Author Topic: Vaal River Update (Read 566916 times)

Rory · « **Reply #200 on:** February 07, 2011, 09:18:59 AM »

Quote from: schloshd1 on February 07, 2011, 09:16:02 AM

If you like #18s in "clean" Vaal water then you have to give Sterkies a visit, you will be raiding my size 32s. I was blown away by the water clarity there.

Eish I'll need to stock up on 6x and 7x.....

Herman Jooste · « **Reply #201 on:** February 07, 2011, 10:27:26 PM »

Quote from: Rory on February 07, 2011, 08:36:12 AM

Nice going Herman! It is amazing how the fish pick up the flies in dirty water! Now you see why I like size 18's in clean water!! what were the flows at? 600??

Yup, the flows were just under 700, however the bay was still quiet with a bit of a back eddy. The channel that we fished last time was a no go, but a new one had developed right against the first row of Bluegums.

I see that the release has now droppped to 57 ( all sluices closed ) and Goosebay is down to 220 odd, so the normal venues could be fishable this weekend.

Rory · « **Reply #202 on:** February 08, 2011, 07:43:46 AM »

Quote from: Herman Jooste on February 07, 2011, 10:27:26 PM

I see that the release has now droppped to 57 ( all sluices closed ) and Goosebay is down to 220 odd, so the normal venues could be fishable this weekend.

AT LAST!!!!! Some good news!

Herman Jooste · « **Reply #203 on:** February 08, 2011, 09:00:00 PM »

Quote from: Rory on February 08, 2011, 07:43:46 AM

AT LAST!!!!! Some good news!

Dam release tonight still 57 and Goosebay down to 87.

We are fishing this Sunday. Venue still to be decided on flows closer to the time.

G!enn · « **Reply #204 on:** February 08, 2011, 09:02:41 PM »

Quote from: Herman Jooste on February 08, 2011, 09:00:00 PM

Dam release tonight still 57 and Goosebay down to 87.

We are fishing this Sunday. Venue still to be decided on flows closer to the time.

Hope you guy's have good weather this sunday.. Jezz this sundays fishing for me is going to be Torrential rain and wind again!

You have PM Herman. :sml:

Herman Jooste · « **Reply #205 on:** February 13, 2011, 01:56:31 PM »

Bryan, Jan and I fished Strome this morning. Flows were around 110 when we started and dropped to around 100 by the time we finished.

The visibility must have been 6cm max.

I see the pumphose has gone, removed by the floods or by the owner, I don;t know. None of the usual rocks were visible, just a solid sheet of water from the bank to the island.

There were still rocks and rapids up river towards Streetwise, which I see from a board at the entrance is now open to the general piblic for flyfishing , camping etc.

Wading was indeed tricky, there are quite a few trees/branches etc. trapped under the surface.
Looking at the debris in trees on the island, I reckon the river was a good 6 - 10 metres above todays level at the height of the flood. There was debris as high up as the pandokkies fences.:eek:

The fishing ???????. Well I caught : a cap, ( minus a head thank goodness :eek: ), a plastic bag, 4 trees (submerged ), and a gizillion rocks.

Bryan fared better I think, he got 2 gazillion rocks, and 5 submerged trees, and 2 or 3 trees on the island.:D:D

Jan was bait fishing in a little back eddy below the large willow, and got about 9 fish in all. A few nice yellows on worm ( untill he ran out of them :confused: ) and then some carp and juvenile sm on his secret pap mix.:D:D

All in all, another GREAT morning on the Vaal.:

icstuff · « **Reply #206 on:** February 14, 2011, 08:06:31 AM »

Quote from: G!enn on February 08, 2011, 09:02:41 PM

Hope you guy's have good weather this sunday.. Jezz this sundays fishing for me is going to be Torrential rain and wind again!

You have PM Herman. :sml:

Glenn you going join us on the vaal sometime?

