Author Topic: Vaal River Update (Read 566971 times)

Monster · « **Reply #760 on:** December 10, 2012, 07:51:26 AM »

Nice! Baie geluk!

Rory · « **Reply #761 on:** December 10, 2012, 07:57:03 AM »

Nice Pieter! Nice pics, looks like you guys had a jol!

Lichia amia · « **Reply #762 on:** December 10, 2012, 08:00:04 AM »

Well done Pietertjie

Ettienne · « **Reply #763 on:** December 10, 2012, 09:48:42 AM »

Howsit? Sorry I could not make it but well done!

Looks like brilliant water!

Herman Jooste · « **Reply #764 on:** December 10, 2012, 08:12:00 PM »

Thanks to all for a brilliant day at a brilliant venue.

Pieter certainly cleaned up fishing wise. Well done that man.

I got the SMALLEST sm of the day, ( Andrew has the pic ) and a small muddie.

The midday braai was good, with everyone chipping in food wise, so we ended up eating like " Kings ".

Water temp at 08:00 was 22 deg, and I guessed the flow at around 30 tons.

We were chased off the water around 14:30 with very ominous clouds and lightening.

Again thanks to all, especially OMR's buddy, who just happens to be a National Geigraphic and Discovery video amd photo specialist. His pics of the day are amazing !!!!!

icstuff · « **Reply #765 on:** December 28, 2012, 10:06:46 PM »

This morning the usual suspects descended upon a venue below the barrage. After the usual twak praat and brushing of teeth we waded into the water. Flows where between 50 and 60 and fishing was tough. Herman lived up to his “king of the drift” title and did a 300m drift to retrieve a fly box then waded all the way back not to take a picture of a fish. I saw quite a few bending rods with as we all hooked the common African rock fish with some fish in between.

I had a lucky break as I was chased into a honey hole by a couple of barble that wanted to spawn with my leg. I landed 3 smallish yellows in quick succession, and then hooked a monster of a grass carp that battled me for 30+ minutes until my line parted on the braided loop as we tried to land the fish. After this frustration, I was still able to land 4 more yellows. From what I heard the rest of the chaps also landed at least a fish or two (I will leave it up to the chaps to give more details).

Afterwards we tanned a few chops and swapped manly fishing stories. As they say even a bad day fishing is better that a good day at work, and today was a great days fishing, spent with friends and good comrades.

Herman Jooste · « **Reply #766 on:** January 01, 2013, 11:49:37 AM »

A group of us fished the Middle Vaal yesterday ( last fish of 2012 ).
The water temp was around 25 deg and flows around 30, which was half of what they were when we fished the same venue on Friday.
Everyone got fish, including Pieter's dad who was on the Vaal for his very first time.
I think Martin got 9, 7 sm and 2 yellows.
I missed a full house with 2 carp, 2 muddies, 1 sm and a moggel. Just couldn't find the barbel though.
Flies that worked were red bloodworm imitations, with my sm being the only one caught on my control fly.

Thanks again guys for another great morning on the river.

doc · « **Reply #767 on:** January 02, 2013, 04:02:17 PM »

Fished the vaal with Herman, Pieter, Pieter's dad and Jaco. It was a great morning on the vaal with a lot of different species taking the bloodworm imitations.
I got my first carp on fly after a few small yellows and a baby muddie. The carp gave a very good account of itself in the rapids the first carp weighed 2kg. During the day quite a few carp was hooked by other anglers as well. I continued to catch a number of smaller yellows in the rapid closest to the bank. Then on the last drift I got nailed by a nice fish going straight past me and down stream straight into the backing. I got my running shoes on and was after the fish to prevent being spooled like a few days earlier. After a great fight I finally landed another nice carp of just over the 3kg mark.
Thanks to all the guys for a great end to 2012.
Here are pictures of the 2 carps as well as one of an average size yellow for the day.

Homie · « **Reply #768 on:** January 02, 2013, 04:56:41 PM »

Great catches guys !!!

Lichia amia · « **Reply #769 on:** January 02, 2013, 05:06:57 PM »

Well done Guys

If only I can get a break from work to join you . My last Vaal Fly trip was end of April 2012

+ a 3 year old kid tantrum !!!!!!!

icstuff · « **Reply #770 on:** January 02, 2013, 06:20:45 PM »

It was one of the more "fun" days I have had on the river teaching my first newbie, after a while I realized that herman is better teacher than me. Funniest thing was me being worried about the old man falling in the river and then me landing squarely on my behind.

