Author Topic: Vaal River Update (Read 566938 times)

Rory · « **Reply #1060 on:** November 25, 2013, 09:48:47 AM »

Quote from: Homie on November 25, 2013, 09:41:07 AM

I was just praying you didnt break that rod on my head if i lost that fish

Lol, you know me Homes, I'm not a violent person at all

If you had lost the fish I probably would have only held your head underwater for a little longer than deemed necassary...

But seriously, that case is some more food for thought on fishing multiple flies and how quickly things can go pear shaped with extra hooks trailing around after an upset fish!!!

icstuff · « **Reply #1061 on:** November 25, 2013, 09:50:58 AM »

How was the flows, snot and clarity?

Rory · « **Reply #1062 on:** November 25, 2013, 09:52:36 AM »

Quote from: icstuff on November 25, 2013, 09:50:58 AM

How was the flows, snot and clarity?

Flows were absolutely perfect, no snot and viz was about 30 - 40cm.

Herman Jooste · « **Reply #1063 on:** November 25, 2013, 09:01:12 PM »

Sounds like you all had a great morning out.
@ Doc, congrats on your PB yellow Marthin.

UrbanFF · « **Reply #1064 on:** November 26, 2013, 09:36:23 AM »

I took a bunch of newbies to Vaal de Sioleh on Sunday - all 6 caught at least 1 fish and the one chap smashed his brand new rod on a muddie as he lifted way too high when trying to net the fish, he then proceeded to catch a 3.2 Kg SMY as his first fish on fly, we all laughed and said that catching a PB as his first fish is going to make any other Yellow he catches pale by comparison , so he goes and catches a 4 kg for his 2nd !!! Also had an epic tussle with a 8 kg +++ Grass Carp that lasted a kilometer and almost an hour - full story here https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10151826774861687&set=a.75247366686.78791.740456686&type=1&theater

and some fun images here :

icstuff · « **Reply #1065 on:** November 26, 2013, 09:57:02 AM »

We can say what we want about grass carp but when you have one on the line you know about it!

GT Mayhem · « **Reply #1066 on:** November 26, 2013, 02:59:03 PM »

THEY ARE HUGE FUN ON DRY FLY!

icstuff · « **Reply #1067 on:** December 01, 2013, 08:36:09 PM »

Me, Herman, Bryan, Chris and Jasper fished Parys today. 4:30 the dwaf reading said 70c for schoemansdrift but when we got there it was higher. We where greeted by muddies spawning all over the place and the barbel enjoying them selfs in between. Barbel was rising all over the place and I have never seen flies hitting the water so quickly. After chucking the fly many a time with only a few fish showing interest but none taking we all moved to the rapids. With all the buddies spawning the yellows where notably absent, but a few was hooked and only one landed. Order of the day was big muddies with mermaids in between with one wire-trap being landed by Chris after it he lost a nice yellow on it. Bryan persistently targeted the rising barbel over lunch and was rewarded with one. All of us took drifts on the river apart from Bryan who was impervious to any waters. After one of Herman's trademark mobility drifts (r) caused some damage to his pants that made it disintegrate during the braai... needles to say but we will need therapy for years to deal with the trauma!

It was a lovely day where the fish taught us lessons and friends got to share a beer over stories of the one that got away!
PS No pictures was taken and no spawning fish or beds where targeted

icstuff · « **Reply #1068 on:** December 09, 2013, 03:56:35 PM »

I fished the vaal below the Barrage this morning and was treated to some feisty sub 1Kg yellows that attacked my flies like shad. Caught so many that I stopped counting. I also had a pleasant surprise when an extra sluice was opened without me knowing causing me some trouble crossing back over the river.

it seems with all the rain we have been having and the extra water entering the vaaldam, that we might be in for a good flush of the system!

Lichia amia · « **Reply #1069 on:** December 09, 2013, 04:05:47 PM »

Nice Pietertjie

Believe the guys done very well at the same spot yesterday as well .

Did San Juan worms do the trick ?

icstuff · « **Reply #1070 on:** December 09, 2013, 05:04:14 PM »

Yes, and white caddis.
I was fishing with a red epoxy buzzer and it was hit almost as soon as it hit the water.

Lichia amia · « **Reply #1071 on:** December 09, 2013, 05:12:29 PM »

Quote from: icstuff on December 09, 2013, 05:04:14 PM

Yes, and white caddis.
I was fishing with a red epoxy buzzer and it was hit almost as soon as it hit the water.

Lekker , bet you will be back there tomorrow . Watch out for the Troll under the low level bridge !!!

icstuff · « **Reply #1072 on:** December 09, 2013, 05:46:51 PM »

It did try and mate with my leg... cant fish tomorrow

Lichia amia · « **Reply #1073 on:** December 09, 2013, 05:50:28 PM »

Quote from: icstuff on December 09, 2013, 05:46:51 PM

It did try and mate with my leg... cant fish tomorrow

Sies !!!!

