Angler pens offshore kayak book

DURBAN North resident, Scott Hunter, recently published his first book, ‘Offshore Kayak Fishing’. The 38-year-old said his passion for angling begun at a young age when he ‘caught the fishing bug’. An avid fly fisher, Scott soon found himself drawn to the world of offshore kayak fishing on a trip to Mozambique. He has since been instrumental in the re-establishment of the Umgeni Kayak Fishing Club, and has even served as club chairman.

“I’ve always loved fishing and I saw some guys out on a kayak on a trip up to Mozambique. It appealed to me and I liked the idea of paddling, being offshore and having an adventure out on sea.

“As I begun my journey, I started writing down a few things. The thought of doing a guide was always at the back of my mind,” Scott explained.

He began writing the book in 2008 and said, although his book is initially geared more towards kayak fishermen, it would also be useful to ski boat and jet ski anglers.

“The whole idea was to give a comprehensive guide to kayak fishermen starting off in the sport. It covers the basic skills required to master paddling, including how to gauge the weather, launching and beaching in the surf, reading the sea and understanding the dangers involved,” he said.

One thing Scott is also passionate about is promoting a strong catch-and-release ethos.

“Most of the game fish I target I release back into the ocean. I’m a conservationist at heart and we all have a part to play in protecting our oceans. Most people blame Asian fishing trawlers but there is also a fair amount of damage done by local fishermen,” he explained.

Scott added the response since the launch of his book had been positive.

The book is available from the major tackle shops and is available online at www.offshorekayakfishing.co.za.

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