Originally Posted by
MCC
OK, lots of interesting comments being thrown around here - it surely made for some interesting reading.
I might not respond to all the comments (remind me which I left out), but here goes:
First Steenbras:
This water is controlled by the City of Cape Town. They used to stock the dam with Browns in the seventies, but when these became too expensive, they stocked with about 2000 Rainbows per year until the late nineties.
The CPS never controlled access to these dams and the public was only ever allowed access to one of the dams.
This is the City's official current attitude:
"The City of Cape Town has for the past 40 years never had any hiking trails open to the public at Steenbras Dam or its environs, with the exception of the Steenbras River Trail which leads from the Bennington Bridge at the river mouth up to the “Crystal Pools” (for info call 021 856 4975). The areas above the pools have always been closed to the public. The gardens below the dam wall did have a network of short paths, but they have been closed, along with access to the dam, for security reasons.
LETLHOGONOLO MOTLHODI
MANAGER: BULK WATER
WATER SERVICES
CITY OF CAPE TOWN"
In meetings with the city we (the CPS) were told that the venue is not closed to the public but that nobody is allowed to enter because of the bad condition of the roads. (Figure that out)
Voelvlei:
The CPS still has full access to Voelvlei. No members fish this venue anymore because it has been ruined by Carp and Barbel populations.
There is speculation that a commercial fishery for Carp and Barbel might be established here. This might help but I doubt whether permission will ever be given to re-stock Smallmouths.
Idas Valley:
Yes, these dams were closed after crime spiralled out of control. The small shop got broken into on a weekly basis, cars got broken into and guys were even robbed at knife point. Along with this, the locals and students poached the dams excessively.
In the past, when the CPS controlled access (I think it was in the seventies), the dams were stocked with smaller fish and unfortunately they never produced anything bigger than about three pounds. The big fish Chris refers to were stockies put in there during the late nineties by Kobus Venter.
With the Bass population already in the dams, it is no longer possible to stock small fish and allow them to grow out. Any club would be forced to stock with "Bass proof" fish and this is an extremely costly exercise. Whe n bigger fish are stocked the poaching problem escalates.
If you add up the costs associated with stocking, poaching, security and rental, then it becomes an extremely expensive venue.
Having said all of this, Chris, you are welcome to be pro-active and make some enquiries about potential access for the CPS.
Are there any other issues which you guys feel that the CPS should be addressing?
MC
Thanks for your comments MC.
In defense of the CPS, of which I am a PROUD member, I would like to remind the members that WE as members ARE the CPS and as such it is upto US to be pro active when it comes to acquiring new waters. The committee as it stands already have their hands full with the various logistics involved in running a huge society and we cannot expect them to do everything. We as members also need to get off our backsides and take ownership of all the values that the society stands for.....and be pro acive about it!
I for one have a huge sentimental interest in those dams and will try to make some enquiries myself. Ryan, you've just become my best mate! 
"Innocence is a wild trout. But we humans, being complicated, have to pursue innocence in complex ways" - Datus Proper
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You'll do your nut! These are not farm ponds, they are serious DAMS and without a doubt the CLOSEST decent trout waters to Cape Town. 
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