Rory · « **Reply #1074 on:** December 13, 2013, 07:44:30 AM »

OK guys check the flow rates before fishing the Vaal this weekend. An international F2 boating event will take place on the Barrage tomorrow so they've opened 3 sluices at the dam, so they currently releasing 200 cumec. Apparently they plan on releasing 400 + cumecs from the barrage today, and then from this evening only release whatever is being delivered via the tributaries (currently 200cumec already).

Please check www.dwaf.gov.za/Hydrology/RTMain.aspx before going fishing

Pasop!

Herman Jooste · « **Reply #1075 on:** December 13, 2013, 02:40:27 PM »

OK. So I fished the Italians this morning. What an interesting day

On arrival 3 sluices were open and the flows around 200 tons. I rigged up knowing where I was going to fish ( in amongst the trees and grass in the usual parking area ).

Some barbell were having fun in the very shallow water by the pebbles, but I thought , they will still be there later lets go get some yellows.

After an hours fishing and 4 fly changes I got a muddie, followed soon after by another one.

I then noticed at around 09:30 that they were closing the sluices, but one after the other. All 3 sluices were closed within 30 minutes, and as you can imagine the water levels dropped very quickly, being so close to the wall.

The result ? I got another 40 muddies and 3 barbell, all either hand caught or netted, that were stuck in the little pools left amongst the rocks and pebbles. All were safely returned to the main river.

3 locals had a ball scooping up muddies that were stranded, between them they must have taken around 150 - 200 muddies out of the little pools.

I actually ended up helping them when I realised that those fish that were left in the ever dwindling pools were virtually dead. At the end of an hour or so, there must have been around 100 dead muddies on the rocks.

Now I ask the question. Why close 3 sluices, 1 after the other within 30 minutes ????

Why not close 1 an hour over 3 hours,? at least then the fish would have had time to get out of a dwindling pool and into better water.

Anyway after the clean up I went to target them barbel. They were still surfacing, but did not want any of the 4 platanas, 2 streamers, 3 wooly buggers, or even a white over chartreuse salty bugger that I threw at them.

Funny enough the morning's fishing ended with a huge muddie being landed on the salty bugger.

There again he had no chance against a 6# Elbe, Stealth 9# reel and 40 lb leader.

What an unusual and great learning morning.

icstuff · « **Reply #1076 on:** December 13, 2013, 07:29:58 PM »

That is unusual

I thought it would be open for the day

Herman Jooste · « **Reply #1077 on:** December 17, 2013, 12:23:20 PM »

Pieter ( IC Stuff ) and I fished venue P yesterday, having to go around to the Gauteng side to get access.
Water temp was 18 which is warm for this venue, but had Pieter wishing he had brought his waders.

The underwater topography seems to have changed a bit over the last 18 months when we last fished this venue, with certain areas seeming to be shallower than before. We soon settled in to our favourite spots. I got cleaned up 6 love by a yellow and then 2 muddies in a row, 2 of the 3 fish snapping my leader ( 5.5kg Maxima

the rest of the spool has now been tossed.) resulting in Pieter giving me a straf dop.

I called him up to my spot and he soon hooked and landed a barbell.
We then broke for brunch at around 10:30 and on the way back to the cars peered into a pool running parallel with the river and spotted some bass.
After brunch we went to the pool armed with suitable flies.
Pieter's first cast to a sight fished bass resulted in a solid hook up, leading to a +/- 700 gem bass being landed. This fish went back to it's same spot, but this time with lock jaw.
I then sight fished the 2nd bass which was slightly larger, which after being released also got lock jaw.
It seemed as if the 2 bass we caught were the only ones in the pool. As we left Pieter noticed a 3rd bass surrounded by fry in a very shallow grassed up area near some reeds.

All in all a very pleasant and rewarding day on the river.

Lichia amia · « **Reply #1078 on:** December 17, 2013, 12:39:39 PM »

Nice Herman

Was planning to fish Vaal streams yesterday but as I past the Grasmere toll realised I had left my wading stick at home

. Now literally only having half an ear , giving me the balance of a Hippo on a tight rope I opted to fish the venue I know best Woelwaters rather than loose teeth .

Water was packed with papgooiers and had to wade quite a bit downstream .

In 4 hours of fishing managed to land 2 x Moggels ( the size of Sards ) and 1 Medium Muddy hooked solid in the mouth for a change. Flows were on the strong side and vis not very good .

icstuff · « **Reply #1079 on:** December 17, 2013, 12:56:19 PM »

Nice one kallie! fishing is more difficult than it was this time last year