Warner Beach fishing queen keen to cast next year
My greatest achievement is fishing for Natal and I take pride when wearing my colours.
Candice Coetzer, 51, is chuffed she will be fishing the Game Fish Nationals for Natal next year after it got cancelled this year. “I will also be fishing in the top 10 game fish competition in March and hopefully many more inter-clubs, women’s, inter-provincial and national compos,” said the Warner Beach Ski Boat Club member.
She has earned her Natal colours, has fished inter-zonal, inter-provincial and nationals and represented Warner Beach numerous times. At an Umhlanga inter-club competition recently she was named Top Lady Angler. “I did not expect it, as I did not know there was a ladies category as the competitions I have fished were are all on par, with no ‘ladies tee’.
“A bottom fish soldier clinched the award for me. We were not allowed to weigh the fish, but took measurements and this small one was 45cm. Unfortunately our team was not placed. Weather conditions were not good, so we came back early and the next day was called off and our fishing abilities were halted.”
Candice was born in Springs and attended Selpark Primary and Johan Jurgens Commercial High School. She is married to Johan ‘Cuta’ Coetzer, who she said is her mentor. They have three children – Roxzanne 32, Chene 28, and Caitlin, 20, who also fishes. She moved to Winklespruit in 2004 and lists her hobbies as art and crafts, and gardening.
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“I started fishing 26 years ago when I met my husband and we went deepsea fishing. I’ve been hooked ever since. It is my ‘retail therapy’ and my happy place – the ability to go out and find the fish, the enjoyment preparing the tackle and of course fighting the fish on a 10kg line glass.”
In 2016 she was awarded first place in the Durban women’s competition and has hooked various first places in many private competitions over the years. “My greatest achievement is fishing for Natal and I take so much pride when wearing my colours.”
She has achieved the following medals in the IGFA and SADSAA 10kg line class: Inter Zonal Game Fish 2014 – gold; Inter-provincial Game Fish 2015 – silver; Inter-provincial Light Tackle Sailfish 2016 – bronze; Nationals Light Tackle Sailfish 2016 – gold; Inter-provincial Heavy Tackle Bill Fish 80kg line class 2017 – bronze.
“There have been so many memorable catches, as I only fish with 10kg line glass to give the fish a fighting chance and me a good fight, but the most has to be the first time I fished the light tackle bill fish nationals among all the professional fishermen and I hooked a huge sailfish on a 10kg line and our team won gold.
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My toughest catch was a blue marlin due to the fighting chair being too long for my legs and the harness of the day was too big for me, so I had to reel it in with my arms with no help from the harness. I now have my own customer harness, as I have caught black and striped marlin. All billfish are released. The boardbill marlin still eludes me.”
Asked if she prefers rock and surf or deepsea fishing, Candice said: “Deepsea is what I enjoy – the excitement and covering a lot of water to give us the opportunity to go and target different species. My dream destination to fish at is the Florida Keys.”
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