Kurper's en vis koors! Blanking is no FUN!

[GVC86]

Hi guys,

Today was the first time I made a concious effort to catch Kurper (Tilapia) on fly! And man was I fustrated!

We went to De Voedpad kloof about 44km from Middelburg for this "mission" as we saw them earlier this season while
We went hiking there.

The weather conditions were hot (probably high 20's low 30's) partly cloudy and the water was very clear.

Ok so we arived at 09H00 and I rigged my 4/5# rod with a 5# reel and 5#WF floating line and a 10ft leader (2x tippet).
I started moving around the dam cast a #6 black zonker hoping for some bass, yet no interest was show in the fly.
Even casting the zonker at sighted bass yielded nothing. I then tried a red eyed damsel and nope nothing,
Even the sighted fish just swam off as if they KNOW!


After about an hour of walking and casting around the dam I arrived at the the reeds where the stream enters the dam, there I noticed
A school of +- 20 fish, and these weren't babies either I guestimate them at about 10-15inches. And the the "vis koors" started kreeping in!

From 10-12H00 I stood there knee deep in the dam casting to the school about 8m from me, I tried everything, san juans, orange deaths, red eyed damsel, olive wooly buggers (big and small),
Pheasant tail nymphs, DDD's, DDD's with san juan (NZ rig), and the a white death that yeilded a bite but the fish was off after about 2sec. And then as if they all learnt a new lesson.... They all just ignored the white death thereafter!
I varied my retrieves from slow to fast and dead drift but nothing.

At the venue I thought I was casting at Redbreast Tilapia/kurper, but once at home I paged through one of my books and noticed that those fish I cast at resembles the Israeli Tilapia or "oreochromis aureus" as I definately
Noticed the black spot on the base of the dorsal fins.

Ok before I go on too much about blanking today and everyone notices my skill level let's just keep it at that.

Any thoughts on what I could have done better?

Cheers
George

[dlampert]

(2x tippet)

Did you try anything lighter than 2X? What brand of tippet? Why so heavy for 12" - 15" fish?

[GVC86]

was rigged for bass, I did switch to a 4x a bit later. (I estimated the "2x" but actually its just double x mono stripped from my baitcaster +-6kg)
The 4x is Explorer tippet.

[wernerm]

This is very interesting, on two occasions, once at Klein Paradys and once at Potch dam, exactly the same thing happened to me. Even when I did induce a take the fish would promptly stop in front of the fly and just look at it. It's as if the fish we're so dik gevreet they just could not get themselves to chow anything. I also went through the whole arsenal including buggers, buzzers, leeches, nymphs, ants, the whole nine yards.

I also tried every trick in the book from casting it almost into the fishes mouth to twitching, fast strip, slow, dead slow. NOTHING.

On other occasions just a good old slow strip retrieve with damsels and dragons I smashed the fish at the same venue's.

Has anyone else had this experience before.

PS: I was fishing with 6x at one stage

[BenzoV]

Note: I'm speaking under correction here.

As a kid I used to live in the writings of prof Ben Engelbrecht, who did extensive research especially on fish in Harties, which is predominantly Kurper and catfish.
I could be wrong, but I recall him saying something about when kurper lies in shoals just beneath the surface of the water (especially on hot days) that at best you will manage to spook the fish as they are interested in anything but taking a lure/fly.

[wernerm]

Note: I'm speaking under correction here.

As a kid I used to live in the writings of prof Ben Engelbrecht, who did extensive research especially on fish in Harties, which is predominantly Kurper and catfish.
I could be wrong, but I recall him saying something about when kurper lies in shoals just beneath the surface of the water (especially on hot days) that at best you will manage to spook the fish as they are interested in anything but taking a lure/fly.

Pra jy swaer, Oom Ben was my hero.

Still wondering why though. It seems to be something that happens but what could the reason be? Is it that the fish are to hot to feed? Why don't they just move to a lower water table and feed there?

Leaves a lot of questions.

[GVC86]

Hmmm..... Glad I'm not the only one wha this has happened to!

BenzoV that's presicely what happened, they just hanged there about 10-20cm beneath the surface.

Man I'm gonna have nightmares about that till I can go back and catch em!

[KevinC]

Hmmm..... Glad I'm not the only one wha this has happened to!

BenzoV that's presicely what happened, they just hanged there about 10-20cm beneath the surface.

Man I'm gonna have nightmares about that till I can go back and catch em!

I see you used PTN's. Any other nymphs? As Darryl said 2x is a bit heavy. For 10 -15 inch fish try casting smallish (#14-#16) nymphs on about 5-6x tippet. Kurper often also require quite delicate presentation.

Spawning time is another kettle of fish- kurper are much more agro when sitting on nests and will then take bigger flies.

Try team up different nymphs and see what the fish react to and then go from there. Static drifting a team at the depth the fish are cruising is also an option.

Unfortunately its difficult to give definite answers as kurper can be hard to nail with fly sometimes. I wouldn't bother with red eye damsels etc too much though.

Last thing- I note you targeted the shoal (while standing in the water) for 2 hours. Next time try stay out of the water if you can. If you must enter the water then do so as stealthily as possible. Give the shoal a rest if you haven't had a take in the first short while- often fish lock up after being bombarded with flies- if you let them chill for a while then they will often return to their natural normal feeding patterns.
Good luck next time!

[FCLoretz]

Fished de Voetpadkloof last year april and found that as soon as the heat starts building up, the fishing goes dead, I had my best opportunties in the early morning 5:00 - 7:00 and late evenings 16:00 - till sun set. I caught 4 bass for the weekend, whilst the spin casters resorted to earthworms and I only saw 1 ome out.

An interesting fact did come out though that after the sun sets the Bass goes mad there and will hit nearly anything that lands on the water surface.

Here is the Link to that particular thread http://www.flytalk.co.za/forum/showthread.php?t=9047

[GVC86]

Hi Kevin,

I probably weren't the most stealthiest, and I did go down on the tippets to 4x next time I'll try more nymphs and a team
Of nymphs as well.

@ FC

I actually read your post about de voedpad a week ago.

BUT you guys see I have a big problem! Sodra die viskoors intree stap die intelligensie by die deur uit!
And then it takes a lot of effort and discipline not too mention consentration.