Small Scale Yellows

[Matuka]

We are shortly moving to manage a lodge on the Komati River in Mpumalanga and I wonder if any of you guys can give me some tips regarding flies and techniques etc for catching these?

All I know is that they are very different from their Smallmouth cousins.

[chris williams]

We are shortly moving to manage a lodge on the Komati River in Mpumalanga and I wonder if any of you guys can give me some tips regarding flies and techniques etc for catching these?

All I know is that they are very different from their Smallmouth cousins.

I've done a fair bit of fishing for, also amateur research on, these wonderful fish, as they are indigenous to the area around my little farm on the Middleveld.

Please PM me your whereabouts so hopefully I can pass on a few tips for the seasons and local hatches.

The trouble is as I'm sure you're aware, this area is the prime target of noveau riche criminals. On a serious eco note I have a handful of influential local farmers on-side to try and maintain the area as a pristine 'grasslands/wetlands' as the local tourist bureau advertise it - but the latter never deliver and are part of the problem! There are some real rubbishes in the area intent on the quick and underhand deal, no care/ethics/responsibility brigade who are honing in on destroying the wetland for the sake of yet another badly-place golf estate with hundreds of dwellings crammed on-site and no infrastructure. These guys will have run a country mile before people wake up to their scummy behaviour and realise that they're all B'shotters of note and of the 'I'm alright, stuff you all' ilk. When they claim to condone their unadulterated greed in terms of 'Eco estates with BEE ratings' (i.e. a couple of bribable locals on-side who don't distribute any of their ill-gotten earnings to any of their worthy honest folk) I really want to go outside and induce a vomit! Hypocritical bottom-dwelling pond-life!

Above from the heart!

Having seen a little 10-year old girl catch her first ever fish today after persevering for hours; the smile on her face made up for all my pent-up frustration against all the trash element trying to destroy our borderline fishing and habitat areas in Southern Africa purely for personal short-term gain.

Sorry, Matuka, I digress! Please PM me and I'll send you some studied info from my ol' diaries! I feel a lot better having got that lot off my ample chest!

Cheers, Chris W

P.S. Maybe we could also retail 'Flytalk Valium' for some of us who tend to get excitable over serious issues?

[pieterkriel]

We are shortly moving to manage a lodge on the Komati River in Mpumalanga and I wonder if any of you guys can give me some tips regarding flies and techniques etc for catching these?

All I know is that they are very different from their Smallmouth cousins.

Hi Matuka

Why the move, Lakensvlei will be losing out big time if you move.

Anyway, on this forum in the past a lot of good tips came from similar questions to yours. Do a search on "smallscale".

However these fish are brilliant on fly but much more difficult to catch than their smallmouth cousins. Their takes are very, very soft.

I found in the past from targeting them that you will be able to get them in rapids sometimes but they tend to favour the deeper runs above and below rapids. Use smaller naturals long line nymphing the margins close to reeds and other vegitation.

Flies that really work is mustad caddis, small mayfly patterns, and small damsel and dragon patterns.

You can try for them even in a moderate winter, clean water is definitely a plus, and black woolies will work for the bigger ones.

Short reply, but there is a lot more to be said on this subject.

Regards

[Michael]

Sadly, Lakensvlei burnt down a few weeks back.

[pieterkriel]

Sadly, Lakensvlei burnt down a few weeks back.

Damn, the whole place. I did not know that much. Matuka, really sad to hear that. Now I really feel like a chop:( :o

[Michael]

Damn, the whole place. I did not know that much. Matuka, really sad to hear that. Now I really feel like a chop:( :o

Jy's van Kempton, jy moet 'n chop wees! :p :D :p

I Saw the post by Matuka where the actual main lodge and dining area's (i think) was burning, he said they lost everything. Would actually like to find out if everything burnt down...the cottages in the forest too? And the stables? (Those poor horses)

Fantastic place that...in the pine forest, was a breathtaking place.

