Author Topic: Vaal River Update (Read 566788 times)

Lichia amia · « **Reply #1680 on:** December 14, 2015, 08:16:33 AM »

Quote from: bassbug on December 13, 2015, 11:36:29 PM

then cooked it

Mooi man

bassbug · « **Reply #1681 on:** December 14, 2015, 09:02:44 AM »

thanks John F for explaining ghost fishing. the net i found was made with hand shaped polystyrene and 2.5mm electrical cabling. it did not look like a tool used by scientists but if it was, they should not leave it laying hidden in a island on top of a laying dead branch where other animals could easily get caught in it or for a subsistance fisherman to get their hands on it. the scientist are most welcome to call me to fill in the space of their missing net, on o83 3oeight777eight, i'll be more than happy to catch them fish using my fly rod.
recently on fb, the police and other members of the public removed a lot of gill nets, chucks hope none of them belonged to the scientist.

WalkersKiller · « **Reply #1682 on:** January 21, 2016, 11:09:40 AM »

Whats been happening guys? Anyone been fishing lately?

WalkersKiller · « **Reply #1683 on:** January 28, 2016, 08:42:55 AM »

Went to the river on Sunday, water was pumping and the weather wasnt great, we only managed Muddies, and this little guy was the only one caught close to the mouth lol. Others all foul hooked.

WalkersKiller · « **Reply #1684 on:** June 06, 2016, 05:00:14 PM »

Been very long since someone posted an update

gavin erwin · « **Reply #1685 on:** June 06, 2016, 06:56:25 PM »

That's a good point

WalkersKiller · « **Reply #1686 on:** September 07, 2016, 09:42:19 AM »

Went to Silwerstrome on Sat for a few hours, Jason managed a Carp on fly, and lost a yellow, a grass carp and a few other commons... I managed a 6kg Common Carp...

Its warming up so we are going for some Yellows this weekend!

gavin erwin · « **Reply #1687 on:** September 07, 2016, 01:42:26 PM »

Nicely done guys!!!

REEFMAN · « **Reply #1688 on:** September 07, 2016, 02:10:47 PM »

Some great catches!!

WalkersKiller · « **Reply #1689 on:** September 07, 2016, 02:47:52 PM »

Thanks guys

dugong · « **Reply #1690 on:** September 07, 2016, 02:56:57 PM »

WalkersKiller · « **Reply #1691 on:** September 08, 2016, 07:40:43 AM »

Thanks bru, might sound weird compared to some of the fish I have caught, but that Carp gave me one of the best fights I have ever had!

John F · « **Reply #1692 on:** September 08, 2016, 07:55:25 AM »

Congrats Walks... nice fish there. On a side note, how long since your last saltwater fishing trip? You need to go back to the salt mate

WalkersKiller · « **Reply #1693 on:** September 08, 2016, 08:07:49 AM »

Thanks Marcos!

Bru its been terrible! Lots proper saltwater fishing trip was November last year, was at the coast for a bit in December, but didnt get much of a chance to fish and the only decent fish I caught were flipping Kurper!

Craving the ocean.

DownUnder · « **Reply #1694 on:** September 08, 2016, 12:35:35 PM »

Silwestrome! Cant believe that place is still going! River looks low though.. very low.

Man I can tell you some stories of that place!
Caught my pb barbel, pb smallmouth and pb largie there. Saw a largemouth yellow jump clear out of the water there once.. as long as I am tall!!
Spent a freezing July night there kuiering with mates and ou bruin skoene. Nothing was biting so at 1am they pulled the line on one of my night hawks (only fished night hawks in those days). Grumpy as I reset the line and 2.30am it roared off! **** off I shouted at them only to realize they were both asleep! pb largie at 5kg was the result.
Had an 18kg barbel on carp head and 9kg line. River was high and the fight was intense. Chased after it in my canoe!
Speaking of high rivers I rescued a guy there once who was caught in the current. He decided to chase a fish and jumped in the water when the river was in flood! Nearly tickets he was.

Speaking of floods we camped tight up to the river one night and woke up with our feet in the water! Yes the river was rising rapidly!
Got caught with my mate in a 'wolkbreuk' storm once and got clobbered by large hailstones. We tipped the canoe upside down and hid underneath!
The best memory I have is sitting half submerged in the water on a hot summers day as the sun is going down and hearing that beautiful night hawk sound as the yellows go crazy!

What a place and I think of it often.

WalkersKiller · « **Reply #1695 on:** September 08, 2016, 12:37:49 PM »

Its still going strong and is my favourite venue... Water was extremely low...

Some amazing stories and memories there, thanks for sharing them

Herman Jooste · « **Reply #1696 on:** September 11, 2016, 12:49:33 PM »

The temps are slowly climbing, around 15.4 at the moment. 18 is the magical mark, but 16 is fishable.
The flows are very low at 10, ( Vaal Dam only 32% ).
Went out 2 weeks ago to Erina, water around 14, visibility was very poor, and already plenty of rock snot around.
Unless we have mega rain in Gauteng in the next two weeks, there is no chance of a "flush" of the river, so be prepared for skinny water with plenty of rock snot, as the water warms up it's going to get worse.

BTW, WTF has happened to the water from the Lesotho Highlands Water scheme ? There is none going into the Vaal .

bassbug · « **Reply #1697 on:** September 11, 2016, 11:26:58 PM »

Quote from: Herman Jooste on September 11, 2016, 12:49:33 PM

WTF has happened to the water from the Lesotho Highlands Water scheme ? There is none going into the Vaal .

good question, maybe they two affected by drought, come to think of it, the ash should be fishable along its full length

icstuff · « **Reply #1698 on:** September 12, 2016, 08:55:59 AM »

Quote from: bassbug on September 11, 2016, 11:26:58 PM

Quote from: Herman Jooste on September 11, 2016, 12:49:33 PM
WTF has happened to the water from the Lesotho Highlands Water scheme ? There is none going into the Vaal .

good question, maybe they two affected by drought, come to think of it, the ash should be fishable along its full length

Phase 1 of the highland scheme is a reserve for 2 year. This is the third year of the drought...

Herman Jooste · « **Reply #1699 on:** September 19, 2016, 07:07:01 PM »

Went to all venue between Parys and Potch on Sunday.
Water temp 14 , air temp 7.
Managed an hour from 7 to 8 before I couldn't feel my fingers or toes.
Got 3 muddies though, biggest around 1.5 kg.
Trusty black nymph again.