Highlands Lodge - any info to share?

[Woodox]

Hi all,

Myself and a few friends are off to Highlands Lodge in the middle of September, If any of you have had experience in fishing there and info to share, we would to hear your thoughts about the venue and tactics you may have used.

Thanks & Regards

Woodox

[smallstreams.co.za]

This season has been tough there (actually in all the stillwaters in the area). Not many fish has come out, but there were a couple of trips where some decent (10lbs +) fish were landed.

Middle of Sept is going to be warm during the day. Mornings and evenings are still going to be cold though.

Tactic-wise I'm not the best person to comment, I'm only beginning to look at stillwaters now, and can kick myself for not latching on to the waters so close to me.

[Woodox]

Thanks for the info Mario, I'm hoping we get some decent fishing - its a long way to go to battle all weekend. Hoping with the weather and water warming a little we will get some insect activity and find the feeding fish. None the less very excited to fish some new water... thanks again

[core fly]

Apparently waters are low,loads of grass in the dams and water murky due to lack of runoff from snow during winter..I also think guys are fishing the good dams too much and this might also be another factor contributing to low catch rates

[smallstreams.co.za]

Thanks for the info Mario, I'm hoping we get some decent fishing - its a long way to go to battle all weekend. Hoping with the weather and water warming a little we will get some insect activity and find the feeding fish. None the less very excited to fish some new water... thanks again

HL is a top fishery, if you hook something you will not by disappointed. Don't be scared to mix it up. From large streamers to small soft hackles and buzzers from the dam wall etc. There are plenty of fish still there. Working hard for a 10-pounder is worth it when you land it!

Good luck! If you pass through Aliwal, feel free to stop for a coffee before the last hour to HL (y)

[FishWhisperer]

Hi Woodox,

Ive never been but most of the successful reports Ive seen in the area are very simple and have the same common thread:

1) Fish one fly at a time as the fish will put you into the weeds and a second fly will only aid the fish in breaking you off.
2) Fish 2x and up. Dont stuff around with thin tippets.
3) Fish big flies - Papa roaches and streamers, kla.

Hope you land your monster!

[Umhlangarox]

Hi all,

Myself and a few friends are off to Highlands Lodge in the middle of September, If any of you have had experience in fishing there and info to share, we would to hear your thoughts about the venue and tactics you may have used.

Thanks & Regards

Woodox

Don't be scared to fish small flies, you will be very surprised how particular big fish can be at times, often opting for small nymphs over big streamers. I am not saying don't fish big streamers, but just be open fishing small nymphs as well!

I have also noticed that come September, when air and water temps slowly start to rise the fish begin to move into the shallows and feed more aggressively. Might not be the case with HL but I would imagine this sort of behavior could be very possible.

[Woodox]

@CoreFly - I heard the same thing .. hence my concern. We booked this trip over a year ago, so no pulling out now - however I have heard some other dams in the area aren't fishing to badly. You guys heard of the following waters Bernard's Dam, Spurwing, Snowden and Bird River Co op ? If things are that bad we may look into fishing some of these other dams in the area...

Mario - thanks for the invite and the info!

[smallstreams.co.za]

I fished LelieKloof on Sunday (morning only) and the fish there were still in spawning mode. These 2 fisheries are only 25km apart, so conditions could very well be similar there. It was a frustrating (but exciting) morning, with fish cruising virtually 5m (or closer) from us/the bank. At one stage I waded in at a area known to fish well, and saw the same thing. Fish cruising but not picking up anything. I managed one fish on a KGB, and the guy that stayed on after I left said he got 3 fish on egg patterns (which I did not have) in the afternoon.

So, the long and short I guess of this post - BRING EGGS

[Woodox]

Great info there guys thanks - well now that Dordtrecht is officially the coldest place in SA - I hope the weather holds and no fronts pull through so that the water starts to warm and we have a few good days fishing.

I will report back after the trip (hopefully with a picture of a + 10 Lb fish or 2).