Vaal River Update

[Kumz]

Nice Report Andrew ...  ..... :shre:

[schloshd1]

Thanks guys.

Herman, I was taken as a guest to a private piece of water, hence no invite and no more details on an open forum. You know you it works.
Besides, I did not think that you liked to fish  full days 

[WalkersKiller]

Great Largemouth   

[Herman Jooste]

Thanks guys.

Herman, I was taken as a guest to a private piece of water, hence no invite and no more details on an open forum. You know you it works.
Besides, I did not think that you liked to fish  full days 

If you were joining us in August you would learn what a full day & night fishing is all about.

[schloshd1]

If you were joining us in August you would learn what a full day & night fishing is all about.

Why don't you come join us in July and give us some pointers then?    What was viz like when you fished above barrage? Would be interesting to do drift up there for largies.

[Herman Jooste]

Sorry for the late reply. The vis above the Barrage is the same, year in and year out. 20 - 30cms. It's just the temps and the flows that change.

[schloshd1]

Went out this morning to the same spot that I got my largie at. Unfortunately no largies today but I did manage a few smallmouth on dry and dropper. Got 6 in total and lost another 3 or 4. They all took a small brown flashback nymph fished about 2 foot below the dry. Here a few pics 

[J-Rock]

 

[Rory]

Myself and Herman went to the Vaal yesterday morning at a venue below the barrage, to check things out for the coming season. The water is warming up nicely, I measured the temp at 15 degrees, not too bad, and the vis was about 300mm. But..... theres always a but, the Old mans beard, aka Rocksnot is already prolific. On any decent drift the flies would snag, and I spent more time cleaning flies than fishing. I spoke to a few guys who were bait fishing further down and they were sitting with the same problem. Roll on the first rains to give the river a flush! The fishing was bad, chalk up the first blank for the season, hopefully the only one!!

[Lichia amia]

 :shre:  bring on Yellow season. It been a long winter .

[icstuff]

Cant wait either!
Quick question was the fishing affected by the fish-kill above the barrage?

[schloshd1]

Hard luck Rory. Dave fished eendekuil on Saturday afternoon and got 7 smallies.

[Rory]

Hard luck Rory. Dave fished eendekuil on Saturday afternoon and got 7 smallies.

Unreal, thats well done!    Did he fish saturday before the frontal system?
 

Cant wait either!
Quick question was the fishing affected by the fish-kill above the barrage?

Not sure Pieter, I think the front that came through over saturday night put the fish down. Even the bait fishermen were struggling!

[schloshd1]

Unreal, thats well done!    Did he fish saturday before the frontal system?
 
Not sure Pieter, I think the front that came through over saturday night put the fish down. Even the bait fishermen were struggling!

Yes, he fished from around 14:30 until dark but most of the fish came in the first 45 minutes. He fished the tail out of a pool in about 1 meter of water just as it started to speed up to +- 30cm per second. He says that this sort of spot has produced consistently at this time of year for the past few years.  His mate that was fishing the glides caught nothing. Just goes to show, fish where the fish are.

[schloshd1]

                      Fished Strome yesterday with 2 friends. Damien and I blanked, Angi got a muddy, in the mouth and all. Water was measured at 16.7c at around 1pm. Another group fishing there got a few muddies and a yellow below the bottom reef.
  There was a massive hatch of BWOs and a handful of small +- #16 caddis   from around 3pm, fish rising sporadically in the glide water and plenty   rising in the big pool downstream.                                                                                       __________________

[Lichia amia]

                      Fished Strome yesterday with 2 friends. Damien and I blanked, Angi got a muddy, in the mouth and all. Water was measured at 16.7c at around 1pm. Another group fishing there got a few muddies and a yellow below the bottom reef.
  There was a massive hatch of BWOs and a handful of small +- #16 caddis   from around 3pm, fish rising sporadically in the glide water and plenty   rising in the big pool downstream.                                                                                       __________________

Hard luck Schlosh.
 
Planning a trip this weekend. Do you think its worth getting to the water at Dawn's Crack , seems most early season fish are being landed in the afternoon?
 

[schloshd1]

I think that later in the day seems to be better at the moment maybe arrive between 9 and 11 and fish until dark. A friend who fished yesterday also got his fish later in the afternoon.  Also, slightly slower, thigh to waist deep water below and above the riffles seems to be more productive at present.

[Lichia amia]

I think that later in the day seems to be better at the moment maybe arrive between 9 and 11 and fish until dark. A friend who fished yesterday also got his fish later in the afternoon.  Also, slightly slower, thigh to waist deep water below and above the riffles seems to be more productive at present.

Thanks kind Sir. 
 
 

[icstuff]

IS the water getting to the point where we can wade without a wader?

[Lichia amia]

IS the water getting to the point where we can wade without a wader?

Water was measured at 16.7c at around 1pm =  Raisins