Calling the Fly fishing manne

[Guest notmyname]

This thread has been quiet for a while so after receiving my newly acquired reel I thought I'd share my very small collection of reels.

 

Newly acquired Redington Surge 5/6 weight

 

Almost bullet proof Daiwa Wilderness200 4 weight

 

JW Young and Sons 1530 8 weight. My Grandfather used it extensively for Salmon fishing with my uncle in BC and Colorado prior to his passing. My uncle told my that it would be wrong not to fish this reel so it's now my salt water go to.

 

Thanks for having a look. Now if I could just make time to get to the water.

[Pieter1]

This thread has been quiet for a while so after receiving my newly acquired reel I thought I'd share my very small collection of reels.

 

IMG-20150512-WA0014.jpg

Newly acquired Redington Surge 5/6 weight

 

IMG-20150512-WA0015.jpg

Almost bullet proof Daiwa Wilderness200 4 weight

 

IMG-20150512-WA0016.jpg

JW Young and Sons 1530 8 weight. My Grandfather used it extensively for Salmon fishing with my uncle in BC and Colorado prior to his passing. My uncle told my that it would be wrong not to fish this reel so it's now my salt water go to.

 

Thanks for having a look. Now if I could just make time to get to the water.

Man they are nice!! I'm on the lookout for a 9wt salt setup. We going to the Niger river in Dec and my wife wants to fly fish for tigers. I figure a salt setup would be best cause then she can get more use from it?

[DJR]

Man they are nice!! I'm on the lookout for a 9wt salt setup. We going to the Niger river in Dec and my wife wants to fly fish for tigers. I figure a salt setup would be best cause then she can get more use from it?

A 9 weight is my choice for tigers, especially if you are likely to encounter big ones. For salt water you want a really good reel with well sealed bearings and a good drag system. Even then, dunk and rinse the reel in fresh water every time after you used it in the salt. As for a rod, let her try out casting with a few and pick the one she feels most comfortable with. 9 weights are tiring to cast all day long, especially if you don't practice with it or are a little short on upper body strength. If she finds it hard, consider an 8 or even a 7 weight. Get her to practice casting beforehand with heavy flies. Cut the hook tip off a weighted Clouser or something like that and cast on the lawn. Inquire about boat hire beforehand, without a boat you are stuck. A local guide will increase your chances of success hugely. Are you planning to fish yourself? You better! Very green with envy!

[DJR]

Man they are nice!! I'm on the lookout for a 9wt salt setup. We going to the Niger river in Dec and my wife wants to fly fish for tigers. I figure a salt setup would be best cause then she can get more use from it?

I have very few complains about my life in Cape Town, except this one: The place is too bloody far from the nearest Tigerfish!     

[DJR]

Just to remind everyone, this is the sharp end of a Tiger, and it is only a little baby one!

[Pieter1]

A 9 weight is my choice for tigers, especially if you are likely to encounter big ones. For salt water you want a really good reel with well sealed bearings and a good drag system. Even then, dunk and rinse the reel in fresh water every time after you used it in the salt. As for a rod, let her try out casting with a few and pick the one she feels most comfortable with. 9 weights are tiring to cast all day long, especially if you don't practice with it or are a little short on upper body strength. If she finds it hard, consider an 8 or even a 7 weight. Get her to practice casting beforehand with heavy flies. Cut the hook tip off a weighted Clouser or something like that and cast on the lawn. Inquire about boat hire beforehand, without a boat you are stuck. A local guide will increase your chances of success hugely. Are you planning to fish yourself? You better! Very green with envy!

Awesome advice! I'll take her to our local fly fishing shop and have a chat with the guys. Yea I am definately going to. I'll take a spinning rod with some rapies so we can chop and change between the two. I might be going to Josini in October so I hope we have a rod by then so I can get the hang of it.

[deanbean]

I have very few complains about my life in Cape Town, except this one: The place is too bloody far from the nearest Tigerfish! [emoji107]

I miss the days living near the Pongola. Fishing for tigers, dodging hippos, crocs and mambas.

[DJR]

I miss the days living near the Pongola. Fishing for tigers, dodging hippos, crocs and mambas.

I'm scared shitless of all three those, but I love tigers and am willing to do some sharpish dodging to get to them. Never had a close shave with any of the 3, but have encountered them just enough to keep me awake. Hippos, I give a very WIDE berth. On crock turf I fish from a boat, except if it is in a cataract of rapids. For the mambas, I pray, because I'm not sure anything else works.