[pieterkriel]

Jy's van Kempton, jy moet 'n chop wees! :p :D :p

I Saw the post by Matuka where the actual main lodge and dining area's (i think) was burning, he said they lost everything. Would actually like to find out if everything burnt down...the cottages in the forest too? And the stables? (Those poor horses)

Fantastic place that...in the pine forest, was a breathtaking place.

For sure, I only had one chance to visit it, and I loved the place. Those cottages in the forest really did it for me.

This place had atmosphere, would be intresting to see if the owners will be trying to rebuild.

[Michael]

For sure, I only had one chance to visit it, and I loved the place. Those cottages in the forest really did it for me.

This place had atmosphere, would be intresting to see if the owners will be trying to rebuild.

Me too, only was there once, but like 7 years ago. It was awesome...although the fishing was tough at the time. Nice spot to take the family to as well. I'd like to know just how bad the damage is...but my guess is, with the dense forest and pine cottages, probably bad.

[Matuka]

Guys please don't worry, the lodge itself is still fine. It was only our house that burnt down. The horses, trees and trout are still fine! :D

We are leaving largely due to the fact that the SA Forestry is due to be privatised next year and we decided to make a move now rather than at the last moment. There is also a lot of coal mining activity planned for the Belfast Dullstroom area, which is also making us nervous! :mad:

Thanks for the tips with regard to the yellows.

[pieterkriel]

Guys please don't worry, the lodge itself is still fine. It was only our house that burnt down. The horses, trees and trout are still fine! :D

We are leaving largely due to the fact that the SA Forestry is due to be privatised next year and we decided to make a move now rather than at the last moment. There is also a lot of coal mining activity planned for the Belfast Dullstroom area, which is also making us nervous! :mad:

Thanks for the tips with regard to the yellows.

Good to hear the Lodge is still fine, I knew about your house, Thalia told me, that was quite a shock.

The coal mining also makes me nervous. I still say it is a great loss to the lodge if you guys are gone, a lot of that lodge's atmosphere can only be credited to you guys.

I hope the smallscales treats you well:D

[chris williams]

For what my little contribution's worth, I'll help fight it hammer and tongs to assist. I'm up to my eyeballs in similar matters in the same area. I have very powerful people on-side (no, not of the calibre of Chris Shelton but close to:) !) and I will be PM'ing Meneer Matuka on what I've tried to do in the past five years along with decent responsible assistance who've meant we've slowed-down if not quite canned some of the scumball 'developments':mad: :mad: :)

[Yellowfever]

The San Juan and other bloodworms patterns will always work. But immitating the natural nymphs will definitely produce the best results. There is also ample opportunity towards evening to catch them consistently on the dry - Adams, Klinkhammer, DDD, various caddis immitations.

[jock0]

The pic in my avatar is of the komati between machadodorp and bloemfontein. Yes bloemfontein.

The river is pretty thin in that area so the majority of the fish were all under a kilo but they out up a worthy fight on a 4#. Contrary to popular belief, I actually got most of them on dark paul's slayer nymphs with quite a bit of flash tied on #6 mustad circles, rather than small delicate flies. When i lifted a few rocks I found out why they were taking such large flies - some of the nymphs in that stretch of the river are about 3 times the size of the mayfly nymphs we get on the vaal!

[chris williams]

The pic in my avatar is of the komati between machadodorp and bloemfontein. Yes bloemfontein.

The river is pretty thin in that area so the majority of the fish were all under a kilo but they out up a worthy fight on a 4#. Contrary to popular belief, I actually got most of them on dark paul's slayer nymphs with quite a bit of flash tied on #6 mustad circles, rather than small delicate flies. When i lifted a few rocks I found out why they were taking such large flies - some of the nymphs in that stretch of the river are about 3 times the size of the mayfly nymphs we get on the vaal!

That's right! I know exactly where you mean! This is the REAL Bloem, the other is only the home of Grey Old Boy Springboks. Was there yesterday, the river's a bit low obviouslyand the fish all hiding in the deeper pols downstream