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GEORGE NEWS - If he isn't grilling steaks, he's fishing.
Adin Jeenes, a Kleinkrantz resident and co-owner of Joplins Steak Restaurant in Wilderness, has a unique fishing technique and is often seen on the Kleinkrantz beach, constantly on the move.
Jeenes isn't a passive fisherman. In fact, he rarely stands still for long, not even when he's fishing. Once he casts his bait, he walks slowly along the shore. You'll often see him dashing past on his fat bike, scouting for the perfect fishing spot.
Jeenes has been fishing since he was a young child. His obsession with the sport took hold early, and today it's an inseparable part of his daily life. He loves the freedom of fishing along the magical stretch of beach that runs for kilometres towards Gericke's Point and Wilderness. Whether he's running or riding his bike, he covers plenty of ground in minutes.
Jeenes with a 34kg kob.
"It took me a long time to get to know the ocean and what to look for," he said. He scouts for good formation, which looks like sandbanks with gutters running through the inside. A bank will show more waves than the deeper sections of sea where there aren't any.
Jeenes also enjoys spearfishing and fishing from his raft. Anything that moves and involves fishing. This, he says, is his only form of exercise.
"Why run if you can run and fish?" he jokes.
He enjoys the solitude too. The beach gives him time alone and offers the perfect backdrop for a quiet retreat from the hustle and bustle of managing a popular eatery.
Jeenes mostly releases the fish he catches, and his knowledge of the tides, ocean and fish species is impressive. He explained that kob, a fish often found in Garden Route waters, matures very late and only breeds once it reaches 80cm to 90cm in length.
Adin Jeenes shares his knowledge about fishing. Photo: Sanjay Lalwani
He also prefers using a lure with a clip-on. Artificial bait, he says, is cleaner and attracts the right kind of fish.
His biggest catch? A 36kg kob just down the beach in Kleinkrantz.
Jeenes clearly loves fishing. Next time you're on the Kleinkrantz beach, see if you can spot him, and catch him if you can.
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