Grunter on surface fly

[white death]

In an article in the TCFF, August 2014 edition, Dustin Kemp wrote an article on a floating white foam fly for Grunter. I would be interested to read if other fly anglers have had any success on this fly in rivers other than the Swartkops.

Did this fly work throughout the season or were there certain times when this fly worked?

Also. does one retrieve this fly or dead drift it? What is the overall length of the fly to gain some perspective of size?

Robin

[FlyCraft]

Hi Robin,

This scenario has been becoming more prevalent during the past two years, many of the consistent grunter hunters catch the fish in mid water or on/just below the surface.

In my opinion, this technique will work better when prawns are abundant on the surface, hence the fish looking up more.

Attie Gunter caught some grunter on the Breede last year, small flipper on the surface. Henkie Altena and some others catch most of their fish "on top"

I have had this discussion many a time....there is still a lot, I believe, to figure out when it comes to catching grunter consistently.

[FlyCraft]

I am by no means an expert when it comes to FF for grunter, caught stacks on bait and have been observing them for years More often with an active, slow, steady retrieve. The flies are often quite big, 6 - 9 odd cm. A prawn swims on the surface/just below in a forward direction, head first, with the body straight, only swimming backwards when scattering. Henkie told me about a day he had, as far as I can remember on the Groot/Klein Brak, fishing up current, stripping the fly quite fast back towards him over a submerged bank, just to keep in touch with the fly, on the surface. The grunter would rise up from deepish water and inhale the fly.

[FlyCraft]

Look here from some floating and sinking prawns - http://www.flytalk.co.za/forum/showt...ltwater-flies!

[dtayl13]

Lure anglers have found that they have by far the most success fishing top waters. Not always slowly either. Many grunter have been picked up on top waters while going after leeries. I thought this technique was mostly used effectively in areas which have swimming prawns, but while fishing at struis I was speaking to a lure angler at the harbour who has been using the technique with great effect in the breede along with a couple of his friends. I think its really worth playing around with surface flies for grunter, but seeing as I have caught only two in my life and only one on fly don't take this as brilliant advice. Its just a gut feeling.

[NeilRowe]

With the right floating fly and right technique, Breede Grunters can be caught on top.

[FlyCraft]

I believe a grunter adapts very quickly according to the prevailing conditions, if the fish is in as certain part of a river, at a certain stage of the tide, tidal cycle - sandbank, mudflats, channels etc., the fish's feeding habits adapts. Also adapting to what is available as a food source at a specific time - swimming prawns, mud prawns, sand prawns, crabs, tape worm, blood worm, snapper prawns, bait fish, fish bait etc.

To put a specific case in point - the grunters in Struisbaai harbour are often caught on a whole drifted pilchard. The commercials coming into the harbour, throw the left over pillies in the harbour before cleaning the boats. The grunters and obviously other fish are very tuned in, eating these left overs.

I caught a grunter some time back in the Kromme with a whole, still-alive 40cm blood worm in its stomach. Fishing over sand, this fish, somehow sucked out that whole blood worm, as the worms are closer to the surface of the sand on a high tide.

Another fact, looking at a grunters head. There is lots happening between the eyes and the mouth, just merely looking at the length and shape of the whole head, and length from the eyes to the mouth. Many other senses, apart from sight comes into play when grunters are feeding. Looking at the size of the pectoral fins, either letting the fish easily feed in a strong current or lifting vertically through the water column.

[FlyCraft]

Having quite a soft spot for pencil bait, it is fascinating how a grunter digs out these molluscs...?

[Bullie]

Hi guys I made a quick vid on you tube how to tie the sob . I hqve moved to nz so dont have my tying material so I just used whatbi could scrounge around ill be happy to answer any questions where I can

[briansflyfishing]

I bought 2 variants of articulated prawn flies from Winelands Fly Fishing and will try them out in Sedgefield tomorrow. If I do catch a Grunter on them the whole world will know.