Author Topic: Vaal River Update (Read 566941 times)

icstuff · « **Reply #720 on:** September 25, 2012, 01:23:03 PM »

Fished Geelvis this morning, with 3 muddies taken and 1 lost. All the fish was taken on green caddis. There was a hatch but nothing like we had on Sunday. Lost of fish rising but not having a flotation device meant that I could not reach them.
Saw something strange, a fish was jumping out of the water as if it was fighting against a line, it then turned belly up and just floated downstream. Not sure which species as it was as I could not get there in time. Any ideas why it would just die like that?

Prego · « **Reply #721 on:** September 25, 2012, 03:29:14 PM »

It skriked when it saw you!!

icstuff · « **Reply #722 on:** September 27, 2012, 07:47:49 AM »

It does take some time to get used to my face!
Will so another reccie tomorrow anybody in the mood for the Italians?

icstuff · « **Reply #723 on:** October 08, 2012, 08:11:46 AM »

Did my last outing until December at strome on friday. Saw lots of barbel activity in the grass and an absolute monster swam past me that made me stay clear of any grass. This did not help at all and I hooked a barbel that ran me all over the river for 10-15min it swam past me at once and it was longer than my wading stick! not good news on 3x tippet and a 5wt. It managed to swim into the grass after a hectic run downstream and cut me off in the grass.

Some of the other patrons I spoke to only got some muddies. And I learned that cows do not respect your drifting area and will wade right through it.

Rory · « **Reply #724 on:** October 08, 2012, 09:55:00 AM »

Pieter is the watergrass worse, or still about the same?

icstuff · « **Reply #725 on:** October 08, 2012, 01:29:12 PM »

I thought it was worse could not do a drift without getting into the stuff, I did do a lot more wading than usual so saw a lot more of the stuff. And rock snot a plenty. Strydoms and GVP dont have the problem strydoms do have some snot but minor compared to strome.

UrbanFF · « **Reply #726 on:** October 08, 2012, 01:43:10 PM »

We fished at Vaal de Sioleh on Sunday and had a great day - lashed Moggels, Barbel, Grass Carp, Muddies and Yellowfish - total haul for 6 rods was 50+ , some pictures here https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.419038101492305.99205.306554952740621&type=1&l=6fc5fc44a1 (feel free to like the page while you're there or join the mailing list)

A friend was at Strydoms on Sunday and only saw muddy action, he also said that rotting algae was causing vis and smell problems.

Herman Jooste · « **Reply #727 on:** October 17, 2012, 08:52:16 PM »

The Christiana Fly Festival has come and gone. We were a total of 45 anglers, split into various groups ( or teams ). This event is EPIC as it is not a competition, but a Festival of like minded f/f who love fly fishing special waters that are opened to fishing once a year.

The flows are controlled via the release from Bloemhof, and were kept at 16 tons for the 3 days, ( too low IMHO, I would have loved 20 - 25 ).

Catches this year were on a par, fewer than last year, however there were some serious SM yellows caught.

I had put in some serious tying before the trip, especially RED HUMPYS ( thanks Rory for reminding me ).

My catch report is :

Barbel. 3.8 kg, 3.2 kg, and 2.6 kg. ( ALL on Red Humpys )
SM Yellow , 5 x less than 3.0 kg (all unweighed )
Muddies , 9, all less than 2.5 kg.

Rocks . A gazillion
Trees . About 6.

I will post pics once downloaded.

Already booked for next year.

Rory · « **Reply #728 on:** October 18, 2012, 07:38:01 AM »

Nicely done - looking forward to seeing the pics Herman!

icstuff · « **Reply #729 on:** October 18, 2012, 08:10:40 AM »

Herman you forgot to mention the special soup you had!

I so wish I could join bet leave and Studies are a problem.

UrbanFF · « **Reply #730 on:** October 18, 2012, 01:09:34 PM »

A small group of us went to scout a farm just down river from Orkney and conditions were good to OK for most of Saturday and Sunday (Gale force winds ) however we had a great fishing weekend and apart from the snot weed we caught on average 20 fish per person a day,mostly lots around >1 kg with 20 % over 3 kg and 3 fish over 5 kg[/size]The vis was >400mm and water temps around 19 deg.Apologies for the quality of the one image but it was taken on a BlackBerry - the fish had to be photographed as we estimate it's weight to be well over 5 kgs.The happy fishermen are Geoff Muir and Warrick BennettIn case I can't upload the pictures I have an album on the UrbanFlyfishers Face Book Page

Herman Jooste · « **Reply #731 on:** October 18, 2012, 08:15:28 PM »

Quote from: UrbanFF on October 18, 2012, 01:09:34 PM

A small group of us went to scout a farm just down river from Orkney and conditions were good to OK for most of Saturday and Sunday (Gale force winds ) however we had a great fishing weekend and apart from the snot weed we caught on average 20 fish per person a day,mostly lots around >1 kg with 20 % over 3 kg and 3 fish over 5 kgThe vis was >400mm and water temps around 19 deg.Apologies for the quality of the one image but it was taken on a BlackBerry - the fish had to be photographed as we estimate it's weight to be well over 5 kgs.The happy fishermen are Geoff Muir and Warrick BennettIn case I can't upload the pictures I have an album on the UrbanFlyfishers Face Book Page

I can believe that that is a 5kg + fish.

