Grootrivier

[Umhlangarox]

Hey guys,

In 2 weeks i will be heading up to a friends farm on the Grootrivier. He has not done much fresh water fishing but has caught plenty of Yellows in the river on his farm. There seems to be plenty of slow moving water and pools, i am sure there will be rapids as well.

Anybody fished this river much? I will czech nypmh the rapids if i can find some but whats the best way to go about getting yellows in slow moving water?

Thanks,
Matt

[deewy]

Hey Matt, guess you are going with Peter, we have also chatted about going to fish there.

This river has very little flow and czn will not really be possible, the riffles that there will be will be very narrow and very shallow. Fish dark wooly buggers and tadpole immatations rather. Fis close to structure and the reeds on the sides.

If the fish is rizing and the water is clear then you will have some fun with dries, but as there is no real big hatches you will most likely find the fish is rizing randomly, just try to get your fly in the rize ring and you should go vas.

Enjoy

[shector]

Hey guys,

In 2 weeks i will be heading up to a friends farm on the Grootrivier. He has not done much fresh water fishing but has caught plenty of Yellows in the river on his farm. There seems to be plenty of slow moving water and pools, i am sure there will be rapids as well.

Anybody fished this river much? I will czech nypmh the rapids if i can find some but whats the best way to go about getting yellows in slow moving water?

Thanks,
Matt

Hi Matt
From what I heard its totally different from conventional yellow tactics, its more like fishing for browns in the Witte. Speak to Phillip Meyer. Also maybe Liam will know.

Cheers

[MCC]

Howzit

Here is a picture of Philip Hills with a Clanwilliam on the Groot River. Whenever guys talk about fishing the Doring River they actually mean the Groot.

Long ago I wrote an article on this river for the main site. maybe take a look there first and if you can't find it, give me a shout and I'll have a look.

The fish will almost go into spawning mode now, so they should be concentrated in the tailouts. Best approach at this time is to swing Zonkers through the tailouts. Later in the season they will move more into the main pools where you will sight fish for them but Czech nymphing is never an option. Take a 6wt with a clear intermediate line and sight fish at individual fish if they are not in the tailouts yet.

Enjoy

PS The Bass are dead easy and you'll get stacks of them.

[Umhlangarox]

Thanks for all the info guys its much appreciated. I will definately post some pics on my return,

MC i am struggling to find that article, is there a way i could make my search any easier?

[nkula_nkula]

Hey guys,

In 2 weeks i will be heading up to a friends farm on the Grootrivier. He has not done much fresh water fishing but has caught plenty of Yellows in the river on his farm. There seems to be plenty of slow moving water and pools, i am sure there will be rapids as well.

Anybody fished this river much? I will czech nypmh the rapids if i can find some but whats the best way to go about getting yellows in slow moving water?

Thanks,
Matt

Matt,

You lucky bugger! Enjoy it....

I think there is some confusion over which river you fishing? Different regions etc.... I hope you have obtained permission from the private concession holder(s)?

Don't really think you'll have a problem catching them fishies, pretty much any technique works. Just some are more effective than others.... Fishing with unweighted nymphs & long leaders is what I enjoy!

[deewy]

I hope you have obtained permission from the private concession holder(s)?

Dont worry there isnt any concession holders on this piece of water.

[poppernel]

Matt,

You lucky bugger! Enjoy it....

I think there is some confusion over which river you fishing? Different regions etc.... I hope you have obtained permission from the private concession holder(s)?

Don't really think you'll have a problem catching them fishies, pretty much any technique works. Just some are more effective than others.... Fishing with unweighted nymphs & long leaders is what I enjoy!

Thank goodness!! Someone else that fishes unweighted nymphs.

DAVE

[MCC]

Howzit Matt

I can't find that article anywhere.

There are basically two approaches.

First is to fish unweighted nymphs static. Best flies for me is a ZAK (#10) with a touch of red flash in the body and a Girdle Bug (#10) - Black body with orange rubber legs. The Girdle is by far the better one. Make yourself comfortable in an area where you can get a five meter cast in and - very importantly - where you can see the bottom. Wait for a cruising fish and present the fly about three metres up from the fish. Just let it sink slowly - do NOT retrieve. Most of the time, the fish will simply keep cruising and suck the fly in as it goes past.

The second approach is to fish lures in the same way but here you can give the fly one long slow pull as soon as it has settled in the water. If the fish is going to eat it, he will make a dash for it immediately.

Try and ignore the Bass if you want to catch Clanwilliams. If you.ve sat in a spot for ten minutes without seeing a fish, it is worth dropping your fly in the water for a Bass. Hook a Bass, let it pull on you for five seconds and then quickly lift it out and get ready for the Yellow. They are attracted by the disturbance but are somehow more skittish when they then do show up. Follow the same approach as previously but present very carefully.

Don't be afraid to walk far and be patient. The Yellows will come.

Enjoy
MC

[MCC]

One more thing.....

Fish the pools, not the riffels and glides.

The best areas are where the depth drops off a bit amongst big structure where the flow is quite a bit slower.