Herman Jooste · « **Reply #771 on:** January 02, 2013, 08:02:26 PM »

Quote from: icstuff on January 02, 2013, 06:20:45 PM

It was one of the more "fun" days I have had on the river teaching my first newbie, after a while I realized that herman is better teacher than me. Funniest thing was me being worried about the old man falling in the river and then me landing squarely on my behind.

And then forgetting " NOT TO SWALLOW ANY WATER "

Hence your latest bout of " Vaal Skuit ".

If you are not over it by the time you read this, get your ass to a hospital.

Don't fool with the Vaal bugs, if you are ill, get help fast.

Herman Jooste · « **Reply #772 on:** January 02, 2013, 08:16:52 PM »

So everyone fished with in the last 7 days had excuses.

Some were supposedly at work, some sick, and 1 notable other had the honesty to admit that he was still " TOAST " after New Years Eve

. ( Which I sort of half expected, being a 40th and New Years bash. )

So I fished my first session of 2013 this morning at Woelwaters. On the water by 7:00 and off at 10:00, the wind was pumping by then.

Fished mostly Czech Style, don't enjoy it, nut it seemed to work.

In the 3 hours I got 5 SM and 1 muddie, nothing of size though, with the biggest fish a SM of around 2 kg.

The fly that worked was an olive caddis pupae # 14, with a green bead.

Funny enough, absolutely nothing on nymph'sm all on the caddis.

icstuff · « **Reply #773 on:** January 02, 2013, 11:17:12 PM »

Doc said I will live, just plenty of some vile fluids and it seems that I might be fine for the weekend(Fingers crossed)

Herman Jooste · « **Reply #774 on:** January 06, 2013, 05:06:08 PM »

About 7 of the normal miscreants fished below the barrage today.

Flows were a bit low at around 30 - 35 tons, and vis was surprisingly good at 35 - 40 cms.

As per usual I was the first there and second to last on the water.

Must have something to do with the "brushing of the teeth" ritual as well as Pieter's SD for being late.

As I got into the water Bryan was releasing a SM and lo and behold the "Cormorant" of the day , Martin, was into a fish.

I fished hither and thither, with everyone klapping fish, except me

So I decided to muscle in on Pieter and Rory's nursery.

Finally landed a small SM and promptley lost another 2.

Everyone got a fish though. I had the honour of landing Martin's 3.6 kg carp after he walked around 200m downsttream after it, with my flies wrapped around his line,

.

I will leave it up the various participants to post their pics, even thoough I was photographer and netter for the day.

icstuff · « **Reply #775 on:** January 06, 2013, 06:23:29 PM »

Was an awesome day on the water. Me and Bryan stayed for for an afternoon session, and slowly moved to the third run. We did a short stop in the nursery and something tried to rip the rod from my hand just after Bryan's leader line was snapped by a fish.

The third run was very productive with many big fish hooked and may lost, Bryan was almost into fish on every cast.
I lost a large yellow at the net and landed 2 muddies and quite a few that I never saw.

doc · « **Reply #776 on:** January 07, 2013, 07:46:04 AM »

Was a very nice day on the vaal. Thanks to Herman who help land my carp that took me for a walk. Sorry to all the other guys for coming rampaging through the run you were fishing.
Pieter it is good to hear that there were a few decent small mouths in the 3rd run.

Lichia amia · « **Reply #777 on:** January 07, 2013, 08:10:52 AM »

Well done Doc !

You are becoming U.A. most accomplished all round angler , from papgooi , fly to Rock and Surf . Lekker ou maat

Rory · « **Reply #778 on:** January 07, 2013, 08:22:47 AM »

It was a good mornings fishing. It seemed like the heavier fish were in the faster deeper runs yesterday. Had a blast hammering the creche/nursery in the slower glides, the juvie yellows were as thick as a shad run! All in the 20 -30cm class they were hitting the fly like it was their last meal on earth. Flies that produced for me were Humpy's Favourite, mustard caddis and small black mayflies.

icstuff · « **Reply #779 on:** January 07, 2013, 09:15:58 AM »

Quote from: Rory on January 07, 2013, 08:22:47 AM

It was a good mornings fishing. It seemed like the heavier fish were in the faster deeper runs yesterday. Had a blast hammering the creche/nursery in the slower glides, the juvie yellows were as thick as a shad run! All in the 20 -30cm class they were hitting the fly like it was their last meal on earth. Flies that produced for me were Humpy's Favourite, mustard caddis and small black mayflies.

Rory in that run you fished, they took any fly you could throw at them