Vaal River Update

[C J]

For those of us who were housebound who fished this weekend, and what did you catch?????

A cold perhaps....weather was to k@k to fish...but awsome for fly tying!

[Scythe]

Having been otherwisely occupied and unable to fish the middle Vaal the last few weeks, I'd like to hear from the guys who were out this past weekend what the conditions were like specifically in terms of viz and flows.

Did they open the barrage like was rumoured ?

[Herman Jooste]

Having been otherwisely occupied and unable to fish the middle Vaal the last few weeks, I'd like to hear from the guys who were out this past weekend what the conditions were like specifically in terms of viz and flows.

Did they open the barrage like was rumoured ?

Bertu, as far as the flows I belive no. Check the post from NMalan or NielMalan on his catch from the Elgro area. Both on the yellows forum as well as the home page, Gallery.

[Michael]

Bertu, as far as the flows I belive no. Check the post from NMalan or NielMalan on his catch from the Elgro area. Both on the yellows forum as well as the home page, Gallery.

Plus on the barrage report we get, the flows remained constant throughout the weekend. The viz looked incredible judging from the pics...guys caught well.

[Gerrit Viljoen]

18 cumecs just before Parys with good viz I hear.

G

[Gerrit Viljoen]

Did a unplanned trip really(yesterday)with my boet.

What a mess??

Blanked on my 1st LM excursion for the season.Only got 3 hits but I suspect they were baboer,they were everywhere.The smaller irritating ones.

Did about 2 hours worth of nymphing,another mess.Rocksnot everywhere.In order to miss the snot I had to start retrieving immediately once my flies hit the water which meant I wasn't in the zone.

Tried the h a t c h(the 4 or 5 duns I saw) later on but no joy.Nothing,niks,nada,not even a caddis or midge in sight.

Viz was crap and water pee cold.I tried rowing with my arms at one stage,didn't last long,I was to cold.

I have never seen the river so low and the smell was quite refreshing

A good day i.t.o getting out of PTA but bad i.t.o positives.

G

Ps.Later fellas,going on holiday

[Niel Myburgh]

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Camped at EK over the weekend. Weather was warm on sat with a slight wind. Did'nt fish the rapids but the fish was quite shallow at times, caught a nice yellow in about 1/2 meter deep water.

Caught most of the fish between 07h00 and 10h00. Did'nt have a scale so I don't know how big but I would guess the biggest one about 3kg's.

Fish was rising all over the place in the mornings and if you could manage to cast straight to them just infront they would take when the fly goes down.

Full of rocksnot which was about the only sh@t part of the weekend. Caught everything on GRHE (grey with silver, beaded head, #14) and got two nice fish and a Caddis (#14)

Got broken of a few times on a 3.4kg flurocarbaon and once something (maybe the vaal crocodile) broke my 6kg florocarobon leader at the knot between flyline and leader). Also one bended hook.

Nothing on imitation baitfish, don't know why, had much succes in the past with an olive imitation.No largemouth, although that place is full of barbel and BIG ones. Which I'm going to catch next time

All fish was in good condition and saw no dead ones. EK is for me the best venue at the vaal. See some photos which my fiance took from the side.
Attached Thumbnails

[Niel Myburgh]

Uuuh, please see the photos on Vaal trip 24 September.

[Scythe]

Damnit ... was that THIS weekend ? I was supposed to give Leon a call

Sounds like you lot had fun though, upgraded past the toothpick yet Herman ?

[Gerrit Viljoen]

this morning i got the aches & pains of being broken by FISH. i got taken to the cleaners , hooks pulled , broken up , hooks opened , pulled of balance(splash) and every other sort of punishment just short of having your rod wrapped around your neck by lots & lots of POWERFULL fish. my biggest clocked in at 3.8 kg while my friend mac picked up the promqueen - a babe of 4 kg . leon was taking so much footage of the non-stop double hook-up mahem that was goin down , that he hardly got a line in the water. when he did it was - wooohaaaa! .he also managed to stabbed a 3.8 kg fish

in winter the river is a gem. in the wamer months this river can deliver some serious energy packed action -- we've just experienced the red hot level.

Hi Herman,

What sort of tactics did u use?I hope u didn't CZN????

G