Are We Missing Something???

[E.T.]

Puglisi Baitfish tied with Angel Silk...


This fly moves even when going straight down and once you start retrieving it, it lies on its side and behaves like a dying baitfish darting on its side.

Note the eyes, this is the key factor to its success

[swsmith]

Those plastic cups work great. Something you guys should try.add a lot of side to side movement and tail movement.sad pic in the mentioned article of a treble hook thru the yellows eye..........those 2 trebles cause lots of damage

[E.T.]

Those plastic cups work great. Something you guys should try.add a lot of side to side movement and tail movement.sad pic in the mentioned article of a treble hook thru the yellows eye..........those 2 trebles cause lots of damage

True it does happen, but so does foul hooked flies. Once caught a SM Yellow at Vaal Hackle with no right eye. These things sadly happen.

[E.T.]

I am not looking at distance, I am looking at action and I believe that these sort of hooks, heads can make a big difference....

Slayer Heads in Silver


In Gold and Black


Rattle Jig


Popper Heads


Now I would like heads for top water action as well as subsurafce and if these can be found in smaller sizes, I reckon I am halfway there....


Some of these heads might be a bit heavy to cast, but there are some plastic/resin heads on the market that could make a huge difference in terms of weight.

[E.T.]

Some Slayer Variations...

[E.T.]

This is Sato's Foam Head Baitfish. Now imagine this head in clear resin? Maybe in a paint it yourself kit? Complete with recessed eye sockets like the Slayer Head to incorporate domed eyes.

[Herman Jooste]

I've fished with quite a few artlure and dropshot aficonados - and almost always been out fished. These rigs impart awsome action, can present with finness when required and cast a mile into the face of a howling gale. They cover water like i can only dream of - shallow, deep, fast, slow, no problem ... yet i have never thought of switching from fly tackle ...

Maybe a better question than "are we missing out?" is "Why do we fly fish?"

If it was just about catching fish we would all be baiting up with crabs or worms.

So why do I like spending my free time in winter standing balls deep in freezing water, flipping over rocks to look at bugs, struggling to cast past 20 meters whenever the wind pics up above 5 m/s ... only to blank 9 times out of 10. What is the a real purpose then? Since it does not appear to be about catching fish?

It seems to me there is something slightly irrational, perhaps enigmatic and esoteric about those who fly fish for largies. Maybe it has more to do with largies themselves and the places they are found - they are our ultimate fresh water game fish, pure power, and when hooked on a fly, a large fish provides an incomparible experience to any other method of fishing - the raw power of fish as a fly line burns between your fingers is somethig a dropshot or baitcaster will never be able to relate too ..

So too the experience of fly casting on a chilly vaal morning - watching a tight loop unfold through the air as the first rays of the sun burn off the mist in a remote side channel - the gentle "plop of the fly" and the slow, purposeful retrive as the fly swings across the current - all the time waiting for the thumping take as the fish burns off backing - ah, perhaps one day ... fly fishing for largies is dedication - never give up!

Yes, for me its is the experience of the pursuit of largies, not in their capture that is the attraction. The vaal in winter feels timeless and remote, the qarry elusive - the combination almost spirtual.

I know the fish are scarce, their habitat depleted, their very existance under threat - yet we have to believe there are a few fish in the river, even if for weeks on end it seems that we are just going through the motions of cast and retrieve.

This is not a game of numbers. That i leave to the hardware chuckers and bass masters - it is anathama. Perhaps largie fly fishers are ultimately masochists! But the long cold days make the eventual reward that much sweeter. The papgooers, dropshotists and hardware chuckers can condemn us as ‘crazy’, they can follow the path of least resistance and shake their heads in disbelief “a whole week trip, and only one fish landed?” Yes ... What a fantastic trip it was!


For me largie fishing should be difficult. This is what makes it what it is. So as the first frosts leaves the river deserted and the mists settle over quiet back channels I will be out on the river. No short cuts. A single fly, a fly rod and line. The equipment shows restraint and respect for the fish and the pursuit.

