Author Topic: Vaal River Update (Read 566955 times)

FCLoretz · « **Reply #780 on:** January 07, 2013, 10:46:41 AM »

Fished with Herman and the Gang at Erina Yesterday, Managed 4 muddies and 1 sm yellow. was a lekkrt trip. Took a nice swim and I luckily kept my mouth closed, didn't swallow any water.

Had loads of tangles due to my poor nymphing abilities. BUt all in all it was a good day

icstuff · « **Reply #781 on:** January 07, 2013, 03:32:29 PM »

I felt so bad about laughing at your tangles as I had some bad ones, once you left

FCLoretz · « **Reply #782 on:** January 07, 2013, 03:34:29 PM »

Quote from: icstuff on January 07, 2013, 03:32:29 PM

I felt so bad about laughing at your tangles as I had some bad ones, once you left

Pieter,

You really didn't have to get into a tangle to make me feel better. I had a good time on the water. That is all that matters

FCLoretz · « **Reply #783 on:** January 13, 2013, 04:10:02 PM »

Fished Eagles nest on Saturday with Gary and Gys. Visibility was great at about 50cm.

got onto the water at about 10:30. I managed 5 fish, 4 x yellows of which the biggest was about 800gr and then 1 x muddie of about 1.6kgs

I left the water at about 12:45 and by that time Gary had landed 35 yellows. Gys was good on tract as well. Also well into the 20's with his count.

Herman Jooste · « **Reply #784 on:** January 20, 2013, 02:56:23 PM »

After all the usual reprobates had pulled out for various " woosie " reasons I fished the Italians on my lonesome today.

On arrivel air temp was 17 and water temp 19.

On my 5th cast I got a SM of around 2 kg's, then it went dead.

2 hours later whilst sitting on a rock and trailing changed flies in the water I got a small yellow, which hit the black Vaal nymph like a largie

I then went for 2 short drifets, 1 after the other and then got fecking cold, so left, dried out a bit, changed clothes and went to the Croc Ranch for brunch.

2 eggs, bacon, boerie, 2 slices of toast, and jam , with 2 BIG cups of coffee for a total of R 55.00.

What a great end to a great end to a great morning.

To all those who didn't join

Rory · « **Reply #785 on:** January 21, 2013, 07:51:52 AM »

Nice going Herman!

HaroldF · « **Reply #786 on:** March 01, 2013, 03:37:49 PM »

Howzit everyone! ...long time no see!
Anyone planning on going to the Vaal next weekend, or the weekend after that? 9 or 16 March.... I'm keen on going, but as usual, I'm not to keen on going alone ...

Williaby · « **Reply #787 on:** March 04, 2013, 12:39:52 PM »

A group of us including Herman, Pieter, Schlossie, Ian, Steve and I fished the Vaal a fair bit above Parys yesterday and the fishing was off the hook.
I landed 32 for the day leaving the water at around 15:00 and I know Pieter and Herman landed 30 and 26 (I think) respectively for the morning seesion. All of mine were Yellows except for two which were fat Carp of over 3kg and 4kg.

The three of us pulled out in excess of 50 fish from a single run standing within 15m of each other. Also mostly smaller fish with the occasional bigger one (one or two unstoppable buses) and almost exclusivley Yellows. Of the total above only a handful were Carp or Muddies.

Schlossie, Ian and Steve arrived mid morning and they were each on good double figures (if remember correctly) when I left. Ian even caught a couple of Bass buggering around on a spinning rod while we were having lunch.

Best day out on the Vaal for a long time. The water quality seems to be improving and visibility was pretty decent. The green tinge that the river has had over the last few weeks seems to be dissappearing.

HaroldF · « **Reply #788 on:** March 05, 2013, 08:18:16 AM »

There you have it! ...even a BETTER reason to be at the Vaal coming weekend or the weekend after!

HaroldF · « **Reply #789 on:** March 05, 2013, 09:47:58 AM »

Ok .... where shall I go? .... Woelwaters, Arendsnes, Silverstrome, Eastco .... any better suggestions?
hmmm ...~~Oord Nebo looks promising~~ .... scratch that ...too far ..

Ok ...change of plan .... lemme post the question I've posted elsewhere as well:

I need some info please ... I want to take my son for his first yellow session this coming Saturday or the next ... some place between Silwer strome and Eastco ...
The problem is that he's only 9 ... so I can't take him to a place with deep running pools ... what's the best place to take him where the wading will be easy enough for a 9 year old?

icstuff · « **Reply #790 on:** March 05, 2013, 04:20:21 PM »

The first run at eastco is not that bad, eendekuil depending on the flows. Arendsnes and woel waters and the first run at silverstrome if the grass has not taken over.

Do not take him to geelvis or strydoms for his first time. Hope you have lots of fun!

