The Bushmans Revisited

[E.T.]

Right Boys and girls, I just returned from the Bushmans and I thought I would share a quick report and some random snaps of the weekend.

To some this might make their week and to others, it might just ruin the rest of the week. So here goes.....

[E.T.]

The fabled crow sign....This is no Urban Legend, this thing is for real

[E.T.]

There is a bit of a story around this fish, but I will get to that later









Double Rainbow, not an everyday sight

[E.T.]

I decided to hit the Bushmans around this coming weekend, but I couldn't get a spot at my usual hiding place, so I decided to go this past weekend. Initially it would have been myself and my eldest son Xavier, but he decided to stay mid last week. I was in a bit of a "har-war", but decided to still go even if it meant going on my own, because honestly who would join on a last minute phone call?

So Thursday I left the big smoke around 13:30 and I headed down to the Giants Castle Area. The going was horrid as there was still roadworks going on and there was a massive accident. I managed to clock in at around 19:00 and might I add, that the last section of road from White Mountain is not worth being called a road.

Went to bed early and got up fairly early on Friday morning. Decided to fish the Reserve from the Cottages upwards this was from about 10am. Well the going was tough, I only landed two Browns on the Elk Hair Caddis fishing the Tenkara. At lunchtime I went and fished outside the reserve and I wanted to try out the little Fiberglass Scott, so I still went ahead with the Elk Hair Caddis. Saw fish rising and made a cast in the direction of the rises. The fly would drift and I would hold my breath, thinking zap, nou, vat hom fluffy. Niks, nada, boggerol. I decided to make another cast and I saw a Brown rise to the fly and then just turn away. So I took off the EHC and went with a Size 8 Foam Hopper with a #16 CDC Zak as a dropper. First cast and the nymph was taken up by a Brown.

I pushed on and landed Browns and Bows on the Nymph and every now and then an eager Bow would smash the Foam Hopper. At last light I changed back to the EHC and nailed the Bows almost cast after cast. Went to bed early Friday, I was hammered.

Saturday I slept in  and only got onto the water late in the morning. Decided to fish a different section in the reserve. Well here the going was even tougher as it was a one fish one cast per pool scenario. I went over boulders and through thick bush to get to the next pool. Here I landed another on the Zak suspended below the Hopper and later changed to a two nymph rig and landed yet another. The weather caught up with me and I decided to call it a day. After 4 the weather cleared and I was back on the water at about 16:30. Fished outside the reserve again and I was yet again fishing the Hopper Dropper and with great success. Later I changed to the EHC and then it was something you only hear off but never see yourself.

I hooked into fish the one after the other cast. I would catch 6 or so without even moving. I would move a bit, see a rise next to me, put the fly down and see the Bow take it as it jumps out the water. I lost count here. It was insane.

Two things stood out for me. The one was where I clapped the Bow in the photo with the rod and reel in it. The Bow took the Hopper and as I was fighting it, a Bow about double the size took the Dropper and when this smaller bow actually hooked the larger one and was heading upstream, this larger fish decided enough of this. It shook its head and off it went with the little nymph. Luckily the smaller Bow stuck to the Hopper.

The second thing was the strength the Bows fought with. I could not believe how the 15-20cm fish would just not surrender. It would dart down when you bring it to the surface and they used the higher flows to their advantage. I had one Bow on the surface with it's dorsal sticking out, this did not put it off by running a wake on the surface. I just stood there thinking that this is totally mind blowing.

So how much fish did I catch? 50-70 maybe even more, I honestly lost count.
I do recall catching 10 Browns. Two on EHC and the rest on the little CDC Zak.
I did land a 40cm Brown but I couldn't get a photo of it as I did not have a net on me and handling it by the line at my feet, it came off when I wanted to take a snap of it.

So here is a list of the flies that worked

1. Elk Hair Caddis
2. Foam Hopper
3. CDC Zak with Chartreuse bead

Thanks for watching

[Charles]

Great report and excellent Pic's! Thanks Koos!