The appreciation gained through time and dues paid is a truer appreciation.

Then again maybe i am as mad as a hatter

Thank you.

That must be the best ," Ethos of winter Vaal f/f " thread that has ever been posted.

Hats ( even though they are Madhatter ones ) off to you Sir.

[Dion Gates]

I've fished with quite a few artlure and dropshot aficonados - and almost always been out fished. These rigs impart awsome action, can present with finness when required and cast a mile into the face of a howling gale. They cover water like i can only dream of - shallow, deep, fast, slow, no problem ... yet i have never thought of switching from fly tackle ...

Maybe a better question than "are we missing out?" is "Why do we fly fish?"

If it was just about catching fish we would all be baiting up with crabs or worms.

So why do I like spending my free time in winter standing balls deep in freezing water, flipping over rocks to look at bugs, struggling to cast past 20 meters whenever the wind pics up above 5 m/s ... only to blank 9 times out of 10. What is the a real purpose then? Since it does not appear to be about catching fish?

It seems to me there is something slightly irrational, perhaps enigmatic and esoteric about those who fly fish for largies. Maybe it has more to do with largies themselves and the places they are found - they are our ultimate fresh water game fish, pure power, and when hooked on a fly, a large fish provides an incomparible experience to any other method of fishing - the raw power of fish as a fly line burns between your fingers is somethig a dropshot or baitcaster will never be able to relate too ..

So too the experience of fly casting on a chilly vaal morning - watching a tight loop unfold through the air as the first rays of the sun burn off the mist in a remote side channel - the gentle "plop of the fly" and the slow, purposeful retrive as the fly swings across the current - all the time waiting for the thumping take as the fish burns off backing - ah, perhaps one day ... fly fishing for largies is dedication - never give up!

Yes, for me its is the experience of the pursuit of largies, not in their capture that is the attraction. The vaal in winter feels timeless and remote, the qarry elusive - the combination almost spirtual.

I know the fish are scarce, their habitat depleted, their very existance under threat - yet we have to believe there are a few fish in the river, even if for weeks on end it seems that we are just going through the motions of cast and retrieve.

This is not a game of numbers. That i leave to the hardware chuckers and bass masters - it is anathama. Perhaps largie fly fishers are ultimately masochists! But the long cold days make the eventual reward that much sweeter. The papgooers, dropshotists and hardware chuckers can condemn us as ‘crazy’, they can follow the path of least resistance and shake their heads in disbelief “a whole week trip, and only one fish landed?” Yes ... What a fantastic trip it was!


For me largie fishing should be difficult. This is what makes it what it is. So as the first frosts leaves the river deserted and the mists settle over quiet back channels I will be out on the river. No short cuts. A single fly, a fly rod and line. The equipment shows restraint and respect for the fish and the pursuit.

The appreciation gained through time and dues paid is a truer appreciation.

Then again maybe i am as mad as a hatter

We had our first bash at Lm Today, Hard work thrashing the water cast after cast. we blanked off course, but just casting that fly all the time waiting for the Thump as mentioned and tricked into beleiving it by a Rock or Six, was well worth it, Ive always said that to being on the Vaal or any other venue casting a fly is where my church is, Pitty we dont get to this church enough.

Ive also done the Papgooi, Dropshot Artlure etc. with fish in the double digits but catching a 4KG smallmouth on a 4weight at Wag n Bietjie was probably the best fishing experience up to now.

I also beleive that with fly the fish have a better change as light tippets are used and less backbone in a flyrod, than a dropshot or artlure setup with backbone and a 20 pound braid, look at bass tournaments, Shame poor fish man , Not a fighting chance! try landing that on fly with a barbless hook, Not gonna happen

Anyway ,enough of that. I enjoy flyfishing and always will.

[Et1]

Hear! Hear! Come on August

[Herman Jooste]

Hear! Hear! Come on August

Only 2 1/2 months left boet.