Herman Jooste · « **Reply #791 on:** March 05, 2013, 08:00:39 PM »

Quote from: HaroldF on March 05, 2013, 09:47:58 AM

Ok .... where shall I go? .... Woelwaters, Arendsnes, Silverstrome, Eastco .... any better suggestions?
hmmm ...~~Oord Nebo looks promising~~ .... scratch that ...too far ..

Ok ...change of plan .... lemme post the question I've posted elsewhere as well:

I need some info please ... I want to take my son for his first yellow session this coming Saturday or the next ... some place between Silwer strome and Eastco ...
The problem is that he's only 9 ... so I can't take him to a place with deep running pools ... what's the best place to take him where the wading will be easy enough for a 9 year old?

Woelwaters, just downstream of Arends Nes. A buudy of mine got his 7 year old son into his first Vaal fish there. The wading is easy, just make sure he is wearing a life jacket and is tethered to you , just in case he gets too adventurous.

Rory · « **Reply #792 on:** March 06, 2013, 08:15:22 AM »

Quote from: Williaby on March 04, 2013, 12:39:52 PM

A group of us including Herman, Pieter, Schlossie, Ian, Steve and I fished the Vaal a fair bit above Parys yesterday and the fishing was off the hook.
I landed 32 for the day leaving the water at around 15:00 and I know Pieter and Herman landed 30 and 26 (I think) respectively for the morning seesion. All of mine were Yellows except for two which were fat Carp of over 3kg and 4kg.

The three of us pulled out in excess of 50 fish from a single run standing within 15m of each other. Also mostly smaller fish with the occasional bigger one (one or two unstoppable buses) and almost exclusivley Yellows. Of the total above only a handful were Carp or Muddies.

Schlossie, Ian and Steve arrived mid morning and they were each on good double figures (if remember correctly) when I left. Ian even caught a couple of Bass buggering around on a spinning rod while we were having lunch.

Best day out on the Vaal for a long time. The water quality seems to be improving and visibility was pretty decent. The green tinge that the river has had over the last few weeks seems to be dissappearing.

Nice going gents! Any particular flies producing or just the usual suspects?

icstuff · « **Reply #793 on:** March 06, 2013, 05:04:38 PM »

Best fly of the day was a red hot spot or an Orange hot spot, but a Black nymph also produced.

Keemo · « **Reply #794 on:** May 08, 2013, 08:56:30 AM »

Howzit guys,
Been a while since i posted anything but to be honest now that I live in KZN visiting the vaal is becoming more of a luxury!

Anyway I thought I'd do a quick report back on my day on the vaal. A mate and I fished the last Sunday of April @ Elgro.
The plan was to target some Largies but that would prove to be very difficult due to the discolored water.
I was dead set to get hooked into something big so I strapped on a big black fly and fished it as hard as possible.
My persistence paid off as I landed 3 very nice smallies one of which was an absolute bus and my personal best.
I lost 3 fish as well, another smallie that came up and I pulled the hook, a big barbel that pulled the hook at my feet and one that I believe was a largie, it took the fly on the drop and I was a bit slow on the hook set the line zipped at an incredible speed through the water and the fish was off!
My mate got 4 smallies for the day, all on dry's and all between a Kilo - 2Kilo range.

Here is a 5minute video on the days fishing, the big boy is at the end.
Big Smallmouth Yellows on the Vaal River

Poenskop · « **Reply #795 on:** May 08, 2013, 10:10:52 AM »

That is a bus. I can't wait for my October Christiana trip.

Herman Jooste · « **Reply #796 on:** July 21, 2013, 03:52:27 PM »

Poenskop, why wait for October ?

Pieter and I spent a very cold, but beautiful morning on the Vaal today.
On arrival @ 7:00 air temp was - 3 deg and water temp the same 10 deg it has been for the last month..

After a few "straf dops" to warm the cockles we hit the water just before 8. Rowed up, and parked the boat on the first reef. No surface activity whatsoever, so I tried the big dry , to lure them up, no takers.

I then changed to the 2 flies recently shown on the fly tying section and fished down and across. Pieter and I were sitting on our rocks talking cr@p, when all of a sudden after a lazy cast, the fish took the fly on the drop. I couldn't believe it

Vas I was, and about 7 minutes later had my first SM of the winter safely in Pieter's net. She weighed in at 3.6 kg.

Poenskop · « **Reply #797 on:** July 22, 2013, 07:21:02 AM »

Quote from: Herman Jooste on July 21, 2013, 03:52:27 PM

Poenskop, why wait for October ?

Very nice fish Herman.I moved to Port Elizabeth. I can't do day trips anymore.

Lichia amia · « **Reply #798 on:** July 22, 2013, 07:41:06 AM »

Thats a Bus , well done Herman

Rory · « **Reply #799 on:** July 22, 2013, 07:47:36 AM »

Awesome fish Herman