Author Topic: Pongola River - Tiger Fishing (Read 14434 times)

super_daav · « **on:** March 10, 2012, 08:43:32 AM »

Morning All,

Thought I would let you in on where I am off to 1st weekend of April:
http://pongolarivercompany.co.za/

Heard some great things about this place and I am sure it will live up to expectations!!

Going to start ying up some clousers (Black over orange, black over red, black over off white, olive over off white) in size #2 & #4 plus some small brush flies.

Tough times...

Searaider · « **Reply #1 on:** March 10, 2012, 11:15:51 AM »

and we expect a full report.

Lichia amia · « **Reply #2 on:** March 10, 2012, 11:22:55 AM »

Looks lekker , enjoy !!!

super_daav · « **Reply #3 on:** April 18, 2012, 09:23:12 AM »

The Report

My old man (“G” as he is known), the Mrs and I decided to do a little tiger fishing on the Pongola River below the Jozini wall. A little info on the river. The camp is based in the Pongola River floodplain which means a constant flow of clean water from the dam, so fishing is good throughout the year. The camp is closed for 3 weeks during the artificial flooding every year which is around October / November. The equivalent of Midmar dam is released in this period!!! The river flows at around 10 cumecs. The river has 42 different species of fish as well as exceptional birding!

Wow what an experience! We met our guide, cook, entertainer and all round great chap, Menzi at the KFC in Jozini on Thursday 29/03 at around 18:00. From there we drove roughly 18km down into the Valley below.

The camp is simple but effective. Camping dome tents with stretchers, mess tent and big fire area are the order of the day. Rigging of rods commenced as we got organised for our first morning’s fishing. Currently only fly fishing is implemented in their camp. We had brought 5 & 6 wt rods with fast sinking lines (Type 5s) and GAZILLIONS of flies (I hate collecting fishing tackle!)!

First morning short car trip up river from Camp to a serious pool. The pool has great structure and looks very deep (>5m?). Water is clear, clean with a light green colour tint. We fished off inflatable crocs. Menzi was guiding the Mrs, while G and I had a paddler each. We started with darker clousers and moved towards lighter (Black over orange) as the morning progressed, targeting all the structure, holes, eddies etc. Fishing was hard, the wind didn’t help with throwing heavier flies on lighter rods but we managed a couple of rats and mice here and there.

The Mrs set the standard mid-morning with a larger specimen committing suicide. She has developed into a good caster and fisherwoman these days! Gonna be some serious competition on the trout dams this winter!

Back to Camp for a hearty breakfast cooked by our guide, come cook, come host. A dip into the river (very shallow sandbank!), a siesta and then back onto the water at the main pool again. Similar story as the morning just reversed the order of flies.

A scrumptious dinner was served up with a couple of rum & cokes plus a couple of brannewyntjies for the Mrs and then off to bed.

Day 2 revealed some heavy cloud cover and cooler morning. Today we headed around 15km downstream, pumped up the rafts and onto the water. The plan was fish around 25 km of the river for the full day and work some fantastic pools. 30 seconds later the rain started! And boy did it unleash. 5 minutes later we were soaked through our rain jackets (Not so water proof any more unfortunately!). The water dirtied and cleaned up very quickly but the dirtier water seemed to help the fishing! Darker flies thrown into all likely looking spots started yielding fish. Nothing big but fantastic fun!

Around 10:30 we decided to get off the water as everyone was frozen and wet (I didn’t hear one word of complaint from the MRs who was soaked and frozen! Super proud of her!) but our driver was unavailable (morning siesta!?!). So we soldier on and arrived a fantastic pool around 11:15 ish. The pool starts with a fanatic drop off into deep water. The left side of the pool is steep cliffs and the right a big sand bank. We had some good success letting flies go over the drop and then as they started to swing in the current ON!

