Sterkfontein

[geekman]

Can anyone tell me if there still yellows around at sterkfontein for sight fishing or has the water got too cold?

[Yellowfever]

Too cold see Dave's report www.fosaf.co.za.

[Herman Jooste]

Man I can't wait. Leaving tomorrow ayem for Sterkies. The flies are tied, reels serviced, new leaders and tippet material. YEEEEEHHHHAAAA, Bring it ON.
Get back on the 5th Jan. Pray that I will have plenty pics to show

P.S. A Very Happy and Prosperous New Year to all members and gueats of Flytalk. Catch you in 2008

[chris williams]

Enjoy, I'm off to Badplaas till 7 Jan for SS yellows on the streams, what little the 'developers' may have left of them

[Herman Jooste]

Got back today from a week at Sterkies, WOW what an experience!
Bearing in mind that I have only ever fished for Yellows in the Vaal my eye's have been opened.
Here is a resume of the week.
Day 1. Arrive @ 15:00 unpack and relax with more than a few " Chibuli's ".
Day 2. Go for a walk along the banks to the right of Qwantani, never seen such BIG barbel cruising in my life To top it off the occasional SM yellow of 3kg +. Oh why did I not bring my rod with,????????
Day 3. My guided day. The anticipation was such that I was at the harbour at 06:30 for pick up at 07:30!. Whilst waiting for my guide I walked slowly along the moorings. I saw at least 10, 2kg+ Bass holding on their nests. The temptation to Czech Nypmh a Wooly Bugger straight into their "territory" was huge, however I abided by the " NO FISHING IN THE HARBOUR " rules. I did not want to be evicted after only 2 days.
My guide duly arrived on time and off we went. Taking the gruop to a "good" spot he placed us individually and showed us precisely how to fish. ( This after mentionining that only 3 fish had come out of the whole dam amongst 15 boats the previos day ! )
My third cast to sighted fish with a self tied beetle and dropper resulted in a hook up. Lost The fish was foul hooked on the dropper leaving me a scale.
Day 4. Walked tha banks for about 2 hours and have never changed flies so often. Of course having forgetten Michael and my guides prescription, stay hidden.!!!!!
Day 5. New Years day = Day OFF.
Day 6 . Trekked +/- 3 k"s to a spot that I had noticed when out with my guide. A small point with a bay to the one side where the yellows were spawning big time. From the point was deep water, +/- 2 - 5metres.
Two casts into the deep water with weighted nymphs resulted in 2 takes. Both fish estimated at + 2 kg, both lost within 2m of netting distance, I broken tippet, the other snapped hook.
Day 7. Pack up and go home.

Conclusion. WHAT AN EXPERIENCE, SIGHT FISHING TO YELLOWS 20 - 30 metres AWAY AND WATCHING THEM TAKE YOUR FLY
Look out for round 2!!!!!!!

[chris williams]

Hi Herman,

Welcome back, I just returned from a week on our Badplaas farm.

Sounds like you had a great but equally frustrating time. Main thing is you hooked up with some fish, which knowing you, is the main thing, at least you know you were 'deceiving' the beggars!

If it's any consolation I 'enjoyed' for the most part an even more frustrating time!

I was fishing Seekoeispruit and Komati tribs (main river was far too coffee-coloured). I fished all over and threw the book at the streams. I don't know if there were even any fish there as I didn't see one rise or any sub-surface 'flashes' the whole week. It was humid and muggy, and traipsing through ridiculously high and dense grasses, reeds and blackjacks in my full length waders (crapping for snakes) and beating ahead with my wading stick to warn any off, I was boiling hot and miserable. The water was murky, hot, and running very fast and high. It made wading at Eastco like a walk in the park. It was unbelievable the number of times I did a 'Herman' either by stepping into 4 metre drop-offs or into metre-deep sucking mud.

To offset my frustration I headed up the Skurweberg to my Waterval Boven sanctuary for a bit of solace. Dark olive damsel nymphs fast-stripped under the surface, I thought, form many previous success-rates at similar times of year. Adult damsels all over the place. Again, a 'blank, and to cap it all, on yet another cloudless muggy early 30's air temp day, I headed off to my local shebeen - closed.. grog shops - closed.. thirst maximum..

I couldn't believe around there, it was New Year's Day and everything was shut!! I went back to Badplaas where my favourite spot Aventura (NOT!!!!) had signs up saying 'No Day Visitors' and the place was chokkas full of cars. The Tourist Bureau opposite was shut with a sign saying 'Closed On Weekends And Public Holidays'!!!

The same when we went down to Barberton for the day.

Everything was shut, signs saying only they were open on weekdays - especially the museum! We tried to find a restaurant or pub, and even the single dude (makee-learnee) at their Tourism who was holding the fort didn't have a clue. I sense a marketing profession a'coming on!

Eventually Swambo distinguished herself for the first time since making the wise move to marry me before I was 'gobbled' up by some Hollywood Blondie. She found out from a shop assistant there's a place called 'Bye Part Ite'. Wonderful old Victorian building with eccentric memorabilia in the front, and a HUGE shebeen/dance hall at the back. A radical place and worthy of many more visits and I recommend this to anyone who happens to be in the vicinity. The hospitality, service and food was superb and the decor/ambience were extremely clever and fun.

But I digress from fishing.. my last morning I decided to head to a mate's farm locally and fish his two dams to at least try and break the duck. Swambo said be home by mid-morning as we need head back early to Joeys to ensure son and daughter fresh from NY camping bashes got back in one piece. I fished both dams, again throwing all at non-existent fish with no success. Morale at all-time low. High air/water temps, not a breeze, and ridiculously blue skies, yet again, was my excuse to myself this time. Our water at the farm having packed up courtesy of some cow truds in our water pipe, I went to the farmhouse and asked for some water. 'Have you tried our new dam up in the mountains behind the farmhouse' she asked? It was now 10 a.m. and I was meant to head back to our farm to pick up Swambo. 'Oh, OK, I'll give it a quick look-over', I unenthusiastically replied, with the temp already close on 30 C.

