Yellowfish in clanwilliam dam

[Brian]

On Saturday, 7th Sept I was heading back to Cape Town after a Namaqua daisy trip with my wife in the Cederberg. As we drove close to Clanwilliam dam I noticed some fishy surface activity in a shallow bay. My first thought was that some barbel had herded some fish into the shallows and were klapping them, hence the splashes and surface activity. (I used to see this at Harties and have caught some big barbel on fly when they come into the bays.) I stopped to take a couple of photos (clearly I didn't have my fly rod with me) and realised it wasn't barbel. When I looked at the photos later I was shocked to see that they were yellowfish. And this was, I believe, spawning behaviour, far away from where the Olifants enters the dam..

I haven't fished the Clanwillam dam in 35 years (only recently returned to the Cape) but in those days I only caught small and largemouth bass. Recently I refuse to offer anything other than a home made cork (and it must be cork) popper when flyfishing bass waters - clearly I blank often - so I would never have thought to put on a streamer or nymph when I get down to the dam again.

So, can someone tell me if yellowfish spawn in the dam? These weren't small fish so could it have been the elusive Clanwilliam yellowfish???

[Brian]

FYI.... Although this is the first time I've seen it, I'm told that both Clanwilliam yellows and Sawfin do, in fact, breed in these shallow bays on the dam. Thanks CPS for getting back to me.

[will101]

Hi Brian - yeah they do spawn but mostly unsuccessful however due to the bass. You won't find small yellows in the dam... the only ones left are around 20 years old!