Well done.

Rory · « **Reply #732 on:** October 19, 2012, 07:38:41 AM »

Hell thats a bus of a smallmouth!!!

Well done to the angler! One day when I'm big.....

Herman Jooste · « **Reply #733 on:** November 05, 2012, 08:46:38 PM »

OK. Bryan and I fished Oord Nebo on Sunday. Water temp at 06:30 wa 19 deg, with a vis of around 20 - 30 cm's.

I foul hooked my first muddie after 5 minutes on the water, and then it went pear shaped/

So we waded upstream, and further upstream.

Bryan quickly got 2 small yellows and me another muddie.

Bryan then found a honey hole ubder an overhanging tree, where he plucked 4 yellows in 4 casts. Unfortunately only 1 came to the net, which I waded 50 meters across the river to take a pic of, which Bryan let slip out of his hands before I could get the pic.

It was however a fish of aroubd 2.5 - 3 kg in beutifull colour.

There were 2 very Bizarre hookups though.

Bryan was wading upstream with his rod over his shoulder and the flies trailing behind, when his rod was nearly ripped out of his hand, by a serious hit from a yellow. He fought as best as possible for bout 2 minutes, ( nearly into his backing , ) before the fish shook the hook.

The second was when I came off a fly change, and sustenance intake from an island. My fly line was wrapped around the tip of the rod, so I put the flies into the water, parked the butt and real into the reeds and proceeded to unwind the fly line from the tip.

The next second a savage take, which I tried to set ( with my hand ) with 3 wraps of line around the tip. The "fight" lasted a whole 2 seconds before the fish snapped the Gamakatsu hook at the bend.

All in all a great mornings fishing.

icstuff · « **Reply #734 on:** November 06, 2012, 07:31:41 AM »

Nice going Herman!

Rory · « **Reply #735 on:** November 12, 2012, 03:08:15 PM »

Fished a short morning session with Herman, Christo, Dion and Jaco at Eastco on Sunday morning. The fishing was generally slow, just like the flow rate! I started fishing using a 2 fly rig, and was having no luck at all just an on/off or two. I retied the leader moving to a 3 fly setup and imediately had a better hookup rate. Flies that produced were Humpy's Favourite, small black mayfly and a mustard caddis tied slim czech nymph style. Nice morning out, thanks guys!

Herman Jooste · « **Reply #736 on:** November 12, 2012, 08:32:49 PM »

Quote from: Rory on November 12, 2012, 03:08:15 PM

Fished a short morning session with Herman, Christo, Dion and Jaco at Eastco on Sunday morning. The fishing was generally slow, just like the flow rate! I started fishing using a 2 fly rig, and was having no luck at all just an on/off or two. I retied the leader moving to a 3 fly setup and imediately had a better hookup rate. Flies that produced were Humpy's Favourite, small black mayfly and a mustard caddis tied slim czech nymph style. Nice morning out, thanks guys!

Thanks for the report Rory.
All I can add is that I lost 1 muddie.

And that was it for the day except for 2 sitdowns

, which for me I suppose is normal.

I will upload your pics once I get round to downloading them.

P.S. Do you want hem mailed to you as well, seeing you don't carry a camera anymore

icstuff · « **Reply #737 on:** November 15, 2012, 02:56:51 PM »

After a hectic morning, I decided to drown my sorrows at arendsnes.
And to say that it started badly was an understatement. After a strange incident I lost my only strike indicator, so I fished without it and lo and behold with in the next hour I landed 3 yellows and lost another 2, one being a heavy fellow.

What amazed me was the fact that not fishing a strike indicator increased my strike rate. I did not change my spot or the flies, the only difference was no indicator.

PS all fish was caught on a white hot spot

Herman Jooste · « **Reply #738 on:** November 15, 2012, 07:43:55 PM »

Quote from: icstuff on November 15, 2012, 02:56:51 PM

After a hectic morning, I decided to drown my sorrows at arendsnes.
And to say that it started badly was an understatement. After a strange incident I lost my only strike indicator, so I fished without it and lo and behold with in the next hour I landed 3 yellows and lost another 2, one being a heavy fellow.

What amazed me was the fact that not fishing a strike indicator increased my strike rate. I did not change my spot or the flies, the only difference was no indicator.

PS all fish was caught on a white hot spot

STRAFDOP X 2

For someone who can't fish weekends due to study and exams, to fish during the week is just wrong.

Nice report though.

Rory · « **Reply #739 on:** November 16, 2012, 07:53:27 AM »

Quote from: icstuff on November 15, 2012, 02:56:51 PM

......What amazed me was the fact that not fishing a strike indicator increased my strike rate. I did not change my spot or the flies, the only difference was no indicator....

(Insert Yoda voice) Hmmmm, to the dark side we welcome you...

Thats well fished Pieter, depending entirely on the conditions, fishing without an indicator can be very productive.