What's your biggest SM Yellowfish

[Gerrit Viljoen]

I think maybe I should move out of the rapids

There are big fish in rapids sure but the majority of lunkers have their spots elsewhere.

[dleroux]

Not sure on the weight of the first two photo's




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This is not a monter SM but it was one of the best conditioned SM I hooked on the river..




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[mornesm]

I always fish on my own, so taking proper pictures of my catches is a constant problem - and the camera is not waterproof (yet).

This sub-standard picture is of my PB yellow. Unfortunately I could not weigh it, but it measured just under 60cm in length. It was quite literally caught on a last cast of the weekend...

[Michael]

Not sure on the weight of the first two photo's

This is not a monter SM but it was one of the best conditioned SM I hooked on the river..

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Cannot see images....ImageShack sucks

[caranx]

IT Is nice to land a big one. But when you miss a big one after almost having it in the net, hurts! I tried to net a big SM for a friend but realised after the first attempt that it would not fit into the net, even if you folded it double. Problem is by that time the hook came out (thanks to my netting attempt) and we were left standing without words. He reminds me every time we go fishing, and a few other times. That fish was definitely in the 5kg to 7kg range.

[Herman Jooste]

Awesome fish. Few people spend as much time as you on the river. Well done.

I started fishing for yellows on the Vaal 14 years ago!
Since 1997, and many many fishing trips, I only ever once caught a smallmouth in the 4.5kg range and only two other fish around 4kg. That makes it a total of three fish in the 4kg category in roughly 100 trips to the river!!!!
I think maybe I should move out of the rapids

We need to look after our big fish and make sure that our children can maybe land the same fish we did.

Don't feel bad Mario, although I've only been fishing the Vaal for about 5 years now, I average 30+ trips a year. That's 2 yellows over 4 kg in over 150 trips, but dammit it was worth it.

[GGY]

biggest 4.9...

know GGY has got a 5.1 kg

And Factor and I both landed fish of over 4 kg last weekend at W 'n B. Mine was 4.1kg - weighed in my McLean, which I have checked as accurate.
Wanted to get pics, Dan had the camera ready, but when she cleared the net, she got loose...and I don't want to man-handle those big fish.

[troutmaster]

My biggest SM on fly [dry fly, self-tied ] was 3.8kg... What an awesome day it was, 1 of my 1st days out after getting the ARK ... I took 8, yes 8 SM on dry that day, biggest the mentioned 3.8kg and the smallest was 2.8kg, 7 out of 8 was >= 3kg

It was also one of these 3kg+ SM [long distance sight-fished] that have been the ONLY fish to ever take me into my backing.

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My biggest SM was taken whilst targeting barbel, on the drop, 5.5kg! The fish gave a powerful account of itself but wasn't in good condition.

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Also a pic of a MONSTER 5kg+ taken at ... I'm sure some guys will know where the pump in the background is [unless it has been painted in the interim].

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1 of my buddies have also picked up a 4kg+ SM whilst drifting for barbel.

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In terms of all the recent LM trips [1 / week the last 3 or so months] we have spotted [at very short range] SM >5kg in small pods of 3-4 fish... but they didn't wanna take the Largie flies and unfortunately when we hunt largies, we hunt largies ... SM gear stays home as it is a distraction because there is ALWAYS SM around in winter.

All these mentioned were in big open deep pools.

[Korrie]

My biggest SM on fly [dry fly, self-tied ] was 3.8kg... What an awesome day it was, 1 of my 1st days out after getting the ARK ... I took 8, yes 8 SM on dry that day, biggest the mentioned 3.8kg and the smallest was 2.8kg, 7 out of 8 was >= 3kg

It was also one of these 3kg+ SM [long distance sight-fished] that have been the ONLY fish to ever take me into my backing.

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My biggest SM was taken whilst targeting barbel, on the drop, 5.5kg! The fish gave a powerful account of itself but wasn't in good condition.

---------------------------------

Also a pic of a MONSTER 5kg+ taken at ... I'm sure some guys will know where the pump in the background is [unless it has been painted in the interim].

---------------------------------

1 of my buddies have also picked up a 4kg+ SM whilst drifting for barbel.

---------------------------------

In terms of all the recent LM trips [1 / week the last 3 or so months] we have spotted [at very short range] SM >5kg in small pods of 3-4 fish... but they didn't wanna take the Largie flies and unfortunately when we hunt largies, we hunt largies ... SM gear stays home as it is a distraction because there is ALWAYS SM around in winter.

All these mentioned were in big open deep pools.

Barend
with all the large fish you catch, I recommend that you get a bigger net.

[Frontier Fly Fishing]

Guys those are some awesome fish!! Well Done to all...

But please remember that almost all smallmouth yellowfish over 1.5kg are female...

Be gentle with the ladies.