Amanzimtoti fishing protégé continues to hook the big ones
Her record catch was a 24kg black musselcracker she landed during the Warnadoone Bottomfish Inter-Zonals in September 2016.
A South African junior female and All African record holder has continued to be awarded provincial colours, this time as a senior. Hannah Anderson, 20, first received her junior KZN colours when she was 15 and was awarded her senior KZN colours at 19. “I was extremely excited and grateful.” Her record catch was a 24kg black musselcracker she landed during the Warnadoone Bottomfish Inter-Zonals in September 2016. “It was an angling highlight for me. “I was on the boat ‘Pole Dancer’ with Troy Cauvin as our skipper. It was a great day as Uncle Troy put us onto the fish and I managed to hook and boat it.” She was awarded with the SA and All African record for heaviest fish of a species in an approved line class category (10kg). “I was rather surprised. I was sixteen at the time, so it was a little overwhelming to begin with, but very exciting. I was chuffed and it was one of the most amazing days! “Nick Nel of the Natal Deep Sea Angling Association managed to arrange all the certificates, so that on our annual prizegiving evening in January 2017, it was made official and I was awarded my certificates. Initially my teammates on the boat were convinced it was a shark. I took a while to bring it in and only right at the end when it popped up, did we see that it was a musselcracker. At that stage I did not think it was a record, but I knew it was a very good size and it was caught using 10kg line, so knew it would be very good for my points.”
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Hannah was born in Pietermaritzburg and matriculated at Pietermaritzburg Girls’ High in 2018. “I was in the swimming team for a few years, but all my spare time on weekends was dedicated for whatever fishing I could possibly do. I have always enjoyed fishing on holidays with my family, but the bug really hit in 2015 when I was 15 years old and my dad bought his boat. I loved it and could not wait to get out on the water again.
“I find it fun, relaxing and I love meeting new and interesting people. I love all sealife and it just gives me a happy vibe. I seem to come alive when I am on the water. I also enjoy seeing all sorts of creatures out there and it’s so calm and peaceful and, when you are with the right people, it just makes it so much more interesting.”
She is a member of Pennington Ski Boat Club and Midlands Ski Boat Club. As a junior she fished for KZN inter-zonals and then for KZN provincials, where she was awarded her junior provincial colours. She then went on to receive her South African Deep Sea Angling Association (SADSAA) colours in her matric year. She always excels in competitions, as part of a team and as an individual. She has featured in magazines and newspapers, and on the TV programme Inside Angling with Craig Thomassen.
“Unfortunately I have not fished any competitions during lockdown. I was supposed to go to Struisbaai for the bottomfish nationals in April and then also fish in the St Lucia gamefish nationals, but both were postponed due to Covid-19. It looks like they have been set for 2021 now. At the moment I’m working on a dairy farm full-time, so every gap I get, I’m going fishing!
READ ALSO: Amanzimtoti golfer clinches second Kids Golf win “I look forward to continuing with competitions, as I love fishing. I am a recreational fisher and as long as I am having fun doing it, I will continue to nominate for competitions. I would love to eventually get my senior SADSAA colors. “There are older female anglers I look up to – Michelle Richards is a legend and I have also fished with Candice Coetzer and Bronwyn Singelton. I absolutely adore fishing with these ladies, as they are awesome! We have fun, a good laugh together and we work very well together as a team. And we all can pull some fish!” DID YOU KNOW? Click on the words highlighted in red to read more on this and related topics. To receive news links via WhatsApp or Telegram, send an invite to 061 694 6047 The South Coast Sun is also on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest – why not join us there? Do you have more information pertaining to this story? Feel free to let us know by commenting on our Facebook page or you can contact our newsroom on 031 903 2341 and speak to a journalist. (Comments posted on this issue may be used for publication in the Sun)
