Upper Orange

**Korrie** · 12-10-17

With all the interest in the Lower Orange, surely there should be fantastic fishing in the Upper Orange river area.
I did a paddle from Lesotho to Aliwal North, 30 years ago. Stunning waters. At that stage I did not fly fish.
Any forumer with experiences from the top section? Aliwal North and upstream from that.

**Korrie** · 12-10-17

Hi Mario
You are in that area, any news or info that you have?

**Circus2** · 12-10-17

I suspect that the upper Orange is only clear enough to fish for a short time each year.
I've never seen the river by Aliwal North looking like anything except a orange/chocolate milkshake, even when the Kraai is low and clear. The same goes for Tella Bridge border post with Lesotho.

**Korrie** · 12-10-17

It has to get clearer in the winter months, not as clear as Lower Orange, but with no rain and snow melt, the water cannot stay chocolate milkshake all year round.
The stretch that we paddled with Indian canoes, only had 2 short rapids that we ported, but should not be a problem with corcs.

On that stretch, there was a little hot spring, on the side of the river. The other guys knew about it, and we camp next to it the one evening.
It was like a jacuzzi, about the same size with this bubbling hot water. Man o man, it was fantastic, after 2 days of paddling to end up there for a night.
We spent about 5 hours that evening sitting in this natural jazucci.

**Korrie** · 12-10-17

All it will take is 3 or 4 crazy fly fishers in 2 crocs to drift 60 or 70km from Lesotho, hook into a couple of MONSTER LM and this area will be "ON THE MAP"

**Circus2** · 13-10-17

Korrie, you've messed with my work productivity today!
Some stats for anyone thinking about this: there is 153km of Orange river from where it leaves the Lesotho border to Aliwal North. The Orange runs along the border for 28km and there is about 62km of river within Lesotho from Mount Moorosi to the border.

From previous trips to Southern Lesotho (before the locals ate all the trout), I remember the Orange around Mount Moorosi being unfishable in March/April. I suspect this will be very different in the low flows of September given the Google Earth pictures.

The most interesting section to me looks to be about 50km upstream from Aliwal where the Wilgespruit enters. The river runs in a bit of a gorge here and there is less human settlement between here and Aliwal. However, above the Wilge it looks to be tribal trust land on South bank which may have more fishing pressure, but at least the access land is (probably) public.

And now I'm looking at the price of an Ark...

**Korrie** · 13-10-17

Originally Posted by Circus2

Korrie, you've messed with my work productivity today!
Some stats for anyone thinking about this: there is 153km of Orange river from where it leaves the Lesotho border to Aliwal North. The Orange runs along the border for 28km and there is about 62km of river within Lesotho from Mount Moorosi to the border.

From previous trips to Southern Lesotho (before the locals ate all the trout), I remember the Orange around Mount Moorosi being unfishable in March/April. I suspect this will be very different in the low flows of September given the Google Earth pictures.

The most interesting section to me looks to be about 50km upstream from Aliwal where the Wilgespruit enters. The river runs in a bit of a gorge here and there is less human settlement between here and Aliwal. However, above the Wilge it looks to be tribal trust land on South bank which may have more fishing pressure, but at least the access land is (probably) public.

And now I'm looking at the price of an Ark...

You must know my work productivity.

Here I just post the stuff I make "public" what about all the Stream X and Place X things I research and do.

I really suggest that you go in a group of 2 boats. To make things I have heard about in the last year or so on solo missions and even in groups.
I used to think I was invincible and bullet proof,

After taking stock of some of the things that have happened to me over the years, it sometimes was a matter of an inch or 2 and I was gone.

**Korrie** · 13-10-17

Originally Posted by Circus2

Korrie, you've messed with my work productivity today!
Some stats for anyone thinking about this: there is 153km of Orange river from where it leaves the Lesotho border to Aliwal North. The Orange runs along the border for 28km and there is about 62km of river within Lesotho from Mount Moorosi to the border.

From previous trips to Southern Lesotho (before the locals ate all the trout), I remember the Orange around Mount Moorosi being unfishable in March/April. I suspect this will be very different in the low flows of September given the Google Earth pictures.

The most interesting section to me looks to be about 50km upstream from Aliwal where the Wilgespruit enters. The river runs in a bit of a gorge here and there is less human settlement between here and Aliwal. However, above the Wilge it looks to be tribal trust land on South bank which may have more fishing pressure, but at least the access land is (probably) public.

And now I'm looking at the price of an Ark...

Imagine this works out to be a very productive section of the river. Only 6 hours drive from JHB.
you can leave on a Thursday afternoon, get to the river as it gets dark, spend Friday, Saturday and Sunday morning, drifting down the river, Pack up and leave by 12 and be back in JHB by 6 PM on Sunday evening. Not to bad.

Ask Mario Geldenhuis to drop you off at the river and leave your vehicles with him till Sunday. ON ONE CONDITION, YOU BUY ONE OF HIS NETS.

**Circus2** · 13-10-17

Except I live in CT now. So if I leave the office in Durbanville at 16h00 on a Thursday, I'll get there at 2am.
And I'll have to ask Mario for a net at least a year in advance...