garrick, while summer sees kob in the holes and yellowtail on the ledges when water turns clean and warm.

Morgan Bay

Cliffs and rocky shelves give access to deep, moving water where shad and garrick patrol in winter, while summer brings kob and reefies; sandy corners and nearby Kei Mouth add options when swell is up.

Mazeppa Bay

Famous for its suspension bridge to the island, Mazeppa Bay produces trophy kob, shad, and powerful sharks in summer, with gullies holding blacktail and bronze bream; nearby points rival Morgan Bay for scenic rock-and-surf.

Jeffreys Bay

World-renowned for surf and shore angling, Jeffreys Bay produces kob, shad (elf), garrick (leervis), and summer yellowtail off the points, with sandy stretches yielding pompano and steenbras; launch sites and nearby St Francis Bay open access to reefs for tuna and reef species in warmer months.

Hole in the Wall

The iconic arch near Coffee Bay fronts deep, surging water where experienced anglers target brusher, kob, and yellowtail from rock ledges; dawn and dusk windows around tide turns are prime for plugs and live bait.

Gonubie

The tidal pool walls, river mouth, and rocky points around Gonubie yield shad, kob, and blacktail, with plugs and spoons effective in clean water; nearby Bonza Bay and Nahoon offer similar surf structure.

Coffee Bay

Wild Coast gullies and points around Coffee Bay offer classic rock-and-surf for kob, brusher (white musselcracker), and shad, with spinning producing garrick on clean, warm pushes; nearby Hole in the Wall draws anglers for powerful reef fish.

Cape St Francis

Rocky points and reefs around Cape St Francis are prime for yellowtail, bonito, and powerful musselcracker; spinning off the point in clean water can be electric, and nearby launch sites reach pinnacles holding roman and red steenbras.

Algoa Bay

A big-water playground around Gqeberha, Algoa Bay offers boat access to yellowtail, bonito, and yellowfin tuna on summer temperature breaks, with inshore reefs holding roman, black musselcracker, and dagga salmon (kob); shore anglers work points like Cape Recife for shad and garrick on the winter run.

St Francis Bay

Known for sheltered launches and access to the Kromme River mouth, St Francis Bay delivers summer pelagics like yellowtail and skipjack, plus inshore kob and steenbras; surf anglers work sandy gutters, while boats fish reefs and color lines on calm days.

Storms River

At the river mouth in Tsitsikamma, rugged ledges meet deep water where shore anglers spin for yellowtail and target blacktail and galjoen in foamy pockets; calmer periods open chances for shad and seasonal garrick along the fringes.

Top Saltwater & Freshwater Spots

Sundays River

Flowing into Algoa Bay near Colchester, the estuary yields estuarine favourites—spotted grunter, kob, and garrick—on live bait and soft plastics, while the mouth offers surf chances for shad and steenbras; upriver drop-offs suit drifting and trolling.

Nahoon River

Flowing through East London, the Nahoon estuary is a reliable venue for grunter on prawn banks, kob along drop-offs at night, and summer garrick on surface lures; the nearby surf at Nahoon adds shad action in winter.

Kei Mouth

At the Great Kei River mouth, estuary edges and surf zones produce spotted grunter, kob, and garrick; boats work channels on the push, while shore anglers fish the mouth and adjacent beaches similar to Haga Haga for seasonal runs.

Kariega River

Meeting the sea at Kenton-on-Sea, the Kariega’s clear channels and flats host grunter and kob, with garrick active in warmer months; accessible sandbanks suit wading, while small boats drift the bends and drop-offs.

Gamtoos River

The broad estuary near Jeffreys Bay is famed for spotted grunter on prawn banks, kob on live bait at night, and surface-feeding garrick in summer; boats drift channels on spring tides, while shore anglers target edges and drop-offs.

Bushmans River

A short run from Kenton-on-Sea, the Bushmans offers sheltered estuary fishing for spotted grunter, kob, and summer garrick; work the mouth on spring tides for surf species, and move upriver on neaps for clean-water sight fishing.

Port St Johns

Set on the Umzimvubu River mouth, Port St Johns mixes estuary and surf action: kob, grunter, and garrick in the river, while the points and ledges produce shad, bronze whaler, and seasonal king mackerel; boat trips along the Wild Coast reach deeper reefs when seas allow.

Kowie River

Passing through Port Alfred, the Kowie is a classic estuary for spotted grunter, kob, and summer garrick; troll live bait along channel edges on the push, or wade shallow banks with prawn and soft plastics on neap tides.