Menzi in the meantime unpacked breakfast / brunch which were hamburgers and they disappeared into hungry mouths like home sick moles! Contact had been made with our driver so while he waited Menzi and I edged out in the croc and anchored ourselves along the cliff in some deep water. The colour was a lot more muddy / dirty so I changed to a black and copper tigger fly. Not more than 5 minutes and ON! But this was not like the rest. Heavy, fast and very strong! My 5wt was buckling under the pressure. A boil / half heart jump downstream revealed a massive head! The nerves started screaming!

Menzi paddled me back to the bank and the fight was on! About 10 minutes later and we had “Her” in the net!! Epic fish of 10lbs!! Some quick photos, a good reviving and off she swam back into the deep recess of the river. That was our trip made!!

That afternoon we paddle a couple of Indian canoes up river for a couple of kms to go look for the Pels Fishing Owls. We managed to find an adult and sub-adult. What a sighting! Never seen this species before, so we were super excited! We then drifted back down river fishing, punching a few rapids (Awesome fun!) and just taking it all in. A couple of sundowners, delicious dinner and the end to a magical day.

Sunday morning was our last day and session, so we drove back up to the main pool and paddled 3 km up river. Tough work paddling a croc against the current but the chaps did superbly! We fished a great looking pool with a great drop off and some fantastic structure. We managed a good couple of tiddlers, watched as another 7lbs plus fish screamed after my fly but no conversion and just had a blast.

Then it was back to camp and homeward bound to Durbs. We had an awesome weekend fishing on superb river! Menzi is truly a unique person and makes that entire place HUM! It was an honour and pleasure to fish with him. He has a superb sense of humour, cooks a mean meal and pretty much can do anything! Chuck Norris has some competition!

This camp is worth a visit and we are already planning our return. Their website is www.pongolarivercompany.co.za for those interest. Check out the gallery section for some amazing fish! A good number of plus 4.5kg (10lb) fish have come out of the river making your chance of getting a big one fairly good!!!

super_daav · « **Reply #4 on:** April 18, 2012, 09:24:24 AM »

More photos

super_daav · « **Reply #5 on:** April 18, 2012, 09:25:12 AM »

More photos

super_daav · « **Reply #6 on:** April 18, 2012, 09:26:02 AM »

More photos

super_daav · « **Reply #7 on:** April 18, 2012, 09:26:54 AM »

More photos

super_daav · « **Reply #8 on:** April 18, 2012, 09:27:40 AM »

More photos

super_daav · « **Reply #9 on:** April 18, 2012, 09:28:27 AM »

More photos

super_daav · « **Reply #10 on:** April 18, 2012, 09:29:37 AM »

More photos

super_daav · « **Reply #11 on:** April 18, 2012, 09:30:06 AM »

Last photo

Prego · « **Reply #12 on:** April 18, 2012, 09:35:28 AM »

Looks an amazing place and adventure

for a wicked report with some

.

Big Van · « **Reply #13 on:** April 18, 2012, 09:56:39 AM »

Nice trip report and photos. The river is beautiful in that area. Have fished it in 1972-78 often. Lots of big barbel also and in some holes big kurper.
Lovely fish you caught.
Tight Lines

Rory · « **Reply #14 on:** April 18, 2012, 09:57:15 AM »

Super report, the place looks excellent, well done on the 10 pounder. The Pels fishing Owl is a serious tick in anybody's book, fantastic stuff.

Manuel Junior · « **Reply #15 on:** April 18, 2012, 09:58:06 AM »

Nice report !!!!

Nikao · « **Reply #16 on:** April 18, 2012, 10:01:24 AM »

Awesome Report

super_daav · « **Reply #17 on:** April 18, 2012, 02:28:56 PM »

Thanks Gents.
Rory, that bird was awesome to see! Having been hoping to view 1 for a long time now.

Willie · « **Reply #18 on:** April 18, 2012, 02:38:08 PM »

Great report

and

on the big one.

Capt. Hook · « **Reply #19 on:** April 18, 2012, 04:46:02 PM »

Very Nice