Rory · « **Reply #207 on:** February 14, 2011, 08:35:22 AM »

Quote from: Herman Jooste on February 13, 2011, 01:56:31 PM

.....The fishing ???????. Well I caught : a cap, ( minus a head thank goodness :eek: ), a plastic bag, 4 trees (submerged ), and a gizillion rocks.

Bryan fared better I think, he got 2 gazillion rocks, and 5 submerged trees, and 2 or 3 trees on the island.:D:D......

Fright fully stubborn on a flyrod those rocks!!

G!enn · « **Reply #208 on:** February 14, 2011, 10:00:07 AM »

Quote from: icstuff on February 14, 2011, 08:06:31 AM

Glenn you going join us on the vaal sometime?

Of course.. Carp & cats in there?

O by the way.. as I was expecting a bad day fishing yesterday weather wise.. They got it wrong! Sunny blue skys all day with clouds coming over in the evening time

icstuff · « **Reply #209 on:** February 14, 2011, 10:42:12 AM »

We've been having the carp and the catfish

Herman Jooste · « **Reply #210 on:** February 27, 2011, 04:18:39 PM »

Seeing that all of the usual miscreants had prior arrangements, Jan and I took a drive out to Erina today.

It would seem that the "new" owners of 2 years have basically given up. The gates were unmanned, as was the rest of the premises as far as we could see. :sadd

The flows were around 45 or so, however the water is still the same khaki colour as the above the barrage venues.

I managed 3 muddies in total. 2 in the muddie hole on my red bare hook special, and one below that in the faster water against the reeds, on a charteuse, flashback nymph.

I was rather surprised to see 4 other f/f ( also from the Vuildriehoek ) there, but alas could not see if any of them got anything.

Jan did ok on the bank with worms, claiming a carp, barbel, sm yellow, muddie and a very respectable moggel.

All in all another great morning on the Vaal.

G!enn · « **Reply #211 on:** February 27, 2011, 06:38:26 PM »

Great stuff, Herman .

WalkersKiller · « **Reply #212 on:** February 27, 2011, 06:40:52 PM »

Great to hear Herman

schloshd1 · « **Reply #213 on:** February 27, 2011, 06:49:06 PM »

It's sad to hear that the place is becoming derelict, it really has a lot of potential to become something along the lines of Oord Nebo. I would guess that the islands are completely flattened after the floods. On a positive note, at least you got a few fish. What was the vis like?

Herman Jooste · « **Reply #214 on:** February 27, 2011, 07:31:44 PM »

Andrew, you are right ito the islands, Just bare rock at the moment,
The fish were in good nick, although my last muddie was very "light" in colour, almost a light grey

schloshd1 · « **Reply #215 on:** February 27, 2011, 07:38:53 PM »

Sounds like one the muddies from above the barrage. What was visibility like?

Herman Jooste · « **Reply #216 on:** February 28, 2011, 07:27:05 PM »

Quote from: schloshd1 on February 27, 2011, 07:38:53 PM

Sounds like one the muddies from above the barrage. What was visibility like?

Vizabiity probably around 10cm

Hooch · « **Reply #217 on:** February 28, 2011, 08:29:13 PM »

Gents, any one in the northen area wana take a half broken man to the vaal?
We need a big vehicle for this as I'm casted to my thight!

Herman Jooste · « **Reply #218 on:** February 28, 2011, 09:23:50 PM »

Quote from: Hooch on February 28, 2011, 08:29:13 PM

Gents, any one in the northen area wana take a half broken man to the vaal?
We need a big vehicle for this as I'm casted to my thight!

Hooch, if I could I would. My van with back seats and front passenger down would let you sleep all the way.

However, the question is : how the hell you gonna fish being in a cast up to the hip.

Herman Jooste · « **Reply #219 on:** February 28, 2011, 09:27:33 PM »

Now that I think about, I'm sure Adrian has access to a Hoochmobile.

Don't know if he's joining us or not.

Maybe the wedding plans are still interfering with his fishing.