Lower Orange report back

[Korrie]

Client Frikkie Maartens from Windhoek with two great largemouths from the lower Orange.

WOW mooi vis, maar die man moet groter net kry.

[Gerrit Viljoen]

Mooi vis!

Korrie gaan wys hom hoe om streamers te swing vir daai "30lbers" !

[bulkcarrier]

Wat is die perfekte vloei vir die Richtersveld by de hoop ? Waar kan ek die vloei sien ? ( Sien Sendelings en Vioolsdrif gee nie meer lesings nie) Blouputs is 52 cumecs en Upington is 80 cumecs en Prieska is 450 cumecs.

Ek is volgende naweek op die river op 'n kayak met my een van 2 keer 'n jaar trips.

Moet ek maar liewers die whiskey uithaal of sal ek nog veilig wees ?

Hoe lank vat die water om van Vanderkloof tot by Richtersveld te kom ?

[will101]

Think cancelling our trip was a good call. River was "quite full" at Aussenkehr on Saturday. Fishing would definitively have been affected.

[Korrie]

Wat is die perfekte vloei vir die Richtersveld by de hoop ? Waar kan ek die vloei sien ? ( Sien Sendelings en Vioolsdrif gee nie meer lesings nie) Blouputs is 52 cumecs en Upington is 80 cumecs en Prieska is 450 cumecs.

Ek is volgende naweek op die river op 'n kayak met my een van 2 keer 'n jaar trips.

Moet ek maar liewers die whiskey uithaal of sal ek nog veilig wees ?

Hoe lank vat die water om van Vanderkloof tot by Richtersveld te kom ?

Enige iets onder 50cumes is goed, 30 cumecs en laer is beter.
Rivier op oomblik baie vol. Mors van tyd, behalwe as jy wil white water rafting en kayaking wil doen

[RiaanR]

Hi Guys,

I want to go target some yellows in two weeks time from now on the lower orange, taking my Ark Fishduc along...

First going to De Hoop for a few days. Following this I need another great fishing destination/spot...after a few days of camping a Chalet wouldn't be bad, but I rather fish well than stay in luxury.

Any thoughts on The Growcery or Geelkrans Chalets for fishing? Any other recommendations outside the reserve?

[will101]

Riaan I would exit the park at Sendelings, cross the river into Nam using the pontoon, and then drive towards Viools again. You can try Norotshama resort on the way. otherwise you may have to get out via Port Nolloth again which is a hell of a detour. There is semi decent fishing at Norotshama, with nice accommodation.

[RiaanR]

Thanks Will, I did pop in at Norotshama for one day but were not that happy about the fishing there. A bunch of locals were fishing all around filling up bags of fish and saw some guys netting out fish too, also leaving with bags filled with fish. Also saw some nets in the water just a bit further down from the resort. Not sure if it was due to being a Saturday or a new thing. The resort itself seems very nice though.

[will101]

We did a trip last week... Fishing was not too hot. Water was cool and weather iffy - actually the 1st time I ever got so cold on the river. We got good fish though as the water warmed up in the afternoon.

The state of the river (my opinion, sorry for the bleak picture): TERRIBLE

Gill netting (inside the RTFNP). We emptied and burnt one net (on the SA side). probably 20 dead muddies and a few tilapia in the net. no yellows funny enough. Some of the dead fish have started decomposing already so I reckon it gets set on a weekend and removed a week later.

Insect Life (under rocks): Completely absent.

Water grass - chokes up entire sections of the river.

Fish health - not great. Very few fish without sores on them. I got a smally that hardly had a tail fin left.

The amount of pesticides that get sprayed along the river bank HAS TO HAVE A DEVASTATING IMPACT ON THE RIVER.
The amount of fertilizers that are used and leached into the river HAS TO HAVE A DEVASTATING EFFECT ON THE RIVER.

Outside the park it is a free for all as stated by Riaan above. I get depressed by all this - sorry for dragging everyone down to my level . I feel for the Vaal etc, as I know you guys that fish the Vaal are also up in arms about the state of affairs.

Anyway, we will still continue going back.

[arnopienaar]

The river below the grape farms is taking strain, poaching and chemicals the biggest culprits. Aussenkehr has got about 40 000 migrant workers in peak season, and many is not leaving again due to the ever expanding grape industry. The bush along the river close to town is also dissapearing fast.

Fishing is not the same anymore, the huge schools of yellow fish we used to see is gone. Last year the river has actually stopped flowing from Aussenkehr, one could cross the border without getting your feet wet, might also be a reason why the fishing is not the same anymore. We have been through a very bad dry spell and the river is low at the moment.

Was camping along the river a few weekends ago and the water has warmed up considerably, lots of insect life, mayfly and dragonfly nymphs, but very little caddisfly nymphs. Close to Vioolsdrif lots of bloodworm. But it was nice and hot, 46 C.