Vaal Hackle?

**schloshd1** · 27-07-09

I will be staying at Vaal Hackle with my girlfriend over the long weekend in August. I have not been to the venue before so don't really know what to expect and I can't seem to find much info on it on the forum. Has any one fished there recently? Does it have deep water/pools (I want to take my float tube) ? How is it for winter fishing? Any info would really be appreciated. Thanks in advance.

**Andre** · 27-07-09

Vaal hackle is my favorite Vaal venue. Not only for awesome fishing, but also for the well appointed, although rustic accommodation. I go there every year with my son, and it has become something of a tradition with us. We have got to know Johann and Estelle quite well over the years, and they never dissapoint , with their almost traditional sytle Arikaans hospitality.
The river in front of the cottages has a long and wide rapid with some good channels and hidden spots behind the island. Upstream and downstream, are huge pools that are great for floating. A few days at Vaal hackle is hardly enough to explore it properly.

**troutmaster** · 27-07-09

Carl has recently mentioned this venue.

I tried to find info on it but didn't find much.

Andre - where is this, how does 1 get there?

I would like to have a look at it via google earth?

**Andre** · 27-07-09

It's quite easy from the Parys side. Go through parys and head down the road to Vredefort. A couple of kays out of Parys, take the Schoemans Drift turn off to the right. At some point the tar road changes to gravel. here are a couple of T junctions where you continue right, and keep going along the river. There are a few resorts and venues that you wll go past. Kommando nek, Hakuna Mtata, Hadeda Creek, Oom Louwtjie se plaas. Somewhere after all these you will come to a fairly obvious sign, pointing off to the right, indicating "VHK, Vaal hackle" There is large white face of a bull looking at you, made out of steel wire. You go down there, and follow the signs to Vaal Hackle. It is right next door to VHK (Vaal hengel Klub), which is a papgooi venue.

**coop** · 27-07-09

I believe that this is the sign you will be looking for.

**schloshd1** · 27-07-09

Originally Posted by Andre

Vaal hackle is my favorite Vaal venue. Not only for awesome fishing, but also for the well appointed, although rustic accommodation. I go there every year with my son, and it has become something of a tradition with us. We have got to know Johann and Estelle quite well over the years, and they never dissapoint , with their almost traditional sytle Arikaans hospitality.
The river in front of the cottages has a long and wide rapid with some good channels and hidden spots behind the island. Upstream and downstream, are huge pools that are great for floating. A few days at Vaal hackle is hardly enough to explore it properly.

Thanks Andre, I'm starting to look really forward to the weekend away.

**coop** · 27-07-09

There are some great pools up top, if this is the same place as the sign I mentioned.

**Michael** · 27-07-09

Originally Posted by Andre

Vaal hackle is my favorite Vaal venue. Not only for awesome fishing, but also for the well appointed, although rustic accommodation. I go there every year with my son, and it has become something of a tradition with us. We have got to know Johann and Estelle quite well over the years, and they never dissapoint , with their almost traditional sytle Arikaans hospitality.
The river in front of the cottages has a long and wide rapid with some good channels and hidden spots behind the island. Upstream and downstream, are huge pools that are great for floating. A few days at Vaal hackle is hardly enough to explore it properly.

I've never fished this venue...I once got invited...but it never seemed to materialize....