[isivuba]

Koos fantastic report bud......man thats some beautiful country you had the pleasure to fish. Now I know why you been so quite I would also if that place and fish was on my brain.  for the report

[icstuff]

Koos as always you take the most beautiful pics and write up some of the best reports!
Glad you enjoyed it, and congats on the fish!

[Rory]

Super report, super fish and super pics!  Thanks Koos! 

[WalkersKiller]

All I can say is WOW 

Awesome stuff Koos, will be dreaming of wild trout for the rest of the day now you bastid 

[Lichia amia]

   and lekker report Kosie , have some 

[E.T.]

Shot for the replies guys.

[Bwana]

What a great report with excellent pics. Well done you have made my week 

[Ziggy]

I would never have thought of using that big foam gogga on the Bushmans ( or anywhere else) for trout! Maybe I need to get onto my vise and make a couple - any reference to a pattern that I can look at?


Its more like a bass lure than a trout fly?

[Homie]

AWESOME pics Koos !

How far is this from jhb ???

[E.T.]

Stelios


I have caught Browns in fast water with this fly at Lotheni.
It has a way of raising fish. The thing is that it will lift Browns on certain rivers, but it might just bump or refuse it. The logic behind the Hopper is that it floats. I could have used two droppers below it and it would still float. So in essence the hopper was actually meant as a strike indicator, but in this case the Bows would shoot past the nymph and clap the Hopper on the surface. The Browns came up to have a look, but then they would settle for the CDC Zak.


You see a Brown will come up and circle before it takes, a Bow will shoot from the bottom and jump clean out the water to take it. They do not hesitate, they want it and they want it now. Smallest fish that came out on the Hopper was 12cm or so and then I did manage a 45cm Bow on it too.


This hopper has worked for me even on the Vaal. I will have a look and maybe do an SBS on it. It should also raise Yellows in Sterkies.


The fly that impressed me though was the little CDC Zak with the Chartreuse bead, it's my variation of the Original Zak. Very effective indeed.

[L Hooker]

awesome report, great fish looks like a special place.

[E.T.]

AWESOME pics Koos !

How far is this from jhb ???

520km, plan to be on the road for at least 6,5 hrs.
The last 60km is tar, this will take you more than an hour. Drive the road once and you will know, but then again you drive a jeep so add another hour to the last 60km and you should be fine

[E.T.]

So Friday while I am fishing towards the Tweedassie and Bushmans Confluence, I noticed someone hiking down and coming down all the way next to the bank where I am fishing. So about 200 odd meters below the confluence the one lady sits down and the other one is busy taking snaps of her. Now the photographer had one of those Neon Orange Shirts on that you could see from the moon, that thing was so bright I swear the sun could have gone down and that valley would still be brought daylight.

 So I stopped fishing cause the fishing is ruined anyway. So I walk over and greet them politely. When the sporty bright orange lady went and sat down close to the other one, my initial thoughts of them being Vaginaterians was confirmed. So I asked them where they are from and the one replied "Hullandt". So we talk about this and that and the next minute the sporty one asks me, where is the closest pub? I looked at her and thought Whiskey Tango Foxtrot????

 They are sitting in one of the most beautiful places on earth, they did not notice the Lammergeier soaring above, neither the smaller birds and baboon running up and down the valley. Or even the fish in the water. They did not ask what Boerewors is or could they come over for a braai or would I let them fish one of my rods. Oh, no they wanted to know where the pub is. I kindly directed them and I was off as I lost all interest in talking to them.

 Oh, I did not catch a single fish after I left them as everything was spooked mindless from there all the way past the caves.

 Foreigners.....Ai, tog!!!

[Ziggy]

The fly that impressed me though was the little CDC Zak with the Chartreuse bead, it's my variation of the Original Zak. Very effective indeed.

How do you tie this zak?

[super_daav]

Awseom stuff ET!!! Need to try this soon!! Do the rivers still close in winter or is that a thing of the past?