It was a magic place, nestled in the upper hills miles from anywhere amid the most dense vegetation I've seen for years. I was only wearing 'Crocs' and had left my waders behind, only especting a tame dam fishing. I thought I'll give the dam (about 200 x 200 metres) a glimpse, say I'd been there and gone home with my tail and something else between my legs.

There was a little waterfall and a feeder stream which looked quite deep and was nestling in the shade of some trees. I watched it for a few minutes trying to work out depths etc, and suddenly there was a huge sub-surface swirl. I immediately rigged up my trusty 5 weight with a damsel nymph - there were stacks of adults around, and slowly stalked the 30 or so metres to the 5m wide bit of feeder stream. It made sense as cooler water, possible conveyor-belt aquatic food, more oxygen and with a bit o' shade - all appeared keeping the fish happy. The water was clear down to about 2 metres, but the gusting breeze ripples
and light/dark patches caused by the trees or lack thereof made sight-fishing a tad difficult.

Not difficult enough to miss a black submarine finning about a metre under the surface! I cast one damsel carefully checking I didn't backcast into a tree, and ignoring all the blackjacks, tickes and moogies attacking my bare legs, I cast about two metres above the fish and stripped back. No reaction. A second cast, letting the fly sink a bit more to the fish's level and retrieving slower with a lift - no reaction.

By this time I was about ready to emigrate to Mars.

I remembered from my distant past, stalking big rainbows in Hampshire. A quickly-sunk highly-visible nymph, as expounded by the late/great Peter Cockwill. I slunk back to my car, mindful and shatful of snakes, and from my fly tying kit in the boot which I hadn't bothered to take from the car all week, I dug out a size 14 extra-strength short-shank hook. I tied on some lead wire a la Copper John, and a bit of fluo yellow floss as a 'head' - (mainly a hi-vis spotting bit). I took off my gay tapered leader and substituted with 8lb Powerflex. I stalked back and lobbed the thing over the weedbeds just above the fish which luckily was still there. F'all!!

Second cast, the fish moved, I saw the mouth open (white flash) the yellow 'indicator' disappeared, I managed to wait a mini-second before tightening on the line..

A few mini-seconds later, the fish had run out of the feeder stream into the main part of the dam. Several time this wily old thing headed for weedbeds and several times I had to straight-stick it out, or let the line go slack for it to swim out. Eventually I got it within rod's length with hands all a'quiver. Several times, as per the norm, it took off again, but eventualy I got this monster into the net. I realised I was now waist-deep within about a foot of a major drop-off! This fish was virtually the length of my langing net, a female 'bow in prime condition. As I was only on a quick recce trip I had no means of measuring it, but I know she was a ten-pounder. I gently released the Grand Old Dame in the most wild and spectacular surrounds I've ever been privileged to fish in.

No, my cellphone 'camera' was at home with Swambo, as my daughter had 'borrowed' my wife's phone! The farmer, who meantime had gone to Ermelo on a shopping spree confirmed in that dam there was one monster 4/5 kg rainbow, yet to be caught - I know this was it!

With hands still a'shaking, I was about to pack up. On my right-hand side, from where my car was parked I saw a long slithery snake enter the water and swim across the dam. Croc-shoe'd I decided to run to the car. However from the left-hand side I saw an orange-coloured shape swimming in the water roughly where my 'bow had been stationed/relaxing. It was a lot smaller but I decided valour is the better part of discretion and crept into position and lobbed out the self-same 'fly'. First time, a take, I landed a 'golden' trout of about 1.5 kg. In about a dozen casts I hooked up with 3 similar or slightly larger sized 'goldens' that had taken up in the queue on this ambient holding/feeding position/station. Time, and a sense of don't overdo a good thing, made me retire back to the car, where I saw another snake - about 1.5 metres - decide to join it's mate for a skinny-dip.

I subsequently learnt the owner had recently stocked the dam with about a dozen 'goldens' for a Christmas treat. They had apparently attracted fish eagles back as the 'albinos' by no means have any protection or camouflage from sun or predators. I wasn't proud to get the goldens, but it made a revengeful
change to my earlier fishing experiences.. I recommended to the farmer they don't stock these fish again as they're just going to get nobbled by fishers, avian or landside.

The reminiscence of the rainbow lass however will remain with me for ever!

Oh, and by the way, the farmer told me I'd parked on a nest of Eastern Tiger Snakes - not related to the Aussie killers, but apparently still keen to bite anyone with their venom!

So, a week of major contrasts, and the memories of which will stay with me whenever I'm feeling frustrated and about to give up on fishing!

[Michael]

Chris, excellent story...and seems like at least you got that one beast of a rainbow...nice going!

Cheers
Mike

[chris williams]

Thanks Mike, as with all the heart-pourings, it's devoid of grammar and spelling, just how I felt at the time!

Catch up in the next week or so!

PS do you need the loan of a hat or sunblock for your new Avatar?

[Michael]

PS do you need the loan of a hat or sunblock for your new Avatar?

Naah, I like a red shiny dome! It's funny you say that...the better half has suggested (read: told me) that I wear sunblock on it regardless. She may be right!!!
PS: Never got a chance to go to the St. Stith dam again...really want to go have a crack at those monster kurpers and bass in there!

[chris williams]

Let's chat next week will organise a mini-trip!

Cheers, good to talk to you and all the other 'regulars' again!