 

The only nasty that I had a way too close an encounter with, was with a Zambezi shark, on the Wild Coast at Mtentu. It came out of nowhere when we were trying to tag a fly cought Kingfish  and it took the whole fish, except for the head, a metre or so away from my outstretched hands. I made a reverse that I have never been able to duplicate ever since. We sent the head to Grahamstown and they estmated the fish to have been around 1 metre long. The shark was a good rod length, I would say 3,5m and it took the fish like a trout would take an insect. No drama, no thrashing, just rolled up, opened its mouth, closed it and the huge fish was gone, leaving me with heart palpitations and a metallic taste in the mouth.  Needless to say, we stopped swimming across the mouth to fish the other side.

 

O, and I forgot about that scary mullet at Kosi Mouth.....   We were fishing in the mouth late at night at the best tide. Waist deep in the strong water, you waited for the mullet to start jumping and then cast into the mayhem, hoping to get the Kingfish chasing them. After an hour or two of that, your mind start playing tricks on you. You start thinking that it might just be one of those Zambezis, or a Raggy, or a Tiger shark chasing the mullet.....and the hair on the back of your neck starts to tingle. The next minute, I heard the commotion of a school of mullet heading for me, I saw the splashes in the faint moonlight, got ready to cast....and a huge big mullet of about 40cm jumped right at me, hitting me square in the chest at full tilt. I got such a huge fright because the old confused brain just shouted SHARK,SHARK, RUN. Well, running with a shopping basket around your waist, tangled flyline around your legs, in the dark water, doesn't work......of course, I stepped in a channel and was soon enough swimming with a rod in one hand...that doesn't work either. The only good thing that I can say about that night, is that nobody saw me, although they made lots of fun afterwards about screaming like a girl and making drowning noises.

 

The only real harm I ever came to, was slipping and falling on a rock while fishing for trout (of all things dangerous and harmless) in the Cape mountain streams. Broke 2 ribs and had to walk a long way back out to the car. No rod or reel was harmed though, and I still landed the fish. Could have been worse I guess    

Edited May 13, 2015 by DJR

[Mousea]

Was planining on Trout fishing in the berg Easter Holidays.

Hmmm crashed Mountain bike on day 4 of leave.

 

Difficult to fly fish with the wrong arm and a broken collar bone.

 

2.5 weeks left then i can give it a try

[deanbean]

I'm scared shitless of all three those, but I love tigers and am willing to do some sharpish dodging to get to them. Never had a close shave with any of the 3, but have encountered them just enough to keep me awake. Hippos, I give a very WIDE berth. On crock turf I fish from a boat, except if it is in a cataract of rapids. For the mambas, I pray, because I'm not sure anything else works.

 

The only nasty that I had a way too close an encounter with, was with a Zambezi shark, on the Wild Coast at Mtentu. It came out of nowhere when we were trying to tag a fly cought Kingfish and it took the whole fish, except for the head, a metre or so away from my outstretched hands. I made a reverse that I have never been able to duplicate ever since. We sent the head to Grahamstown and they estmated the fish to have been around 1 metre long. The shark was a good rod length, I would say 3,5m and it took the fish like a trout would take an insect. No drama, no thrashing, just rolled up, opened its mouth, closed it and the huge fish was gone, leaving me with heart palpitations and a metallic taste in the mouth. Needless to say, we stopped swimming across the mouth to fish the other side.

 

O, and I forgot about that scary mullet at Kosi Mouth..... We were fishing in the mouth late at night at the best tide. Waist deep in the strong water, you waited for the mullet to start jumping and then cast into the mayhem, hoping to get the Kingfish chasing them. After an hour or two of that, your mind start playing tricks on you. You start thinking that it might just be one of those Zambezis, or a Raggy, or a Tiger shark chasing the mullet.....and the hair on the back of your neck starts to tingle. The next minute, I heard the commotion of a school of mullet heading for me, I saw the splashes in the faint moonlight, got ready to cast....and a huge big mullet of about 40cm jumped right at me, hitting me square in the chest at full tilt. I got such a huge fright because the old confused brain just shouted SHARK,SHARK, RUN. Well, running with a shopping basket around your waist, tangled flyline around your legs, in the dark water, doesn't work......of course, I stepped in a channel and was soon enough swimming with a rod in one hand...that doesn't work either. The only good thing that I can say about that night, is that nobody saw me, although they made lots of fun afterwards about screaming like a girl and making drowning noises.

 

The only real harm I ever came to, was slipping and falling on a rock while fishing for trout (of all things dangerous and harmless) in the Cape mountain streams. Broke 2 ribs and had to walk a long way back out to the car. No rod or reel was harmed though, and I still landed the fish. Could have been worse I guess

Kosi bay, now there's a spot I used to enjoy. We had use of one of the houses at the mouth, and used to go there often. During my.national service, one idiot leut ran down the beach, beyond the bprder markers, he was lucky he wasn't shot by Frelimo.

