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View Full Version : How was the vaal weekend?? (17-19 Apr)


Jacques O Dell
19-04-09, 09:07 PM
After a very dissapointing trip to buffelspoortdam I need to go look for som desceny smallies in the vall. Anyone bben tere the weekend? How was the fishing? any tips on tactics, flies etc? I'm def. going next weekend.
Michael
20-04-09, 08:12 AM
We went yesterday and the fishing was off the scale! Got some really excellent fishing in, on dry fly...and dry and dropper. Even got some on nymphing. Was a spot of ours above the Vaal Dam though.
Water very murky (as per usual above the barrage etc) but the fish were thick in places...in water about 40cm deep.
Was great stuff!
Byron
20-04-09, 09:10 AM
Yes it was a great day out, I think the weather played along perfectly, warm sunny, little breeze, massive obliging fish... eish

** goes back to work **
Scythe
20-04-09, 09:51 AM
Mate of mine fished below the barrage.

Viz is still crap so unless you hit a Largie on the nose you're not going to get one, the SM were out in numbers feeding on the surface, good dry fly action.
coop
20-04-09, 10:09 AM
Water clarity in the Orkney area was a little better about 40-590cm vis, got a lot of smallies but yes, the largies are going to be a bit more work.
GrahamS
20-04-09, 10:20 AM
Yes it was a great day out, I think the weather played along perfectly, warm sunny, little breeze, massive obliging fish... eish

** goes back to work **

Nice. Thanks for letting me know you skanks! :p
Byron
20-04-09, 10:25 AM
Nice. Thanks for letting me know you skanks! :p

so you want that divorce then...
Batman
20-04-09, 11:35 AM
was just below yellow fish paradise yesterday and the fishing was great. got 4 yellows between 1,2 and 2.3kg and then of course plenty muddies, larges:cool:t of 3,4kg...
GrahamS
20-04-09, 11:46 AM
so you want that divorce then...

Hammering 6 pound warm water trout has not sated my appetite for tight lines. Divorce? Pffft! Exam time is upon us and I have been banished from the house on weekends. :D
Byron
20-04-09, 11:48 AM
Hammering 6 pound warm water trout has not sated my appetite for tight lines. Divorce? Pffft! Exam time is upon us and I have been banished from the house on weekends. :D

Good - fishing time then.
Jacques O Dell
20-04-09, 08:16 PM
Well done guys. Knew I had to rather go to the vaal... And now it looks like the weekends plans are not going to work. Heard there is a cold spell coming through tomorrow. Apparantly snowing in the drakensberg tonight.

I've always wondered: will stid spell (given that it reaches gauteng) affect the smallmouths? When does one decide that it is too cold to go fishing for yellows? (Correct me if i'm wrong, but is it better to target trout in the cold than the smallies?) And how many warm days after a cold spell would one give before the fish is on the bite again?
troutmaster
20-04-09, 08:23 PM
Well done guys. Knew I had to rather go to the vaal... And now it looks like the weekends plans are not going to work. Heard there is a cold spell coming through tomorrow. Apparantly snowing in the drakensberg tonight.

I've always wondered: will stid spell (given that it reaches gauteng) affect the smallmouths? When does one decide that it is too cold to go fishing for yellows? (Correct me if i'm wrong, but is it better to target trout in the cold than the smallies?) And how many warm days after a cold spell would one give before the fish is on the bite again?

The best time to go fishing is when you can!

Like the Wolf said, the fly that ALWAYS catches a fish is the 1 that is in the water :D

Don't let nature's mind games take you out of your game.
Yellowfever
21-04-09, 07:50 AM
JOD,

It is never to cold to catch yellows on the Vaal. Yes frontal systems put them off the bite but pick a 20C day in mid June, float the Vaal and you may just encounter pods of smallies on the surface and largies around the structure. All fat and feeding.

Just don't expect them in the rapids!