Stream Fishing - Trout & Bass

[WalkersKiller]

Hi guys, ok I think it is about time I started moving away from the stocked venues and doing some wilder fishing, last time I fly fished a stream was May 2005 

Can anyone give me some help on venues and species? The closer to gauteng and the cheaper the better.

Would ideally like to target Rainbows, and then of course Browns and Large or Smallmouth Bass, but I think I will need to travel to the Western Cape to do that...

Are there any venues where I can do this close to Gauteng or even in the province?

WK 

[WalkersKiller]

Anyone fished or heard of Magalies Barbus Haven Fly-fishing ?

[E.T.]

Stay away from that place.


Streams close to Pta or Jhb???? That is a secret not many would part with.
Why? You just need to take the "wrong" guy out there once and he will take another "wrong" guy and the next time you get to that stream that can only hold 2 anglers per day, you get 10-20 guys fishing it. In short.....That prime stream is now gone!!!


If you want good fishing you must be willing to travel and explore.
I do not fish the Vaal anymore. I focus on mountain streams and none of those are close. This means I fish less, but the quality of the fishing I get is fantastic and worth every cent.


Fish less, save some money and put that towards 3 or 4 good trips in a year. You will thank yourself later.

[WalkersKiller]

I understand that Koos, im sure a lot of pristine waters have been messed up...

That is the type of fishing I would love to do, fishing mountain streams...

Have you got any venues that you like the most? And unfortunately budget will always be my constraint, I know the best places are not cheap but are there some that are cheaper than others?

Is the Magalies place bad?

I am willing to travel to the Drakensberg and Mpumalanga, any venues here you could help me with? 

[E.T.]

If you fish the Reserves in the Drakensberg you will pay anything from R50-R100 per day and that includes entrance and the fishing permit for the day.


Most reserves offers camping and it is dirt cheap.
This is where I would go
Giants Castle
Lotheni
Injusuthi
Vergelegen
Didima
Cathedral Peak
Royal Natal


For MP I would advise the following
Elands River
Blyde River - Closer to the dam and below it you better watch out, cause the crocs will come take you off the bank.
Komati River - Badplaas Area. Closer to Komatipoort you better stay out the water.
This river has some lekker yellows and bass. Try below Vygeboomdam.
Sabie - If you have time and money to waste and catch buggerall.
I have caught fish here, but Rainbow trout should not be that hard to catch. I have a theory that the club waters gets stocked and poached like crazy. Higher up above that falls there is a hatchery with fish in the river there.....fish there, the fish are small but plenty.
If you wish to fish the Sabie, fish it at Merry Pebbles, you will get some.
Spekboom - If you can get onto it.....most of the water is syndicate water.  High up is trout and lower down SS and LS Yellows.
Certain Stretches of the Crocodile in MP is also worth a go, Dullstroom and so on, also believe that the Croc around Kaapsehoop is worth exploring.


Something worthwhile is to get a permit from Forestry and fish their dams, they are stocked with Trout and Bass. Get a permit in Sabie. I would also look at fishing rivers that runs through forestry property. The Treur comes to mind. Yellow galore and I won't be surprised if you hook into a Bow that has washed down from the Blyde below the Potholes.


Okay, you have more than enough water to look into....SAVE and GO FISH!!!

[WalkersKiller]

Wow Koos thanks so much for that info! I will fish one of those areas very soon, i hope.

Thanks bru 

[Willie]

If you come and stay at my place you are close to all the areas in MP. Can maybe organise some tiger fishing also.

[WalkersKiller]

Sounds good Willie 

[Willie]

Ngodwana dam is 11km's from my place. Bass, Yellows and bigggggg  . The Elands river is 15 Km's where there is nice place and an hours drive to Komati. I know poeple there that use a raft with a braai on that they use to trawl up the river for tigers. Sabie is about 80Km's away and around Nelspruit are various dams with Bass and yellows. The Croc river is about 1 Km from my office and I am going there next week to try my skills on plastic. Last time I went to Ngodwana I had no success but it is definitely me that is doing wrong.

[E.T.]

Wow Koos thanks so much for that info! I will fish one of those areas very soon, i hope.

Thanks bru 

Fish these first then we can discuss other water

[Herman Jooste]

 

Hi guys, ok I think it is about time I started moving away from the stocked venues and doing some wilder fishing, last time I fly fished a stream was May 2005 

Can anyone give me some help on venues and species? The closer to gauteng and the cheaper the better.

Would ideally like to target Rainbows, and then of course Browns and Large or Smallmouth Bass, but I think I will need to travel to the Western Cape to do that...

Are there any venues where I can do this close to Gauteng or even in the province?

WK 

Gareth, for the N'th time I invite you to fish the Vaal for proper indigenous fish.

[WalkersKiller]

Cool Willie, we should make a plan!

  Hermann I guess I cant hide the fact that I am a trout guy

Koos, from the Drakensberg venues which should I fish first? Giants?

[dizzy]

Fish Injisuthi first, that will get you in the right frame of mind and help you hone your skills for the other streams. Plus Injisuthi is such an awesome place!

[WalkersKiller]

Thanks Dizzy...

What time of year guys? I see a lot of the fishing is closed off until the end of Winter...

[Wynand13]

    HI WK
 
  Magalies Barbus Haven - I visited recently, they have (you might feel at home)  a stocked dam, that I am not sure how stocked it is as we were 5 people fishing  the smallish dam, and no strikes for the day, I saw some small bass swimming  but that was it.
The stream is ok but I would not go there again to be  honest, there are some great places for yellow in the Parys area that is worth  the drive, and not to far off. If you are looking for trout in streams, unfortunately  it might be a long drive.
 

[Papparoach]

Hi WK, with regards to the Drakensberg streams, best times would be now, from March till the season closes in June. Also After the first rains in September will also be good.

[dizzy]

Most streams are closed from the 31 May, and only open on 1 September again.
Private venues may allow fishing over those times, but any nature reserve will not allow it.

I would not fish MBH, its a waste of time and money. There simply is no small stream trout fishing in Gauteng.
There are venues in Mpumalanga, and they are pretty easy to gain access to. 2.5 hours drive from Joeys. But you will have to make contact with the folks yourself, sorry. If you are willing to spend a few bucks, chat the guys at Mavungana.

[WalkersKiller]

Thanks for the info guys 

I made an inquiry at Giants Castle last week and they just got back to me, the rate is affordable. I booked for the 21st to the 24th of September...

[WalkersKiller]

Thanks Dizzy, as mentioned I am going to try out Giants Castle, then I will visit Injisuthi 

[dizzy]

You wont be sorry - check out this thread if you haven't already:
http://www.ultimateangling.co.za/index.php?topic=9103.0