Hentiesbaai potential on fly

[Chris Shelton]

just make your leader from your swivel about 2m.im sure your fly will be free to drift in the current.....ha ha ha

why beat around the bush.lets just get 10 guys together and go up there next year and try it out.leave the rock and surf tackle at home.

i reckon 2 days and 1034 casts(each) later everyone would have lost the plot.

lets master the art of catching grunter first then we can attempt those big boys.

Tell you what Sw, I will report back whether we should leave the rock'nsurf stuff at home or not after my month long trip to Henties with my family at the end of the year

[swsmith]

i hope you have much success and try the fly out,who knows what could happen.

[Chris Shelton]

i hope you have much success and try the fly out,who knows what could happen.

Thanks mate! I will certainly give it my very best shot

[fish]

The previous posts of serious fish talk left me with the shakes.

Firstly 30kg Ignobilis has been landed in the surf with a 12wt. and reefs to deal with. It can be done.

I've spend quite a bit of time in the surf at the mouth of De Mond, still waiting for that solid thump when you can feel the take right into your shoulder blade.

A possible strategy would be: Fish the hour of low tide when currents aren't as strong and gulleys and drop offs can be reached. A tungsten line would place the fly in the strike zone and cut through the surface turmoil. I believe the line should supply the weight and not the fly - short leader. A Merkin/crab or worm imitation is maybe the way to go.The challenge would be to get in and stay in the strike zone. The next two hours of the pushing tide will possibly allow for fishing time. Also a few casts on the high tide close in.

[Chris Shelton]

The previous posts of serious fish talk left me with the shakes.

Firstly 30kg Ignobilis has been landed in the surf with a 12wt. and reefs to deal with. It can be done.

I've spend quite a bit of time in the surf at the mouth of De Mond, still waiting for that solid thump when you can feel the take right into your shoulder blade.

A possible strategy would be: Fish the hour of low tide when currents aren't as strong and gulleys and drop offs can be reached. A tungsten line would place the fly in the strike zone and cut through the surface turmoil. I believe the line should supply the weight and not the fly - short leader. A Merkin/crab or worm imitation is maybe the way to go.The challenge would be to get in and stay in the strike zone. The next two hours of the pushing tide will possibly allow for fishing time. Also a few casts on the high tide close in.

Makes perfect sense to me. Just the confirmation I needed. Thanks Philip

[swsmith]

just to clear up any misconceptions about the kingfish.the point i was trying to make was that kingfish can be taken on and below the surface.which would make them easy target on fly.

unlike steenbras which you may need to target specifically on the bottom.

[Chris Shelton]

unlike steenbras which you may need to target specifically on the bottom.

no doubt about that.....right on the bottom!

[Gogga]

Targeting Steenies will be a challenge for you guy's, and a challenge worthy of taking on.

Firstly lets think about the rod - waving a twelve weight with a decent line of say 550 grain / 600 grain (to get it to the bottom) will take some doing if perused for longish periods (2 - 4 hours) I know - waving a twelve weight for Tarpon on Belize - (and that’s throwing at visible targets) takes a hell of a toll on me.

So why not get smart - get your hands onto a double handed switch rod - 11ft 1" 10 /11 weight CND Atlantis / Oceana This is a brilliant piece of kit and has changed the way we swff out here - you can throw 120 foot cast all day long with out getting tired and that’s even in a fairly strong breeze. The rod will have the grunt to take on most anything you throw at it - I have nailed big GT's (30-45 kg's) in Seychelles with it as well as tarpon up to 100lbs.
http://www.cndspeyusa.com/Media/cnd_...nd%20oceana%22

Couple this with a decent Line - either a SA 550 grain full sinker or a teeney 600 grainer and you will then have the muscle to get you there with out killing yourself.

Flies - again you have to match the hatch, if its crab patterns then so be it - if they will take shrimp / prawn then feed it to them. I always default to squid patterns - nearly every fish in the Ocean will have a munch at one if given the chance. Here you are going to need to invest time and energy to see what works best.

I like using DNA material for tying with, and popovics squid patterns are fish catchers

http://www.aswf.org/saltwater_flies_...her_fleye.html

On the crab patterns - I have found this one to be great and have certainly helped me nail a few stubborn fish in the last year or so.

http://www.branhamssaltwaterflytying....asp?flyid=307

I wish you stacks of luck, and hope you nail one of those little beuties.

All the best
Mike

[Chris Shelton]

Thanks for your constructive thoughts Mike. I can see that you have been around the block a few times and I am sure that I speak for all when I say we value your input!

Tell me, how do you go about line control when you cast those double handed rods, i.e. double hauling etc. It is surely a completely different concept altogether?

[Gogga]

Chris,

The beauty of the switch rod is in its casting.

It is quite easy to cast - all you do is flick 15 - 18 feet of the line out the tip, strip your complete line off the reel into your striping basket, garb the rod with your right hand quite high and lightly hold the line under your index finger, grab the butt with your left hand and do a back cast - releasing another 10 - 12 feet of line - now power in with your left hand - foward cast - and stop dead as the back of your hand touches your waist - release the line at the same time and watch 100 foot of line shoot to your intended target.

It took me about an hour on the local playing field to get it perfect, we mostly use a Rio Outbound line for surf stuff and it is really easy.

http://www.rioproducts.com/pages/fly...21713&useMet=0