There are reefs in the mouth, it was fun snorkling there.

[DJR]

Kosi bay, now there's a spot I used to enjoy. We had use of one of the houses at the mouth, and used to go there often. During my.national service, one idiot leut ran down the beach, beyond the bprder markers, he was lucky he wasn't shot by Frelimo.

There are reefs in the mouth, it was fun snorkling there.

My visits to Kosi came later.

 

The time you refer to, I spent in the Eastern Caprivi, fishing for Tigers in the Zambezi and the Chobe, from Mpalila Island to Katima Mulilo, all expenses paid, provided you didn't cross the middle of the river, in which case hippos and crocks were the least of your worries. Hence my everlasting love of them striped water dogs. Re-visited the place a few times since, but with luxury lodges all around, it felt tame by comparison. Fishing is still great. Later also got to fish the Kwando and Okavango, the panhandle part of the latter is my 1st choice for tigers, especially in September / October.

Edited May 16, 2015 by DJR

[Pieter1]

Awesome stories man! Makes me want to go fish NOW!! I have decided against getting another fly rod tho. Going to get an upgraded spinning setup. We will get more use from it in the long run.

[Guest notmyname]

Awesome stories man! Makes me want to go fish NOW!! I have decided against getting another fly rod tho. Going to get an upgraded spinning setup. We will get more use from it in the long run.

Nooooooooooo.

[DJR]

Sometimes flyfishing is about more than just catching a trout. This morning, I saw the beautiful red sunrise from my doorstep, the Proteas starting to flower, caught a beautiful, almost copper coloured an brilliantly speckled rainbow with a sunrise on his gills, was bombed by a Giant kingfisher and got soaked by the rain. I sat next to the stream, drank my coffee and ate my sandwitches with the most exquisite gunmetal and blue mountains towering above, and a whiskey coloured stream gurgling past my feet. What more can anyone ask for.

 

Our Cape stream Trout season is now fast coming to a close. The rivers close for winter (spawning season) at the end of May. With just a week to go, the water levels are still pitifully low, but with temperatures nice and cool, the local addicts are frantically getting their last fix of flyfishing. The next dose will only be available in September. Meanwhile, we will have to resort to stillwater fishing for Trout, or resort to other means to stay sane (mountain biking).

[UpShift_Cycles]

Sometimes flyfishing is about more than just catching a trout. This morning, I saw the beautiful red sunrise from my doorstep, the Proteas starting to flower, caught a beautiful, almost copper coloured an brilliantly speckled rainbow with a sunrise on his gills, was bombed by a Giant kingfisher and got soaked by the rain. I sat next to the stream, drank my coffee and ate my sandwitches with the most exquisite gunmetal and blue mountains towering above, and a whiskey coloured stream gurgling past my feet. What more can anyone ask for.

 

Our Cape stream Trout season is now fast coming to a close. The rivers close for winter (spawning season) at the end of May. With just a week to go, the water levels are still pitifully low, but with temperatures nice and cool, the local addicts are frantically getting their last fix of flyfishing. The next dose will only be available in September. Meanwhile, we will have to resort to stillwater fishing for Trout, or resort to other means to stay sane (mountain biking).

You seem pretty clued up on Trout fishing. Since moving here from jozi and being only 2 hrs drive from Dullstroom, I have not done much still water fishing. Can you let me know where are the best spots for fishing within 2-3 hours drive of Cape Town? Only place I really know of is a place outside Franschoek and that's not much to write home about

[DJR]

You seem pretty clued up on Trout fishing. Since moving here from jozi and being only 2 hrs drive from Dullstroom, I have not done much still water fishing. Can you let me know where are the best spots for fishing within 2-3 hours drive of Cape Town? Only place I really know of is a place outside Franschoek and that's not much to write home about

The best Stillwater (arguably)  trout fishery around the Cape is Lakensvlei, near Ceres. It is about 2 hours drive away and is stocked and controlled by the Cape Piscatorial Society. You don't have to be a member to fish it, but you have to book beforehand and pay a smallish day fee. There are also many great guest houses in the Ceres area if you want to make a weekend of it. Here is the link.

 

http://www.piscator.co.za/

 

Otherwise there are several smaller stillwaters spread out around Stellenbosch and Franschoek that can be fished, but I'm not very clued up on any of them. I would contact Philip Meyer of Winelands flyfishing and ask his advice on up to date news. From now till October / November is our best stillwater fishing months. Definitely give it a go! Here are the details:

Philip Meyer on Tel: +27 21 855 2646 or Email: flytalk@telkomsa.net

Edited May 25, 2015 by DJR